Beef Chili Cornbread Topping (Printable)

A comforting casserole featuring flavorful beef chili and a golden cornbread crust.

# What goes in:

→ 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 ½ pounds ground beef
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
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
11 - 1 tablespoon chili powder
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
13 - 1 teaspoon paprika
14 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
15 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
16 - 1 teaspoon salt
17 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
18 - 1 cup beef broth

→ Cornbread Topping

19 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal
20 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
21 - 2 tablespoons sugar
22 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
23 - ½ teaspoon salt
24 - 1 cup milk
25 - 2 large eggs
26 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 3 minutes until softened.
03 - Stir in red and green bell peppers; cook for 3 more minutes until tender.
04 - Add ground beef to the skillet. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
05 - Stir in tomato paste, 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.
07 - In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
08 - In another bowl, whisk milk, eggs, and melted butter. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until just combined.
09 - Spread cornbread batter evenly over the hot chili.
10 - Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes until cornbread is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
11 - Let rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cornbread topping soaks up all those spicy chili juices underneath, creating these magical pockets of sweet and savory in every bite
  • It's essentially two comfort foods in one, which means double the satisfaction and half the cleanup
  • This dish somehow tastes even better as leftovers, making it the gift that keeps on giving throughout a busy week
02 -
  • Don't overmix the cornbread batter or it'll turn out tough and dense instead of tender and fluffy
  • The chili needs to be hot when you pour the batter over it, or the bottom won't cook properly
  • If you're using a cast-iron skillet, the cornbread edges get extra crispy and wonderful
03 -
  • If the cornbread is browning too quickly, loosely tent with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking
  • Letting the chili simmer longer than 15 minutes will only make it better, just keep an eye on the liquid level

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