Food and Recipes Dish Stuffing And Dressing Cornbread 'N' Squash Dressing 5.0 (1) 1 Review Love squash casserole? Love cornbread dressing? Get the best of both worlds with this colorful, delicious squash dressing. By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on February 26, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 8 You can't help but love this rich squash dressing, flavored with bell pepper, cream of chicken soup, and ground black and red pepper. As you know, any great Southern-style dressing starts with cornbread that's baked in a skillet for a crisp, golden crust. This version adds the tender benefit of yellow squash for incredible texture and an added boost of natural sweetness. Everyone knows that the turkey isn't necessarily the real star of the Thanksgiving table—it's the side dishes. This delicious squash dressing will make its place on your Thanksgiving sideboard a permanent one. Pair with our green bean casserole, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce for an indulgent Thanksgiving to remember. Learn how to make this squash dressing, and don't be surprised if you bring out this version of dressing in the summer, when you're craving comfort that's just a little lighter. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Why Cornbread and Squash Make the Perfect Pair Separately, cornbread dressing and squash casserole are each beloved side dishes. Together, they create a perfectly balanced squash dressing—sweet and savory, crumbly and tender. The earthy flavor of squash complements the cornbread, while adding moisture and a contrasting texture. Corn and squash are also seasonally in sync, meaning this dish is just about meant to be. Test Kitchen Tip An 8-inch skillet or pan of baked cornbread will yield about 5 cups crumbled. For best results, prepare the cornbread up to two days in advance so it can dry out completely. Ingredients for Cornbread 'N' Squash Dressing To make this cornbread and squash dressing, you'll need: Yellow squash: Adds a subtle sweetness, moisture, and soft texture to the dressing. Unsalted butter: Rich cooking fat used to sauté the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Sweet onion, red bell pepper, and celery ribs: A Holy Trinity that creates an aromatic base for the dressing. Can opt for green bell pepper, if preferred. Canned cream of chicken soup: A shortcut to add a creamy richness and deep flavor to the dressing. Chicken broth: Moistens the dressing and adds depth. Black and red pepper: A hint of heat and spice. Poultry seasoning: An herbaceous blend that amps up the earthy flavor of the dressing. Cooked, crumbled cornbread: Make this homemade version, or opt for store-bought in a pinch. How To Make Cornbread 'N' Squash Dressing Just 15 minutes of active time is all that's needed to pull together this unique side dish. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started: Step 1. Cook squash: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook squash in boiling water until tender. Drain on paper towels.Step 2. Cook onion, bell pepper, and celery: Melt butter in skillet. Add onion, bell pepper, and celery; sauté until tender. Remove from heat.Step 3. Add remaining ingredients: Stir in soup and next 4 ingredients, then cornbread and squash. Spoon into a lightly greased 13- x-9-inch baking dish.Step 4. Bake dressing: Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden. Can I Make Cornbread 'N' Squash Dressing Ahead? To make this dressing in advance, prepare as directed through Step 3. Cover the unbaked casserole, and chill for up to 24 hours. Let the dressing come to room temperature (about 30 minutes), before baking as directed. What To Serve with Cornbread 'N' Squash Dressing This dressing makes an impressive addition to the holiday table. Serve with all of the classic holiday favorites, including roasted turkey or chicken, gravy, cranberry sauce, roasted vegetables, green beans, Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, collard greens, sweet potato casserole, buttermilk biscuits, and more. You can also serve this casserole any night of the week as a hearty side to your chosen protein. How To Store and Reheat Leftover Cornbread 'N' Squash Dressing To store any leftover dressing, cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to four days. Reheat, covered, in a preheated 350°F oven until hot throughout. You can also microwave small portions to heat through as needed. If the casserole seems dry after reheating, sprinkle with water or broth and cover to let moisten. More Cornbread Dressing Recipes You'll Love If you love the addition of squash in cornbread dressing, these pecan, wild mushroom, and spicy versions are delicious twists on the classic cornbread side: Herby-Pecan Cornbread Dressing Slow-Cooker Cornbread Dressing Cornmeal Dressing with Sausage and Fennel Gluten-Free Cornbread Dressing Cornbread-Wild Mushroom Dressing Spicy Cornbread Dressing with Chorizo Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse. Ingredients 1 lb. yellow squash, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup unsalted butter 1 large sweet onion, chopped 1 medium-size red bell pepper, chopped 2 celery ribs, chopped 1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup 1 (14-oz.) can chicken broth 3/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper 1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning 5 cups cooked, crumbled cornbread Directions Cook squash: Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook squash in boiling water to cover in a large skillet 8 to 10 minutes or just until tender. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Drain well on paper towels. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Cook onion, bell pepper, and celery: Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat; add onion, bell pepper, and celery, and sauté 8 to 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove skillet from heat. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Add remaining dressing ingredients: Stir in soup and next 4 ingredients. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Gently stir in cornbread and squash. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13- x-9-inch baking dish. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Bake dressing: Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Frequently Asked Questions Should you cover dressing when baking? For a golden brown color and crisp top crust, we recommend baking the dressing without covering. Cover when reheating to keep the dressing moist. Why is my cornbread dressing so dense? If your dressing came out too dense, adding too much liquid or underbaking may be to blame. Is it better to use broth or stock for dressing? Both broth and stock can be used when making dressing. In this recipe, we call for broth, but using stock in general just adds a more rich and robust flavor. How do you keep cornbread dressing from getting gummy? To prevent cornbread dressing from becoming gummy, avoid overmixing, make sure to measure carefully when adding wet ingredients, and bake until golden brown for the best texture. Rate It Print Additional reporting by Katie Rosenhouse Katie Rosenhouse Follow us Katie Rosenhouse is a pastry chef and food writer with over 15 years of experience in the culinary arts. She's worked as a pastry chef in some of the finest restaurants in New York City, as a culinary instructor, and as a recipe developer. learn more