Go Back

Best Seafood Cornbread Dressing Recipe - Restaurant Quality

This Seafood Cornbread Dressing recipe is a Southern-inspired holiday showstopper that combines tender shrimp, rich crab meat, and homemade cornbread into a luxurious, flavorful dressing. With aromatic herbs, creamy texture, and a hint of coastal flair, this dish transforms traditional stuffing into a restaurant-quality masterpiece.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Holiday Recipes, Seafood, Southern
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 385
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cornbread Base:
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup self-rising flour
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup salted butter divided
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp cooking oil
For the Seafood Cornbread Dressing:
  • 4 cups prepared cornbread crumbled
  • 1 lb shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 6-8 oz fresh crab meat
  • 1 tbsp garlic paste
  • 1 cup yellow onion diced
  • 1 cup celery diced
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley minced
  • 2 tbsp green onions chopped
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/4 cup cream of celery soup
  • 1 cup seafood stock
  • 1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1-2 cups cubed Italian bread
For Homemade Seafood Stock:
  • 1 cup celery roughly chopped
  • 1 cup carrots roughly chopped
  • 1/2 large onion chopped
  • 1 tbsp roasted garlic bouillon base
  • 1-2 cups water

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and oil baking dish. Heat oiled dish in oven to create a crisp crust.
  2. Whisk cornmeal, flour, and sugar in a bowl. Add beaten egg and milk, mix until smooth.
  3. Add butter to hot baking dish, then pour in batter. Bake for 25 minutes until golden. Cool completely.
  4. Sauté garlic, onion, and celery in butter until fragrant. Add herbs and cook 1 minute more. Set aside.
  5. In a large bowl, crumble cooled cornbread and mix with vegetable mixture and bread cubes.
  6. Fold in mayonnaise, soups, and seasonings. Gradually add seafood stock until mixture is moist but not soggy.
  7. Gently fold in shrimp and crab meat. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  8. Spread mixture into baking dish, sprinkle with smoked paprika, and bake 30–40 minutes until golden.
  9. Let rest 15–20 minutes before serving for best texture and flavor.

Notes

Cool cornbread completely before using to avoid a gummy texture. Add stock gradually for perfect consistency and avoid overmixing seafood.