Get the Recipe: Skillet Cornbread with Heirloom Tomatoes
Skillet cornbread flavoured with cheddar cheese, paprika and green onion, topped with thick slices of heirloom tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 4 green onions
- 5 oz cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/4 cups well-packed) *see Note 1
Dry ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups cornmeal, medium-grind recommended *see Note 3
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika, smoked or regular *see Note 2
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar
Wet ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup milk, or water
- 3/4 cup salted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Topping:
- 1 - 1 1/2 lbs heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1/2-inch thick *see Note 4
Garnish:
- Flaky salt
- Sliced green onion tops
Instructions
- Tip! You can make a smoky version of this cornbread using smoked cheddar cheese and smoked paprika. If you prefer a non-smoky version, use regular cheddar and paprika.
- Preheat oven to 400F (non-convection/not fan-assisted). Wipe a 10-inch (top-diameter) cast-iron skillet (or a 9-inch round baking pan) with a bit of oil and set aside.
- Prepare the green onion by chopping the white and light-green parts, then setting aside the dark green tops to use later for garnish. Shred the cheddar cheese and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and whisk together well. Add the chopped green onion and shredded cheddar cheese and stir in until well-combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl or a large measuring cup, whisk together the wet ingredients. (Be sure the butter has cooled slightly to avoid cooking the eggs!)
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and use a spatula to stir together just until moistened and there is dry flour mixture visible.
- Spoon the cornbread batter into the greased cast-iron skillet and level the top.
- Slice the tomatoes and arrange over the top of the cornbread batter, overlapping slightly to cover almost all of the top of the batter.
- Tip! As the skillet is quite full, you may want to place the skillet on top of a baking sheet. Just in case! I found it didn't bubble over, but better safe than cleaning the oven :)
- Bake the cornbread for 45-50 minutes or until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to stand at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
- To serve, sprinkle the top with flaky salt and garnish with reserved green onion tops, sliced diagonally. Cut into thin wedges or squares to serve.
- This cornbread is best enjoyed on the day it is baked. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and re-warm to serve. Can be rewarmed in the microwave or wrapped in foil and placed in a 350F oven for 8-10 minutes.
Notes
Note 1: For a smoky flavour, use smoked cheddar cheese or use regular cheddar cheese. An aged white cheddar will bring the best cheddar flavour.
Note 2: For a smoky flavour, use Spanish or Hungarian smoked paprika or use regular paprika.
Note 3: Bob's Red Mill makes a great medium-grind cornmeal that adds nice texture to this cornbread. Regular cornmeal will work just fine, though.
Note 4: Multi-coloured heirloom tomatoes are perfect for topping this cornbread, but any tomato will work. Beefsteak tomatoes would also be nice.
Variations:
If you'd like to spice it up, replace the green onion in the cornbread with jalapeño or poblanos! Adjust the amount of either to taste.
If you like to bake on the BBQ, you could bake this cornbread in a closed BBQ with an internal temperature in the 400F range.
Be sure to read the notes above this recipe card, for substitution suggestions and step-by-step photos that you might find helpful.
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 289kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.5g, Cholesterol: 81mg, Sodium: 446mg, Potassium: 370mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1204IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 177mg, Iron: 1mg
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