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    Home » Sides » Hatch Chile Cornbread Casserole (Gluten-Free)

    Hatch Chile Cornbread Casserole (Gluten-Free)

    Aug 24, 2018 · by Valentina · 34 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Hatch Chile Cornbread Casserole is gluten-free, rich, hearty and packed with smoky flavors. It's perfect for brunch or alongside a chili or a salad for dinner. Once you try it, it'll be your go-to cornbread recipe!

    2 slices of Gluten-Free Hatch Chile Cornbread Casserole on a purple plate.

    Learn how easy (and fun!) it is to roast peppers and make this Cornbread Casserole with Hatch Chiles that is always a crowd pleaser.

    Not only is it one of my all time favorite things to serve for a casual brunch, but it's also my favorite thing to serve with a cozy bowl of hearty meat chili or a rich vegetarian chili.

    During Hatch Chile Season, which is only about six weeks long, I take advantage of these beautiful peppers. However, you can make this recipe with other green chiles (see Substitutions below).

    The Ingredients

    small pile of red and green, fresh Hatch Chiles
    • Hatch Chile Peppers - Hot, medium or mild, depending on preference. Hatch chiles are almost always marked with their heat level where they're sold.
    • olive oil
    • red onion
    • fresh garlic - Look for firm heads of garlic without any soft spots or green shoots, which are an indication it's old and that it could be very bitter. Raw garlic cloves should be firm without any dark spots. (Pro tip: if there are green shoots in garlic you already have, just cut the cloves in half and remove them with the tip of a paring knife. The rest of the clove should still be good.)
    • fresh corn - White or yellow -- both are great. During the summer, you should be able to find fantastic corn at your local Farmers' Market. Choose corn with bright green, tightly wrapped husks. The silks should be white or yellow. If you buy pre-shucked corn, the kernels should be firm and plump.
    • smoked paprika - Paprika is a spice made from dried, ground red peppers. It ranges from mild to hot -- use whatever intensity you like. I love smoked paprika because the peppers used have been smoked, which adds a delicious smoky flavor to dishes.
    • corn meal - Finely ground or coarsely ground are both okay for this recipe. The texture will be slightly creamier with the finely ground.
    • baking soda - If you don’t bake regularly, it’s a good idea to check to be sure your baking soda is still good. To do so, pour a couple of tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice over about ¼ teaspoon of the baking soda. If it starts to fizz, it’s still good.
    • granulated sugar
    • Kosher salt - I cook with Kosher salt because I like its larger flake size and it usually doesn't contain additives. (If you use table salt, use half the amount.)
    • buttermilk - In baking buttermilk add a creamy texture and slightly tangy flavor. It also works with the baking soda to help the cornbread casserole rish.
    • eggs
    • unsalted butter - I always bake and cook with unsalted butter to better control how much salt goes in the recipe.
    • cheddar cheese - Grated for the recipe. It's layered throughout and on top of the casserole.

    (See recipe card below for quantities.)

    One corn on the cob and a few red and green Hatch Chiles

    Substitutions and Variations

    If I don't list an ingredient with a substitution, it means I think it's best not to substitute it.

    • Hatch Chile Peppers. Anaheim or Poblano chiles are both good Hatch chile substitutions. Anaheim chiles will be the most mild.
    • Red onion. I like the red onion in this casserole because they're a bit sweeter than other onions, but yellow will work very well too.
    • Fresh garlic. You can substitute about ½ teaspoon of garlic powder for fresh garlic.
    • Fresh corn. The fresh corn can be substituted with frozen and thawed, or canned corn. Be sure both are very well drained.
    • buttermilk. If you need to, substitute the buttermilk with 1 ⅔ cup milk mixed with 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice or distilled white vinegar. Let the mixture sit for at least 5 minutes before using it.
    • cheddar cheese. Play around with other cheeses if you'd like to. Hard cheeses will be the best, like White Cheddar or Colby. I wouldn't recommend a strongly flavored cheese.
    • Spicy version. Use Pepper Jack cheese, and of course choose the hotter chiles.

    How to Make it

    Pile of red and greeen roasted Hatch Chiles

    - Roast and peel the Hatch Chiles -- here's an easy step-by-step guide for How to Roast and Peel Peppers.

    - Cut the stem end off of each one and carefully, use a small paring knife or your fingers to make a slit in each of the peppers to open them and remove the seeds.

    - Preheat the oven to 375°F.

    - Coat a large sauté pan with the olive oil and place it over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the corn and paprika to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes or so, just to blend the flavors. Set aside.

    - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, baking soda, sugar and salt. Make a small well in the middle and add the buttermilk and eggs. Mix until the batter is smooth. Fold in the melted butter and the onion-corn mixture.

