Mexican Cornbread Casserole is a filling meal. This south-of-the-border-inspired casserole is a great way to feed a family. Boxed Jiffy cornbread mix, ground beef, corn, and a few additional ingredients make for a hearty dinner, and best of all, this dish reheats very well.
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What makes Mexican Cornbread Casserole with ground beef so good?
Mexican cornbread casserole has been one of my favorite weeknight meals. I love how simple this casserole is to put together. With some taco-seasoned ground beef and a few extra ingredients, you can turn this recipe into something your family will love.
Why you should try this easy Mexican cornbread casserole tonight!
Are you looking for a main dish that will fill hungry bellies? This is the recipe for you. This casserole is hearty and flavorful. You can make this ahead of time when you prepare your meal for the week, and this can serve as the whole meal. If you want, you could add a side or two, but this is very satisfying on its own.
Mexican Cornbread with Meat
Casseroles are an excellent weeknight meal option. This Jiffy Mexican cornbread bake is very easy to put together. I like keeping a couple of boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix on hand for recipes like this one.
You can be flexible in this recipe—using sausage instead of hamburger meat. If you have a few extra leftover vegetables in the refrigerator, green beans and carrots are just as tasty as corn.
What Makes Mexican Cornbread Casserole the Perfect Weeknight Meal?
Weekday meals must be easy to prepare, clean up, and, most importantly, something everyone in your family loves. Mexican Cornbread Casserole with ground beef fits this definition to a “T.”
It stores well in the fridge and wonderfully in the freezer. You can get away with serving it as a one-dish meal, add sides if you desire.
And, happily, no one in your family will ever complain that it is Mexican Cornbread with meat night!
Mexican Corn Bread Casserole Recipe Ingredients
- Ground beef – I like to use ground chuck. You could swap this out for sausage, ground chicken, or ground turkey if you desire
- Taco seasoning mix – you can use one package or two tablespoons of homemade taco seasoning
- 2 boxes of Jiffy Mix cornbread. If you don’t like Jiffy Mix, use two packages that total up to a dry weight of 17 ounces
- 1 can of cream-style corn
- 1 can of corn kernels
- Shredded Cheddar cheese, Colby Jack, Mexican cheese blend, or Monterey Jack would also work well
- 1 small can of green chilies
How to Make Mexican Cornbread Casserole
Here are the simple recipe steps:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the taco seasoning according to the package directions. Set the meat mixture aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine two boxes of jiffy cornbread mix according to the package directions. Stir in half of the cream corn and half of the canned corn.
- Pour half of the jiffy corn muffin mix into the baking pan. Top with seasoned ground beef mixture.
- Then, top the seasoned meat with the remaining corn kernels and creamed corn.
- Sprinkle with half of the shredded cheese, then the remaining cornbread batter, and top with the remaining cheese.
- Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and serve.
Recipe variations
You can customize this recipe to your personal preferences, here are some customizations that I like to use.
- Use spicy cornbread kits to add a little more spice
- Add a can of green chilis to the ground beef when you prepare this,
- Add some chopped poblano peppers to the taco meat as you cook it.
- Instead of using taco seasoning, you could use about 6 ounces of your favorite taco sauce.
- Swap out the cheese if you desire.
Customize Mexican Cornbread Casserole with Fun Toppings
Make your casserole fun with these exciting toppings. There is no reason why any night of the week can’t be fun. This Mexican cornbread casserole is one of those easy recipes you want to keep.
- A drizzle of your favorite taco sauce
- Fresh jalapeno peppers or pickled jalapeno peppers if you like a little less heat
- Shredded lettuce
- Chopped tomatoes
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Additional shredded cheese, if desired
- Sliced green onions
- Sliced black olives
How To Serve Mexican Cornbread Casserole With Meat
When the casserole comes out of the oven, let it cool for about five minutes. Then run the tip of a sharp knife along the inside edge of the casserole dish.
Cut the Mexican Cornbread into squares and transfer each portion to a plate using a spatula. Top with your choice of sour cream, green onions, drained canned beans, cheese, or salsa.
What To Serve With Mexican Cornbread Casserole
Although Mexican Cornbread with ground beef makes a great meal, adding a flavorful dish on the side will make it more filling. Here are just a few suggestions:
- Beans. Baked beans and cornbread is a classic combination, but Texas Chili Beans go better with this recipe. You may also want to try a traditional Three Bean Salad.
- Grilled vegetables. Brush your favorite veggies with oil, season wells, and grill over medium heat until nicely charred. No grill? Try these Roasted Brussels Sprouts instead.
- Green salad. A simple salad with a little balsamic vinegarette or Italian dressing adds a lot of crunch and some tang to the meal.
