15 Fresh And Herby Sage Recipes

Sage is so distinctive in flavor. There's no reason to wait for a certain season to use it. Use sage now to get your kitchen to taste like the holidays.

<p>Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke</p>

Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Find a prettier herb than sage, we dare you. But, in case you don't already know, those soft, gorgeous leaves aren't just meant for sitting pretty. They're bona fide heroes in the kitchen, especially when it comes to imparting fresh, earthy, herby flavor to autumn dishes.

From Mimi's Cornbread Dressing to Chicken Mushroom Sage Casserole, our recipes using sage step outside the box to bring unmatched flavor and utter decadence with every bite. Whether you've stocked up on store-bought sage or are growing your own, use these fresh sage recipes to inspire your menu, whether it's a holiday or your average Tuesday night.

Chicken Mushroom Sage Casserole

Iain Bagwell
Iain Bagwell

If you're looking for comfort food, you've found it with our Chicken Mushroom Sage Casserole. Because it takes an hour of hands-on time, this is one dish that's best left for the weekend or an evening when you're up for spending a little extra time in the kitchen. The effort is worth it, and pairing this with a light red such as a Pinot Noir will lift your dish to high cuisine.

Southern Cornbread Dressing

Lee Harrelson
Lee Harrelson

If you have a stockpile of fresh sage, this is the recipe you need. It calls for a half cup of those pretty little leaves—no additional herbs necessary. If this doesn't get you turned on to the idea of growing your own sage, no recipe out there will. Fresh leaves are a great option, but drying sage is easy, and is a benefit to your pantry.

Herbed Wild Rice Dressing

Iain Bagwell
Iain Bagwell

Give the cornbread dressing the holiday off and try this fresh spin instead. We love what the addition of sweet apples, toasted walnuts, and—of course—earthy sage brings to the table. This recipe will give wild rice a permanent spot in your cupboard.

Peppercorn Crusted Standing Rib Roast With Roasted Vegetables

Laurey W. Glenn
Laurey W. Glenn

Whether you serve it for a holiday, Sunday dinner, or a run-of-the-mill Wednesday night (fancy, you), this Peppercorn Crusted Rib Roast packs all the flavor. A combination of rosemary, sage, and thyme is the perfectly medley. Your leftovers could not be better.

Turkey With Shallot Mustard Sauce And Roasted Potatoes

Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Here's one recipe that will fool everyone into thinking you spent all afternoon in the kitchen. Start the prep in your trusty slow cooker, letting the turkey breast develop its rich and satisfying flavor. The potatoes and sauce come together in the oven and on the stovetop (respectively) to bring about an entire fall-worthy meal in record time.

Herbed Breadcrumb Topped Macaroni And Cheese

Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

If you've never dressed up your mac and cheese with an herby, breadcrumb topping, prepare to never look back. This is an absolute game-changer for those of you who consider yourselves aficionados of this classic. Get ready to either guard or share this recipe.

Mimi's Cornbread Dressing

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett
Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Don't underestimate the importance of browning that cornbread to perfection prior to crumbling and transforming it into the most savory dressing you've ever tasted. We know it's tempting to go for the boxed or pre-made stuff, but this recipe is well worth the effort.

Smoked Turkey Rub

Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

It's hard to find one of those tried-and-true rubs for any kind of bird, and this rub is the answer. Use it for your Thanksgiving turkey, a roasted chicken, or even smoked wings. This might bring more poultry into your life, but we have a feeling there won't be much complaining.

Deluxe Buttermilk Biscuits With Sage Brown Butter

<p>Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely</p>

Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

This biscuit recipe is a deluxe take on the classic buttermilk version, dressed up a bit for entertaining. From the fried sage leaves, which not only flavor the butter, but make a pretty garnish for serving, to the brown butter in the dough for added nuttiness, we’ve used a few chef-worthy tricks to make these your go-to.

Pecan Herb Cornbread Dressing

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

You will not be fraught with lack of fall flavor when it comes to this cornbread dressing recipe. Toasted pecans and fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage all get mixed into delicious cornbread crumbles. Thanks to a whopping six eggs added to the mix, it ends up with a slight souffle like consistency that pairs wonderfully with that delicious Thanksgiving bird.

Maple Bourbon Smash Recipe

Becky Luigart Stayner
Becky Luigart Stayner

This sage-infused, maple-drizzled smash is all that stands between you and a relaxing porch session. This smash takes gives bourbon a fresh flavor by complementing its robust notes with earthy sage, sweet maple syrup, and fresh lemon. These ingredients are among those that work with bourbon to bring out its flavor palette, rather than challenge it.

Ultimate Make Ahead Gravy

Emily Laurae/Southern Living
Emily Laurae/Southern Living

Sometimes gravy can enliven a meal so much, it becomes stuff of legend. This sage-flavored make ahead version will make your entree the star of the show. A little help from this not-so-minor player is just the boost your dinner is craving.

Chicken Under A Brick

Hector Sanchez
Hector Sanchez

The weight of a cast-iron skillet filled with potatoes serves as the "brick" in this technique, pushing the chicken flat against your hot grill grates. This method cuts your cooking time in half, and helps sear in the chicken's flavor and juices while creating a perfectly brown, crispy skin. The best bonus? There is no juggling three pans on the stove while the chicken is on the grill with this recipe.

Herbed Grilled Chicken

Jennifer Davick; Styling: Alan Henderson
Jennifer Davick; Styling: Alan Henderson

This is a simple and healthful grilling option that uses any variety of herbs you might like. We highly encourage the use of fresh dill, basil, sage, rosemary, flat-leaf parsley, thyme, tarragon, and oregano. This comes together easily and is reliable in its health benefits.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall
Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Butternut squash is one of the more popular squashes for autumn. Once you've sliced through the hard skin, the bright orange flesh with a creamy texture and a slightly sweet, nutty flavor will have you hooked. Like other winter squash, butternut squash pairs well with a variety of flavors and making it a popular choice to use in recipes such as Pumpkin-and-Winter Squash Gratin.

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Read the original article on Southern Living.