Southwestern Cheesy Cornbread

This easy Southwestern Cheesy Cornbread is packed with flavor! This tender cornbread is infused with bold Southwestern flavors – it’s the perfect side dish for dinner tonight!

This Southwestern Cheesy Cornbread post is sponsored by Cabot Creamery, but the recipe and opinions are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Spiced!

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When it comes to all-time favorite comfort foods, cornbread has to be on the list somewhere. A slice of warm cornbread just feels so homey and welcoming, right? It’s downhome goodness at its best. And cornbread truly goes with everything!

We often serve cornbread alongside barbecue dishes like pulled pork, ribs or smoked brisket. However, it also works well next to soups and stews. We’ve even toasted leftover cornbread and served it with scrambled eggs in the morning. It’s versatile…and delicious!

This Southwestern Cheesy Cornbread is hands down a favorite in our house! The flavors are kicked up a notch with classic Southwestern ingredients…and the result is amazing. Think fluffy and moist cornbread packed with real corn, jalapenos, chiles, cilantro and bell peppers. And we haven’t even gotten to the Pepper Jack cheese in there yet! The combination of sweet and spicy is mouthwatering.

Southwestern Cheesy Cornbread Ingredients

• Cornbread Mix. This cornbread recipe starts with 2 packs of cornbread mix. Feel free to make your own base if you prefer. The mix is just a simple way to kickstart this recipe!
• Cheese. When it comes to cheese in cornbread, you want to go with a good melting cheese. Monterey Jack is always a great option. Since we’re going with a Southwestern theme here, I chose Cabot’s Pepper Jack Cheese for this recipe. This soft cheese melts well, and it’s got just the right amount of spicy kick.
• Seasonings. The flavor of this cornbread is boosted thanks to a bit of ground cumin, garlic powder, salt and red pepper flakes that go into the batter.

• Milk, Sour Cream and Eggs. These ingredients bind the batter together to create a moist and tender cornbread.
• Chiles and Fresh Corn. In addition to the Pepper Jack cheese and seasonings, the Southwestern flare in this recipe comes from the fresh corn, green chiles, jalapenos, bell pepper and cilantro that all go directly into the batter. When I say this cornbread is packed with flavor, I mean its packed with flavor!
• Cast Iron Skillet. Yes, I am including the cast iron skillet as in ingredient because it adds so much in terms of texture! Heat the skillet up in the oven and then brush it with melted butter. Once the cornbread batter goes in, the edges will be deliciously buttery and crispy.

Cheesy Goodness

As noted above, I pulled out a bar of Cabot’s Pepper Jack cheese for this recipe. We are a Cabot family! Not only are their products always top-notch in terms of quality and flavor, but we love how the company is owned by the farmers themselves. We use a lot of cheese in both cooking as well as just snacking, and Cabot is our #1 go-to. Their Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese is hands down the best sharp cheddar cheese I’ve ever tasted!

The Pepper Jack cheese used in this recipe is closely related to Monterey Jack cheese – just with the addition of jalapeno peppers. It’s creamy and spicy – but not too spicy. We love snacking on this cheese with crackers or melting it over nachos or in quesadillas. It also goes well in this cornbread recipe!

If you haven’t tried Cabot’s cheeses yet, then I challenge you to pick up a bar on your next grocery trip. (Here’s a link to what Cabot products are available in your area.) And if you’re a cornbread fan, then I suggest grabbing an extra bar of Pepper Jack to make this Southwestern Cheesy Cornbread!

From the sweet cornmeal to the spicy peppers, this cornbread recipe really comes together to create something special. You’ll notice that the batter is thick. It’s packed with all sorts of delicious ingredients. There’s just enough cornbread mix to hold the whole thing together. But when it comes out of the oven? It’ll be almost impossible to resist a warm slice of this cornbread!

So grab a cast iron skillet and turn the oven on. This Southwestern Cheesy Cornbread is guaranteed to be a family favorite. Happy Baking!

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover slices of this cornbread should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Before serving, let come to room temperature or place in a warm oven or toaster oven for several minutes. This cornbread also freezes well! Just wrap leftovers in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the fridge before reheating.

Did you bake this Southwestern Cheesy Cornbread recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag Cabot (@CabotCreamery) and me (@Spicedblog) on Instagram. We’d love to see your version!

Southwestern Cheese Cornbread

This easy Southwestern Cheesy Cornbread is packed with flavor! This tender cornbread is infused with bold Southwestern flavors – it's the perfect side dish for dinner tonight!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 345kcal

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Ingredients

• 2 8.5-oz. packages cornbread mix
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ cup fresh corn kernels ~3 medium ears of corn
• 1½ cups shredded Cabot Pepper Jack cheese divided
• 1 4-oz. can diced green chiles
• 2 jalapenos seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper seeds and ribs removed, finely diced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter melted

Instructions

• Place a 12” cast iron skillet in oven. Preheat oven to 375°F. (Note: If you don't have a large cast iron skillet, just use a 9"x13" baking dish instead.)
• Using a large bowl, add the dry ingredients (cornbread mix, cumin, garlic powder, salt and red pepper flakes); whisk together until well combined.
• Add milk, sour cream, eggs, corn, 1 cup of shredded cheese, green chilies, jalapenos, bell pepper and cilantro; stir until well combined.
• Remove skillet from oven. Brush melted butter on bottom and sides of skillet.
• Transfer batter mixture into skillet.
• Sprinkle remaining ½ cup of cheese on top.
• Bake for 30-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of cornbread comes out mostly clean.
• Remove skillet from oven and let cool slightly before serving. (Note: Serving the cornbread in the skillet helps keep it warm – just make sure to place skillet on a hot pad before placing it on the table!)

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