How To Store Cornbread Mexican Casserole
Go ahead and make this dish ahead of time. Please keep it in the casserole dish, and cover the top with aluminum foil. The casserole will stay fresh for three days in the fridge. You can also keep servings in individual airtight containers. It freezes wonderfully for more extended storage.
To freeze:
- Let the Mexican Cornbread cool to room temperature.
- Transfer each slice to a freezer-safe container with a tight-fitting lid.
- Freeze for up to two months.
To reheat.
- Thaw in the fridge overnight if frozen.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place Mexican Cornbread slices in a casserole dish or an oven-safe cast iron pot. Leave some space between each piece.
- Spray the top of the cornbread with a bit of water to keep it from drying out.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil or a lid.
- Reheat in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes or until warm.
To reheat quickly, place a serving on a microwave-safe plate and microwave it in 30-second increments until warmed.
Do you love casseroles? Try these recipes!
- Mexican Beef Casserole
- Chili Relleno Casserole with Ground Beef
- Spaghetti Bake Casserole
- Stuffed Cabbage Casserole
- Sour Cream Noodle Casserole
- Cracker Barrel Casserole
- Baked Potato Casserole Dickeys
- Tater Tot Casserole with Ground Beef
- Hamburger and Bean Casserole
- Easy to Make Chicken Casserole
More Mexican Food Recipes
Be sure to take a look at more of my main dish casserole recipes and easy to make Mexican food.
Mexican Cornbread Casserole
Ingredients
- non-stick cooking spray
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1.25 ounces taco seasoning mix
- 17 ounces corn muffin mix 2 boxes, Jiffy is recommended
- 14 ounces canned cream-style corn
- 14 ounces canned corn
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces canned green chilies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium-high heat until it browns.
- Drain the beef, and add the taco seasoning per package directions.
- In a large bowl, prepare the corn muffin batter per package directions (but do not bake it yet). Stir in half of the cream-style corn and half of the regular corn.
- Spread half of the cornbread batter in the prepared baking pan and top with taco meat.
- Mix together the remaining cream-style corn and corn kernels and spread that over the meat.
- Sprinkle with half of the grated cheese and all of the green chilies.
- Spread the remaining cornbread mixture on top.
- Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cornbread is baked through.
- Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Then cut into squares to serve with any toppings you desire.
Video
Notes
- Swap half of the Cheddar cheese for grated Monterey Jack cheese
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle into the taco seasoning mix
Michelle
Can this be prepped the night before? I’m looking for a casserole that I can make the night before and then just throw it in the oven the next day.
Stephanie
I think once you mix up the cornbread batter it needs to be baked. The levening ingredients will not be effective if baked that much later.
Courteney
Yummy! I added a layer of shredded chicken on top of the beef and took out the green chilies since we are a picky couple it was perfect 🙂
Liz C
Yum! Just made this last night for me and my picky boyfriend and we both loved it. Followed your recipe almost exactly except for adding diced onions in with the ground beef and using two lbs of ground beef and two packs of taco seasoning. I also added some diced green onions to the top of the casserole. Baked it for 40 minutes and it turned out delicious. Super flavorful and filling. You can definitely add some sour cream or salsa or hot sauce to jazz it up however you prefer. Thanks for the recipe!
Wendi Cole
Do you have nutritional information for this?
Lorna
Instead of the cornmeal box mix, can you make it with plain cornmeal
Rose Dittmer
I made the corn bread from the recipe on the box of cornmeal. Will serve it tonight but think it should be yummy.
Cindy
Tried this tonight…yum yum yummy!!!
Alexandra
Tried making this for dinner tonight and I had the same issue Walter had. The bottom layer was raw. Even after 90 minutes in the oven. Followed the recipe exactly other than adding jalapeños to the corn bread mix as well as adding a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies instead of just green chilies. Going to try to see if I can get it to cook completely tomorrow.
Reba
This is a favorite in our house. If you have an iron skillet, use it and put it in your oven while it’s pre heating. Once it’s heated spray it and add your batter and mixture and cook it as the directions say. I hope it works out for you.
Karen
Great Idea! Corn bread in an iron skillet is Awesome????
KH
I wonder if the juices from the tomatoes is what made the bottom layer soggy in the version you made? I’ve made this like 4 times now following her recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly! I hope you’re able to remedy the issue though cause it’s really yummy! 🙂
Karen
I don’t think I saw canned tomatoes in this Recipe, yes that may have been too much juice lol
Lila
All I can say recipe ,turn out Delicious!!! Thank you !
Stephanie
So glad that you enjoyed it!
