Cornbread Casserole Recipe with a Tex-Mex Twist

This Mexican Cornbread Casserole recipe will add a little extra zip to all your holiday meals! Traditionally it’s made with Jiffy Cornbread mix but you can use any mix you want – including homemade (homemade cornbread mix instructions in the recipe card)!

Ingredients for Cornbread Casserole

Here are the ingredients you’ll need, got your list ready?

• Whole Kernel Corn, either frozen or canned is fine.
• Creamed Corn adds creaminess and richness.
• Sour Cream adds a tangy flavor and, or course, creaminess. Don’t use reduced fat sour cream or yogurt, please.
• Butter because what’s a southern recipe without butter?
• Cheddar Cheese cuts the sweetness of the corn with a sharp flavor and makes it gooey. I prefer sharp cheddar but I’ve used Pepper Jack, Mild Cheddar, and other good melting cheeses and it’s good no matter what.
• Eggs hold it together.
• Cumin adds that earthy southwestern flavor. People either love it or hate it – I love it. This is optional – you can leave it out.
• Canned Chiles or sauteed jalapeno or poblano. Do what you prefer here, depending on the amount of heat you want. Also optional, leave them out entirely if you prefer.
• Cornbread Mix you can buy a cornbread mix like Martha White or Jiffy at the store. You can also mix one up yourself – see the recipe for ingredients and details.

Holiday Side Dishes Make the Meal

What would holiday meals be without side dishes?

There are only so many ways you can cook a turkey or a ham but there are so many recipes for side dishes that it can be hard to choose.

If your family is anything like mine you tend to make the same traditional things year after year with maybe one or two extra dishes that you’re “trying out”.

Cornbread casserole is a Southern classic that makes its way to most Thanksgiving menus around here. It’s to Thanksgiving what Pineapple Casserole is to Easter.

In its basic form it’s super simple with some corn, dairy, eggs, and cornbread mix. That’s part of the popularity of this casserole recipe – it’s easy and it’s delicious.

Our Thanksgiving dinners seem to end up being a mishmash of foods from numerous cultures but that’s about as American as it gets, if you ask me. I decided to take a Southern favorite and update it with some Tex-Mex ingredients. The result is a casserole with a ton of corn flavor and a touch of cumin and chile. It’s so good I can pretty much eat a whole dish by myself.

Cornbread Casserole FAQs

Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.

What goes good with cornbread casserole?

Ummm… everything? Seriously, I love it with BBQ, ham, turkey, chicken… anything you’d serve corn with. For a normal meal I would make it the only starch and not add potatoes or other starchy sides but for the holidays anything goes!

How long does corn casserole last in the fridge?

A couple of days. If you are going to keep it more than 3 days go ahead and freeze it.

Does cornbread casserole need to be refrigerated?

Absolutely! Cover and refrigerate as soon as your meal is over.

Here are some holiday food safety tips from the FDA.

What Is Cornbread Casserole?

Mexican cornbread casserole is not quite a cornbread and it’s not quite a vegetable dish but it is a little of both. The top bakes up crusty but when you break the crust with the spoon the most beguiling aroma tickles your nose.

Each bite is gooey with cheese and full of the wonderful carb texture that spells out comfort food to most of us.

It’s fabulous as a side dish to turkey or ham during the holidays but is just as good with steak or burgers any other time of the year.

Variations on This Easy Recipe

You can make some small changes to get big flavors with this recipe. In fact, you can even turn it into a main dish by adding some cooked meat as a bottom layer.

• Add chili to the baking pan and spoon the Mexican cornbread casserole over it.
• Chop candied jalapenos up and add to the batter before baking.
• Drain a can of Ro*Tel tomatoes and add to the batter.
• Stir in cooked, shredded chicken before baking or add it as a layer to the bottom of the casserole dish.
• Spoon cooked ground beef and a can of Ranch beans into the baking pan then add the Mexican cornbread casserole batter. Bake as directed

Traditional Thanksgiving Side Dish

I’m not sure but I think it’s a rule in the South that there’s no such thing as too many corn recipes on the table during the holidays. Just because you made a big old vat of cornbread dressing does not mean you can’t serve creamed corn (with plenty of pepper and butter) and corn casserole… and maybe cornbread on the side.

