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Home » Recipes » Beef Casseroles

Cowboy Cornbread Casserole

Published: Sep 24, 2023 · Updated: Feb 29, 2024 by Marye

This kid-friendly casserole is full of taco-seasoned ground beef, corn, chili beans, and cheese topped with a thick layer of tender cornbread.
Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 50 minutes minutes
Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
The casserole on a white plate showing the layers of beef, vegetables, and cornbread.
A fork lifting a bite of casserole off a plate. Title text overlay for Pinterest.

Perfect, hearty family dinner for fall!

Don't want to scroll through the page to get to the recipe? Use the table of contents to click on the section you want.

A serving of cornbread and ground beef casserole on a plate.
Table of Contents
  • 🗝️ Key takeaways
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • 📖 Variations
  • 🔪 Instructions
  • Casserole times and temps
  • 🥫 How to store leftovers
  • 💭 Things to know
  • 👩‍🍳 FAQs
  • 📚 Related recipes
  • 🍽️ Serve with...
  • 📞 The last word
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

🗝️ Key takeaways

  • Simple ingredients combine to create a mouthwatering, hearty meal packed with zesty flavor.
  • This delicious dish is a great way to feed the whole family on busy weeknights without any fuss.
  • Learn how to assemble this easy recipe in advance if you need to prep some quick fridge/freezer meals.

You might say that this cowboy cornbread casserole recipe is the shepherd's pie of Tex-Mex cuisine.

Seasoned ground beef, beans, tomatoes, corn, and gooey cheese are all layered under a blanket of golden brown cornbread for a rootin' tootin' good dinner.

🧾 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

Labeled ingredients for cowboy cornbread casserole.

📖 Variations

  • Swap the Meat: Feel free to swap the beef for ground turkey or chicken. Have just a little leftover meat in the fridge? Add it to the ground beef.
  • Get Cheesy: Instead of cheddar cheese, feel free to use your favorite Tex-Mex alternative. Pepper Jack would taste great in this recipe.
  • Add-Ins: Sometimes, I'll dice bell peppers or jalapenos and toss them in with the onions. You can also add mushrooms to sneak in more veggies.
  • Spice Level: Use mild taco seasoning if you don't prefer a ton of heat, or choose the spicy kind to give this cowboy casserole recipe a little kick!
  • If you can't find Ranch style beans use drained pinto beans.
  • If you prefer to make your own topping try this corn muffin batter!

🔪 Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Step by step images showing how to make this cowboy cornbread casserole recipe.
  1. In a large skillet, brown the meat and onions. Add corn, Rotel tomatoes, taco seasoning, and ranch-style beans.
  2. Spoon everything into a greased baking dish.
  3. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the meat mixture.
  4. Carefully spread the cornbread mixture over top and bake.

Casserole times and temps

There may be times that you have to bake your casserole at a different temperature than called for.

These times are only an estimate. Be sure to check your casserole often. It's done when an instant-read thermometer registers 165F when stuck in the middle of the casserole.

TemperatureTimeTime From Frozen
300F1 hour 10 minutes2 hours 20 minutes
325F1 hour2 hours
350F50 minutes1 hour 30 minutes
375F40 minutes1 hour 20 minutes
400F301 hour

🥫 How to store leftovers

Leftover cowboy cornbread casserole tastes great and makes an easy dinner the next day!

Let the casserole cool, then cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

If you don't have much left over, transfer it to a smaller airtight container.

Store cowboy casserole in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months.

I recommend letting the frozen casserole thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating it. Then, warm the leftovers, covered, in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or heat up individual servings using the microwave.

A forkful of the cowboy casserole being lifted up from the plate.

💭 Things to know

Expert Tip: For great flavor, don't drain the beans or Rotel tomatoes. Ranch-style beans are pinto beans in a delicious, zesty tomato sauce.

  • Take a moment to grate your own block of cheese for an extra creamy texture. Pre-shredded doesn't melt as well.
  • It's okay to leave a few small lumps when stirring the Jiffy cornbread mix. Overmixing can make the cornbread taste tough instead of soft.
  • When serving, feel free to add your favorite toppings, like avocado, hot sauce, fresh cilantro, or a dollop of sour cream!
  • To prep ahead of time, assemble the ingredients in a casserole dish and refrigerate for up to a day. However, leave off the cornbread batter until you're ready to bake—it only takes a few seconds to mix, anyway.
  • To prep and freeze ahead of time, prepare everything (even the cornbread mix) in a freezer-safe baking dish. Freeze for up to three months. Let the casserole thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake. You may have to add a few minutes of baking time from chilled.

👩‍🍳 FAQs

Do I have to cook the beef before making the casserole?

