This easy Jiffy Mexican Cornbread Casserole is so filling and full of flavor you’re going to want to make it for dinner every night of the week. Perfectly seasoned ground beef with tomatoes and chiles is topped with gooey melted cheddar and sandwiched between two layers of fluffy cornbread, and it’s totally delicious!
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Picture this: Cheesy, fluffy cornbread is covered with beef spiced up with taco seasoning. Tomatoes and green chiles leave an oh-so-good tingling in your mouth as you bite into the two layers topped with a second blanket of cornbread.
Throw on some guacamole and green onions, and you have yourself a party. A food party that is. If you’re not drooling already, you will be after you smell this heavenly dish cooking!
The best part about Mexican cornbread casserole is the minimal cleanup! If you’re like me and don’t enjoy washing dishes, you’ll love this recipe. It’ll save you time without compromising on taste.
So whether you’re planning your next tequila night with friends or a weeknight meal, this is sure to get you out of your everyday food rut. Branch out on Taco Tuesday with this delightful casserole!
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
- Full of Flavor. Mexican spices and a few green chiles add tons of flavor to any dish they’re mixed into.
- Unique! This isn’t a meal you see every day- but you should.
- Full Meal. It’s not necessary to make side dishes with this main. It’s a meal in and of itself.
🥘 Ingredients
Jiffy corn muffin mix makes this easy recipe even easier. Don’t forget the taco seasoning!
- 16 ounces Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix - This translates to 2 8-ounce boxes.
- ⅔ cups Milk - Any kind of dairy or non-dairy milk will do.
- 2 large Eggs - Bring these to room temperature before adding.
- 15 ounces Creamed Corn - Buy this canned for the easiest results.
- 15 ounces Sweet Corn - You can use drained canned corn or use 1 cup of the thawed frozen variety.
- 1 pound Ground Beef - Any fat ratio will work in this recipe.
- 1 packet Taco Seasoning - If you make your own, use 2 tablespoons to equal 1 packet.
- 15 ounces RoTel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles - Drain the liquid off first!
- 1 ½ cups Cheddar Cheese - Pick a strong, traditional cheddar or white cheddar that can easily be grated.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
📖 Variations
This casserole is awesome as is, but if you are looking to switch it up there are a ton of different ways to do it. Some of my favorite variations include:
- Bacon - There’s not much bacon that doesn’t make it better. Chop up a few slices in the corn mix or sprinkle them on top after baking.
- Jalapeños - Chop up some fresh or jarred jalapeños in either the corn or meat mix for some added heat.
- Cayenne Pepper or Red Pepper Flakes - Both of these are great options to kick up the spice without changing the flavor.
- Creole Seasoning - Change things up New Orleans style with a little Cajun spice! Try using this in place of the taco seasoning.
- Shredded Chicken - This recipe is also a winner, with shredded chicken in place of the beef.
- Red Bell Pepper - Dice up bell pepper and cook with the meat for a colorful and delicious addition.
🔪 How To Make Jiffy Mexican Cornbread Casserole
There are three layers in this casserole: cornbread, a meat mixture, and more cornbread. It’s an impressive meal that is both incredibly tasty and simple.
- Preheat. To begin, set your oven to 350℉ (175℃) and let it heat up while you move through the next steps.
- Mix batter. Combine 16 ounces of Jiffy Corn muffin mix, ⅔ cup milk, and 2 large eggs in a large mixing bowl. Then, add 15 ounces of creamed corn and 15 ounces of sweet corn, and stir until incorporated. Pour half the corn batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Brown. Next, brown 1 pound ground beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Then, sprinkle in 1 packet of taco seasoning. If the seasoning packet says to add water, do so now. Mix and cook until the beef is fully cooked.
Finish Layering & Bake
- Add the extras. Then, pour 15 ounces RoTel diced tomatoes with green chilies into the beef mixture and transfer it all into the baking dish. Sprinkle ¾ cup cheddar cheese over the top. Then, layer on the remaining half of the corn mixture.