Linda Navarro-Perez
I’m excited to try this recipe I will add black olives
Linda Navarro-Perez
Linda Navarro Perez I made this today for dinner turned out yummy I added Italian zucchini, black olives and a can of rotel tomatoes habanero and served with a dollop of sour cream and green salad I will make it again my hubby loved it
Kattia
Thanks for the easy and yummy recipe. I added black beans to the meat. No green chilies! I cooked the first half of cornbread for 10 mtes, then added the rest of ingredients as described, then baked other 20 minutes, really good.
Roxanne
This is a favorite. I make it on Sundays for lunches the following week and warm it up in the microwave at work. I get asked for the recipe all the time. I haven’t frozen it, but that should be no problem. Thank you for the recipe.
Walter
Disappointed. The bottom layer of cornbread never baked. Was mushy and raw. Top layer was golden brown. Will try it again but will bake bottom layer for 10-15 minutes by itself before adding rest of ingredients. Also, used Jiffy Mix. Too sweet. Might make cornbread from scratch to eliminate all that sugar.
Stephanie
I am sorry to hear you were disappointed, I know it frustrating when dinner doesn’t turn out right. I haven’t had this problem before, but I will double check the recipe. I can understand what you mean about Jiffy Cornbread mix being so sweet. I hope the next time you make a similar recipe you let me know what you did, so I can give your version a try.
Angela
I just made this and the bottom later was not mushy at all. I used a metal pan not glass and drained my grease from my meat very well. Simmered the taco seasoning until the water was completely evaporated. I added some jalapeños to the meat and the cornbread mixture and it was ohh soo good! Instead of 2 boxes of jiffy cornbread mix i used 1 box and a pack of regular.. couldnt have turned out better.. thanks for the recipe
Stephanie
I am glad the recipe turned out well for you.
Beth
Thanks for the tip of the metal pan! I went with Jiffy (because I started mixing after reading the comments) and actually enjoyed it. Might take your other tip next time, and try it with the two different cornbread mixes.
Jane
I did not have creamed corn so I used 1 can kernel corn in corn bread mixture as we are not real fond of corn and1 box of corn bread and used all batter at bottom. I used 1 pound hamburger,taco season and 1 can tomatoes and green chillies.I put mixture on top of corn bread and put cheese on top. hope it turns out good!
Stephanie
I hoped you liked it well too.
Karen
I didn’t have cream corn so I used a can of cream of chicken ???? I’ll let you know how it comes out it looks yummy! I’m the oven
Karen
This was delicious!! I forgot the can of green chilies, but it was so good anyway ! It would have been even more delicious if I had the green chilies and sliced Black olives???? but I served it with salsa and sour cream it was a hit!! Yummy thank you????
kbhawes
I’ve made a similar recipe for years, passed down to me from my grandmother. Her recipe called for all the cornbread batter to be poured on top of seasoned meat mixture. I’m making this recipe tonight for a Board meeting, can’t wait to see how splitting the cornbread batter works out. Thanks Stephanie, I love your recipes.
Stephanie
That is an awesome story, this recipe was my grandmother’s too.
Shirley Gilbert
I have been making Mexican Cornbread for years. It’s been a family favorite. I have taken it to office parties and it was the first to disappear. I use 2 ok’d of Morrison’s corn kits and only cream style corn p. I mix the corn directly into the corn be
Read mix. I layer a little less then half of the corn bread mixture on the bottom of casserole dish, then the ground beef mixture, sliced jalapeños (pickled), onions, & cheese. Then pour the rest of the cornbread on top of that. It’s really good and even better cooked in an iron skillet. Just make sure it’s seasoned properly or it will stick. ????
kim
Can it be made in a slow cooker
Anna
Love love love this! I added a bag of three pepper and onion blend frozen veggies to cook with the meat after the sauce thickened with the taco seasoning I added a cup of salsa into the mix! Thank you for assisting in making our lunch today amazing!
Trini
I’m so glad I found this recipe!!! I’ve tried many cornbread casserole recipes and this one is by far my favorite!!! Thank you…my husband hasn’t tasted the casserole yet, let’s see if he thinks it yummy
Scott
its great!! i used part of a can of Rotel in place of just the green chilis and a chopped onion we love it
Stephanie
This recipe is very flexible.
Jackie
I just made this the recipe way , I sure hope it’s not to dry!
Stephanie
How did it turn out for you?
Cheri Bedford
Delicious! I totally recommend this recipe
Stephanie
I am glad to hear that!
Amanda
I made this for dinner last night and my husband and I both loved it! I followed the recipe exactly except for instead of layering it I just mixed it all together. So good!