Chili Cornbread Pie - gluten free & dairy free
Chili cornbread pie is a cozy casserole favorite — gluten free chili with ground beef & smoky spice, topped with gluten free cornbread.
Equipment
- 12 inch cast iron skillet
Ingredients
Chili Base
- 1 large yellow onion - or 2 medium
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil - or bacon grease or leaf lard
- 2 pounds ground beef
Spices & Seasonings
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne - adjusted to taste
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce - optional
- 1 14- ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes - with juice
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Beans (optional)
- 1 15- ounce can cannellini or Great Northern beans - drained
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic - or a pinch garlic powder
Stock
- 1 cup beef stock - bone broth recommended
- 1 ½ - 2 teaspoons salt - to taste
- ground pepper - to taste
Cornbread Batter
- 1 cup cornmeal - gluten free
- 1 cup gluten free flour - Authentic Foods Steve's GF Cake Flour Blend recommended
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dairy free yogurt - plain
- 3/4 cup oat milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup dairy free butter - melted
- 2 eggs - large
- 1/2 cup frozen corn - fire roasted or regular
Instructions
Prep the Chili
- Chop the onion and garlic. Remove the ground beef from the refrigerator to take the chill off. (Note: ground beef shouldn’t sit on the counter for more than 20 minutes for food safety reasons.)• 1 large yellow onion• 5-6 garlic cloves
- Place a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, bacon grease, or leaf lard and heat until shimmering.• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
Cook the Aromatics
- Add the onion along with about ½ teaspoon of salt. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned.
- Push the onions to the edges of the pan. Add the garlic directly onto the hot surface and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir to combine with the onions.
Sear the Beef
- Push the onion and garlic mixture to the coolest part of your pan. Add the ground beef to the exposed surface, spreading it out evenly.• 2 pounds ground beef
- Cook the beef undisturbed for about 5 minutes, until the bottom develops a deep brown sear. Resist the urge to break it up — allowing the beef to sear undisturbed builds major flavor.
- While the beef is searing, measure the spices into a small bowl and open the canned ingredients.• 3 tablespoons chili powder• 2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika• 1 tablespoon cumin• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- Once the bottom of the beef is a deep brown color, flip the beef in large chunks so the uncooked side contacts the pan. Cook undisturbed for another 4–5 minutes, until deeply browned.
- While the beef sears, mince the chipotle pepper, if using.• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- Reduce the heat to medium and break the beef into smaller pieces, allowing any remaining pink spots to cook and the fat to fully render.
- Assess the amount of rendered fat. If there are visible pools of bubbling fat, reduce the heat to low and spoon off excess fat into a small bowl (see Notes). Leave a small amount for richness.
- Stir the beef together with the onions and garlic, then push everything to the side. Set heat to medium.
Add the Seasonings
- Add the chili powder, smoked sweet paprika, cumin, and cayenne to the exposed pan surface. Allow the spices to toast for about 1 minute, then stir to combine.
- Add the crushed tomatoes with their juice, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and minced chipotle pepper. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.• 1 14- ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Smash the Beans
- In a medium-sized bowl, mash the drained beans, if using, with a potato masher until mostly smooth. Season with olive oil, granulated garlic, and about ½ teaspoon salt.• 1 15- ounce can cannellini or Great Northern beans• 2 tablespoons olive oil• ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
- Push the chili mixture to the side and add the smashed beans directly to the pan. Cook the beans for 1–2 minutes or until softened, then gradually incorporate the beans into the chili until fully mixed. If any beans are still visible, use a wooden spoon or spatula to break them up.
