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Packed with flavors like sweet cornbread, bites of savory, smoky andouille sausage, spicy Cajun style seasoning, copious amounts of butter, and of course, juicy succulent fresh oysters, this Oyster Dressing Recipe is the perfect cornbread stuffing to wow your guests (or just your family)!
This recipe was originally published in October 2017. It has been updated for photos and content.
The first time I heard of putting oysters in stuffing, I thought it was weird. I just thought it would taste bad.
Turns out this is one of my favorite stuffings. The fresh, briny oysters complement the sweetness of the cornbread, and smoky spice in the andouille sausage. It's the perfect melding of flavors.
If you guys have never tried oyster stuffing, you MUST try it. Just DO IT. This oyster stuffing recipe is the s***. For real.
Plus it's super simple to make, with less than 10 ingredients and only taking a few minutes to throw together. Guys, your guests are going to be so impressed if you make them this cornbread oyster stuffing.
And it's just perfect serve with this sous vide turkey breast or these buttery roasted turkey thighs!
**You should also try this amazing Mexican Chorizo Stuffing if you're looking for ways to up your stuffing game**
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
- Andouille sausage gives the dressing (stuffing) a slightly smoky, spicy flavor;
- There are only a few ingredients and the steps are very easy to follow;
- It's great to make ahead to eliminate some stress on Thanksgiving Day (see make-ahead tips at the bottom of the post);
- Everyone LOVES this dressing!
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The Ingredients
You can usually find jars of fresh oysters in the seafood department in your local grocery store. If you absolutely can't find the fresh oysters, canned oysters (found in the canned meat department with the tuna) can be substituted. However, I highly recommend fresh for the best results.
I try to buy pre-made cornbread at the store and just crumble it for this recipe. However, for some reason cornbread isn't always easy to find here in San Diego. So I also use boxes of jiffy corn muffin mix and make 2 boxes for this recipe. That work great too. Just make it the day before so it has time to cool and dry out a touch.
If you've never had Andouille sausage, you are in for a treat! It is slightly sweet, savory, smoky and spicy...the flavors are amazing. If you can't find it in your store, you can substitute any smoked sausage.
You'll also need:
- Cornbread
- Onion
- Green pepper
- Andouille sausage
- Oysters
- Butter
- Chicken broth
- Cajun/Creole seasoning
Step By Step Instructions
One of my favorite things about stuffing is how easy it is to make. First, heat a skillet over medium heat and brown the andouille sausage. This renders the fat a bit and gives the andouille sausage a caramelized flavor.
Add the butter, green pepper and onion and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the Cajun seasoning and oysters and cook about 5-10 minutes, or until oysters are fully cooked.
If your oysters are very large, I recommend cutting them in half so they are more evenly distributed throughout the stuffing. If your oysters are smaller sized you can leave them whole.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oysters are cooking, crumble the cornbread and place in a large bowl and add the oyster and sausage mixture.
Add the reserved oyster liquid and chicken broth; mix thoroughly. Add the chicken broth ½ cup at a time to avoid over-saturation.
Pour in a baking dish, cover (either with a lid or aluminum foil) and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the cover for the last 15 minutes of cooking to crisp up the top. Stuffing should be lightly browned and crisp on top.
Expert Tips for Oyster Dressing
- Always bake the stuffing outside of the bird. When you stuff the turkey with the stuffing, it takes a lot longer to cook, typically resulting in drier meat. And possibly resulting in a stuffing that contains unsafe bacteria. It’s just better to cook your Thanksgiving stuffing in a separate baking dish. You can also drizzle the turkey drippings over the stuffing while it cooks if you want.
- If your stuffing is too dry, add more chicken broth until the desired consistency is reached. be careful not to add too much or the dressing will be soggy;
- I always recommend using fresh oysters. The canned oysters don't have quite the same flavor. However, in a pinch canned can be used, the flavor will just not be as good.
- Any smoked sausage can be substituted for the Andouille sausage if you can't find it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What do I do if my stuffing is too moist? If your stuffing has become a gummy mess, dump it out onto a large baking sheet and spread it out. Bake it in a 350 degree oven until it has dried to the desired consistency.
- How do you fix stuffing that is too dry? Add more liquid until desired consistency is reached.
- Can I make oyster stuffing ahead of time? You can totally make this oyster stuffing the day before, which is perfect for Thanksgiving. Prepare the oyster and sausage mixture and store in a covered container in the fridge overnight, or up to 3 days. When you’re ready to cook it, add the mixture to the cornbread, and follow the remaining recipe instructions.