    - Place 6 of the peppers, smooth side down, in a nonstick, 9 X 13 X 3-inch baking pan. (If your pan is not nonstick, drizzle the bottom lightly with olive oil.) Set the remaining 6 peppers aside.

    several open, roasted hatch chiles, laying flat on bottom of dish

    - Pour about 2 cups of the batter evenly over the peppers and sprinkle with ¾ cup of the cheese. Gently add a layer of the remaining 6 peppers, smooth side down, on top of the cheese.

    several open, roasted hatch chiles, laying flat on top of other ingredients in baking pan

    - Pour the remaining batter (about 2½ cups) over the peppers, and sprinkle with the remaining 1¼ cup of the cheese.

    - Bake in the preheated 375°F oven until it begins to brown on top and the batter is set, about 25 minutes. If the casserole is finished, but the top is not as brown as you'd like, place it under the broiler for about 30 seconds.

    Hatch Chile Cornbread Casserole with one slice removed in pan.

    - Let the casserole cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before serving.

    Serving Suggestions

    This green pepper cornbread casserole is perfect for a casual summer brunch with a platter of fruit, a light frittata, and bacon (if I'm feeling indulgent). 😉

    In the cooler months, make the Cornbread Casserole with Poblanos or Anaheim chiles. It's a comfort food that's perfect alongside a bowl of hot chili or a hearty salad.

    Can you make it ahead?

    Yes, you can make it a day ahead of time, so it's the perfect dish to bring to a potluck brunch, or to prepare early for a party at your house.

    More of Hatch Chile Recipes

    • Roasted Hatch Chile White Peach Salsa
    • Hatch Chile Pepper Jack Bacon and Eggs
    • Hatch Chile Shrimp Sauté
    • Hatch Chile Chocolate Chip Cookies with Coconut

    Hatch Chile Roastings

    During Hatch Chile season, markets all over the U.S. are roasting them for you! You choose your chiles, as many as you want, and the stores will roast them for free.

    This way not only can it save you some time, but you can freeze them roasted, and use them all year long!  Brilliant.

    Courtesy of Melissa's Produce, here is the list of all of the store locations where they will roast them for you.

    two piced of hatch chile cornbread on a purple plate

    Hatch Chile Cornbread Casserole Recipe

    Valentina K. Wein
    Gluten-Free Hatch Chile Cornbread Casserole is rich, hearty, packed with smoky flavors, and oh-so-delicious! It's perfect for brunch or along side a chili or a salad for dinner.
    5 from 10 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 45 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Cooling Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish, Brunch
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10
    Calories 352 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 12 roasted & peeled Hatch chiles (Click here for How to Roast & Peel Peppers)
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 2 cups thinly sliced red onion
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 ears of corn)
    • ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 2 cups corn meal
    • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 1¼ teaspoons sea salt
    • 1¾ cups buttermilk
    • 2 large eggs
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
    • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese

    Instructions
     

    • Prep the chiles. Roast and peel the Hatch Chiles -- here's How to Roast and Peel Peppers. Cut the stem end off of each one and carefully, use a small paring knife or your fingers, to make a slit in each of the peppers to open them and remove the seeds.
    • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
    • Cook the onion and garlic with corn and paprika. Coat a large sauté pan with the olive oil and place it over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the corn and paprika to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes or so, just to blend the flavors. Set aside.
    • Make the batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, baking soda, sugar and salt. Make a small well in the middle and add the buttermilk and eggs. Mix until the batter is smooth. Fold in the melted butter and the onion-corn mixture.
    • Layer the components. Place 6 of the peppers, smooth side down, in a nonstick, 9 X 13 X 3-inch baking pan. (If your pan is not nonstick, drizzle the bottom lightly with olive oil.) Set the remaining 6 peppers aside. Pour about 2 cups of the batter evenly over the peppers and sprinkle with ¾ cup of the cheese. Gently add a layer of the remaining 6 peppers, smooth side down, on top of the cheese. Pour the remaining batter (about 2½ cups) over the peppers, and sprinkle with the remaining 1¼ cup of the cheese.
    • Bake. Bake in the preheated 375°F oven until it begins to brown on top and the batter is set, about 25 minutes. If the casserole is finished, but the top is not as brown as you'd like, place it under the broiler for about 30 seconds.
    • Cool and serve. Let the casserole cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before serving.

    NOTES

    Nutritional information is only an estimate.
     

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 804mg | Potassium: 269mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 518IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 1mg
    Keywords great for brunch, great with chili
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

    Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.


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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Colette @ JFF

      August 29, 2012 at 7:20 pm

      Oh
      my
      GOD
      that looks delicious!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 29, 2012 at 9:09 pm

        Colette, you are so sweet - thank you! (must say, it is very delicious!) Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. sippitysup

      August 29, 2012 at 8:57 pm

      Love it when the Hatch come to town. GREG

      Reply
    3. Laura @ Family Spice

      September 01, 2012 at 1:42 am

      Jealous of the hatch love going on up there in LA! This looks amazing! Save me a piece! LOL!

      Reply
      • valentina

        September 02, 2012 at 6:52 am

        Sending you some Hatch love, Laura!

