Mexican Cornbread Casserole

Mexican Cornbread Casserole is a cheesy, savory dish layered with cornbread, taco-seasoned meat, and corn, perfect for a quick and satisfying weeknight meal. Easy to assemble and budget-friendly, it’s sure to become a family favorite. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream for extra indulgence

Love More Mexican Recipes? Try My Mexican White Trash Casserole or this Slow Cooker Mexican Street Corn Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This casserole combines savory beef, sweet corn, and peppers with a fluffy cornbread topping for a comforting, all-in-one meal. It’s easy to make and reheats beautifully, keeping all the flavors intact. Perfect for weeknights or feeding a crowd, it’s sure to become a family favorite.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Meat Base:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (whatever cooking oil isn’t rancid works)
• 1 small onion, diced (yellow, white, doesn’t matter)
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped (green’s fine if that’s what’s on sale)
• 1 pound ground beef (85/15 is good, don’t waste money on fancy stuff)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (jar garlic counts)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (skip if your family cries about spice)
• Salt & ground black pepper to taste
• ½ cup frozen corn (don’t use fresh, trust me)
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
• 1 cup salsa (medium works, mild for wimps)

For the Cornbread Topping:

• 1 cup cornmeal (yellow, not white)
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup milk (whole milk is best but 2% works)
• 2 eggs, beaten

Why These Ingredients Work

Cornmeal makes real cornbread, not that sweet cake stuff they serve at some restaurants. The slightly rough texture holds up against all the meat juice without turning into mush. I learned this after trying regular flour once and ending up with what looked like beef soup with weird dumplings floating on top.

Ground beef keeps everyone full so they stop opening the pantry fifteen minutes after dinner asking what else there is to eat. My teenage son can put away serious food, and this actually satisfies him. Plus it’s usually cheaper than chicken and easier to cook than anything fancy.

Bell peppers get sweet when you cook them down, which tricks kids into eating vegetables without realizing it. My youngest used to pick out every piece of pepper from everything I made. Now she doesn’t even notice they’re there because they taste like candy once they’re cooked. Plus they add color so it doesn’t look like brown mush in a pan.

Frozen corn is better than fresh for this recipe. Fresh corn releases too much water and makes everything soggy. I learned this the expensive way after buying fresh corn from the farmer’s market and ending up with cornbread soup. Frozen corn thaws perfectly during cooking and gives you little pops of sweetness.

That salsa layer is crucial. It keeps the cornbread from getting soggy while adding flavor that makes people think you actually know how to cook. I use medium because it’s got flavor without making my mother-in-law complain. The first time I forgot to buy salsa and skipped this layer, the whole thing was a mushy disaster that went straight in the garbage.

Essential Tools and Equipment

Big skillet for browning meat, 9×13 baking dish, mixing bowl, wooden spoon, measuring cups. Nothing fancy – just regular kitchen stuff everyone already has.

How To Make Mexican Cornbread Casserole

Step 1: Preheat Your Oven

Crank it to 425 degrees. Not 400, not 450 – exactly 425. I tried 400 thinking I’d save energy and the top stayed pale. Tried 450 when I was rushed and burned the edges while the middle stayed raw.

Step 2: Create the Flavor Base

Heat oil in your big skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and chopped bell pepper. Cook about 6 minutes until they’re soft and smell good. I set my phone timer because I have no attention span and will forget they’re cooking.

Step 3: Brown the Beef

Add ground beef with garlic, chili powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Break it up with your wooden spoon while it cooks. Keep mashing for about 6 minutes until it’s completely brown and crumbly. My kids like helping with this part but they get beef everywhere.

Step 4: Add the Good Stuff

Stir in frozen corn, cook 3 minutes until it’s not frozen anymore. Add some of the cheese and mix it in. This stops the meat from drying out and adds little cheese pockets throughout.

Step 5: Layer It Up

Dump all the meat stuff into your 9×13 pan and spread it around. Put salsa on top and spread it with a spoon. Don’t skip this step or you’ll have soggy gross cornbread like I did the first time.

