🌽 Cornbread Taco Bake

This **Cornbread Taco Bake** is a cheesy, hearty, and easy casserole — layers of seasoned ground beef, beans, corn, and cheese, all topped with a golden cornbread crust. It's the perfect family-friendly meal that’s ready in under an hour!

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450g) ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning (or homemade mix)
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can corn, drained (or 1 cup frozen)
• 1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilies (e.g., Rotel)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 (8.5 oz) box cornbread mix (e.g., Jiffy)
• 1/3 cup sugar (optional, for sweeter cornbread topping)
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Cook beef: In a skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain fat.
3. Season: Stir in taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water. Cook 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Mix filling: Add beans, corn, tomatoes, and 1 cup cheese. Stir to combine.
5. Layer: Spread mixture evenly in the baking dish.
6. Make topping: In a bowl, combine cornbread mix, sugar (if using), milk, egg, and melted butter. Mix until smooth.
7. Top: Spoon cornbread batter over the meat layer. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top.
8. Bake 25–30 minutes until cornbread is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
10. Serve warm: Great with sour cream, avocado, or salsa on top!

Tip: For a shortcut, use canned chili or leftover taco meat. For a vegetarian version, swap beef for plant-based crumbles!

« Back to The Recipe Box