Simmer the Chili
- Gradually stir in the beef stock and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Allow the chili to simmer, adjusting the heat as needed, while you prepare the cornbread topping.• 1 cup beef stock• salt• ground pepper
Prep the Batter
- Measure out oat milk. Add vinegar and stir; set aside.• 3/4 cup oat milk• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Melt the butter.• 1/4 cup dairy free butter
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
Make the Batter
- Whisk together dry ingredients.• 1 cup cornmeal• 1 cup gluten free flour• 1/4 cup sugar• 1 tablespoon baking powder• 1 teaspoon baking soda• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Add yogurt, oat milk mixture, melted butter, and eggs, and stir to incorporate.• 1 cup dairy free yogurt• 2 eggs
- Stir in corn.• 1/2 cup frozen corn
Assemble the Chili Cornbread Pie
- Taste the chili and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
- Carefully spoon dollops of the cornbread batter across the surface of the chili. Using the back of the spoon, gently spread the batter out until it covers the entire surface. Be careful not to press down or stir the batter into the chili.
- Bake the chili cornbread pie at 375°F for about 27-28 minutes, or until the top is firm, the crust is golden brown around the edges and on parts of the surface, and all smells delish.
- Cool for a few minutes and then dig in, served with all the fixins!
Notes
Tips
- Serving: Serve scooped or sliced, straight from the skillet. Top with any or all of the following: shredded cheese (dairy or dairy free), avocado, pickled red onions, green onion, cilantro, sliced jalapeño (raw or pickled), a squeeze of lime, and hot sauce like Tapatio, Cholula, or Tabasco.
- Fat Removal Tip: To remove excess rendered fat in the chili, turn the heat down to low, then use a spoon with a long handle to scoop out some of the fat into a small bowl. I do this by gently pressing down on the liquid pools with the back of the spoon and letting the spoon fill up with liquid, then pouring it into the small bowl. Repeat until you no longer see pools of fat bubbling up. I then put the bowl of fat into the freezer for about 10 minutes to allow the liquid to harden for easy disposal. Once solid, discard the fat. Any gelatinous liquid underneath can be added back to the chili for extra flavor.
- Adjusting the Chili Seasoning:
- Tastes flat → add salt
- Tastes bland → add more spices
- Needs brightness → add an extra tablespoon of vinegar
- Too sweet → add more vinegar
- Too salty or spicy → add a little more maple syrup
- Prefer more tomato flavor → stir in a tablespoon (or more) double-concentrated tomato paste
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days.
- Reheating: Reheat individual portions in the microwave (covered with a paper towel), or the entire pie, covered loosely in foil, in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes or until hot.
- Freezing: The pie can be frozen after cooling. Store in a freezer-safe container (a pie plate works well), wrapped very well. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Ingredient Recommendations
Below are a few notes about the ingredients used. See the Ingredients section of the post for specific brand recommendation.- Beef: 85% lean ground beef works well. For leaner beef (or if using ground turkey), consider adding a small amount of neutral oil or fat to maintain richness.
- Spices: Chili powder, sweet smoked paprika, and cumin all add to an authentic Texas-style flavor. Use high-quality, fresh spices for the best results. Chili powder in the U.S. is a blend of several spices. If you are using a powder made entirely of a type of pepper, start with a smaller amount and build to your desired heat level.
- Tomatoes: Fire-roasted crushed tomatoes add a subtle smoky depth.
Alternative Versions
- Gluten Free: This recipe is gluten free as written; be sure to use gluten free flour and confirm that stock, canned goods, spice blends, and cornmeal do not contain any gluten.
- Dairy Free: This recipe is naturally dairy free. Make sure to offer dairy free options when preparing the cornbread batter and for cheese when serving.
- If You Aren’t Gluten Free: Feel free to swap in regular flour in the cornbread if desired. The cornbread topping might bake a bit more quickly, so check it a few minutes early.
- If You Aren’t Dairy Free: Feel free to use dairy products in the cornbread batter and top with regular cheese if desired.
- Making It Vegan: Swap out the beef for your favorite beans, lentils, or crumbled plant-based beef substitute. Also, use oil instead of leaf lard or bacon grease, and use vegetable stock. Increase spices slightly for depth and smokiness. Consider adding minced mushrooms and seasoning with an umami blend to add extra richness and flavor.
- Making It Leaner: Swap out the beef for ground turkey. Turkey makes a great lighter alternative, and it still has that classic chili flavor thanks to all the spices.