Yep! The ground beef won't cook through properly if you don't brown it first. Always add cooked ground beef to casserole recipes like this.

Can I use black beans instead of ranch-style beans?

You can, but know that the casserole won't be quite as tasty. The ranch-style beans come in a tangy, tomato-y sauce that adds delicious flavor and creaminess to cowboy cornbread casserole.

Help—I don't have corn, but I do have creamed corn.

I think you could use creamed corn in this recipe, and it'll turn out okay. You'll add a nice, creamy texture to the casserole but probably won't taste the mild corn flavor much over the zesty taco seasoning.

A serving of casserole on a wooden spoon.

📚 Related recipes

  • This 30-minute Cowboy Spaghetti recipe features everyone's favorite Tex-Mex flavors in a cheesy dish that even kids love to eat.
  • John Wayne Casserole combines biscuits, ground beef, and ranch seasoning for a gooey, creamy, hearty casserole dinner.
  • In the original Cowboy Casserole, creamy ground beef is layered with peppers and onions underneath a bed of golden tater tots—so fun!
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🍽️ Serve with...

Cowboy cornbread casserole is a hearty meal, so I like to serve it with a lighter veggie side, like spicy roasted cauliflower or fried green tomatoes.

To make things more fun, whip up a pitcher of hibiscus lemonade, and don't forget about dessert. These Mexican hot chocolate cupcakes deliver the perfect amount of after-dinner sweetness.

Overhead view of the casserole dish with a serving removed.

📞 The last word

We love this easy, family-friendly casserole. It's so easy to make and it's one of those that is even better the next day.

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars.

📖 Recipe

The casserole on a white plate showing the layers of beef, vegetables, and cornbread.

Cowboy Cornbread Casserole

4.50 from 10 votes
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This kid-friendly casserole is full of taco-seasoned ground beef, corn, chili beans, and cheese topped with a thick layer of tender cornbread.
Course Main Dish - Ground Beef
Cuisine American - Southern
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings:8
Calories:525
Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

  • 17 ounces Jiffy Cornbread Mix, 2 boxes
  • 2 eggs
  • ⅔ cup milk
  • 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef, 90/10 is best
  • 1 cup yellow onion , diced
  • 2 cups corn , drained if canned
  • 10.5 ounce Ro*tel tomatoes, don't drain
  • 14.5 ounce Ranch style chili beans, don't drain -these are pinto beans in a chili sauce
  • 1 ounce taco seasoning
  • 1-½ cups Cheddar Cheese, grated

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.
  • Mix cornbread according to package instructions using the eggs and milk.
  • Set aside.
  • In a large skillet cook the ground beef and onion until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is translucent.
  • Drain any extra fat. If you used lean (90/10) ground beef you may not need to drain it at all.
  • Stir in the Rotel, beans, corn, and taco seasoning.
  • Spoon meat mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
  • Top with cheese.
  • Spoon cornbread batter over the top and smooth it out.
  • Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the casserole comes out clean. An instant read thermometer will read 200℉ when inserted in the center of the casserole.
  • Remove from oven. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Storage:
Let the casserole cool, then cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. If you don't have much left over, transfer it to a smaller airtight container.
Store cowboy casserole in the fridge for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months. I recommend letting the frozen casserole thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating it.
Then, warm the leftovers, covered, in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or heat up individual servings using the microwave.
Tips:
  • Take a moment to grate your own block of cheese for an extra creamy texture. Pre-shredded doesn't melt as well.
  • It's okay to leave a few small lumps when stirring the Jiffy cornbread mix. Overmixing can make the cornbread taste tough instead of soft.
  • When serving, feel free to add your favorite toppings, like avocado, hot sauce, fresh cilantro, or a dollop of sour cream!
  • To prep ahead of time, assemble the ingredients in a casserole dish and refrigerate for up to a day. However, leave off the cornbread batter until you're ready to bake—it only takes a few seconds to mix, anyway.
  • To prep and freeze ahead of time, prepare everything (even the cornbread mix) in a freezer-safe baking dish. Freeze for up to three months. Let the casserole thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake. You may have to add a few minutes of baking time from chilled.
  • If you can't find Ranch style beans use drained pinto beans.
 

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 1046mg | Potassium: 735mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 708IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

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About Marye

Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them.

Comments

    4.50 from 10 votes (9 ratings without comment)

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    Love it? Give it 5 stars!




  1. Mel C says

    September 12, 2024 at 11:55 pm

    5 stars
    New family favorite

    Reply
Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

Hey Y'all, I'm Marye

Welcome to my kitchen! ☕

NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies. Collector of old cookbooks.

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