Ground Beef Mexican Cornbread Casserole

Our Jiffy Mexican Cornbread casserole is easy to make, or use a layer of homemade cornbread on top for a delicious one pot ground beef hotdish baked in the oven. Make cheesy if you like or with spicy ground sausage for added heat.

Mexican Casserole with Cornbread Recipe

This is one of our favorite recipes with ground beef I make throughout the year. You could use half spicy ground sausage, half beef if you wanted to add some heat to it too. Cheddar cheese on top is optional but most times it is a winner around here so I will add that as well.

Now if you want to add some real heat you can make this a bit spicy with diced chiles and jalapenos. This is How to Make Homemade Rotel yourself or you can just open a can and mix half diced tomatoes and half this or this all the way.

You can use a ton of different fillings once you get the hang of how it is done. We started this whole thing with our Jiffy Cowboy Cornbread Casserole since I make that meal weekly and usually have leftovers. A great second meal so there is no waste that your family will love.

Ingredients

• Ground meat of your choice but ground beef
• 1 tbsp olive oil or vegetable works to brown meat
• Corn kernels drained canned or frozen (not creamed corn)
• 2 tsp taco seasoning
• 1/2 c beef broth or stock
• Diced tomatoes canned, I like petite
• 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste
• 1 c cheddar cheese grated can be added to the top the last 10 minutes

Can you use spicy ground sausage instead of ground beef?

Yes!! For heat I will use all or half a roll of spicy Jimmy Dean sausage to make this. It adds a ton of flavor to the dish, a bit more fat so it is more moist and you don’t really need any other seasonings if you use this instead of plain beef.

Jiffy Mexican Cornbread Casserole

If you use a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix then you just need the ingredients listed on the back of that box to create the batter. It will make just about the same amount as if you made this Chili Cornbread Casserole from scratch. Both turn out great but one requires less ingredients.

• 1 egg
• 4 tbsp cornmeal
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt
• 1/2 c milk
• Baking powder

To add a tweak to traditional cornmeal muffins batter you can add diced green chiles, shredded Monterey Jack cheese or add a pinch of homemade taco seasoning to it.

If you wanted to use poultry instead you could make Chicken and Cream of Mushroom Soup, shred meat and use that on the bottom instead. So so good too.

How to Make Mexican Cornbread Casserole with Ground Beef

• Preheat oven to 375 F. In a pan on the stovetop add oil with meat (can add some diced onions in there too) for about 5 minutes.
• Then add diced tomatoes, corn, seasonings and broth.
• Stir together, cover meat mixture and let simmer for 10 minutes over low heat.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together batter ingredients.
• Mix in half the cheese into the batter.
• Spray 8×8 dish with non stick spray and pour in lean ground beef mixture.
• Spread out in pan. Pour cornbread mixture over the top and bake for about 25 minutes.
• Then sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and bake another 10 minutes until melted and lightly golden brown.
• Cool on cooling rack for 5 minutes, scoop out and serve with sour cream with bits of red bell peppers and/or diced green onions on top.

Let’s talk about other mixtures we have made similar to this one you can try next. For a sweet and savory mixture, my kiddos love Jiffy Sloppy Joe Casserole too. Most dishes made one night if you have enough can be warmed and put on the bottom with the breading batter on top.

Cornbread Mexican Casserole

After making and enjoying this easy recipe you may have some left over. It reheats well if you store it correctly in the fridge so it doesn’t dry out. We have lots of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix Recipes too with just the breading. Follow these steps with pieces you want to save for lunch the next day;

How to save leftovers

1. Let the cornbread casserole cool down at room temperature for about 30 minutes before storing it. This helps prevent condensation inside the storage container, which can make the leftovers soggy.
2. Use an airtight container that’s appropriate for the amount of leftover casserole you have. Glass or plastic containers with tight-fitting lids work well. Alternatively, you can use aluminum foil or plastic wrap to cover the casserole dish if it has a lid or isn’t too deep.
3. If you have a large amount of left, consider dividing it into smaller portions before storing. This makes it easier to reheat only what you need and prevents repeated heating and cooling of the entire dish.
4. Write the date on the container or foil using a permanent marker so you can keep track of how long it has been in the fridge or freezer. Also, label it with the type of casserole to avoid any confusion later.
5. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
6. You can technically freeze this same way, I generally don’t. You’d need to defrost in the fridge overnight and then heat again next day if that is done. The texture will change this way.

How to reheat

When reheating it is best to splash just a bit of water or broth on top, covered with a paper towel to create a bit of steam to moisten it up. Serve as a side dish or another meal. Jump to recipe card below and get started on our Mexican cornbread casserole recipe.

Casserole with Jiffy