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–+ servings
A slice of cornbread casserole on a plate.
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5 from 3 votes

Cowboy Cornbread Casserole

Seasoned ground beef, corn, and Tex-Mex spices baked under a golden homemade cheddar cornbread top — a hearty, budget-friendly one-dish dinner that feeds six for about $2.62 a serving. Family-tested for 20 years and always comes back empty.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Author: Carrie Barnard
Cost: $15.72, $2.62 per Servings

Ingredients

For the beef layer:

  • 1 ½ pounds ground beef
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 can 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes
  • 1 can 15 ounces corn, drained
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the cornbread topping:

  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
  • In a large skillet, brown ground beef over medium heat. Drain excess fat.
  • Add diced onion and minced garlic cloves to the beef. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in diced tomatoes, corn drained, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Spread the beef mixture in the prepared baking dish.
  • In a bowl, mix cornmeal, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • In another bowl, whisk together milk, vegetable oil, and large egg.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Fold in shredded cheddar cheese.
  • Spread cornbread batter evenly over the beef mixture.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the topping comes out clean.
  • Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

For a spicier version, add diced jalapeños to the beef mixture. 
You could also add a can of drained black beans to the beef mixture for extra protein and fiber.
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 863kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 1713mg | Potassium: 1082mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 1173IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 372mg | Iron: 10mg
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