This stuff is going to disappear, y’all.

I like to cook it in a square glass baking pan for the holidays but other than that I like baking it in an iron skillet. A little too casual for my Thanksgiving holiday side dishes but just right for bbq!

Tips for Making Cornbread Casserole

This is the easiest side dish ever but here are a few tips that might make it even easier.

• You can make this 2 to 3 days ahead of when you’ll need it and store in the refrigerator, either cooked or uncooked.
• You can also freeze it either baked or unbaked. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed in the recipe. If you’ve frozen it already baked then just warm it at 300F for 20 minutes.
• Don’t overbake – it will get dry.
• Let the Mexican Cornbread Casserole stand for 10 minutes or so before serving to allow it to firm up.

More Great Side Dish Recipes

Side dishes make the meal and I have quite a few of them here on Restless Chipotle.

• Roasted Sweet Potatoes are a little sweet and a little spicy. It’s a healthy side dish that goes perfectly with roasted meats  and poultry.
• Fried Potatoes are perfect every single time. The secret is in the two step process. It’s easy and it only takes 40 minutes total. 
• Chipotle Sweet Potato Mash is creamy, sweet, smoky perfection — it’s a unique and delicious side dish that goes great with pork or poultry.
• Cinnamon Spiced Apple Rings are just as gorgeous as they are delicious! Tangy apples are simmered in cinnamon syrup until they are infused with crimson color and spicy cinnamon flavor. 
• Creamy Potatoes au Gratin will quickly become a family favorite. Gooey cheese, tender potatoes, and a crunchy, crumbly Panko topping makes these potatoes au gratin the best you’ve ever tasted!

You May Need…

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Y’all, I was shocked to find out not everyone has a casserole carrier! How else do you keep casseroles hot when you’re taking them to the family potluck??

Easy Mexican Cornbread Casserole Recipe

Perfect for everything from potluck dinners to holiday side dishes, this easy Mexican cornbread recipe is as welcome on the table during the week as it is on the holiday table! 

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars!

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Mexican Corn Casserole

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Quick and easy side dish that can be made up to two days ahead of time. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving or summer barbecues.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American – Southern

Keyword cheese,cornbread,cornmeal,creamy,tex-mex,thanksgiving

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 12

Calories 380

Author Marye Audet-White

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

• rubber spatula

Ingredients

• 15 ounces can Whole Kernel Corn, drained
• 15 ounces can Creamed Corn, don’t drain
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1/2 cup Butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• 2 Eggs
• 8 ounces Cornbread Mix, 1 box
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 4 ounces chiles, undrained

Homemade Cornbread Mix

• 1 1/3 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 cup Cornmeal
• 1 tablespoons Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl stir all of the ingredients together.
• Pour the ingredients into a greased 9×9 casserole dish.
• Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.
• Remove from oven and let stand for at least 10 minutes.

Homemade Cornbread Mix

• Mix all ingredients together and store in a cool, dark place.

Notes

• If using homemade cornbread mix add an extra 2 tablespoons butter
• You can make this 2 to 3 days ahead of when you’ll need it and store in the refrigerator, either cooked or uncooked.
• You can also freeze it either baked or unbaked. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed in the recipe. If you’ve frozen it already baked then just warm it at 300F for 20 minutes.
• Don’t overbake – it will get dry.
• Let the Mexican Cornbread Casserole stand for 10 minutes or so before serving to allow it to firm up.

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 243mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 935IU | Vitamin C: 17.3mg | Calcium: 256mg | Iron: 1.3mg

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