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Flaky cornbread biscuits drenched in creamy green chili sausage gravy make breakfast feel like an event. The mildly spicy, smoky roasted peppers add a totally craveable twist to classic southern-style biscuits and gravy. This recipe is hearty enough for a weekend brunch or a chilly night’s dinner, and every bite is loaded with buttery biscuit and savory, rich gravy.
My first time roasting chilies over the open flame made the kitchen smell amazing. Now this is the brunch request for birthdays and family visits at my house.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour: gives the biscuits their classic structure and helps hold everything together. Choose a high-quality unbleached variety for best flavor
- Finely ground cornmeal: offers a sweet crunch and golden hue opt for stoneground for true depth
- Sugar: brings out the natural sweetness in the cornmeal and keeps the biscuits balanced
- Baking powder: is your lift for tall fluffy biscuits always check it is fresh
- Salt: wakes up all the flavors use kosher or sea salt for a cleaner taste
- Unsalted cold butter: creates magic pockets that puff up when hit with oven heat. Use high-fat European style if you can find it for the richest flavor
- Buttermilk: supplies a subtle tang and tender crumb you can make a buttermilk substitute with whole milk plus lemon juice
- Poblano chilis or anaheim or hatch chilies: infuse the gravy with mellow heat and a little roasted smokiness. Choose chilis with shiny firm skins and no soft spots
- Pork breakfast sausage: is the savory backbone of the gravy Choose the freshest links or loose sausage you can find
- Milk: makes the gravy rich and creamy Use whole milk for the most luxurious texture
- Black pepper: brings spicy brightness. Use freshly cracked for the best flavor
- Minced chives or scallions: are for a fresh finish on top Pick bright green firm bunches
Choose quality ingredients and your biscuits and gravy will taste like you baked with love
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and prepare:
- Heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silpat for easy cleanup
- Mix your biscuit dough:
- Combine the flour cornmeal sugar salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl using a good whisk to make the blend extra airy. Toss in cold diced butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits left for flakiness
- Moisten and form:
- Gently fold in the buttermilk until the dough just comes together. If dry add a splash more buttermilk but avoid over-mixing or you will get tough biscuits
- Portion and bake:
- Scoop the dough into six heaping mounds on your prepared tray with about one and one half inches between each. For a crisp top brush each biscuit with buttermilk and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Bake for around fifteen minutes until golden brown and fragrant
- Roast and prepare chilies:
- For deep flavor place your chilis directly on a gas flame using tongs to turn them until blackened all over which takes eight to ten minutes. Steam in a covered bowl until cool to peel. Wipe off the skins and remove seeds and stems. Then finely dice for even distribution in the gravy
- Cook the sausage:
- In a large heavy pan over medium heat break the sausage apart and cook until no longer pink and loose about ten minutes
- Start the gravy:
- Add flour and a pinch of black pepper to the sausage and stir well letting the mixture bubble until the flour is absorbed by the sausage fat about two or three minutes this thickens your base
- Make it creamy:
- Gradually stir in the milk and the diced roasted chilies. Let the gravy bubble at a very gentle simmer stirring now and then until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If it gets thicker than you like just add a bit more milk to thin
- Finish and serve:
- Taste for seasoning and add salt or pepper as needed. Split the warm biscuits on plates spoon over the hot gravy top with chives or scallions and even more black pepper if you like
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Roasting chilies gives off the most incredible aroma in your kitchen. My son once sat on the counter eating warm biscuits right out of the oven while catching the scent. The little bits of golden crispy edge are my favorite guilty pleasure
Storage Tips
Let biscuits and gravy cool completely before storing. Keep the biscuits and gravy separate in sealed containers in the refrigerator. Biscuits will last up to four days and gravy for three to four days. To freeze just wrap biscuits tightly and freeze for up to a month. Reheat in a low oven so they crisp up again. The gravy can be frozen in portions and thawed gently on the stovetop with a splash of milk stirred in
Ingredient Substitutions
No buttermilk You can make your own by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to three quarter cup of milk and letting it sit for five minutes. For a lighter option try swapping half the pork sausage for turkey sausage. You can also use mild canned green chilies if you are short on time but the flavor of fresh roasted cannot be beat
Serving Suggestions
Serve the biscuits and gravy with soft scrambled eggs for an especially hearty plate or a side of quick sautéed greens if you want some balance. The biscuits are fantastic alongside soups or as the base for mini sandwiches with leftover ham or fried chicken. This dish makes an indulgent weekend breakfast or holiday brunch centerpiece
Cultural and Historical Context
Biscuits and gravy are a beloved staple of American southern cooking. The addition of cornmeal echoes the farming heritage of the US South where corn was plentiful and often used to stretch flour supplies. Roasting chilies brings a Southwest flair nodding to Tex Mex traditions and the flavors of New Mexico. This recipe brings together comfort food from different regions for the ultimate crowd-pleaser
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → How do you get biscuits light and fluffy?
Use cold butter, avoid overmixing, and gently shape the dough to achieve tender, fluffy biscuits.
- → Can other types of chilis be used in the gravy?
Yes, Anaheim or hatch chilis work well if poblanos are unavailable, providing a similar mild heat and flavor.
- → What’s the best way to roast chilis without a gas burner?
Chilis can be roasted under a broiler or directly on a hot skillet, turning until blackened on all sides.
- → Is it possible to make the biscuits ahead of time?
Bake the biscuits in advance and reheat before serving. They also freeze well for later use.
- → What substitutions work for buttermilk?
Mix regular milk with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar as a quick buttermilk substitute in the dough.