Vegetarian Chili With Corn Bread Topping Recipe (2024)

By Nigella Lawson

Vegetarian Chili With Corn Bread Topping Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 35 minutes
Rating
4(591)
Notes
Read community notes

The idea behind this spicy, all-vegetable chili is ease: It’s easily made on a weekend, a meditative wintry afternoon in the kitchen, chopping and stirring. Then, on a weeknight made even shorter by commuting and homework, concoct an easy corn bread topping, spread it on the chili and bake it for a while. It’s healthy, filling food.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 servings

    For the Chili

    • 2tablespoons olive oil
    • 2medium onions, finely chopped
    • 2cloves garlic, minced
    • 3cups red bell peppers (about 2 large peppers), finely diced
    • 2teaspoons hot red pepper flakes
    • 1teaspoon ground coriander
    • 1teaspoon ground cumin
    • 3cardamom pods, lightly crushed
    • cups red lentils
    • 3cups canned chopped tomatoes
    • cups drained canned kidney beans
    • ¼cup ketchup
    • ¼cup tomato paste
    • 1tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

    For the Corn Bread Topping

    • 1teaspoon salt
    • 2cups cornmeal
    • 2tablespoons flour
    • 3teaspoons baking powder
    • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1cup butter milk
    • 2large eggs
    • 1teaspoon honey
    • 2tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1cup coarsely grated Cheddar cheese

    For Serving

    • 2cups sour cream
    • 1cup chopped cilantro

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

710 calories; 28 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 91 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams dietary fiber; 16 grams sugars; 28 grams protein; 1141 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Vegetarian Chili With Corn Bread Topping Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    To prepare chili, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a deep, wide pan with a lid. Add onions, garlic and bell peppers, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin and cardamom pods. Stir in lentils.

  2. Add chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, ketchup, tomato paste, cocoa and 3 cups water. Stir well. Cover, and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is thickened and beans are tender, about 45 minutes. Chili can be made ahead to this point and topping added later. (In that case, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, bringing to room temperature before proceeding.)

  3. Step

    3

    For corn bread topping, heat oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine salt, cornmeal, flour, baking powder and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, honey and oil. Pour liquid ingredients into dry; stir until combined.

  4. Step

    4

    Pour chili into a baking dish 13 by 9 by 3 inches. Spread corn bread topping evenly over chili, and sprinkle cheese on topping. Bake until topping has risen and turned golden brown, about 25 minutes.

  5. Step

    5

    Remove from oven, and let chili stand about 5 minutes. To serve, cut into squares, and pass sour cream and cilantro at the table.

Ratings

4

out of 5

591

user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Jessamine

Many thanks to those who left notes before me. I added about 1 1/2 tsp salt, and used 1 Tbsp ground cumin instead of 1 tsp, and 1 Tbsp pepper flakes instead of 2 tsps., but made no other changes, and the spice worked out to my liking. The family loved it. One thing tho. My Pyrex 9 x 13" pan is only 2" high, and it looked as if it might overflow when the cornbread rose, so I switched the chili to a roasting pan, which was a bit wider and deeper. It came out fine.

Mary

Followed some of the suggestions below, including increasing the cumin to 1 Tablespoon, adding some chipotles with adobo, using only 1 cardamom pod in a spice ball,and omitting the cinnamon from the cornbread.
The flavor and texture of the chili itself was reasonably good, but the cornbread sucked much of the liquid out of the chili while it baked. The final product was drier than I would have preferred. Were I to make this again (questionable!), I would serve the cornbread on the side.

Don Jaime

I don't agree with the bulk of the reviews for this recipe. The final product was excellent and fairly easy, with the cornbread crust being a highlight. And I used a full tsp of cinnamon!
One tip: I would add the lentils, then water, then cook to desired tenderness, then add the tomatoes, et cetera. And then salt (I used a tsp). Otherwise, the acid and salt will leave the lentils crunchy after the recommended cooking time.

bu

Followed directions exactly & t'was a big flop. If I ever make again, I will:

(1) wrap cardamom in cheesecloth to make the pods & seeds removable. They don't soften during cooking and make for very rude surprises when you bite down on them. Also, reduce to one pod instead of three. Three made the chili taste of cardamom & little else.

(2) Drastically reduce amount of cinnamon to 1/8 tsp or eliminate it entirely. I think the 1 tsp called for must have been a typo.

MA

Added salt to the chili, which helped bring up the flavors. Also added a little worcestershire sauce and red wine. In the cornbread, followed recommendation and reduced cinnamon to 1/8 tsp. which yielded a much subtler flavor. Next time would add more heat--chiles, tabasco, or the like.

Suzanna

Made my own chili, but adopted the cornbread crust-it was a hit!

Harriet

Surprisingly bland.

marcia strongwater

This freezes beautifully!

