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This Green Chile Eggs and Cornbread recipe is a fantastic way to use leftover cornbread. It’s made with toasted corn bread topped with baby spinach, melted cheese, green chiles and fried (or poached) eggs.
It’s a healthy twist on traditional Eggs Florentine and makes a hearty Southwestern-style breakfast or brunch. Just add hot sauce if you crave extra heat!
Why We Love This Leftover Cornbread Breakfast Recipe
- Using leftover cornbread, you can have a full breakfast on table in around 20 minutes, really! If you make the cornbread from scratch, that takes another 25 minutes – including the cooking time!
- This breakfast is like Eggs Benedict or Eggs Florentine minus the heavy hollandaise sauce.
- Unlike fried cornbread recipes, this bread is toasted so is much lower in fat.
- So easy and delicious, it’s one of the best leftover cornbread recipes we’ve found.
- This open-face cornbread sandwich is really versatile. It starts with toasted cornbread and this base is sturdy enough to support a variety of toppings!
- Serve it with strips of bacon, crumbled cotija cheese, asparagus or homemade, slow-cooked charro beans.
Ingredients
- Leftover Cornbread: Although you can buy cornbread, it’s super easy to easy to make it at home. It also tastes much better from scratch and has less sugar and sodium! I love this recipe for homemade cornbread as it takes just 25 minutes from start to finish. I reduce the sugar to one Tablespoon and bake it in an 8 inch cake pan. It produces six slices of cornbread. That means we can have it for dinner ( it’s delicious with Guatemalan beef stew) and have leftover cornbread for breakfast.
- Green Chiles: Purchase canned chiles or make your own by roasting fresh poblano or green bell peppers. I usually make them in batches and store them in the freezer.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese: For best results, freshly grate a block of cheese rather than buy pre-grated cheese. Packed grated cheese often contains preservatives and additives to prevent clumping and doesn’t melt as well as freshly-grated cheese. You can also use Monterrey Jack or Manchego cheese in this recipe.
- Fresh Baby Spinach
- Red Onion
- Eggs
- Olive Oil
Step by Step Instructions for Green Chile Eggs and Cornbread Sandwich
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the exact quantities of ingredients and full method.
1. Slice each piece of cornbread in half (lengthwise) through the middle. Place on a baking sheet and broil for 3 to 4 minutes or until they’re crispy and brown.
If you have a busy morning ahead, you can get a head start on this recipe by making the toasts the night before.Once toasted, just store them in a covered container on the counter.
2. In a skillet, heat olive oil. Add chopped onions, saute for a few minutes or until they become tender & translucent.
3. Add spinach and turn off heat. Toss together until spinach becomes wilted.
4. Top each cornbread toast with the cooked spinach/onions. Add cheddar cheese and return to the oven for another 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
5. Finally, assemble your Green Chile Eggs and Cornbread Breakfast Sandwich by placing two slices of loaded cornbread on a plate.
6. Top with a cooked egg (poached, fried, or your preference), along with a large scoop of green chiles.
7. Serve immediately!
What to Serve with This Open Face Cornbread Breakfast Sandwich
- This satisfying breakfast is very filling on its own, so serve it with a light fruit salad, a mango and black bean salsa, fresh-squeezed fruit juice or chilled tomato gazpacho served in shot glasses.
- It’s also delicious with black bean soup.
- Even though these breakfast eggs are topped with green peppers, it’s not a spicy dish. So if you crave some heat, feel free to add a dash of bottled hot sauce (try Marie Sharpe’s Habanero Pepper Sauce) or homemade hot sauce like salsa verde.
- To serve a crowd, you can double or even triple this recipe and serve it in a large rectangular baking dish. It makes a delicious breakfast entree for Cinco de Mayo or other special brunch!
Pro Tips and Variations
- For the very best results, this Green Chile Eggs and Cornbread Toast is best served fresh, right when you’re ready to eat. It takes just 25 minutes to make, but to put it together even faster, toast the cornbread a day in advance and store covered.
- Although you can buy cornbread, it’s super easy to easy to make it from scratch. It also tastes much better from scratch and has less sugar and sodium! I love this recipe for homemade cornbread as it takes just 25 minutes from start to finish. Reduce the sugar to one Tablespoon and bake it in an 8 inch cake pan and you’ll have six slices of cornbread which will make 12 pieces of toast. Jiffy cornbread muffin mix is much sweeter and more crumbly so will result a different taste than cornmeal bread.
- This open-face cornbread sandwich is super versatile. Add strips of bacon, crumbled cotija cheese, asparagus or even black beans – the cornbread base is sturdy enough to support a wealth of toppings!
- Just add hot sauce if you want some extra heat!
- Swap poached or scrambled eggs for the fried eggs.
- For a decadent version, smother it in Hollandaise sauce and then top with green chiles.
Easy Green Chile Eggs and Cornbread
Equipment
- Saucepan or frying pan
- Baking sheet
- Cheese grater
Ingredients
- 4 slices cornbread
- 1/2 cup green chiles canned or homemade
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1/3 red onion - chopped
- 4 eggs
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Slice each piece of cornbread in half (lengthwise) through the middle. Place on a baking sheet and broil for 3-4 minutes or until they become crispy & brown.
- In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chopped onions and saute for a few minutes or until they become tender and translucent.
- Chop the spinach (if pieces are large), add to the pan and turn off heat. Toss together in the pan until spinach wilts.
- Top each cornbread toast with the cooked spinach and onions. Add freshly grated cheddar cheese and return to the oven under the broiler for another 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
- To plate: Serve each person with 2 slices loaded cornbread. Top with a cooked egg (poached, fried, or your preference), along with a tablespoon of green chiles.
Notes
- For best results, prepare this cornbread and egg recipe immediately before you plan to serve it. If you think you're going to have a hectic morning, toast the cornbread a day in advance.
- Just add hot sauce if you want some extra heat!
- Swap poached or scrambled eggs for the fried eggs.
- For a decadent version, smother it in Hollandaise sauce and then top with green chiles.
Nutrition
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Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.
Read more about Michele Peterson.
Hilachas – Guatemalan Shredded Beef Stew
Linda
Made this today. Outstanding. Added bacon to onion when cooking and topped with warmed rotel tomatoes. Will keep this recipe.
Michele Peterson
Glad you enjoyed it Linda! The bacon sounds like a delicious addition!
Natalie
What a lovely dinner idea. I will definitely put this on my list to try. Thanks!
Jessica Formicola
Now this looks like my kind of breakfast! And I love how simple the ingredients are!
Lindsay
I love all things green chile! Fantastic recipe for any time of day.