When the first spoonful of chili lands on a waffle, you want it to sit on top for a moment instead of disappearing into the grid. I built this dinner around that contrast: beef-and-bean chili seasoned with chili powder and cumin, served over cornbread waffles with crisp edges and a tender middle. The waffles bring a toasty corn flavor that a bowl of chili with bread on the side just doesn’t have.
I cook the chili in a Dutch oven so the onions soften before the beef goes in, then let the tomatoes and broth reduce into a spoonable topping. While it simmers, the waffle batter comes together with a quick stir and a short rest; mixing it too much can make the waffles dense. The chili and waffles finish at about the same time, and hot chili over a crisp, golden waffle makes a hearty plate with plenty of texture.
Kitchen Note
As each waffle comes off the iron, set it directly on the oven rack at 200°F while the rest cook. A plate or stack traps steam, and the edges lose their crispness before the chili reaches the table.
Save this beef chili with crispy cornbread waffles for a cozy dinner that brings a crisp, golden base to every spoonful.
Why the Chili Needs to Be Thick Before It Hits the Waffles
These waffles have a crisp outside and a tender, cornmeal-rich center, but their open pockets also catch every bit of sauce. A chili that is too loose runs straight into those pockets and softens the waffle before you’ve had a chance to enjoy the contrast. The goal isn’t a dry, dense pot of beef and beans; it’s a spoonable chili with enough body to stay on top while still bringing plenty of tomato broth to each bite.
That’s why the chili simmers uncovered. The liquid can evaporate while the tomatoes, beef, and beans settle into a thicker mixture. Give the pot an occasional stir so the bottom doesn’t catch, then look for a consistency that mounds briefly on a spoon rather than flowing like broth. Since waffles soften after they’re topped, divide them onto plates and spoon the hot chili over them just before serving. You’ll get the full contrast of a crisp edge, a tender middle, and a savory topping in the same forkful.
How Cornmeal, Buttermilk, and 85% Beef Shape Every Bite
- 85% lean ground beef — This ratio gives the chili a beefy, rounded taste without leaving it overly greasy. A premium brand isn’t necessary; choose fresh ground beef and break it into small pieces as it browns so it mixes evenly with the beans and tomatoes.
- Tomato paste and canned diced tomatoes — The paste concentrates the tomato flavor and cooks briefly with the spices, while the diced tomatoes bring both pieces and liquid to the pot. Use the tomatoes undrained; their juice is part of the simmering liquid. Standard canned tomatoes work well here, so there’s no need for a specialty variety.
- Kidney beans — Their substantial shape holds up in the simmering chili and gives each serving a hearty bite. Drain and rinse them before adding so the canning liquid doesn’t thin or cloud the chili. Pinto beans are a workable swap, though they soften more and make the finished chili creamier.
- Yellow cornmeal and all-purpose flour — Cornmeal gives the waffles their distinct corn flavor and slightly grainy crumb; flour provides the structure that lets them lift out of the iron intact. Replacing all the flour with more cornmeal makes a much more fragile waffle, so keep both in the batter unless you’re using the gluten-free adaptation below.
- Buttermilk — Its acidity works with the baking soda and gives the waffle batter a gentle tang. It also contributes to a tender interior. Plain milk on its own won’t provide that acidity, so it won’t produce quite the same rise or texture.
Building the Chili and Waffles Without Losing Their Texture
Soften the onion, then brown the beef
Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the finely chopped onion for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should look softened, not browned at the edges. Add the ground beef and break it up as it cooks for 6 to 8 minutes. Check the thickest pieces with an instant-read thermometer; the beef should reach 160°F before the spices go in.
Wake up the spices in the tomato paste
Stir in the minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and tomato paste once the beef is browned. Cook the mixture for 1 minute, stirring so the paste and spices coat the beef instead of sitting in one spot. The garlic and spices should smell fragrant, but don’t leave them to cook unattended. This short moment in the pot gives the chili a more rounded, savory base.
Simmer the chili until it’s spoonable
Add the undrained diced tomatoes, drained and rinsed kidney beans, beef broth, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep the heat gentle; a hard boil can make the sauce splatter without giving it a steady chance to thicken. The finished chili should look cohesive, with the broth no longer pooling thinly around the beef and beans.
Mix the batter with a light hand
Preheat the waffle iron according to its manufacturer’s directions and lightly coat it with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl; in a second bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and canola oil. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. A few small lumps are fine, while a perfectly smooth batter often means it has been stirred more than it needs.
Cook until the waffles are golden and crisp
Let the batter rest for 5 minutes, then use the amount recommended for your waffle iron. Cook each waffle according to the iron’s directions, about 4 to 6 minutes, until it’s golden brown and crisp. Waffle irons vary, so use the color and crisp surface as your cue rather than pulling a pale waffle early. Divide the finished waffles among four plates and spoon the hot chili over them.
Two Easy Ways to Adapt the Chili and Waffles
Make the waffles gluten-free
Replace the all-purpose flour with the same amount of a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Keep the cornmeal and the other waffle ingredients unchanged. The waffles may have a slightly more delicate crumb, so lift them carefully from the iron once they’re fully golden and crisp.
Give the chili a smoky edge
Use smoked paprika in place of the regular paprika. It brings a deeper, wood-smoke note to the beef and tomato base without changing the chili’s heat level or the way it simmers.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate the chili and waffles separately within 2 hours, in airtight containers, for 3 to 4 days. The waffles will soften in the refrigerator.
- Freezer: Freeze the chili in a freezer-safe container and the waffles in a separate freezer bag, with parchment between them, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the easiest reheating.
- Reheating: Warm the chili gently in a saucepan, stirring occasionally, and reheat waffles in a toaster or oven until crisp. Don’t microwave the assembled plate; it softens the waffle while the chili heats.
Questions That Come Up When Making Chili Waffles
Beef Chili Served over Crispy Cornbread Waffles
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, add the onion, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Add the ground beef and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and it reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, kidney beans, beef broth, salt, and black pepper.
- Bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
- Preheat a waffle iron according to the manufacturer's directions.
- Lightly coat the waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and canola oil in a second bowl, then pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
- Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
- Cook the batter in the waffle iron according to its directions, using the amount of batter recommended for your iron, for about 4 to 6 minutes per waffle, until golden brown and crisp.
- Keep finished waffles directly on the oven rack in a 200°F oven while cooking the remaining batter.
- Divide the waffles among 4 plates and spoon the hot chili over them.