Beef Chili Cornbread Topping (Printer-friendly)
A comforting bake combining savory beef chili and a golden, fluffy cornbread crust.
# What You Need:
→ Chili Base
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 pound ground beef
06 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
07 - 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
08 - 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
09 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
10 - 1 cup beef broth
11 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
17 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
→ Cornbread Topping
18 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal
19 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
20 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
21 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
22 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
23 - 1 cup whole milk
24 - 2 large eggs
25 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
26 - 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until softened, approximately 3 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and diced red bell pepper. Continue cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until thoroughly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.
05 - Mix in tomato paste, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, beef broth, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.
06 - Allow mixture to simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
07 - While chili simmers, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
08 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs, and melted butter until combined. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Fold in shredded cheddar cheese.
09 - Remove chili from heat. Spread evenly in the skillet or transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish.
10 - Spoon cornbread batter over the chili, spreading gently to cover completely.
11 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the topping comes out clean.
12 - Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving to allow the cornbread to set.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cornbread soaks up all those spiced chili juices while staying fluffy on top
- Its practically a complete meal in one pan, meaning less cleanup and more time at the table
02 -
- The cornbread batter must be dropped onto hot chili, so do not let your base cool while mixing the topping
- Overmixing the cornbread batter creates a tough, dense crust instead of fluffy spoon bread
03 -
- Reserve a handful of cheese to sprinkle over the cornbread during the last 5 minutes of baking for extra visual appeal
- A tablespoon of honey or maple syrup in the cornbread batter creates a lovely sweet contrast to the spicy chili