Mexican Thanksgiving Cornbread Stuffing
Add a little kick to your holiday dressing this year with this flavorful stuffing recipe. Our Mexican Thanksgiving Cornbread Stuffing is a sure-fire way to keep your dinner guests coming back for more!
Homemade Cornbread Stuffing is my Love Language
Anyone can tell you the name of their favorite holiday dish. Particularly on Thanksgiving.
Mine is, and has always been, cornbread stuffing.
That may surprise some of you, with such highly praised holiday competitors as pumpkin pie, braised turkey, and roasted sweet potatoes.
Yet there is something ridiculously comforting about a bread-based dish saturated in butter and herbs.
Once the weather turns cold, I immediately start obsessing over the endless ways one could prepare cornbread stuffing. I certainly love traditional dressing recipes, but often find the ramped-up alternative versions even more appealing.
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe (Tex-Mex Style!)
Today’s Cornbread Stuffing Recipe is a wonderful alternative that incorporates lots of fresh veggies and just the right amount of spice.
The Tex-Mex spices complement the cornbread base in such a way that, even though this stuffing recipe isn’t “traditional,” it will fit in perfectly with your classic Thanksgiving or Christmas menu.
Tex-Mex Cornbread Stuffing is quick to whip up and throw in the oven, but would also be amazing stuffed inside your holiday bird! Just imagine a juicy turkey packed full of Southwest Cornbread Stuffing, then rubbed down with butter, cumin and chile powder.
What You Need To Make Cornbread Stuffing
- Butter
- Sweet onion
- Garlic
- Celery
- Red bell pepper
- Yellow bell pepper
- Old El Paso Mild Red Enchilada Sauce – or red enchilada sauce of choice
- Old El Paso Chopped Green Chiles
- Sliced black olives – either fresh or from a can
- Cilantro – for including in the stuffing and for garnishing
- Dried corn bread stuffing
- Shredded “Mexican blend” cheese
- Chicken stock – or vegetable stock to make vegetarian
Old El Paso enchilada sauces allow you to simmer up quick flavorful dishes in a flash. However, I found the fresh, zesty flavor provided wonderful seasoning to my Mexican Stuffing Recipe!
How To Make Cornbread Stuffing
- Firstly, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare the veggies by peeling and chopping onion, mincing garlic, chopping celery and cilantro, and seeding and chopping peppers. It makes cooking so much easier when you go ahead and get this preparation work done right at the beginning!
- Next, start this quick and easy Southwest Cornbread Stuffing by sautéing the onions, garlic, celery, and peppers with butter in a deep, large skillet over medium-high heat, until just tender.
- Then add bold and tangy Old El Paso Mild Red Enchilada Sauce, Old El Paso Green Chiles, sliced black olives, and the majority of chopped fresh cilantro to the vegetable mixture. Add the dried cornbread stuffing, stir, add in all but a handful of the shredded cheese, and stir again. You don’t want to over-mix; just gently combine until the ingredients are incorporated throughout the stuffing.
- Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon in the stuffing making sure to not pack too tightly, and evenly drizzle the chicken stock or vegetable stock over the entire dish.
- Sprinkle the stuffing with the remaining handful of cheese and chopped cilantro. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the top has become golden brown.
GET THE COMPLETE MEXICAN THANKSGIVING CORNBREAD STUFFING RECIPE BELOW!
Stuffing Tips & Tricks
Zesty and indulgent. Bold and comforting. A super-star on any table.
Spicy and swoon-worthy stuffing!
Try my unique stuffing recipe for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner this year, and I guarantee this will become a family favorite for all of your holidays!
BONUS: You can make this easy stuffing a day or so before your holiday dinner, and keep wrapped in the fridge until you’re ready to heat and serve.
To reheat, simply bake the cornbread dressing uncovered in an oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees F, for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Frequently Asked Questions
IS THIS HOMEMADE CORNBREAD STUFFING GLUTEN FREE?
You can make this a gluten-free recipe by purchasing dried cornbread stuffing that is labeled as gluten-free. Some brands use strictly cornmeal – which is naturally gluten free, while others use wheat as a filler.
You could also buy gluten-free cornbread. Then cut it into cubes and let it dry out.
Old El Paso’s Mild Red Enchilada sauce is gluten-free!
CAN THIS STUFFING RECIPE BE MADE VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN?
Yes! To make this dish vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth.
For a vegan cornbread stuffing, use your preferred non-dairy oil for sautéing the veggies and your favorite non-dairy shredded cheese in the recipe.
IS THIS RECIPE BAKED COVERED OR UNCOVERED?
This recipe is baked in the oven uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes.
MORE FLAVORFUL HOLIDAY SIDE DISHES
- Crock Pot Creamed Corn
- How To Make Turkey Gravy
- Best Mashed Potatoes
- Best Yeast Rolls
- Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Beer
- Garlic Butter Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
- Best Homemade Mac and Cheese
Cornbread Stuffing Recipe for Mexican Thanksgiving
Video
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper seeded and chopped (about 2/3 cup)
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper seeded and chopped (about 2/3 cup)
- 10 ounces Old El Paso Mild Red Enchilada Sauce (or 1 can of preferred red enchilada sauce)
- 4.5 ounces Old El Paso Chopped Green Chiles
- 3.8 ounces sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped, + extra for garnish
- 14 ounces dried cornbread stuffing
- 2 cups shredded "Mexican blend" cheese
- 1 1/4 cups chicken stock or vegetable
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, onion, garlic, celery and chopped bell peppers. Saute and stir for 3-5 minutes, until soft. Then turn off the heat and salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the Old El Paso Mexican Cooking Sauce into the skillet, followed by the green chiles, olives, cilantro, and dried stuffing. Stir to combine. Then toss in the shredded cheese, reserving a handful for the top.
- Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Then spoon the cornbread stuffing into the dish. Drizzle the stock over the top of the stuffing, covering the entire dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and a little more cilantro.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden and the cheese has melted. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Old El Paso. All opinions are my own.
I made this with a jalapeños corn bread and added a jalapeño to the sautéed vegetables. Also I used the medium enchilada sauce. It was amazing!