JoAnn

The first time we liked it, the second time it was horrible. The cornbread tastes like cardboard. I was hoping for nice fluffy cornbread. Agree that it's best to serve on the side. The cornbread makes the chili very dry. The first time I used a larger pan and cornbread layer was not so overwhelming. If you decide to serve half at a time, find another cornbread recipe.

Laura Kennelly

Totally agree about cinnamon--a travesty! But I want to try using cornbread as a topping.

Riley

Much like the Tamale Pie recipe from Joy of Cooking, which is not vegetarian but easier.
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/12015-corn-bread-tamale-pie

Bad idea

The cornbread adds nothing to the dish. It's a bad idea. Don't make it.

yummy...but too much cornbread

Made this for dinner and it was delish. The cornbread topping was really thick and overpowered the dish. Next time I’ll half that part and make it a bit thinner. The Chili base was a winner with the whole family.

SoCaler

I agree with so many others that the spices need to be increased. I increased them all including the coca powder. It produced a lovely nuanced chili. I used coarse ground corn meal which created a very dry, gritty texture in the cornbread.Next time I'll use a medium or fine grind. I made it as a separate entity and ate it with the chili as a side element. I loved the cinnamon flavor which others did not, so I would absolutely keep the same spicing. The honey was just enough.

Irene

Extremely disappointed. The chili was dry and the cornbread was dry and tasteless with a dried out crust of cheese. The cheese should have been added at the very end. I'll go back to my own chili recipes which are cooked on the stovetop and not baked in the oven and bake cornbread separately.

Margaret

As written the bean and lentil base is incredibly bland. It needs salt and more spice. 1 1/2 cups of red lentils would normally call for 1 1/2 tsp of salt and there are beans. I added salt, cumin, and dried pepper. The cornbread recipe just looked off and when I got to that I realized this was a problem recipe, so I substituted a recipe I had knew. It was fine in the end but next time I'll start from some other recipe. This one needs a lot of work.

moncprov

Have made this many times since it first appeared. a great recipe. I generally always increase the cumin and other seasonings in recipes. I think the cocoa and cinnamon are crucial, but would not increase those. After making it a couple of times I switched to Jiffy cornbread recipe, one or two boxes depending on how big a batch of chili I am making, or no cornbread at all. Was about to make it again and thought I would see what 'tweaks' other made.

Jamie

I loved this recipe but agree it needs more spice - I used 1/2 a jalapeno and the red pepper, and the and while it was flavorful it had no kick. I made the topping by the recipe and it was tasty and not at all dry. Will definitely make again just amp it up. Family really enjoyed it.

orlando bloom

Great stuff. Nice addition to my chili bag of tricks

LG

For those who measure by the can, like me: two 14-oz cans of kidney beans and one 28-oz can of diced tomatoes worked beautifully. I did reduce the water to 1.5 cups, though.I loved the addition of cocoa powder, but could have used some guidance for using the spices out of a jar.

MMB

I echo others—I really liked the chili, but the cornbread wasn’t very good (and I cooked it separately). I will make chili again and bake another cornbread recipe as a side next time.

Eileen

I made it, used 1/2 a tsp of cinnamon. It was very good. The cornbread topping makes it.

Karla Klay

Not sure what happened to the cornbread. I only had masa harina. But gosh it was awful and like above as cardboard. IN the future I would make the NYT corn bread cheddar biscuits on the side. Mostly my experience with NYT recipes is excellent. Every thing comes out tip top and tasting great. This was awful as a topping to vegatarian chili and I would not make it again. I wasted my time cooking and I really only one day week to cook ;(

cooked or raw lentils

Are the lentils cooked ahead of time? Thanks in advance!

Patricia

Made almost exactly as written (used a larger roasting pan because my 13x9 pan isn’t deep enough, used chipotles in adobe instead of red pepper flakes because I was trying to use them up) and I loved it. And....side note, I put the leftovers IN the pan in my refrigerator, no covering on it, and dig into it for lunch for the next 7 days: still delicious.

Patricia

Made this almost exactly as written and we were very happy with it. I always make skillet cornbread to go with chili anyway so making it all in one pan was just that much easier!

robin

I agree that extra cumin and coriander are in order, yummy recipe!

PE

Love this. Cornbread tasted so good with the cinnamon.Thanks to Don Jaime for explaining the tomato acid/lentils cooking thing. It did take a long time for my lentils to cook. Now I can follow his tip.

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Vegetarian Chili With Corn Bread Topping Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Does cornbread go with chili? ›

Chili and cornbread go so well together, why not bake them in the same pan! I've been making this for years and my kids love it.

What goes with chili besides cornbread? ›

Baked potatoes and chili is a classic combination that everyone loves. Chili also pairs well with baked sweet potatoes, roasted potatoes, potato wedges, fries, and more.

