Make this easy Cowboy Cornbread Casserole if you’re looking for a comforting, filling meal with ground beef and Tex Mex flavors. It’s made in a cast iron skillet for easy cleanup, and ready in less than an hour!
When you think about casseroles, you might think of baked dishes with rice, pasta, or potatoes. But don’t forget about cornbread!
Cowboy Cornbread Casserole is a simple recipe that starts with a layer of ground beef cooked with beans and corn with taco seasonings and tomatoes. It’s then covered with cornbread batter – I’m using a box mix to make it even easier – and baked to perfection.
This buttery, savory cornbread casserole is sometimes called “Cowboy Dinner”. It will definitely be a family favorite, and you’ll love how quickly and easily it comes together. It’s perfect for festive gatherings or for a comforting weeknight dinner.
I made this last night and it was a huge success! I don’t have a 12″ cast iron skillet so I used a large, oven safe saute pan. I made your taco seasoning recipe and your cornbread recipe. I should have taken a picture because it was so beautiful! I served it in big wedges and we still have half a pan left! I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Thoreen
If you love these hearty, comforting, and bold “cowboy” flavors, you should also try my King Ranch Chicken Casserole, John Wayne Casserole, and my Cowboy Casserole topped with tater tots!
Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread
- Hearty and Filling – This casserole is perfect for feeding your hungry crew something they’ll really enjoy.
- Simple Ingredients – A pound of ground beef and some pantry staples are the basis of this recipe, so you won’t need to shop for anything fancy or different to put this skillet casserole together.
- Easy to Customize – Swap out the beef for leaner ground turkey, or use your own favorite seasonings. This is a very forgiving recipe, so feel free to experiment.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this cowboy casserole cornbread:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cornbread Mix: To simplify this meal, I’m using a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix. It’s a foolproof favorite, and easy to mix with an egg, milk, and butter to make the topping for our casserole. You could also use your favorite skillet cornbread recipe in place of the boxed mix if you prefer.
- Ground Beef: Lean ground beef (90/10 mix) is ideal, as you’ll have less grease to pour away. This recipe also works well with ground turkey or vegan ground meat.
- Beans: A can of pinto beans adds extra protein to the dish. If you’re in the UK, look for Berlotti beans. You can also use other types of beans, such as black beans or kidney beans in this casserole.
- Onion and Garlic: Freshly chopped aromatics are cooked with the beef to give it a wonderful savory, slow-cooked flavor.
- Rotel Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes with chiles give this dish a bit of heat and the right amount of moisture. Be sure not to drain the tomatoes, we want all of that tasty liquid in the dish. I’m using the fire-roasted variety of ROTEL here, but the regular one works too. You can also use a can of regular diced tomatoes if you don’t want the heat from the chiles.
- Taco Seasoning: Use your favorite brand of taco seasoning, or mix up a batch of homemade taco seasoning instead.
- Frozen Corn: I love how corn kernels add sweetness to this slightly spicy dish! There’s no need to thaw the corn, it will cook quickly in the casserole. Some people enjoy this recipe made with a can of creamed corn instead!
- Shredded Cheese: Shredded cheddar is layered underneath the cornbread so that it melts into both layers of this two layered casserole.
How To Make Cowboy Cornbread Casserole
Get started by preheating the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C if using a fan oven.
- Brown the Beef: Heat olive oil in a 12-inch oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion and cook, breaking the meat apart, until browned.
- Add Garlic and seasonings: Once the meat is cooked, add the chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Next, add the taco seasoning and 2 tablespoons of water. Cook for two minutes.
- Add Beans and Vegetables: To the same skillet, add the diced tomatoes with green chiles, pinto beans, and corn. Cook for a few minutes until everything is heated through. Season with salt to taste (some taco seasonings are saltier than others)
- Sprinkle with Cheese: Cover the meat mixture evenly with the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Prepare the Cornbread Topping: In a large bowl, combine the Jiffy cornbread mix with the egg, milk, and melted butter. Feel free to do this while you’re cooking the meat mixture – it will save you a couple of minutes.
- Spoon the cornbread filling evenly over the ground beef mixture.
- Level: Use a spatula to spread the cornbread batter into a flat, even layer over the casserole. Make sure to spread it all the way to the edges of the skillet or casserole dish.
- Bake: Carefully transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake the casserole for 25-30 minutes, or until puffed up and golden brown on top. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Tip!
If the top of the cornbread casserole is getting too dark, cover it with aluminium foil for the remainder of the baking time.
Recipe Tips
- Add other ingredients: There are many different ways to make cornbread casserole, and this recipe can serve as a starting point for you. Feel free to add other veggies such as bell peppers and mushrooms, or adjust the seasonings to your liking. If you like things extra spicy, try adding some chili powder.
