Description
Loaded chili cheese cornbread bake brings comfort right to your dinner table with hearty layers of spicy chili and melted cheese nestled between golden cornbread. Grab your fork and get ready for a satisfying meal that combines classic Southern flavors in one delicious casserole.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- ½ lb ground beef or turkey
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- ½ cup crushed tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup melted butter or oil
Seasonings and Optional Items:
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup canned beans (optional)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Sour cream
- Sliced jalapenos
- Chopped green onions or cilantro
Instructions
- Crank your oven to 400°F and coat an 8×8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Combine 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt in a mixing bowl.
- Whisk 1 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, and ¼ cup melted butter into the dry ingredients until the batter looks smooth and free of lumps.
- Pour the cornbread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While cornbread bakes, grab a skillet and brown ½ lb ground beef with ½ cup chopped onion and 2 cloves minced garlic over medium-high heat.
- Add ½ cup crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, ½ cup beans, 1 tsp chili powder, ½ tsp smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to the meat. Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes.
- Spread the hot chili evenly across the baked cornbread. Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese on top.
- Return the dish to the 400°F oven for 5-7 minutes until the cheese melts completely.
- Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, sliced jalapeños, and chopped green onions before serving immediately.
Notes
- Replace ground beef with ground turkey or plant-based crumbles for a leaner or vegetarian version.
- Use buttermilk alternative like milk mixed with vinegar if you do not have buttermilk on hand.
- For extra kick, add diced green chiles or chipotle pepper to the cornbread batter for deeper flavor.
- Prepare chili a day ahead to let flavors develop and save time during final assembly of the dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 342 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 460 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg