Beef Chili Cornbread Dumplings (Printable)
A hearty blend of beef, beans, and spices with tender cornbread dumplings, ideal for cozy gatherings.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Beef Chili
01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 ½ pounds beef chuck, cut into ½-inch cubes
03 - 1 large onion, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
09 - 2 cups beef broth
10 - 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
12 - 2 tablespoons chili powder
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
16 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
17 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Cornbread Dumplings
18 - 1 cup cornmeal
19 - ¾ cup all-purpose flour
20 - 1 tablespoon sugar
21 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
22 - ½ teaspoon salt
23 - 1 large egg
24 - ⅔ cup milk
25 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
# How to Prepare:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef cubes and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add diced onion and bell peppers. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
03 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then return browned beef to the pot.
04 - Add diced tomatoes, beef broth, kidney beans, black beans, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper if using, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
05 - In one bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk egg, milk, and melted butter. Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring just until combined without overmixing.
06 - After 45 minutes of simmering, uncover pot and drop spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons each) of cornbread batter evenly onto the chili surface.
07 - Cover pot and simmer on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
08 - Serve the chili hot, optionally garnished with chopped cilantro, sour cream, or shredded cheese.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything cooks in one pot, so cleanup is fast even on the coldest nights.
- The dumplings soak up the spicy broth and turn into little clouds of comfort.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors have had time to marry.
02 -
- If your dumplings sink, your baking powder was expired or your batter sat too long before you dropped it in.
- Don't skip browning the beef; that crust is where half the flavor lives.
- Dumplings need a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, or they'll fall apart.
03 -
- Taste your chili powder before you measure; some blends are twice as hot as others and you can always add more.
- Let the chili rest off the heat for ten minutes before serving so the dumplings firm up and don't fall apart when you scoop them.