Beef Chili Cornbread Topping (Printable)

Savory chili layered with a golden cornbread topping for a warm, hearty dish perfect for gatherings.

# What You'll 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 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 1.5 pounds ground beef
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Canned Goods

08 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
09 - 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
10 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

→ Spices

11 - 1 tablespoon chili powder
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1 teaspoon paprika
14 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
16 - 1 teaspoon salt
17 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

→ Liquids

18 - 1 cup beef broth

→ Cornbread Dry Ingredients

19 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal
20 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
21 - 2 tablespoons sugar
22 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
23 - 0.5 teaspoon salt

→ Cornbread Wet Ingredients

24 - 1 cup milk
25 - 2 large eggs
26 - 0.25 cup unsalted butter, melted

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F for baking the assembled casserole.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic; sauté for 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
03 - Stir in diced red and green bell peppers; cook for 3 additional minutes until slightly softened.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, approximately 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if desired.
05 - Stir in tomato paste until incorporated. Add diced tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, black pepper, and beef broth.
06 - Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens slightly.
07 - While chili simmers, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
08 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs, and melted butter until combined. Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
09 - Spread cornbread batter evenly over the hot chili mixture.
10 - Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
11 - Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes before serving to set the cornbread topping.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Its essentially a hug in a baking dish, combining comfort food textures with serious protein
  • The cornbread soaks up all those spiced juices while staying tender on top
  • One pan feeds a crowd with minimal cleanup, perfect for weeknight feeding frenzies
02 -
  • The skillet needs to be ovenproof or you will have a disaster at transfer time
  • Letting the chili thicken before topping prevents soggy cornbread
  • Do not overmix the cornbread batter or it becomes tough
03 -
  • Use a cast iron skillet if you have one for the best crust
  • Let the cornbread batter rest for 5 minutes before spreading
  • Check for doneness at 25 minutes to avoid drying out

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