Broccoli Cornbread
Fluffy Broccoli Cornbread Recipe made with a handful of simple ingredients and huge broccoli-cheese flavor! This soft tender cornbread variation is a true southern favorite.
Why We Love This Broccoli Cornbread Recipe
This spring (can I call it spring yet?) I thought it would be fun to share some of the classic southern recipes I’ve learned to make since moving to North Carolina.
After all, southern comfort food not only makes you feel good when you eat it, it’s an absolute win at parties, work events, and when feeding picky people. *wink*
When I’m cooking for a crowd with kids in the mix, I always go with southern dishes. Ham, potato salad, macaroni recipes, and broccoli cheese cornbread are guaranteed to disappear in no time.
Classic Southern Cornbread with Cheese and Broccoli
Here in the south, cornbread is made in many different ways.
The most traditional cast iron skillet cornbread is baked in bacon grease to create crispy edges. Yet there are fluffier versions decked out with all sorts of add-ins.
Recently I went to an event in which a new friend brought her variation of broccoli cornbread.
It was packed with broccoli cheese goodness and had a moist dense casserole-like texture, due to her addition of cottage cheese.
Although I loved her broccoli cornbread recipe, I thought I might like to make something similar with a fluffier texture.
Therefore, today’s fluffy broccoli cornbread recipe is slightly tweaked, skipping the cottage cheese and substituting sour cream!
Making broccoli cornbread with sour cream, instead of cottage cheese, offers the same moisture level, yet with a light pillowy feel.
The recipe includes onions, spices, and shredded cheddar cheese to give it a zesty broccoli cheese appeal.
These broccoli cornbread squares are a fabulous side dish with nearly any meal. So, I never worry if they will “fit in” at neighborhood potlucks or casual dinner parties.
Ready to get started?
To make our Broccoli Cheese Cornbread Recipe you will need just ten ingredients…
Ingredients You Need
- Cornbread mix – You can also make this from scratch, but it’s nice to keep Jiffy cornbread mix in the pantry for quickie baking projects.
- Eggs – For lift and moisture.
- Sour cream – For moisture and tangy flavor.
- Butter – Because everything is better with butter.
- Garlic powder – Just a little goes a long way.
- Paprika – I always use smoked paprika for that little hint of smoky essence. However regular paprika is tasty too!
- Salt – All baked goods need a pinch or two.
- Broccoli – This recipe calls for frozen chopped broccoli, but you can substitute fresh broccoli if you have it. Just cut the broccoli florets very small.
- Onion – Dice into itty bitty pieces.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – The perfect complement to broccoli!
How To Make Broccoli Cornbread
- Simply dump the Jiffy mix and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, and mix well.
- Pour the batter into a baking dish and spread out evenly.
- Bake until golden brown and fluffy. It’s that easy!
Get The Full (Printable) Jiffy Broccoli Cornbread Recipe Below!
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store leftover broccoli cornbread?
Classic cornbread can be kept at room temperature for several days if wrapped well in plastic wrap. However, this version has broccoli and cheese it in, so it’s best to keep leftovers in the refrigerator. Place the pieces in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to a week. To reheat, set the pieces on a plate and microwave for approximately 1 minute.
What dishes go well with homemade broccoli cornbread?
This fluffy cornbread recipe is wonderful on its own but goes well with soups and other Southern dishes! Try it with cheesy chicken chili or homemade beef stew! It pairs well with pork chops or pulled pork, too, along with some collard greens!
More Irresistible Cornbread Recipes
- Maple Bacon Cornbread
- Apple Spiced Cornbread Muffins
- Honey Cinnamon Corn Muffins
- Stuffed Mexican Cornbread
Broccoli Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 17 ounces cornbread mix (2 – 8.5 oz boxes)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces frozen broccoli, thawed
- 3/4 cup diced onion
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degree F. Grease a 9 X 13 inch baking dish, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornbread mix, eggs, sour cream, melted butter, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
- Cut the largest broccoli florets in half. Add the broccoli, diced onion, and 1 1/4 cups shredded cheese to the cornbread mixture. Stir until well combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup shredded cheese over the top.
- Bake for approximately 40 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting to serve.
I followed the recipe to a tea. My husband and I both enjoyed it very much. I’m going to save the recipe because I will definitely would like to make it again.
I was so happy to find this recipe. I am 75 and use to make this all the time and over the years with doing less cooking, I have lost my recipe. I believe this is exactly what I made. I have everything ready except the Jiffy. I cannot wait to make it to go with my red beans and rice this week. Thank you!!!
I made this for the seniors at my church today and it was a big hit. I t went very well with the soups that were served, especially the broccoli cheese soup. Thank you for sharing such a lovely recipe.
This is a big ‘Thank you!’ for the idea! I really hate to see people comment on a recipe with less than positive statements when they have changed the recipe, but complain that it wasn’t as good as expected! Really??!!
Well! I didn’t have enough eggs or broccoli AND I know enough about flavors and our particular tastes to know that we would like a little heat (jalapeno powder). Also, I was in a hurry because I started too late with the cornbread, so you see why I say “the idea!” I cut the recipe in half, had only one large egg and less broccoli than I needed. Because of the limited time, I spread the mixture out in the large pan instead of half-size for the half recipe so, of course, it took less time to cook. A little more than 1 cup of cheese just to give better coverage. It was thin. It was greasy. It was delicious! I will make it again, and hopefully be able to use your recipe with the correct number of eggs; the right size pan; the right amount of broccoli and cheese, but with the addition of jalapeno! We ate it with bean soup. So yummy! (Soup was good, but I could have eaten the whole recipe of cornbread!! Thank you again!
I made this tonight with lowfat sour cream and it was so moist. So good i want to eat more! I also cut the fresh broccoli into tiny florets and used 2 cups. Wanted lots of broccoli. What can i use instead of butter to reduce the calories?
You could cut all the ingredients in half, couldn’t you, and make an 8×8″ or 9×9″ pan of cornbread? We are a family of three, so the full recipe would be too much. This sounds so good, I want to make it!
Hi Vicki,
Absolutely! The baking time might be a little less as well.
what a wonderful tweak and nice way to eat your broccoli, which even at it’s best it kinda blah, but I’m a sucker for cornbread so thank you for this recipe
A great way to get kids to eat their veggies!
Wow, this was fabulous! I make a lot of cornbread muffins, but this was a hit, too!