- Bake. Top the dish with the rest of the cheddar cheese, about ¾ cup. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Cool and serve. When it’s cooked, remove the casserole from the oven and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before cutting into it. This will let it cool down and set up, making it easier to serve. Top with your favorite taco toppings (*see notes) for taste and color.
🥗 Sides
This is an excellent dish for lunch or dinner. It’s a complete meal in itself, but if you want to add a side, try sauteed mushrooms and onions or refried black beans!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Get creative with toppings! Try adding shredded lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, diced tomatoes, green onions, sliced black olives, or a drizzle of taco sauce. Add one, or add them all! You could stretch this dish to feed more people by piling on the toppings.
- No casserole dish, no problem. You can also bake this in a large cast-iron skillet. This really is an amazingly useful piece of kitchen equipment!
- Take the chill off. If you forget to lay out your eggs to bring them up to room temperature, don’t worry! You can speed up the process by placing them in a bowl full of lukewarm water for 5 minutes or so.
- Don’t overcook. Not all cornbread will brown on top when it is done cooking. Leaving it in too long can lead to a dry, crumbly mess. Just be sure to check it when it looks like it’s getting close to being finished.
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🥡 Storing & Reheating
Once it’s cooled, cover it and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
If you’d like to keep it longer, seal with aluminum foil or cut pieces and freeze it in an airtight container. Your casserole portions will be good for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Thaw any frozen leftovers in the fridge overnight. Then, let it sit out for about an hour.
When it’s room temperature, cover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes – or until heated to your satisfaction.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Sweet corn season is the best! If you can get a hold of some good fresh corn, you can definitely use it in this recipe. Use the same amount as you would frozen corn, 1 cup. It will cook when the casserole goes in the oven.
That is entirely up to you! If you prefer more meat to cornbread, double the meat or halve the cornbread ingredients. You can keep the two cornbread layers by making them thinner, or just add a layer of meat followed by a single cornbread layer. Either will result in a lower ratio.
😋 More Amazing Casseroles
- Chicken Stuffing Casserole
- Sausage Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
- Ground Beef Mexican Casserole
- Tuna Noodle Casserole
- Doritos Casserole
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
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📖 Recipe Card
Jiffy Mexican Cornbread Casserole
Ingredients
- 16 oz Jiffy Corn muffin mix ( 2 8-ounce boxes)
- ⅔ cup milk
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 15 oz creamed corn (canned)
- 15 oz sweet corn (canned, drained or use 1 cup thawed frozen corn)
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 packet taco seasoning (or see recipe)
- 15 oz RoTel diced tomatoes with green chilies (drained)
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese (grated)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the Jiffy corn muffin mix with the eggs and milk. Then, mix in the creamed corn and sweet corn. Transfer half of the corn mixture to a greased 9x13 baking dish.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef. Add in 1 packet of taco seasoning (plus any water as indicated on the package), and simmer until the meat is fully cooked.
- Stir in the RoTel tomatoes and transfer the ground beef mixture to the baking dish. Top the ground beef with half the cheddar cheese (¾ cups). Then, add the remaining corn mixture.
- Top the casserole with the remaining cheddar cheese and place it in the oven to bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35-40 minutes.
- Remove the casserole from the oven. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes so that it may set before slicing into squares and serving. Top with your favorite taco toppings, if desired.
Notes
- Topping ideas: shredded lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, tomatoes, green onions, sliced black olives, a drizzle of taco sauce.
- If you don't have a casserole dish, you can bake this in a large cast-iron skillet.
- If you forgot to take your eggs out of the fridge so they can come to room temperature, place them in a bowl of lukewarm water for about 5 minutes.
Heather says
I made this tonight. I cooked for the full 40 minutes but it was still LIQUID in the center. It took another almost 40 minutes to cook. I double checked my ingredients and nothing is out of whack. My oven thermometer is 352... what have I done wrong?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Sorry, you had trouble with this recipe. What size dish were you using? This seems likely as the culprit. It could also be not draining excess liquid from the beef, canned corn, etc.
JR says
Excellent! Tastes very good, even my 8 year old daughter loved it.
