It’s that time of year—the holiday season is approaching! The best part of Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner? The sides, especially the stuffing, and this soup tastes just like it! Whether you make my Cornbread Stuffing or your own white bread stuffing, this soup is an easy way to use up any leftovers.
Turning Leftover Stuffing/Dressing into Soup
I first created this soup in 2023 after I had a lot of leftover Sage Cornbread stuffing recipe—a classic cornbread dish elevated with fresh sage. This is a delicious combination of crumbled Sage Cornbread (picture below), fresh sage, sautéed onions, celery and chicken stock (or chicken broth). It takes minutes to make and is even faster when using leftover stuffing. The cornbread mixture is blended with vegetable stock/vegetable broth (which takes very little time) making it a quick and easy recipe. Just make sure the stuffing and liquid are at room temperature, not hot, before blending.
Fresh sage vs dried sage for stuffing
For me, fall and winter is sage season. Fresh earthy, sage is a staple in my kitchen at this time of the year and I do prefer to use fresh. If you can’t find fresh sage, dried herbs will work, but in my opinion it doesn’t quite measure up.
Homemade Cornbread or Store Bought Cornbread
Just like with my stuffing recipe, you don’t have to use leftover stuffing for the soup; you can make it from scratch with a classic Jiffy cornbread mix or cornbread stuffing/dressing mixture from the grocery store or your own cornbread recipe. Either way, it’s an easy recipe that transforms into a delicious soup.
A Comforting Dairy-Free Vegetarian Holiday Soup
This thick, creamy soup needs no milk or cream—the cornbread itself thickens it, making it not only a comforting vegetarian option but also a delicious vegan soup.
Thanksgiving, Christmas or Holiday Appetizer Soup
This soup makes a perfect appetizer to serve at your Thanksgiving or holiday table and is sure to become a new family favorite. It would be a perfect appetizer to serving at your Thanksgiving table or holiday table and will be your new family favorite.
Easy Cornbread Croutons
If you have leftover cornbread, you can turn it into crispy croutons that add a satisfying crunch to garnish the soup. This can be done in the oven on a baking sheet or tray, a casserole dish, or on the stovetop in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Simply brown in butter or oil, tossing often until golden brown.
Storing Leftover Cornbread Soup
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the soup. Simply defrost in the fridge overnight and heat in a pan over medium heat (stirring often) or in the microwave.
Optional Additions to the Soup
Try a sprinkle of poultry seasoning, fresh herbs like thyme or parsley, caramelized onions, or even a sweet dollop of cranberry sauce. A dash of black pepper adds a little spice.
Storing leftover soup
Add the cooled soup to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. As with most of my recipes, you will find a video tutorial on the page with showing the step-by-step recipe.
