Description
This Chili Cornbread Casserole is a hearty, comforting one-dish meal featuring a savory and veggie-packed chili base topped with sweet and fluffy cornbread. Perfect for a family dinner, it combines ground beef, fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, and spices, all baked together with a cheesy cornbread topping for a satisfying and delicious meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chili Base
- Cooking spray
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
- 1 small bell pepper, any color, diced (1 cup)
- 1 small jalapeno, diced (seeds and membranes removed for less heat)
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced (1 ½ tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans or black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup frozen corn
Cornbread Topping
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (use 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend, if needed)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup milk of choice (2% suggested)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- ½ teaspoon white vinegar
- ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Optional for topping: 2 tablespoons sliced jalapeno
- Optional for serving: sour cream, fresh cilantro, diced avocado, sliced jalapeno, lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400℉ to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Cook Chili Base: Heat a large oven-proof skillet with a lid over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add ground beef, diced onion, bell pepper, jalapeno (if using), and minced garlic. Cook for 8-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is fully cooked and onions soften. Use a spatula to break up meat and mix vegetables evenly.
- Add Spices: Stir in chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Mix well to combine the spices with the beef and vegetables.
- Add Tomato and Beans: Pour in tomato sauce, diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained beans, tomato paste, and frozen corn. Stir thoroughly and bring the mixture almost to a boil.
- Simmer Chili: Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with the lid, and simmer for 8 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking uncovered for an additional 4 minutes to thicken.
- Prepare Cornbread Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add milk, egg, avocado oil, and vinegar, stirring just until smooth without over-mixing.
- Add Cornbread on Chili: Drop the cornbread batter in 6-8 mounds evenly spread over the chili in the skillet. Optionally, place a slice of jalapeno on each mound for extra flavor and heat.
- Bake Casserole: Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Then, sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese evenly on top of the cornbread mounds and bake for an additional 8 minutes or until the cornbread is cooked through and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the hot skillet from the oven and let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with optional toppings like sour cream, fresh cilantro, diced avocado, sliced jalapeño, and lime wedges to enhance the dish.
Notes
- This casserole is a filling, one-dish meal combining savory chili and sweet cornbread perfect for cooler weather.
- You can substitute pinto beans with black beans or kidney beans to vary flavor and texture.
- Use gluten-free baking flour blend if you need a gluten-free option for the cornbread topping.
- Adjust the level of jalapeño according to your heat preference; removing seeds reduces spiciness significantly.
- If you do not have an oven-proof skillet, transfer the chili mixture to a baking dish before adding the cornbread batter.
- Leftovers reheat well in the microwave or oven and make great next-day meals.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe
- Calories: 336 calories
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 970 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 21 g
- Cholesterol: 57 mg
