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Cornbread can be seen in two distinct ways: right or wrong, or Southern vs. Northern. [Editor’s note: What even is Northern cornbread? Haven’t heard of it.] For me, both types are simply blank slates waiting for bold flavors. If you’re up for bending the rules, why not try this fiery, ketchup-infused cornbread?
Cornbread is a quick bread made from cornmeal, and once you embrace this, you can leave all expectations behind. It can be made with bacon fat, butter, sweet or dry, fluffy or crumbly. I personally like cornbread with fun extras like corn kernels or jalapeños folded in, or maybe topped with chili or mac and cheese. This time, I was craving the summer zest of ripe tomatoes, so I concocted a cornbread that packs a tangy tomato punch.
Simply throwing slices of tomato into regular cornbread wouldn’t do the trick for me. Tomatoes have high water content, and baking them into a quick bread would just result in soggy pockets of bland tomato, not ideal. To keep the tomato flavor concentrated without messing up the batter’s consistency, I turned to tomato paste and ketchup. While both could work, I preferred ketchup’s added sweetness, salt, and spices, which enhanced the tomato flavor. I like ketchups with fewer ingredients, like Sir Kensington’s or Annie’s, though any kind works. And since I love bold flavors, I kicked it up with a hefty dose of cayenne and red pepper flakes. The result? A cornbread that tastes distinctly like tomatoes, not just ketchup.
For this cornbread, follow the standard muffin technique. Begin by combining all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, whisking them together. In a separate smaller bowl or measuring cup, whisk the wet ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients in one go and whisk until well blended. As the oven preheats to 450°F, place butter into a cast iron skillet and allow it to melt and brown in the oven. Once melted, pour the batter into the skillet, smooth the top, and bake for 20 minutes.
This cornbread recipe offers the texture of classic Southern-style cornbread, with crispy, skillet-browned edges and a crumbly interior. The rich tomato flavor comes through strongly, balanced by a hint of tang and sweetness from the ketchup. The heat from the pepper builds gradually, giving your taste buds a pleasant awakening. The proportions in the recipe pack quite the punch, so if you're after something milder, feel free to halve the cayenne and pepper flake amounts. Serve this cornbread with something savory and full of umami—think crispy bacon, barbecued pork, or a hearty black bean soup.
How to Prepare Spicy Tomato Ketchup Cornbread
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
¾ cup fine cornmeal
1 cup + 2 tablespoons coarse cornmeal
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon cayenne powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup ketchup (I used Annie’s organic ketchup)
¾ cup milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Preheat your oven to 450°F. Place the butter in a 10 or 12-inch cast iron skillet and set it aside for now. About five minutes before you finish mixing your batter, pop the skillet into the oven to heat up and gently brown the butter.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine both types of cornmeal, flour, cayenne, pepper flakes, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and mix them together.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the ketchup, milk, egg, and oil. Once blended, pour this wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until everything is well incorporated.
Remove the skillet from the oven and swirl it around to coat the bottom with the melted butter. Pour the batter into the hot skillet, smoothing the top before placing it back in the oven.
Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center is set. Serve at room temperature as a savory, tomato-infused side dish. This cornbread can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to five days or frozen for up to three months. To reheat frozen cornbread, bake it in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 350°F.
