Chili Cornbread Bake
Chili Cornbread Bake is a hearty, one-pan comfort food that layers or combines a savory, spiced meat and bean chili with a sweet, cake-like cornbread topping. It typically features ground beef, chili beans, tomatoes, and corn, all crowned with a batter made from cornmeal, flour, and buttermilk. This dish is a staple of American home cooking, particularly popular in the South and Midwest.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This is a calorie-dense, high-carb and high-fat meal, with a good amount of protein from the meat and beans. A single serving can easily range from 500 to 700 calories, providing substantial energy along with iron, fiber, and B vitamins.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 380 kcal |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Carbs | 32 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 850 mg |
| Iron | 3.5 mg |
| Calcium | 150 mg |
| Potassium | 420 mg |
| Vitamin A | 450 IU |
| Vitamin C | 8 mg |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.3 mg |
| Folate | 55 mcg |
| Phosphorus | 220 mg |
Per 1 cup (240 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, it's a perfect example of a 'casserole' or 'bake'—a beloved genre of American cooking focused on convenience, heartiness, and feeding a crowd. Nutritionally, the cornbread topping adds a unique textural contrast and a source of whole grains (if using cornmeal), making it a more complete and satisfying meal than chili alone.
