Cheddar Iron Skillet Cornbread with Veggies

Cornbread seems to be an afterthought. Rarely is it eaten by itself; it’s always paired with a stew, soup, or salad.  I get it; most times, cornbread is a bit boring. I can’t eat ham and beans without it. But it does not have to be this way, and once you try this made-from-scratch Cheddar Iron Skillet Cornbread with Veggies you may rethink eating a big slice.

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This is not your traditional cornbread; this recipe is known as Farmstand Cornbread and is loaded with corn kernels, cheddar cheese, and lots of spicy and delicious toppings.  This bread has red and green peppers baked inside, and it's topped with jalapeno, red onions, tomatoes, and Cojita cheese. There are some savory flavors in this moist cornbread recipe.

This cornbread is good enough to stand on its own but try pairing it with this Easy Green Bean And Ham recipe, or this tasty Over The Top Chili. These spicy recipes go with the spicy cornbread, too, try these meatballs stuffed with cheddar cheese cubes or with this easy Mexican Corn and Bean Soup.

Jump to:

• Why bake cornbread in cast-iron skillet?
• Topping variations
• Cornbread Ingredients
• Ingredients for a great cornbread recipe
• Let's bake
• Cornbread Tip
• What if I don't have a cast-iron skillet?
• What else can I bake in an iron skillet?
• Cornbread FAQ's
• More recipes to make
• Recipe
• What else can I bake in an iron skillet?

Why bake cornbread in cast-iron skillet?

• Baking in a cast-iron skillet develops great flavor.
• Pouring the batter into a sizzling-buttered iron skillet will give you a delicious golden brown crunchy buttery crust with crispy edges for some seriously delicious flavor.
• Because cast-iron retains heat better than a baking dish, the cornbread bakes more evenly and will be moist and tender inside.
• Serve your just-baked bread directly from the skillet, and your bread with stay warm.
• Ok, I will be honest; baking in an iron skillet is fun, plus I get to use my grandma's skillet.

Make sure to keep your iron skillet ready for use. This guide on How To Season A Cast Iron Skillet will walk you through the easy steps to keep your cast iron in perfect condition.

With this recipe, you can defiantly be creative with all kinds of delicious toppings from your garden, the farmer's market, or even the produce section of the market. You can change the veggies and cheese to what you like with this recipe. This cornbread recipe is very adaptable to your tastes.

Topping variations

You can get creative here; try adding these ingredients

• Cherry tomatoes
• Chives
• Zucchini
• Cubed baked sweet potato
• Roasted garlic
• Okra
• Cilantro
• Feta cheese
• Smoked cheddar cheese
• Pepperjack cheese
• Crumbles bacon

Cornbread Ingredients

No matter what, cornbread is cornbread, and it should be simple to make with simple ingredients.

Ingredients for a great cornbread recipe

• Butter - the buttery flavor is always delicious.
• Yellow cornmeal - cornbread needs cornmeal which gives the bread flavor and a bit of a crunch. I prefer a medium-grind cornmeal.
• All-purpose flour - you need flour to keep the cornbread from being too dense.
• Baking powder - helps the cornbread to rise.
• Baking soda - works with baking powder.
• Salt and Pepper - salt always enhances the flavor.
• Buttermilk - gives a tangy flavor and adds moisture.
• Eggs - make the cornbread light and fluffy.
• Fresh or thawed frozen corn - adding corn kernels gives this cornbread a big corn flavor and adds great texture.
• Shredded cheddar cheese -try adding a sharp cheddar for its deep flavor.
• Red pepper - adds color and a sweet, mild pepper flavor.
• Green pepper - adds color and a hint of bitter pepper flavor.
• Jalapeno pepper - added as a topping, this pepper will have a bit of heat.
• Red onion - use red onion for color and flavor.
• Tomatoes - juicy tomatoes add flavor and freshness.
• Cojita cheese - adds some strong cheese flavor that has a bit of saltiness.

Let's bake

If you haven't made homemade cornbread, this recipe is quick and easy and bakes in 30 minutes. Just chop the veggies, shred the cheese and mix the batter.

Step 1. Heat your oven to 425 degrees F. Add two tablespoons of butter to the skillet, put the skillet in the oven, and heat for about 8 minutes until the butter is melted. Melting the butter in the skillet will make the crust crispy and adds flavor.

Step 2.  Prep all the peppers by seeding and dicing them into small pieces or slices. Peel and slice or dice the red onion. Cut and seed the tomato and dice.

Step 3. Prepare the cornbread batter using a large bowl and add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine.

Step 4. Melt the butter and whisk the eggs into the buttermilk.

Step 5. Whisk all the dry ingredients together, then add the buttermilk and egg mixture and the melted butter. Mix the batter with a spoon until well combined.

Step 6. Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese, red and green peppers, and corn kernels until thoroughly mixed.

Step 7. Pour the batter into the hot iron skillet on top of the melted butter. Did you hear it sizzling? That means your butter and skillet were hot.

Step 8. Add the toppings and bake at 425 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes. When done, top with crumbled Cojita cheese.

Step 9. Slice, eat and enjoy!

I hear you saying -

What if I don't have a cast-iron skillet?

Well, you could buy a skillet, but there are options. Heat the butter in a 10-inch baking dish or pie plate, giving you a  bit of a crispy crust.

What else can I bake in an iron skillet?

Use your skillet to make cakes; here are two of my favorites.

Easy vanilla cake in a skillet - this is my go-to quick dessert recipe that everyone loves. The cake is tender and filled with lots of vanilla bean seeds. It is simply delicious.

Maple apple skillet cake - a moist yellow cake topped with sweet juicy apples that caramelize from maple syrup and brown sugar.

Cornbread FAQ's

As for cornmeal, there are many varieties to choose from.  For this recipe, I prefer Bob's Red Mills yellow cornmeal, which gives this cornbread a nice cornmeal crunch without being too rustic.

More recipes to make

Recipe

First published: March 8, 2020, Last updated: Sept. 12, 2022, for better readability.

Pin for later when you are craving this savory cornbread.

Thank you for stopping by the One Hot Oven blog.  Please leave a comment to say Hello, or just let me know what you are baking these days; I always love hearing from fellow bakers. Have any questions or want to chat about the recipe? My contact information is on my About page, and I’ll be happy to help.                                                                                                                                          

About Jere'              

From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending.  Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.