- How long does oyster stuffing last? It can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, To reheat, place in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Add additional broth when reheating if stuffing is dry.
- Can you freeze oyster stuffing? See below for freezing instructions.
- How do I reheat stuffing without drying it out? Let the stuffing come to room temperature. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, until warmed through. If stuffing is too dry, add liquid, just a little at a time. Note, if stuffing is brought to room temperature properly, you shouldn’t need to add additional liquid.
Freezing Options
You can freeze this oyster stuffing either before or after cooking. To freeze before, prepare all the ingredients and place in a baking dish.
Wrap securely with foil and plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Can be store for up to 3 weeks. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight. Cook according to the recipe instructions.
To freeze after cooking, place stuffing in a freezer safe container, or wrap in foil and freezer safe plastic wrap.
To thaw, place stuffing in the fridge overnight.
To reheat, place stuffing in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through. You may need to add additional broth if the stuffing is dry. Start with ½ cup and work up if needed.
More Favorite Thanksgiving Sides
- Wild Rice Stuffing;
- Sausage Stuffing from Spicy Southern Kitchen;
- Make Ahead Turkey Gravy;
- Mexican Cornbread Stuffing;
- Cranberry Chutney Recipe;
- Scalloped Potatoes;
- Browse all the Stuffing Recipes!!
Classic Southern Recipes
- Chicken Etouffee;
- Fried Green Tomatoes from Pinch and Swirl;
- Blackened Catfish;
- Spicy Cajun Remoulade;
- New Orleans BBQ Shrimp;
- Cheesy Grits.
Did you make this oyster dressing recipe? Rate the recipe and leave me a comment to let me know how it turned out!
Recipe
Cajun Style Oyster Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups cornbread
- 2-8 oz. jars of fresh oysters, drained with liquid reserved
- 6 oz. Andouille sausage, diced
- 1 diced green pepper
- ½ onion, diced
- ½ to 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp. Cajun seasoning
- 1 tbsp. butter
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and brown the Andouille sausage.
- Add the butter, green pepper and onion and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the Cajun seasoning and oysters and cook about 5-10 minutes, or until oysters are fully cooked. If your oysters are very large, I recommend cutting them in half so they are more evenly distributed throughout the stuffing. If your oysters are smaller sized you can leave them whole.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- While the oysters are cooking, crumble the cornbread and place in a large bowl. Add the oyster and sausage mixture and stir until combined. DO NOT OVER MIX. Just toss the mixture lightly.
- Add the reserved oyster liquid and chicken broth and toss to mix. Add the chicken broth ½ cup at a time to avoid over-saturation.
- Pour in a baking dish, cover (either with a lid or aluminum foil) and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the cover for the last 15 minutes of cooking to crisp up the top. Stuffing is done when lightly browned and crisp on top.
Expert Tips:
- Always bake the stuffing outside of the bird. When you stuff the turkey with the stuffing, it takes a lot longer to cook, typically resulting in drier meat. And possibly resulting in a stuffing that contains unsafe bacteria. It’s just better to cook your Thanksgiving stuffing in a separate baking dish. You can also drizzle the turkey drippings over the stuffing while it cooks if you want.
- If your stuffing is too dry, add more chicken broth until the desired consistency is reached. be careful not to add too much or the dressing will be soggy;
- I always recommend using fresh oysters. The canned oysters don't have quite the same flavor. However, in a pinch canned can be used, the flavor will just not be as good.
- Any smoked sausage can be substituted for the Andouille sausage if you can't find it.
- To make the stuffing the day before, prepare the oyster and sausage mixture and store in a covered container in the fridge overnight, or up to 3 days. When you’re ready to cook it, add the mixture to the cornbread, and follow the remaining recipe instructions.
- The stuffing can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, To reheat, place in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Add additional broth when reheating if stuffing is dry.
- To freeze before cooking, prepare all the ingredients and place in a baking dish. Wrap securely with foil and plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Can be store for up to 3 weeks. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight. Cook according to the recipe instructions.
- To freeze after cooking, place stuffing in a freezer safe container, or wrap in foil and freezer safe plastic wrap. To thaw, place stuffing in the fridge overnight. To reheat, place stuffing in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through. You may need to add additional broth if the stuffing is dry. Start with ½ cup and work up if needed.
Nutrition
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