Beef Chili with Cornbread Waffles (Print View)
A comforting dish pairing spiced beef chili with golden, crisp cornbread waffles and optional toppings.
# Ingredient List:
→ Beef Chili
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 lb ground beef
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
09 - 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
10 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
12 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
13 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
15 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
16 - 1 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
18 - 1 cup beef or vegetable broth
→ Cornbread Waffles
19 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal
20 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
21 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
22 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
23 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
24 - 2 large eggs
25 - 1 cup whole milk
26 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
27 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil
→ Optional Toppings
28 - Shredded cheddar cheese
29 - Sliced green onions
30 - Sour cream
31 - Fresh cilantro
# How to Make:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and minced garlic; cook until softened, approximately 3 minutes.
02 - Add diced red and green bell peppers to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until slightly tender.
03 - Incorporate ground beef, cooking until browned and broken into small pieces, roughly 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes to release flavors.
05 - Add diced tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, and broth. Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
06 - While chili simmers, preheat the waffle iron according to manufacturer instructions.
07 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
08 - In a separate bowl, beat eggs with whole milk, melted unsalted butter, and vegetable oil until smooth.
09 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir gently just until combined; avoid overmixing to maintain light texture.
10 - Lightly grease the waffle iron. Pour batter using the manufacturer's recommended quantity. Cook until waffles are golden and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
11 - Place warm cornbread waffles on plates and ladle hot beef chili on top. Garnish optionally with shredded cheddar, sliced green onions, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's a complete meal that feels indulgent but comes together faster than you'd expect, making weeknight dinners feel special.
- The contrast between crispy, slightly sweet cornbread waffles and deeply savory, spiced chili is genuinely addictive.
- You can make the chili hours ahead and reheat it, so the real work happens in the last fifteen minutes.
02 -
- Don't let the chili boil hard—a gentle simmer concentrates flavors without turning the beans mushy or letting the sauce reduce too fast and burn on the bottom.
- Grease your waffle iron lightly each time, even if it's nonstick, because cornmeal batter sticks more readily than regular batter and you want that release.
- Let each waffle cook until the steam slows to almost nothing before opening; opening too early and they'll tear or be gummy inside.
03 -
- If your chili thickens too much during cooking, thin it with a splash of broth so it's pourable but not soupy; it should coat a spoon and fall slowly back into the pot.
- Preheat your waffle iron fully and test with a small amount of batter first to dial in the timing for your specific machine—older irons run hotter and newer ones cooler.