Description
This hearty Chili Cornbread Casserole combines a flavorful, spiced ground beef chili with a moist, golden cornbread topping, baked to perfection. It's a comforting one-dish meal perfect for family dinners or casual gatherings, featuring layers of seasoned chili and a rich cornbread crust that pairs beautifully with optional toppings like cheese, sour cream, and avocado.
Ingredients
Scale
Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Chili
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 pounds ground beef
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, drained
- 16 ounces kidney beans, drained
Cornbread Topping
- 2 (8.5 ounce) boxes Jiffy corn muffin mix
- 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel sweet corn, drained
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 large eggs, whisked
Instructions
- Prepare seasoning mix: Combine chili powder, salt, ground cumin, dried oregano, mustard powder, brown sugar, and cayenne pepper in a bowl and set aside.
- Preheat oven: Set your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit to get it ready for baking the casserole.
- Cook aromatics and beef: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season ground beef with salt and pepper generously and add it to the pot, cooking and crumbling for about 5 minutes.
- Add vegetables and cook through: Stir in the diced green bell pepper and minced garlic. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the beef is fully cooked. Drain excess grease carefully.
- Add seasoning and flavorings: Lower the heat to medium. Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the meat mixture. Add tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce, stirring to combine evenly.
- Deglaze and simmer: Pour in chicken broth and use a silicone spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the pot, incorporating flavorful bits. Add the beef bouillon cube, crushed tomatoes, and drained diced tomatoes. Stir well and bring to a boil.
- Simmer chili: Reduce the heat to low, stir in kidney beans, and partially cover the pot. Allow the chili to simmer gently while preparing the cornbread topping.
- Prepare cornbread topping: In a large bowl, combine Jiffy corn muffin mix, drained whole kernel corn, milk, sour cream, melted butter, and whisked eggs. Mix just until incorporated, avoiding overmixing.
- Assemble casserole: Transfer chili to a deep 9 by 13-inch casserole dish and press down lightly to form an even layer. Spoon dollops of cornbread topping evenly over the chili starting at the edges and moving inward. Use a silicone spatula to gently smooth the topping into an even layer without overworking it.
- Bake the casserole: Place the casserole uncovered in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Tent loosely with foil during the last 10 minutes if the cornbread topping is browning too quickly.
- Rest before serving: Remove from the oven and let the casserole sit for 5 minutes to set before serving.
Notes
- Add cheese by sprinkling freshly shredded cheese over the cornbread topping during the last 10 minutes of baking or layering cheese on the chili before adding the cornbread for extra richness.
- Great bean options include black beans, pinto beans, or kidney beans depending on preference.
- You can substitute ground beef with ground turkey, sausage, pork, or veal, or combinations thereof for different flavor profiles.
- The Worcestershire sauce, mustard powder, and hot sauce deepen flavor without making it overtly spicy; adjust hot sauce and cayenne pepper for desired heat level.
- Chicken broth adds a balanced depth of flavor, but beef broth or a mix can be used as an alternative.
- This recipe yields approximately 8 to 9 cups of chili to allow proper setting of the cornbread topping; adjust liquid if using different chili recipes.
- Homemade cornbread recipe can be used in place of the Jiffy mix for a made-from-scratch touch.
- For serving, toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced jalapeno, green onions, cilantro, diced avocado, Fritos, or tortilla chips are delicious accompaniments.
- Make-ahead tip: Prepare the chili up to 2 days ahead to let flavors meld; warm gently before assembling and baking cornbread topping as leavening activates on mixing.
- Store leftovers cooled and covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
