Sunday, February 1, 2015

Chili Cornbread Skillet Recipe- Gluten Free, Vegan, and Refined Sugar Free Options

 photo cor_zps6d27eeb6.jpgSometimes my husband looks at the mess in the kitchen, and he says "Where'd all these dishes come from? You just made a one pot meal!" Well, sometimes those one pot meals can use a lot of dishes, even if in the end you have just one dish to serve on the table...
This is one of those recipes.
One skillet, filled with all sorts of goodness.
Deceptively delicious.
Looks deceptively easy, but does make quite a few dishes, I'll admit.
But worth every dish, since it is both super yummy and super frugal.
What is it?
Chili cornbread skillet.
Which essentially is- chili on the bottom, then a layer of cheese or vegan cheese sauce, then a layer of cornbread baked on the top. (If you have leftover chili and prepared vegan cheese sauce/cheese, then the mess is much more minimal. If you have to prepare each component separately, then the dishes add up...)
The resulting combination is heavenly!
And can be super cheap!

 photo corn_zps554d3779.jpg


Essentially you can make it however you'd like. While the first time I made this, I made it with the chili recipe written below, the next few times I made it with other chili recipes. You can make it with lentil chili, meat chili, bean chili, meat and bean chili- doesn't matter! Choose your favorite chili.
Then the next layer you can either put cheese, vegan cheese like Daiya, or any vegan cheese sauce.
Then the top layer you pour on a batch of cornbread batter.
You stick it in the oven and bake about 45 minutes, until the cornbread on top is fully firm.

I served mine with guacamole on top. Mmmmmm.

5 cups chili of choice
1 cup cheese or 1 1/2 cups vegan cheese sauce of choice
1 batch cornbread of choice

If you don't have a favorite recipe for all the above on hand- here is but one way that you can make this dish.

2-3 tablespoons oil
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
4 cups cubed pumpkin
4 cups cubed tomatoes
2 cups kidney beans
2 tablespoon chili powder (I use my homemade chili powder)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin

1 cup daiya vegan cheese or 1 1/2 cups vegan cheese sauce

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup gluten free AP flour mix OR 1/2 cup brown rice flour, 1/2 cup potato starch/corn starch, and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum or 1 cup green buckwheat flour OR wheat flour or spelt flour if gluten isn't an issue for you
4 tablespoons honey, jaggery syrup, coconut crystals, sucanat or white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg or 1 tablespoon ground flax seed mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons water
1 cup water
1/3 cup oil of choice

1. Chop your onions and garlic and saute them in oil- in your oven friendly skillet. (I use my cast iron skillet.)

2. Add pumpkin, tomatoes, kidney beans, chili powder, salt, and cumin, mix well, and cook covered, on a low heat, until the pumpkins and tomatoes are fully cooked and soft.

3. When the chili is fully cooked, sprinkle with Daiya or similar cheese. (Or spread your vegan cheese sauce over it carefully.)

4. Mix up your cornbread batter, and carefully pour it over the chili and cheese (sauce), ensuring to cover the entire pan with the cornbread batter. Do not mix in the batter with the cheese sauce. If you pour it carefully it'll stay in two separate, distinct layers, even after being baked.

5. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, or until a knife stuck in the cornbread part of the dish comes out clean.


Ever made chili cornbread skillet? What were your various components? Does this look like a recipe you'd try?
How do you think you'd make it if you'd make it? With what variations?
Are there any dishes you make that look like they'd make few dishes, but, like this, they make a lot of dishes? What are they?


  1. Why did I never think of this. Genius

  2. Ive been making this for years! We call it cowboy pie. :-) i put onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, corn, beans, and other veggies i have on hand in a skillet and saute with some spices. Poor this into a baking dish, and top with homemade cornbread batter. bake for twenty minutes and done! Delicious!

  3. Hi, I'm binge reading your blog since yesterday, and want to thank you for all the tips and vegan & gluten free recipes.
    I'm leaving in Paris, France, enjoying foraging and trying to buy healthy & cheap groceries... but I learnt a lot from your blog, and thanks to you, I'll be able to take frugality to a whole new level :)

    All the best to you and your family



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