Cowboy Cornbread Casserole

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

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

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 525kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Equipment

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.

Video

Notes

Storage:

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.

Tips:

- 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