Description
Hearty cheddar chili cornbread pie combines comfort and spice in one delightful dish. Warm layers of zesty chili nestled beneath a golden cornbread crust will satisfy hungry diners seeking bold southwestern flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs extra lean ground beef
- 2 large eggs
- 1 can (14 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 roasted red or fresh bell pepper, diced
- 1.5 cups corn
- 1 can (14.5 oz) petite diced tomatoes
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream (plus more for serving)
- 3 tbsps melted butter
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- salt and fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Vegetable Foundation: Sauté onions, bell peppers, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat, seasoning with salt and pepper until vegetables become translucent and fragrant, approximately 4-5 minutes.
- Meat Preparation: Introduce ground beef, crumbling into small pieces while cooking. Once browned, integrate chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, salt, and black pepper, allowing spices to bloom for 2 minutes.
- Liquid Integration: Add diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and corn kernels. Elevate heat to establish a robust simmer, stirring periodically to prevent scorching. Reduce mixture until thickened, approximately 20-25 minutes.
- Cornbread Composition: Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Incorporate half the cheddar cheese and chopped onions. In a separate vessel, whisk eggs, milk, melted butter, and sour cream until homogeneous.
- Baking Preparation: Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter a 9×13 inch baking dish. Merge wet and dry cornbread ingredients minimally to maintain a tender consistency.
- Assembly and Baking: Distribute chili evenly across baking dish’s base. Layer cornbread batter carefully over chili without fully mixing. Garnish with remaining cheddar cheese.
- Final Cooking: Bake 20-22 minutes until cornbread achieves golden-brown coloration and a clean toothpick test. Allow casserole to rest 7-10 minutes. Serve with a complementary sour cream garnish.
Notes
- Meat Browning Technique: Crumble ground beef into small pieces while cooking to ensure even browning and maximize flavor development.
- Spice Layer Building: Toast spices with meat for 2 minutes to release essential oils and intensify the chili’s depth and complexity.
- Cornbread Mixing Tip: Mix wet and dry ingredients minimally to prevent tough, dense cornbread; gentle folding maintains a light, tender texture.
- Resting Importance: Allow casserole to rest 7-10 minutes after baking to help set the layers and make serving easier without falling apart.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 47 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking, Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg