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Beef Chili Served over Crispy Cornbread Waffles

Beef chili cornbread waffles pair thick, gently simmered chili with golden, crisp cornmeal waffles. Cook the chili in a Dutch oven, then spoon it hot over the freshly cooked waffles for a hearty dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Resting time 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 23 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 980
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the chili
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion medium, finely chopped
  • 1 lb ground beef 85% lean
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes undrained
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
For the cornbread waffles
  • 1 nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 1.5 cups buttermilk
  • 2 eggs large
  • 0.33 cup canola oil

Equipment

  • 1 5-quart Dutch oven
  • 1 waffle iron

Method
 

Make the chili
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the diced tomatoes, kidney beans, beef broth, salt, and black pepper.
  5. Bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
Make the cornbread waffles
  1. Preheat a waffle iron according to the manufacturer's directions.
  2. Lightly coat the waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
  4. Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and canola oil in a second bowl, then pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
  5. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
  6. 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.
  7. Keep finished waffles directly on the oven rack in a 200°F oven while cooking the remaining batter.
Serve
  1. Divide the waffles among 4 plates and spoon the hot chili over them.

Notes

For crisp waffles, keep finished ones directly on the oven rack in the 200°F oven while the remaining batter cooks. Refrigerate leftover chili for 3 to 4 days; freeze chili and waffles separately for up to 3 months. For a gluten-free variation, use a gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend.