Cheesy Sausage and Jalapeno Stuffed Cornbread
I had somehow never thought of stuffing a cornbread until I thought of this cheesy sausage and jalapeno stuffed cornbread! I got so exited and I first called it a calzone. A calzone, really? I mean, it isnt that far off- meat and cheese inside bread! Just imagine seeing that buttery cornbread and sliding your fork through the tender bread to get to the cheesy spicy and meaty goodness inside!
The inspiration for this recipe
I don’t know about you all, but I am so excited for Friendsgiving this Saturday night. I used to go to one every year, but last year I missed it so I am that much more excited! The best part about Friendsgiving is being able to play around with the classic Thanksgiving foods that you wouldn’t dare mess with on actual Thanksgiving. Like this cornbread stuffed with sausage and jalapeno!
The flavors in this are just so deep and savory with just enough spicy sweetness to keep you coming back for another bite! Using sharp cheddar in this makes it so flavorful that it really stands out in the dish and doesn’t just get lost like most other cheese would. Make sure you scroll to the bottom to check out the recipe video!
Prepping the fillings
I used spicy Italian sausage but I think it would be great with a myriad of different sausages. Chorizo is the next one I might try.
Cook the sausage, grate the cheese, and chop the pickled jalapenos so you have everything ready to go when it is time to build the calzones.
Make the cornbread batter
Mix the dry ingredients like flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda, then add in the wet ingredients like buttermilk, butter, eggs, and juice form the pickled jalapeno jar!
Cornbread is one of the easiest breads to make, but if you want to cheat feel free to do this with a mix instead. I won’t tell anyone!
Build the cheesy sausage and jalapeno stuffed cornbread
One of the keys to this recipe is heating up the pan first so that the cornbread starts cooking the second it hits and develops a nice brown crust. Just preheat the pan with the oven, then take it out when everything is ready.
Spray the pan first, then add about two thirds of the batter. Push the cheese, sausage, jalapenos, and more cheese into the cornbread batter to stuff it inside, and add more on top to cover it completely. These are the cast iron ramekins I used.
Once it is sealed up, get it right back into the oven.
Serving the cheesy sausage and jalapeno stuffed cornbread
You could eat these cheesy sausage and jalapeno stuffed cornbread right out of the same skillet you cook them in, but I prefer to flip them out and serve them on a plate, or in this case, another skillet! Sorry but I had to do it for the gram.
Top it with lots of honey and butter! I never used to put honey on my cornbread but I had it at a restaurant once and now I add it almost every time.
So tasty!
Twists on cheesy sausage and jalapeno stuffed cornbread
I mentioned using other sausages already, but you could replace any of these ingredients with your faves. I used sharp cheddar to get a strong cheese flavor, but if you used something like mozzarella it would be ooey gooey which would also be great. Also, I love doing this as individual sizes, but you could do this as one big cheesy sausage and jalapeno stuffed cornbread and it would be great too!
I love stuffing cornbread, and one of my most famous recipes is this chili cornbread pie!
Cheesy Sausage and Jalapeno Cornbread Calzone
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup juice from pickled jalapenos
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 cup cooked Italian sausage
- 1/2 cup diced pickled jalapenos
- 7 ounces Old Croc Sharp Cheddar shredded
Instructions
- This recipe makes 1 larger cornbread calzone, or up to 3 smaller ones, depending on the size of your cast iron skillets.
- Put the skillets in the oven on a baking sheet and set it to 425 to preheat.
- Mix the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl and add salt. Stir to combine
- Mix the buttermilk, butter, eggs, jalapeno juice, and honey in a measuring cup and stir well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until combined.
- Remove the skillets from the oven and spray with nonstick spray.
- Pour in some of the cornbread batter, then add cheese, sausage, jalapenos, and more cheese. Press the mixture to help it sink into the cornbread. Cover with more cornbread batter.
- Return the pan to the oven and cook for about 17 – 20 minutes, depending on the size of your skillets. The breads are done when they are starting to brown on top and feel firm to the touch.
- To serve, first run a knife around the outside of the pan to loosen the edges, then flip the calzone out onto a plate. Top with butter and honey and serve.
Looks delightful. I will make.
I’m going to try this…
Loved it! Very Yummy indeed!
Looks awesome!! Definitely gonna try!!