        Reply
    4. Lori Martin

      July 27, 2018 at 5:21 am

      5 stars
      I made this last night for dinner. Delicious! Just what I was looking for. Thank you

      Reply
      • valentina

        July 27, 2018 at 2:01 pm

        This makes me so happy, Lori! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Ben Myhre

      August 25, 2018 at 1:36 pm

      5 stars
      Our garden is in full bloom and producing peppers like a madman. You definitely have given me some inspiration for my next casserole. Thank you. This is beautiful.

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 25, 2018 at 2:49 pm

        Thank you Ben! Lucky you to have a garden full of peppers! 🙂 Enjoy!

        Reply
    6. Darlene @ Dip Recipe Creations

      August 25, 2018 at 8:09 pm

      5 stars
      I love when hatch green chile season happens! I really like the idea of adding roasted ones to a cornbread casserole. Yum!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 25, 2018 at 10:34 pm

        Thanks, Darlene. They're delicious against the sweet corn.

        Reply
    7. Anna

      August 25, 2018 at 8:14 pm

      5 stars
      I am so curious about hatch chilies - I've never cooked with them but this cornbread casserole recipe looks so delicious. My family would absolutely love it! Great tips on where to get hatch chilies too.

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 25, 2018 at 10:33 pm

        Thanks, Anna! Hope you find some near you and give the recipe a try. 🙂

        Reply
    8. Natalie

      August 25, 2018 at 9:24 pm

      5 stars
      Looks absolutely delicious and so comforting! I love the fluffy texture of the cornbread - looks amazing.

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 25, 2018 at 10:34 pm

        Thank you, Natalie! Hope you try it! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Danielle

      August 25, 2018 at 11:52 pm

      5 stars
      Oh that looks good! I am thinking of all the things I can dip in it now.

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 26, 2018 at 7:00 pm

        Love it! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

      August 26, 2018 at 1:47 am

      5 stars
      This looks absolutely incredible, my kind of casserole. What a great way to use hatch chiles!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 26, 2018 at 7:00 pm

        Thank you! Enjoy. 🙂

        Reply
    11. Cathy

      August 26, 2018 at 12:17 pm

      5 stars
      I am not usually a casserole person, but you won me over with this recipe.

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 26, 2018 at 7:02 pm

        That makes me happy. Thank you! XO

        Reply
    12. Colette

      August 27, 2018 at 12:37 pm

      This looks amazing! I'm going to serve it up this w/end for a long and lazy brunch! xo

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 28, 2018 at 12:32 pm

        Yay! Colette, it doesn't get much better than a long and lazy brunch! My favorite way to spend a weekend morning! 🙂 Thank you.

        Reply
    13. David

      August 27, 2018 at 2:43 pm

      Well, now I know how I will be using some of the Hatch chiles I bought last week! They are already roasted and frozen in perfect serving sizes! I love that you have a chile festival every year… They definitely are something to celebrate!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 28, 2018 at 12:33 pm

        Hi David! I hope you and Mark love this one as much as I do! The last time I made this (a few days ago), I used very hot Hatch and oh my was it good -- the heat is balanced with the sweetness of the corn and melting cheese. 🙂 Enjoy!

        Reply
    14. Deb|EastofEdenCooking

      August 29, 2018 at 6:20 am

      What a fabulous GF recipe, taking traditional cornbread to a whole new level of scrumptious! Hatch chile season is a wonderful thing and I'm so pleased they are now widely distributed.

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 29, 2018 at 3:18 pm

        Thanks so much, Deb. True, Hatch chiles seem to be everywhere during their season.Yay! Enjoy!

        Reply
    15. Karly

      August 29, 2018 at 3:47 pm

      Oh yeah! This looks amazing!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 30, 2018 at 8:17 pm

        Thanks so much, Karly! 🙂

        Reply
    16. Wendie

      January 24, 2019 at 6:02 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my heck! This is a delicious recipe. I ended up chopping up my Hatch Green Chile and it worked just fine. I substituted 1 cup frozen chopped yellow onion for the red onion and I substituted canned corn for the fresh corn. It's all what I had on hand. Add a squeeze of honey to your last bite - delicious!

      Reply
      • valentina

        January 24, 2019 at 9:12 pm

        Thanks so much for this lovely comment, Wendie! Your substitutions sound perfect and I"m so happy you enjoyed it. The touch of honey sounds divine. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
        • valentina

          January 25, 2019 at 10:36 pm

          Ha! 🙂

          Reply
    17. Marissa

      August 12, 2023 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      You really are a genius with Hatch chiles, Valentina. This cornbread casserole looks absolutely divine and, scrolling your lineup of other recipes featuring this delicious chile, I want to try EVERYTHING.

      Reply
      • Valentina

        August 13, 2023 at 7:00 pm

        Thanks, Marissa. I think of all of them, this casserole is my favorite. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply

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