Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you click on the link and make a purchase.
This chili cornbread casserole is a cozy delicious meal with a warm chili on the bottom that’s baked with cornbread on top. I love to serve this on a chilly night, for Game Day or a meal for a crowd.
Whenever I post this on Instagram or TikTok it immediately goes viral. Because who doesn’t want a delicious bowl of simmering chili with a piece of sweet cornbread on top? It’s a magical dish. And I love serving this with my Fall Harvest Salad, Cranberry Margaritas and an Apple Cobbler for dessert.
Ingredients for Chili Cornbread Casserole
- Ground beef – I love using grass fed, 80%/20% ground beef for this. We want flavor and that 20% fat delivers this.
- Kidney Beans – We need kidney beans in this chili.
- Spices – I use a mix that’s inspired by my homemade taco seasoning. We have coriander, chili powder, paprika and cumin.
- Beef broth – This rounds out the flavor very nicely. You can also use homemade chicken stock too.
- Green chiles – You can always skip these, if you can’t find them at the grocery but I love the flavor they add. They’re not spicy just flavorful.
- Cornmeal – We use this for the cornbread topping and it adds the perfect cornbread flavor for the top.
- Cheddar cheese – The cornbread topping isn’t cheesy but the cheddar cheese has a subtle flavor profile that takes it over the top.
For the full list of recipes, see the recipe index card below!
How to Make Chili Cornbread Casserole
- In a large pot, add in the onion, red bell pepper and garlic. Cook it until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Then add in the ground beef and break it up with a spoon.
3. Add in the spices, green chiles, tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Mix it all up.
4. And then add in the beans and beef stock. Cook that on the stove for time.
5. While the chili is simmering, I like to mix up the cornbread topping. Mix together the buttermilk and egg.
6. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mix with the cornmeal. Mix it all together.
7. Add it to the top of the chili. And then place in the oven until golden brown on top.
8. I like to serve it with a dollop of sour cream and green onions. SO GOOD!
Recipe Tip
- Add butter to the top. I like to rub a teaspoon of butter to the top of the cornbread right when it comes out of the oven. It adds some nice gloss and melts amazingly well.
- Make this vegetarian. You can make this veggie-friendly by using meat substitute in place of the ground beef. Or you could add another can of beans and leave out the meat all together.
- Give it fall vibes. If you want, you can whip up this pumpkin chili and use this cornbread recipe right on top!
- Add some spice. Add some diced jalapeรฑos to the cornbread topping like my Jalapeรฑo Cheddar Cornbread.
Recipe FAQs
I like to store it right in the pot. I place the lid on the pot and stick it in the fridge. You can always remove the cornbread topping and store that separately. And then take the chili and place it in another air tight container.
To reheat this dish, I like to place the chili and the cornbread in a skillet, cover it with a lid and reheat it over medium-low heat. If needed, you can add a teaspoon or two of water to the chili to loosen it up a bit.
I love my One-Pan Chicken Orzo, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Lasagna Soup and Pot Roast.
What to Serve with this Chili
Dinner
Best Caesar Salad
Appetizers
Caramelized Shallot Dip
Desserts
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Desserts
Sticky Toffee Persimmon Pudding
If you tried this Cornbread Chili Casserole or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Chili Cornbread Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
Chili:
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound ground beef, (I went 80/20)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground paprika
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1 (15-ounce) can of kidney beans
- 1 ยฝ cups Pacific Foods beef broth
Cornbread Topping:
- 2/3 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup shredded cheddar
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- ยผ cup neutral oil
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, set over medium heat, add a few teaspoons of olive oil. Add in the onion, red bell pepper, garlic and a few pinches of salt.
- Cook until the onions have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the ground beef and break it up. Pour in the spices, the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, diced green chiles, kidney beans and Pacific Foods beef broth. Stir until all combined.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and lower the heat to low. Cover and cook for about 30 to 35 minutes, until all the flavors have married. Adjust salt to taste. I added an additional ยพ teaspoon of salt.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Meanwhile make the topping. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cheddar. In a measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and oil. Pour the wet into the dry and mix until combined.
- When the chili is done, transfer it to a casserole dish and smooth out the top. Add the cornbread batter in one even layer. Transfer to the oven to bake until the top is set, about 25 minutes and the chili is bubbling. Brush the top with butter and serve with sour cream and sliced green onion.
Notes
- Add butter to the top. I like to rub a teaspoon of butter to the top of the cornbread right when it comes out of the oven. It adds some nice gloss and melts amazingly well.
- Make this vegetarian. You can make this veggie-friendly by using meat substitute in place of the ground beef. Or you could add another can of beans and leave out the meat all together.
- Give it fall vibes. If you want, you can whip up this pumpkin chili and use this cornbread recipe right on top!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I would like to be on your e-mail list if you have one. Thank you.