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Taco Cornbread Casserole

It may take a little more time to cook from scratch, but it tastes so good! I found an old Taco Cornbread Casserole recipe in my binder that called for Jiffy Mix, a packet of taco seasoning, and a jar of salsa.

With a little re-working, I’ve made it from scratch with yummy ingredients and no preservatives or extra sodium. You can change up the seasonings to make it spicier for your family! This is a delicious taco casserole with cornbread topping.

My easy recipe for taco cornbread casserole is a weeknight staple in our house, and I’m sure once you try it the same will be true for you!

pin showing finished taco cornbread casserole

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This recipe comes together a lot faster when you use precooked ground beef. I always buy in bulk and cook up ground beef with diced onions and green peppers, then freeze in zipper bags. It saves a lot of time for any meal calling for ground beef (lasagna, tacos, etc.), but especially this one.

You can also use a boxed cornbread mix to make this taco casserole with cornbread topping. This recipe for taco cornbread casserole makes the cornbread topping from scratch but if you’d like to save time that’s totally fine and an easy swap to make.

The ingredients are broken down into sections so you can easily just buy / grab what you need for the filling and middle and then sub a boxed mix in for the topping section!

Featured image showing the finished taco cornbread casserole ready to eat

What do I need to make this easy taco cornbread casserole?

We’ll give you the quick rundown here but you can always find the full amounts of ingredients, step by step guide, shopping links, and nutritional estimates in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For the filling you will need cooked ground beef, garlic, frozen corn, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, salt, paprika and water.

The middle of this casserole is a layer of shredded cheese, use whatever kind you like! We used Monterey Jack and cheddar mixed together.

filing ingredients for taco cornbread casserole

For the topping (cornbread) layer you will need a boxed mix and whatever it calls for in preparation instructions. Or, you can make it from scratch with flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs, canola oil, and milk.

Finished taco cornbread casserole ready to serve

Taco cornbread casserole is pretty simple to put together, it might seem like a lot of ingredients but overall this is still a relatively simple recipe. A lot of these items are spices and seasonings you probably already have on hand.

One final note about swaps: you can also swap out all the seasonings for a packet of taco seasoning if that is easier for you. We usually have everything needed on hand because I make this Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe. Feel free to use whatever is easier for you!

Full pan of finished taco cornbread casserole

How to make this recipe for taco cornbread casserole:

Let’s dive on in to this easy casserole recipe. I’ve got the step by step photos and guide for you here so you can follow along easily.

This simple dinner recipe is a great family friendly meal. If you have picky eaters in the house, this will be a winner for sure. It’s indulgent and filling which also means you don’t have to stress about making a bunch of other recipes along with the main dish.

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees.

ingredients shown for cornbread casserole topping

Prepare a 9×12 baking dish or similar with nonstick spray.

cooking the ground beef

Add the filling ingredients to a skillet and simmer on stovetop for 15 minutes, stirring often. The mixture will thicken as the juice from the tomatoes cooks off.

other filling ingredients in the skillet

Pour the filling into the prepared casserole dish.

filling in the casserole dish

Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top of the filling.

baked cornbread topping on the casserole

In a bowl, prepare the cornbread batter. Spread over the top of the casserole.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cornbread is cooked through.

Cut through to the filling to check for doneness.

top down finished casserole

How to serve this ground beef taco casserole

Just like with all taco-related meals, you’ll want to add sour cream, salsa and either hot sauce or jalapenos as toppings. We tend to cook our Mexican-flavored food pretty mild and have those who prefer spicy add their own to their serving.

If you enjoy the combo of ground beef, peppers, onions and tomatoes, you’ll probably like the Italian version! This stuffed bell pepper casserole is another family favorite. It’s a much easier way to make traditional stuffed peppers.

close up of the finished taco cornbread casserole

Looking for more casseroles to try?

If you enjoyed making this ground beef taco casserole recipe, try out some of ourother family friendly dinner options:

Printable Taco Cornbread Recipe:

Yield: 8 Servings

Taco Cornbread Casserole

Featured image showing the finished taco cornbread casserole ready to eat

It may take a little more time to cook from scratch, but it tastes so good! Enjoy our Taco Cornbread Casserole with the family.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

Casserole Filling

  • 1 lb cooked ground beef (mine came from the freezer and already had chopped onions and peppers in it)
  • 2 teaspoon chopped garlic
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 14oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 3/4 cup water

Middle

  • 1 cup shredded cheese (I used Monterey Jack & Cheddar)

Cornbread topping

  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a 9x12 baking dish or similar with nonstick spray.
  2. Add the filling ingredients to a skillet and simmer on stovetop for 15 minutes, stirring often. 
  3. The mixture will thicken as the juice from the tomatoes cooks off. 
  4. Pour the filling into the prepared casserole dish.
  5. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top of the filling.
  6. In a bowl, prepare the cornbread batter. Spread over the top of the casserole.
  7. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until cornbread is cooked through. 
  8. Cut through to the filling to check for doneness.

Notes

This cornbread topping is made from scratch. If you prefer, use a boxed cornbread mix instead.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 476Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 933mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 28g
pin showing the finished cornbread casserole taco recipe

Two Week Meal Plan for Spring - Moneywise Moms

Monday 20th of May 2013

[...] fixings, black beans Thursday–Cheese tortellini tossed with pesto and peas Friday–Taco Cornbread Casserole and salad Saturday–Pulled Pork Sandwiches, chips, corn and broccoli [...]

Danielle

Sunday 3rd of March 2013

Made this tonight and it was SOOOOOO good! Great re-work! Thank you!

Tricia

Sunday 2nd of January 2022

@Gina, can you use cornbread out of the box?

Gina

Monday 4th of March 2013

So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for leaving a comment, Danielle!

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