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Chorizo cornbread stuffing is my unique take on my original cornbread and sausage stuffing. Sweet cornbread pieces tossed together with spicy chorizo sausage, vegetables, and seasonings make this a favorite side dish at the Thanksgiving table.
Side Dish Spin: Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing
If you’ve ever made my cornbread and sausage stuffing, you know that it’s a staple side dish I make at every Thanksgiving gathering year after year. It’s the perfect combination of flavors. Now, imagine the same stuffing side dish but instead of breakfast sausage, you use fresh chorizo for a spicy kick and a flavorful twist. The chorizo effortlessly adds so much flavor to the stuffing and I love a sweet and spicy dish!
Mexican Chorizo vs. Spanish Chorizo
For this recipe, you’ll want to use Mexican chorizo, which is fresh and raw chorizo that’s in a sausage casing (that you’ll remove) and break apart into little pieces like ground beef in the skillet. You don’t want to use Spanish chorizo as it’s hard and cured, and just not what this recipe calls for.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- To make this vegetarian, replace the chorizo for the soy-based version called Soyrizo. You can find this at Trader Joe’s in the refrigerated section and I’ve bought it many times — it’s just as good and flavorful!
- Add sliced and diced jalapeños along with the vegetables for more spicy flavor and to give it a Southwestern flair.
- Incorporate a different flavor with bread. At my grocery store bakery (Wegmans), they have all these unique bread flavors. Instead of a plain sourdough loaf, you could buy an herbed sourdough or a garlic sourdough. Perhaps if you’re using jalapeños in this, buy the jalapeño cheddar bread they have!
Make-Ahead: Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing
You can prepare this up to the point of baking the entire dish. Wrap tightly and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Take it out of the fridge while the oven preheats, then bake it according to the recipe instructions.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Allow leftovers to cool then place in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 5 days. You can reheat the stuffing in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl or plate. You may also reheat the stuffing in the oven at 350ºF, until it’s warmed through. Reheating it in the oven prevents it from getting soggy.
Serving Suggestions
More than likely, you are serving this chorizo cornbread stuffing at the Thanksgiving table. If you’re looking for some additional side dishes to serve alongside your turkey or ham, my favorites are having this pumpkin-shaped cheeseball with crackers at the table for those that are peckish, then green bean casserole, honey butter rolls, and garlic mashed potatoes as main side dishes. Finish the meal with my delicious pumpkin cheesecake bites or classic pecan pie bars.
Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ loaf of day old sourdough bread, cubed
- 6 ounces (170 g) cornbread, cubed
- 6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter
- ½ large onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 5 ounce (142 g) baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 ¾ cup (414 ml) chicken broth or stock
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 pound (454 g) fresh chorizo sausage
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and place cubed sourdough and cornbread on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes until they’re lightly toasted and golden. Remove and set aside. Keep oven temperature.1/2 loaf of day old sourdough bread, 6 ounces (170 g) cornbread
- In the meantime, while the bread is toasting, sauté your veggies (onions to garlic cloves) with the butter in a large skillet. Sauté until veggies are soft and tender, about 10 minutes. Then stir in all the herbs and chicken stock and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Let simmer while you cook the chorizo in a separate skillet.6 tablespoons (84 g) unsalted butter, 1/2 large onion, 3 stalks celery, 2 carrots, 5 ounce (142 g) baby bella mushrooms, 2 cloves garlic, 1 3/4 cup (414 ml) chicken broth or stock, Handful of fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, 1 tablespoon fresh sage, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, Salt and pepper
- Brown the chorizo in a separate skillet. Drain and add to the veggie mixture and turn off the heat.1 pound (454 g) fresh chorizo sausage
- Add your toasted bread to a large bowl and carefully pour the chicken stock mixture over the bread. Using a spatula, gently toss the mixture until all is incorporated and not much liquid remain.
- Pour the contents of the bowl into a large casserole dish. I used a 2 1/2 quart oval casserole dish.
- Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, until lightly brown on top.
- Remove and serve!
Nutrition
Photographs by Eat Love Eat
Did you use pork or beef chorizo?
pork
This looks delicious…quick question though. Did you use mexican (soft) or spanish/portugese (cured/hard) chorizo?
I used Mexican (soft)! :)
I wouldn’t mind a helping (or two!) of this at my Thanksgiving table!!
I’ve never been one for cornbread dressing, but the chorizo and mushrooms in this one may just put me over the edge.
I don’t even need the turkey with this stuffing! This looks amazingly delicious!
I loooooove cornbread stuffing but then you went and added chorizo to it, too? Girl, I love you. ;)
Hi Julie! This recipe looks so delicious. I was wondering, where and what kind of chorizo do you buy? I’ve only seen the tubes of the mushy kind near the Latin cheeses and it never browns well!
Hi Oddree! Sorry I missed this comment! I go to Whole Foods to buy my chorizo from their meats/sausage section.