Cajun Style Oyster Dressing Recipe

oyster cornbread stuffing on a plate with a fork

Cajun Style Oyster Dressing Recipe

Stuffing 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.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 198kcal

Author Danielle Wolter

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.

Video

Notes

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