Anonymous says
I don’t have creamed corn can you omit it at all?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes, switch for more canned or frozen corn. I would suggest adding something that will add moisture like 1/4-1/2 cup of sour cream. Thanks for asking and enjoy!
Anthony says
Thank you for this delicious and well-written recipe. My family loved the casserole and already requested I make it again. Many thanks!!
Anonymous says
Always looking for a new recipe. My husband loved it.
Anonymous says
How would you adjust recipe if using gluten free cornbread mix?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Most of those commercial mixes are ready to use with minimal adjustments. Just make sure to use gluten-free taco seasoning too. Hope that helps!
Jen says
Any way to substitute the Rotel for something without tomatoes? I have picky eaters 🙁
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Omit the tomatoes entirely if need be. I know how picky eaters are! 🙂
Vicki Grubb says
Jen, you can omit the Rotel and instead use a can of diced green chilies don't drain them.
Betty Malone says
This sounds so good! Two questions:
Could I sub black beans for the beef to make it vegetarian?
And is it possible to make ahead, refrigerate & bake the next morning?
Thank you!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes, you can easily swap out the ground beef for black beans. For making it in advance, you can do it and shouldn't have any issues (I would just make sure to drain the RoTel tomatoes as best as possible to avoid any issues form excess moisture). Hope that helps! Enjoy! 🙂
Anonymous says
Perfect - thank you♥️♥️
Carol says
Very good, I only had 1 box of jiffy and a small pkg of beef so I made half. Turned out great. Supper and lunch x2 people.
Vicki Ober says
This is my second time making this recipe. We love it! Hubby LOVES corn bread so it's a no brainer that he would love this. Tonight I tried shredded chicken breasts instead of ground beef, fingers crossed it works, it's in the oven baking now 😉 Thank you for a simple and delicious recipe!
Jen says
Can you make this in the morning-and reheat at night?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes, that will work wonderfully with this casserole. I would reheat at 350F with a sheet of aluminum foil over the dish until heated to your satisfaction. Enjoy!
Doug says
Absolutely delicious recipe! So easy and sweet!
Chava says
I can only find RoTel diced tomatoes with green chilies in 10oz (or 28oz)
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
That's terrible! 🙂 The 10-ounce can will work just fine. Enjoy!!
Ailene says
I made this for a Mexican themed potluck and it was a big hit, I got a lot of praise for it. I would definitely make it again, thank you! It’s delicious and satisfying. I added black beans and it still came out very well.
Karla says
Have you made this without the cans of corn? Maybe sub black beans?
Tim says
Best Mexican cornbread I've ever made, thank you. Have tried a few variations and they work. Easily adaptable recipe.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Awesome Tim! So happy that you enjoyed this casserole!
Jon says
I made it tonight for dinner, all that was changed I added ground deer meat with lil beef fat , turned out wonderful.
Shelby says
Love it!! I add or subtract ingredients to meet my pleasure. Very filling all in one meal.
Lily says
My son and I have made this several times and really enjoy it. Do you think adding a can of drained black beans
Into the mixture would compromise the consistency?
Any suggestions on reducing the saturated fat or does most of that come from the ground beef?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes, you can add the canned, drained black beans without needing to make any other changes. It will still turn out wonderfully. The saturated fat is based on the ground beef (80/20). Use a leaner ground beef, or reduce the beef amount slightly to offset that fat percentage. Thanks for asking!
Stacy says
Super Mexican dinner!
Cindy Matherne says
Thx for sharing this! I made this identical recipe in the 70’s and loved it. Unfortunately, I can’t find my copy of it and was afrayi’d leave out an important ingredient and couldn’t remember how long to cook it. Then, voila, I found your recipe online and now am making it for dinner tonight. I already know that it’s gonna be delicious!
Elaine says
It was a real hit with my family. They loved it.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Wonderful! Thank you for stopping back in to share how it went!
Pam says
I can't wait to try this, it's right up my family's alley! Also can you put how much a serving size is? Would greatly appreciate it! Thank you, Pam
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I usually cut my casserole into 8 rectangles and these are filling portions. For feeding a hungry crowd, 6 portions will do nicely!