Step 6: Make the Cornbread Topping

Mix cornmeal, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Add milk and beaten eggs. Stir just until it looks right – don’t mix it to death or you’ll get tough cornbread.

Step 7: The Grand Finale

Pour cornbread batter over everything in the dish. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. My kids always fight over who gets to do the cheese sprinkling, so now they take turns.

Step 8: Bake to Perfection

Stick it in the oven for 30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Toothpick stuck in the cornbread part should come out clean. If it’s still jiggly, give it 5 more minutes.

You Must Know

Critical Success Secret: That salsa layer isn’t decoration – it’s insurance against mushy cornbread. I skipped it twice thinking I knew better and had to order pizza both times.

Personal Secret: Let the meat mixture cool for 2 minutes before adding cheese or it melts completely and disappears. I use this time to load the dishwasher or wipe the counter.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Add jalapeños if your family can handle spice – mine thinks black pepper is too hot so this isn’t happening in my house. Extra milk makes softer cornbread if you’re into that. Make sure to drain any grease from the meat or your cornbread will be greasy. If the top isn’t browning enough, switch to broil for the last 2 minutes but watch it like a hawk because broilers go from golden to charcoal in thirty seconds.

Wait 5 minutes after baking before cutting into it or everything falls apart into a soupy mess. I know it’s torture when it smells amazing, but use this time to make a salad or set the table.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Breakfast version: Use breakfast sausage instead of beef. My husband requests this every weekend and I have to remind him I’m not running a restaurant.

Vegetable hiding: Chop zucchini or mushrooms tiny and cook them with the peppers. Kids never notice when they’re cut small enough.

Cheese explosion: Use cheddar, pepper jack, and Mexican blend together. Super messy to eat but worth it.

Mild version: Skip cayenne and use mild salsa. For people with sensitive stomachs like my mother-in-law who complains everything’s too spicy.

Make-Ahead Options

Make the meat part Sunday afternoon and stick it in the fridge. Tuesday night just add cornbread batter and bake. Saves 15 minutes when everyone’s hungry and cranky.

You can freeze the whole assembled thing for up to 3 months. Bake it frozen but add 20 extra minutes. I keep one in my freezer for emergencies like when unexpected company shows up or I completely forget about dinner until 5:30.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Use medium cornmeal if you can find it. Fine cornmeal gets too smooth, coarse stays gritty. Room temperature eggs and milk mix easier but cold ingredients work fine too – I forget to take them out half the time.

Don’t open the oven door for the first 20 minutes or the cornbread won’t rise right. I taped a note to my oven that says “DON’T PEEK” because I have no self-control.

Serving Suggestions

This is basically a complete meal already, but sour cream on the side is good. My kids dump sour cream on everything anyway. A simple salad cuts through the richness if you’re feeling fancy, but honestly you don’t need much else.

This recipe saved my weeknight dinners when I was burning everything and ordering takeout three times a week. Now my family actually looks forward to Tuesday nights instead of asking if we can just get pizza. My picky eaters clean their plates without complaining, which is basically a miracle in my house.

How to Store Your Mexican Cornbread Casserole

Keeps in the fridge 4 days covered with foil. Microwave leftovers for 90 seconds or heat in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes. Freezes okay for 3 months but the cornbread texture gets a little weird when you thaw it.

Allergy Information

Has eggs and milk. Use plant-based milk and dairy-free cheese if needed. Naturally gluten-free if your cornmeal is certified gluten-free.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Why did my cornbread turn out tough?

Overmixing is usually the culprit. Mix the cornbread batter just until the ingredients are combined – a few lumps are fine. Also, make sure your oven temperature is accurate. Too high heat can make cornbread tough and dry.

Can I use cornbread mix instead?

Yeah, use one box and follow the directions. Pour it over your meat and salsa layers.

What if we don’t like spicy food?

Skip the cayenne, use mild salsa. Still tastes great.

💬 Made this recipe? Drop a comment and tell me if your picky eaters actually finished their dinner for once!