Foolproof Mexican Skillet Cornbread

This hearty Mexican cornbread is baked in a sizzling cast iron skillet and loaded with flavorful sausage, diced green chiles, and just the right touch of spice. Moist, tender, and perfectly golden, it’s the ultimate side for chili, beans, or BBQ night.

Let's Spice up that Cornbread, Friends!

I'm from Texas, and we don't do anything plain. In fact, you'll find folks adding jalapeños and green chilis to all sorts of food items.

We're especially fond of spicing up our cornbread, and that's just what I've done for you today. I took a simple skillet cornbread and turned it into a savory one. And then, just for fun, I added spice and sausage to give it a real kick.

Spicy Cornbread? Yes, Please!

Down here in south Texas we would call this a Mexican Cornbread. It's super easy and versatile and can honestly be served all by itself as a meal. I happened to be making some Instant Pot pinto beans with sliced sausage, so I had beans and cornbread, a true southern delicacy!

No matter what you serve it with, this cornbread is really going to hit the spot. And like I said, it's super versatile. (I'll share some tips in a bit, so keep reading!)

Mexican Cornbread Ingredients

You're going to find a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here's a quick peek at what you'll need to make this delicious, savory cornbread.

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (not pictured)
• 2 tablespoons sugar (optional, but balances the savory flavors)
• 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice)
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup melted butter (plus 1 tablespoon for the skillet)
• 1 cup pre-cooked ground sausage, finely crumbled and reheated to remove excess moisture
• 1 (4-oz) can diced green chiles, drained
• ½ cup whole kernel corn, lightly mashed
• 1 jalapeño, finely diced (optional)
• ¾ cup shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese

How to Make Mexican Cornbread

This came together so easily! I happened to have frozen (previously cooked) ground sausage handy. If you don't, you'll want to start by frying up sausage or ground beef, then draining it and setting it aside. My sausage was pretty chunky, so after I thawed it in the microwave, I broke it down into much smaller pieces using my handy-dandy meat chopper thingy that I bought from Pampered Chef years ago.

Preheat the oven and skillet:
Place an 8–9 inch cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 425°F.

Combine dry ingredients:
In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

Mix wet ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter until smooth.

Fold together:
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir just until combined—don’t overmix.

Add mix-ins:
Gently fold in crumbled sausage, mashed corn, green chiles, jalapeño (if using), and cheese until evenly distributed. Batter should be thick but scoopable.

• If it feels too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of buttermilk. If it’s too loose, stir in a bit more cornmeal.

Sizzle the skillet:
Remove the hot skillet from the oven and add 1 tablespoon butter, swirling to coat the bottom and sides. The butter should sizzle and brown slightly.

Bake:
Immediately pour in the batter and smooth the top.

Bake for 22–28 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Rest:
Allow the cornbread to cool for 10–15 minutes before slicing. This resting period helps it firm up and stay moist instead of crumbly.

Serve and Enjoy!

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What to Expect

This cornbread is tender yet sturdy, with crispy edges and a flavorful, hearty middle. The sausage brings smoky depth, the green chiles add gentle warmth, and the mashed corn keeps everything beautifully moist. Sliceable, soul-satisfying cornbread that holds together from pan to plate.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm with a pat of butter or honey butter.
• Pair it with Southern Pinto Beans, chili, or grilled BBQ meats.
• Leftovers reheat beautifully in a toaster oven or cast iron pan.

Variations to this Recipe

Here are some ways you can change up this recipe:

• Skip the green chiles and add half a cup of Rotel (mild or spicy, your choice). Just make sure you drain it first.
• Use ground beef instead of sausage: In years past, I always used ground beef in Mexican cornbread. I only reached for the sausage today because that's what I had on hand.
• Pepper Jack cheese: If I'd had pepper jack in the fridge I would have used that. A spicy cheese would really ramp up the kick.
• Skip the skillet. Don't have a cast iron skillet? No worries! This recipe can be baked in a 9x9" pan or even a 10" round cake pan. You could bake it in a 9x13-inch casserole dish, if you prefer, but the pieces will be pretty thin.

Other Favorite Cornbread Recipes

If you like skillet cornbreads, we love these recipes from our own site, with a couple from our friends at Backyard Texas Grill:

Best Doctored Cornbread Mix with Mayonnaise: Yep, you read that right! This rich, moist cornbread has a surprise ingredient - mayonnaise!

Southern Cornbread with Whipping Cream: I love doctoring boxed mixes. You probably know that about me by now. But did you know you can doctor a cornbread mix? It's true!

Easy Cornbread Muffins with Sour Cream: This one comes together in minutes!

Jalapeño Cheddar Skillet Cornbread: Sweet, savory, and just a little spicy! This Honey Jalapeño Cheddar Skillet Cornbread is baked in cast iron for a crispy crust and tender crumb. Perfect side for BBQ or chili nights.

Honey Cornbread on the Smoker: Sweet, smoky, and downright irresistible—this Honey Cornbread on the Smoker is baked to golden perfection in a cast-iron skillet. The perfect side for BBQ nights!

That's it for this post, friends!

I'm so glad you stopped by. Before you go, why not pin some photos to your Pinterest boards?

About the Baker

Hi, I’m Janice — a lifelong baker who believes every good story deserves a slice of homemade cornbread on the side. On Out of the Box Baking, you’ll find tried-and-true recipes, creative twists, and plenty of heart.

Foolproof Mexican Skillet Cornbread