- Add Toppings: For serving, consider adding a dollop of sour cream, extra cheese, chopped avocado, crushed fritos, or salsa.
Storing and Making Ahead
- Store leftovers of cowboy cornbread casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- You can freeze this casserole (fully baked and cooled) for up to 3 months. Reheat, covered, in a 375°F oven until it’s heated through.
- Make ahead: Prepare the casserole in the morning or the day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until dinner time. Then bake as directed in the recipe.
What To Serve With Cowboy Cornbread Casserole
Serve this with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh cilantro for the perfect presentation.
On the side, try my Tex Mex Salad or easy Mexican Rice.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this recipe vegetarian?
You can easily turn this into a vegetarian meal by replacing the ground beef with a plant-based protein such as Impossible Burger or Beyond Beef. Other substitutions for ground meat are sauteed mushrooms or more beans and vegetables.
Do I need a cast iron skillet to make cornbread casserole?
I love the simplicity of cooking the meat in a large skillet and then baking the dish in the same skillet. If you don’t have an oven proof skillet, you can transfer the meat mixture to a baking dish instead before topping it with the cornbread batter and baking it.
How long do you cook cornbread casserole?
Since the meat mixture is fully cooked before baking, you just need to cook the casserole long enough for the cornbread to be done. This should take 25 to 30 minutes. You can check for doneness with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cornbread topping is ready!
More Filling Casserole Recipes
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Fill all of those hungry bellies with this delicious and hearty Cowboy Cornbread Casserole tonight! Not ready to make the recipe today? Be sure to Pin it so that you can find it later.
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Cowboy Cornbread Casserole
Equipment
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet (30 cm)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil not extra virgin
- 1 ½ pounds (620 g) ground beef 90/10 lean
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning homemade or store-bought
- 1 10-oz can (280 g) ROTEL fire-roasted tomatoes and green chilies or diced tomatoes, do not drain
- 1 15.5-oz can (400 g) pinto beans drained – Berlotti beans in the UK
- 2 cups frozen corn
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups (224 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 – 8.5-oz package (240 g) Jiffy Corn muffin mix
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) whole milk
- 2 tablespoons (26 g) unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C if using a fan oven.
- In a 12-inch (30 cm) oven-proof skillet, over medium-high heat, heat olive oil then add the ground beef and onion, breaking it apart, and cook until browned (about 10 minutes). Add garlic, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add taco seasoning, and 2 tablespoons of water and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes with green chilies, pinto beans, and corn to the meat mixture. Stir and cook together for about 3 minutes then remove from heat. Taste and add salt if needed, to taste.
- If you are not using an oven-proof skillet, transfer the mixture to a 9×13 inch baking pan (approx 33 x 22 cm). Then sprinkle the cheese all over the meat mixture.
- To prepare the cornbread mixture, in a bowl, combine the corn muffin mix with the egg, milk, and melted butter.
- Spoon the cornbread mixture all over the meat mixture as evenly as possible.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and slightly browned at the top. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes then serve with chopped cilantro and sour cream if desired.
Notes:
- Add other ingredients: There are many different ways to make cornbread casserole, and this recipe can serve as a starting point for you. Feel free to add other veggies such as bell peppers and mushrooms, or adjust the seasonings to your liking.
- Add Toppings: For serving, consider adding a dollop of sour cream, extra cheese, chopped avocado, or salsa.
- To Store: Store leftover cowboy cornbread casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze this casserole (fully baked and cooled) for up to 3 months. Reheat, covered, in a 375°F oven until it’s heated through.
- To Make Ahead: Prepare the casserole in the morning or the day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge until dinner time. Then bake as directed in the recipe.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Excellent recipe. My husband and son devoured this delicious casserole and are already asking for it to be put in rotation. Thank you! 😋
Vicki P.
Vicki P. says
Excellent recipe. My husband and son devoured this delicious casserole and are already asking for it to be put in rotation. Thank you! 😋
Little Sunny Kitchen says
That’s amazing! Thank you so much for the great feedback.
Peggy stone says
Made this tonight. Added green peppers. It was yummy. I did drain beef grease off. I’ll make again
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Sounds perfect! Thank you!
Thoreen Burkhardt says
I made this last night and it was a huge success! I don’t have a 12″ cast iron skillet so I used a large, oven safe saute pan. I made your taco seasoning recipe and your cornbread recipe. I should have taken a picture because it was so beautiful! I served it in big wedges and we still have half a pan left! I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thank you so much for trying my recipe! I’m thrilled to hear that it was such a beautiful success for you.