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This easy cheddar jalapeno cornbread pudding is the best comfort food side dish. Made with homemade or leftover cornbread, this savory bread pudding is a tasty side dish for the holidays or weeknight dinner.
This post was originally published in November 2019 and has been updated for content.
Bread pudding is a bread based dish that is baked with milk or cream and eggs and can have different things mixed in. It can be sweet and served as a dessert, or savory and served as a side dish. This recipe is a savory style bread pudding that uses cornbread instead of regular bread and is studded with zesty jalapeños and sharp white cheddar cheese.
This warm and comforting side dish can be served alongside 3 bean chili for game day, with orange cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving or to accompany a tasty cast iron roast chicken for Sunday dinner.
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🌽 Ingredient notes
- Cornbread - Either homemade, store bought or leftover cornbread can be used for this recipe. You will need approximately 8 cups of cornbread crumbles, which is a 9x13 inch pan or two 8x8 inch pans. I personally love making the honey skillet cornbread from Sally's Baking Addiction. I also have been known to grab some already made cornbread from the bakery or whip up a couple boxes of jiffy corn muffin mix.
- Buttermilk - If you don't have buttermilk, you can substitute it with a cup of whole milk mixed with 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice. Let the mixture sit for a little bit before to thicken up. It will look a bit curdled, but that's ok.
- Cheese - I love the sharpness of the white cheddar cheese with the sweet cornbread and spicy jalapeños. Mild yellow cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese would be other great alternatives!
📋 Substitutions and variations
- Not Spicy - If you don't want the spice or flavor from the jalapeños, you can omit it to make this a cheesy cornbread pudding instead.
- More Corn - I like using cornbread with pieces of corn baked right into it. If yours doesn't have it or if you want more, you can add a can of drained corn with the cheddar, jalapeños and onions.
- Gluten Free - Use gluten free cornbread in this recipe to make this a gluten free side dish.
🔪 Step by step instructions
First, grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or baking spray and crumble the cornbread into an even layer in the dish. In a skillet, cook the diced jalapeños and onions in the oil until they are just softened.
Sprinkle the cooked jalapenos and onions over the cornbread and then top with the shredded white cheddar cheese. Using your hands or a large spoon, gently toss to combine the ingredients together.
In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, cream, eggs and salt and pour the liquid mixture over the cornbread.
Using your hands or the back of a large spoon, press down the cornbread into the liquid so that the cornbread is all moistened with it. Bake the cornbread pudding in a 375˚ oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
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⭐ Expert tips
- If using homemade cornbread, make sure it is completely cooled before crumbling it up into the baking dish.
- Crumble the cornbread into similar sized pieces to help with even baking and for the best consistency.
- Make sure to press down the cornbread so that all of it is moistened and absorbs the liquid mixture. This will make sure that there are no dry spots in the bread pudding.
- To check to make sure the bread pudding is cooked through, gently shake the pan to make sure it's not jiggly.
⏲️ Make ahead instructions
This savory cornbread pudding can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead of time. Assemble the dish completely and then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. Remove the bread pudding from the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before cooking time to allow it to come to room temperature. Remove the plastic wrap and cook in the oven as directed.
🥡 Storage suggestions
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
🥔 More side dish recipes
If you loved this recipe for cheddar jalapeno cornbread pudding, try these other tasty side dishes recipes, that I know you will love too!
- Crispy Fried Polenta Cakes
- Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic
- Sweet Potatoes Casserole with Pecans
- Sauteed Green Beans with Bacon
Recipe
Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 9x13 inch or 2 - 8x8 inch pans of homemade, store bough or leftover cornbread, approximately 8 cups crumbled
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and diced
- ½ medium white onion, diced
- 2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 large whole eggs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375˚ and grease a 9x13" baking pan with butter or baking spray.
- Crumble the cornbread, into similar sized pieces into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet on the stove top over medium heat and add in the diced jalapeños and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Sprinkle the cooked jalapeños and onions evenly over the crumbled cornbread and then top with shredded cheddar cheese. Using a large spoon or hands, gently toss the ingredients together.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, heavy cream, eggs, and salt. Whisk to break up the eggs and combine all of the ingredients.
- Pour the liquid over the top of the cornbread mixture and using hands or the back of a large spoon, gently press down on the cornbread so it's all moistened and absorbs the liquid.
- Bake the cornbread pudding in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and no longer jiggly in the middle.
Notes
- If using homemade cornbread, make sure it is completely cooled before crumbling it up into the baking dish.
- Crumble the cornbread into similar sized pieces to help with even baking and for the best consistency.
- Make sure to press down the cornbread so that all of it is moistened and absorbs the liquid mixture. This will make sure that there are no dry spots in the bread pudding.
- To check to make sure the bread pudding is cooked through, gently shake the pan to make sure it's not jiggly.
Substitutions and Variations
- Cornbread - Either homemade, store bought or leftover cornbread can be used for this recipe. Approximately 8 cups of crumbled cornbread is needed, which is a 9x13 inch pan or two 8x8 inch pans. Honey skillet cornbread from Sally's Baking Addiction is a great homemade version or two boxes of jiffy corn muffin mix can be made as well.
- Buttermilk - One cup of whole milk mixed with 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice can be used as a buttermilk substitute. Let the mixture sit for a little bit before to thicken up. It will look a bit curdled, but that's ok.
- Cheese - The sharpness of the white cheddar cheese pairs really well with the sweet cornbread and spicy jalapeños. Mild yellow cheddar cheese or pepper jack cheese would be other great alternatives!
- Not Spicy - The jalapenos can be omitted to make this a cheesy cornbread pudding instead.
- More Corn - Add a can of drained corn when making the cornbread or toss it into the mixture with the cornbread, cheese and jalapeños.
- Gluten Free - Use gluten free cornbread or cornbread mix in this recipe to make this side dish gluten free.
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