Easy Taco Cornbread Casserole is made using taco seasoned ground beef, chili beans, and cheese, all under a layer of Jiffy cornbread! Perfect for busy weeknight dinners, this simple casserole is comfort food at its finest! Add your favorite toppings and dinner is served!
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Take Bake with Cornbread
Before my hubby and I got married, we had a long-distance engagement. I had moved with my family to Texas after getting engaged, and my hubby was living in Chicago. He would fly down to visit me once a month for an extended weekend, and we would continue wedding planning, visiting family, etc.
On one of his visits, my aunt and uncle had us over for dinner and my aunt made this Taco Cornbread Bake. Not only was my husband instantly a huge fan, but he personally requested the recipe from my aunt for us to make again once married.
The cornbread in this recipe starts out by using a simple Jiffy cornbread mix, however, it is then loaded up with Mexicorn and more cheese! When combined with the taco seasoned meat layer, the flavor combination is mouthwatering!
Why you’ll love Cornbread Taco Bake
- Quick to prepare- from start to finish, you can have this casserole ready for the oven in under 10 minutes.
- Can be prepared ahead of time- to save on time, feel free to prepare this ahead of time and store in refrigerator covered, up to 2 days in advance.
- Freezer Friendly- leftovers freeze perfectly and since this makes an entire cookie sheet, you may have enough for a second dinner to enjoy at a later date.
- Budget Approved- using simple, easy ingredients, this meal is easy to stretch and fit any budget.
Ingredients Needed for Jiffy Cornbread Taco Bake
See printable recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and directions.
- Ground Beef- or turkey
- Taco Seasoning- homemade recipe HERE
- Chili Beans
- Mexi-Corn- (11 oz) drained, if you cannot find this, then you can cut up a red pepper and use a can of whole sweet corn instead.
- Cheddar Cheese- divided
- Cornbread Mix- 2 boxes, (8.5 oz), plus ingredients on box
- Toppings of Choice- see below for ideas
Optional Toppings
- Chopped Lettuce
- Diced Tomatoes
- Sliced Black Olives
- Diced Avocado
- Sour Cream
- Salsa
- Chopped Green Onions
- Fresh Cilantro
How to make Easy Taco Cornbread Casserole
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook ground beef over medium heat in a skillet. Once cooked, drain fat and add in the taco seasoning.
- Mix in the chili beans and 1 cup of cheese. Set mixture aside.
- In a medium bowl, prepare the 2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix. Fold in the can of Mexicorn and remaining cheese.
- Spread taco beef mixture evenly on bottom of cookie sheet.
- Pour Jiffy cornbread mixture evenly on top of beef mixture.
- Place cookie sheet into preheated oven and allow to cook for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove and cut pieces and serve with desired toppings.
Storage
Once baked, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Simply reheat in the microwave when ready to serve.
To freeze, place in a freezer safe container or bag and freeze up to 2 months. Allow to thaw and reheat in microwave before serving.
What to serve with Jiffy Cornbread Taco Bake
Since this recipe already includes beef, beans, and cornbread, you technically can serve this meal on its own. However, if you would like to add some side dish options, a simple side salad makes a perfect addition. You can also add a roasted veggie, some Mexican rice, or Mexican Street Corn Casserole. Even some simple tortilla chips and salsa/guacamole pair perfectly with this bake!
Pro Tips
After years of me working on perfecting this casserole, here are some easy tips to keep in mind so your Taco Cornbread Bake turns out perfectly each and every time!
- Do Not Overbake! This casserole is ready to pull out of the oven when the cornbread is slightly golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean once inserted in center of pan.
- Make sure to drain the beans and corn. There won’t be much liquid in the corn, but you don’t need any excess liquid from either can.
- Want to add a bit of heat? Add in a can of jalapenos to the beef mixture.
- Use a rubber spatula to spread the cornbread on top. Be careful not to combine layers, make sure cornbread goes corner to corner.
- Don’t skip the toppings, those REALLY enhance the flavor.
- If you’re not a fan of Jiffy cornbread mix, feel free to use a homemade cornbread recipe and simply spread it on top of the beef layer as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Chicken instead of Beef? Absolutely! Ground chicken or ground turkey work great in this recipe. I don’t recommend shredded chicken in this recipe due to the textures and needing a single layer when spread into the cookie sheet.
How do I make this spicy? If you add in a can of diced jalapenos to the beef mixture, it really kicks the heat up a notch. You can also add some chopped jalapenos on top prior to serving, and a splash of hot sauce.
What size cookie sheet do I use? I use a 15.2″ x 10.2″ x 0.7″ cookie sheet for this recipe. However, if you only have larger ones, that is okay. Simply spread out as much as you can, while still avoiding gaps in the bottom. It doesn’t spread much, so if it doesn’t spread the entire way, its okay.
Can I freeze this before baking? Yes, however, I recommend only making the meat mixture and freezing that on its own. Once ready to bake, thaw and assemble as directed. Jiffy mix is pretty quick and easy to prepare, therefore, you don’t want to freeze it in case the textures change.
More Tex-Mex Recipes to try:
Copycat Taco Bell Mexican Pizzas
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Easy Cornbread Taco Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef *or turkey
- 4 tablespoon taco seasoning *or 1 envelope
- 1 can chili
- 11 oz Mexicorn *drained
- 2 cups cheddar cheese *shredded and divided
- 2 boxes Jiffy cornbread *8.5 oz boxes
- toppings of choice (sour cream, salsa, tomatoes, avocado, olives)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook meat until no longer pink. Drain fat.
- Add in taco seasoning and cook according to directions (add water and allow to simmer).
- Stir in can chili w/o beans and 1 cup cheese.
- Allow to simmer on low.
- In a large bowl, combine the 2 packages cornbread and mix according to directions.
- Add in Mexicorn and remaining 1 cup cheese to the cornbread. Mix well.
- Remove meat from heat and pour mixture onto a cookie sheet.
- Top with cornbread batter and spread evenly.
- Bake in a preheated oven, 375, for about 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Sondra Anderson says
Your picture shows Bush’s Chili Beans and in the assembled picture you can see beans-yet your recipe says chili without beans.
Which is it?
Kristin says
Sorry about the confusion, I will update recipe. Originally it was without beans, but I have found that chili to be hard to find, so either kind works! Enjoy!
Anonymous says
is the cornbread mix used dry, or mixed to package directions. What size box of cornbread mix, these vary considerably
Kristin says
Hi!! The cornbread is prepared according to directions, and the boxes needed are the 8.5 oz sizes. I have added that to the directions! Thanks for catching that!!