Cheesy Iron Skillet Cornbread with Veggies

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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. Personally, 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 Cheesy Iron Skillet Cornbread with Veggies you may rethink eating a big slice.

Cheesy Skillet Cornbread

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Also known as Farmstand Cornbread, this homemade bread is loaded with corn kernels and cheddar cheese but there are plenty of spicy and delicious toppings.  Today’s recipe has red and green peppers baked inside and it’s and topped with jalapeno, red onions, tomatoes, and Cojita cheese. There are definitely some savory flavors in this cornbread.

Why bake cornbread in a 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 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 am going to be honest, baking in an iron-skillet is fun, plus I get to use my grandma’s skillet.

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

Toppings to add to cornbread

You can definitely get creative here

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

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

What ingredients do I need to make cornbread?

• Butter – 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.
• Flour – you need flour to keep the cornbread from being too dense
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• 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 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

How to make cheesy cornbread in a skillet

Step 1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. and add 2 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 add flavor.

Step 2.  Prep all the peppers by seeding and dicing 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 adding 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 with the melted butter.

Step 8. Add the toppings and bake at 425 degrees f. for 25 to 30 minutes. When done add crumbled Cojita cheese.

Step 9. Eat and enjoy!

This cornbread is good enough to stand on its own but try pairing it with your favorite chili recipe or try it with my favorite Creamy Corn and Bean Soup, the two are delicious together.

I hear you saying –

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

Well, you could go out and buy a skillet, but there are options. Just heat the butter in a 10-inch baking dish and that will give 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. It is simple and delicious.

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

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

Tools and Ingredients

If you don’t have an iron skillet, this 10 inch Lodge Cast-Iron Skillet is what I use for cooking and baking.  It is so versatile for on the stove and in the oven. This skillet comes with a lid which you don’t need for this bread but it will come in handy for the cooktop.

As for cornmeal, there are many varieties to choose from.  For this recipe, I prefer Bob’s Red Mill Medium Grind Yellow Cornmeal which gives this cornbread a nice cornmeal crunch without being too rustic.

Pin for later when you are craving this savory cornbread.

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5 from 17 votes

Cheesy Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread with Veggies

This cheesy cornbread is baked in an iron skillet and is filled with cheddar cheese, corn and peppers with a savory veggie topping and Cojita cheese. This bread is delicious on its own or paired with your favorite soup or salad.

Course Bread

Cuisine American

Keyword cornbread

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 8 slices

Calories 484kcal

Author Jere' Cassidy

Equipment

• 10.25" Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

Ingredients

Cornbread Batter

• 2 tbsp butter for melting in skillet
• 3 cups yellow cornmeal medium grind
• 11/2 cups AP flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 3 eggs, large
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2/3 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (thawed)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/4 cup green bell pepper seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper seeded and diced

Cornbread Topping

• 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced or sliced
• 1 tomato, medium-sized seeded and diced or sliced
• 1/2 cup red onion peeled and diced or sliced
• 1/2 cup Cotija cheese crumbled

Instructions

Making the cornbread batter

• Preheat the oven to 425° F. and add 2 tablespoons of butter to a 10" cast iron skillet and put in the oven to melt the butter.
• Prep all the peppers, the tomato by seeding and dicing or slicing. Peel the onion and dice or slice.
• In a large bowl add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper and whisk to combine.
• Measure the buttermilk and beat in the three eggs. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture along with the melted butter and lightly mix.
• Add the corn, shredded cheddar cheese, and the green and red bell peppers. Mix together thoroughly.
• Carefully remove the cast iron from the oven, it will be very hot. Pour the cornbread batter into the skillet. It will probably sizzle.
• Add toppings, except the Cojita cheese. Bake the cornbread for 25-30 minutes at 425° F. until the bread is baked through and golden brown.
• When the bread is done, remove from the oven and sprinkle with the crumbled Cojita cheese.
• Serve warm. Store the leftover cornbread in a sealed container on the counter for two days.

Notes

For melting the butter in the skillet, I put the skillet in the hot oven to melt the butter, but the butter can be melted on the stovetop.  

You want the skillet to be really hot when you add the batter, it should sizzle and this is what makes a golden-brown crust on the cornbread.

This recipe is very adaptable with the batter fillings and the toppings.  Feel free to add veggies you like. 

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. It is simple and delicious.

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

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 62.1g | Protein: 18.1g | Fat: 18.9g | Cholesterol: 112mg

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.

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 both sweet and savory recipes with all my baking friends.

Have any questions or just want to chat about the recipe? Contact me here, and I’ll be happy to help!