What are the origins of chili and cornbread? ›

Chili is the official meal of the state of Texas and is often used for events such as cook offs or tailgates. Cornbread originated in America and was first cooked by the Native Americans and the colonists.

How do you thicken chili with corn flour? ›

Bob's Red Mill Organic Masa Harina Golden Corn Flour

Just start with a tablespoon of the flour, cornmeal, masa harina, or cornstarch whisked with a little water, add to your chili and simmer 10 more minutes or so. If it isn't as thick as you'd like, repeat and simmer 10 more minutes.

Why add cornmeal to chili? ›

Cornmeal does an excellent job of absorbing extra liquids so adding a tablespoon of it to the chili will thicken the final dish. Mix 2 parts of cold water and 1 part of cornmeal, make it a slurry, and add this to the pot. Allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes after you add the slurry.

What do Southerners eat with chili? ›

Cornbread Casserole

Cornbread and casseroles are two Southern staples, so we combined them into one cozy side dish that will pair beautifully with a warm bowl of chili. Basically all you have to do is stir the ingredients together and bake!

What to put on top of chili? ›

Toppings, as desired
  1. Diced tomatoes.
  2. Chopped avocado.
  3. Diced red onion.
  4. Sliced scallions.
  5. Shredded Cheddar cheese.
  6. Crumbled queso fresco.
  7. Sliced jalapeño chiles.
  8. Chopped fresh cilantro.

What can I add to chili to make it unique? ›

Try a little fenugreek, turmeric, garam masala, or sumac to layer in more complex flavors. Smoky paprika is my own personal favorite. Squash, pumpkin, or sweet potato: Traditionalists would scoff, but soft chunks of slightly sweet butternut squash or sweet potato are delicious in a smoky chili.

What is cornbread called in the South? ›

Masterclass notes that corn pone is distinguished from cornbread by the omission of eggs and milk. Both sources confirm that corn pone is cooked in a cast iron skillet, which is also the traditional cooking vessel for Southern cornbread.

Is chilli and cornbread a southern thing? ›

Cornbread is a common bread in United States cuisine, particularly associated with the South and Southwest, as well as being a traditional staple for populations where wheat flour was more expensive. Cornbread, especially leftovers, can be eaten as a breakfast. It is also widely eaten with barbecue and chili con carne.

What race invented cornbread? ›

Cornbread is as American as apple pie, but its origins date back far beyond the inception of this country. With roots in Mesoamerican, Native American, and African cultures; history and people have shaped this iconic American bread into what it is today.

Should chili be thick or soupy? ›

Whether it's a zesty white chicken chili for your tailgate menu or a slow cooker chili on a blustery winter day, all chili dishes traditionally have a hearty texture. Unlike soups, which are brothy, or even bisques, which are creamy but thinner, chili is meant to have more solid ingredients than liquids, like a stew.

Does tomato paste go into chili? ›

Tomato paste is a great way to add bonus tomato flavor, and thickness, to a chili recipe. To get the best flavor it needs to be browned. Add a couple tablespoons (or a whole can if you want a thicker soup base) directly to the pan after cooking the meat and onions. Stir the paste occasionally to prevent burning.

Will adding tomato paste thicken chili? ›

7. Mix in tomato paste: Using tomato paste as a thickening agent will give your final bowl of chili a tangy flavor. Add one can of tomato paste to your pot of chili, stirring the mixture and letting it cook on medium heat for about thirty minutes.

What kind of bread goes well with chili? ›

Bread that goes with chili
  • Chili Side Dishes. ...
  • Garlic Cheddar Beer Bread (cheddar bay flavor) - The Chunky Chef. ...
  • Mexican Bubble Bread. ...
  • Cheddar Cheese Quick Bread. ...
  • Homemade Bread Bowls Recipe - Miss in the Kitchen. ...
  • Green Chile Cheddar Cornbread. ...
  • Quick Beer Bread - Glitter and Goulash. ...
  • Green Chile Cheddar Biscuits.

What is traditionally served with chili? ›

Chili, with its rich flavors and comforting warmth, is often hearty enough to stand alone, but the right sides can make it truly shine.
  • Rice. ...
  • Cornbread Casserole. ...
  • Baked Potato or Sweet Potato. ...
  • Fresh bread. ...
  • Garlic Bread. ...
  • Salads. ...
  • French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries or Onion Rings. ...
  • Biscuits.
Nov 3, 2023

What is cornbread traditionally served with? ›

In Texas, Mexican influence has spawned a hearty cornbread made with fresh or creamed corn kernels and jalapeño peppers and topped with shredded cheese. Cornbread is typically eaten with molasses in the southern states and with butter and honey in the northern states of America.

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