This easy cornbread taco bake includes a layer of ground beef taco meat, cheese, and a moist, sweet Jiffy cornbread topping made with creamed corn and green chiles.
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If you’re a fan of Jiffy mix recipes, be sure to try this chili dog casserole, a ground beef casserole with cornbread, this taco pie, and this popular farmhouse chicken cornbread casserole, too!
This Taco Cornbread Casserole is a Family-Friendly Dinner
The idea for this recipe comes from blog readers Debra and Traci, who created a similar dinner by adding taco meat to our favorite Jiffy corn casserole recipe. The ground beef, cheese, and green chiles turn the classic side dish into a flavorful, family-friendly entrée! I’ve tweaked the topping to give it more structure and to help it firmly set up, so it’s actually more like this Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn (rather than the original corn pudding).
The cornbread taco bake is a simple casserole that’s ready for the oven in about 15 minutes, thanks to store-bought shortcuts like a packet of taco seasoning mix and a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix. It’s one of those great meals that appeals to both children and adults. Keep it plain for those who just want taco meat, cheese, and cornbread, or pile on your favorite taco toppings for even more bright, fresh flavor.
You can also adapt the recipe to suit your family’s preferences. For instance, swap out the ground beef and use ground turkey or ground chicken. Use homemade taco seasoning instead of a store-bought packet, or stir in some jalapenos for a zesty dish.
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- Ground beef forms the base of the casserole. If you would like a thicker layer of meat at the bottom of the dish, double the filling to include 2 lbs. of ground beef and two packets of taco seasoning mix.
- The true star of this easy cornbread taco bake is the Jiffy cornbread topping. It’s not just a classic cornbread crust. Instead, it’s adapted from my Jiffy cornbread with creamed corn, which includes butter, sour cream, creamed corn, and diced green chilies. I’ve omitted the oil and honey so that the crust is more firm and cooks through faster; however, it’s still moist, tender, and decadent.
- Bring the sour cream and eggs to room temperature before stirring together the ingredients. This will help everything combine easily.
- Every taco bake needs plenty of cheese! We like sharp cheddar or a Mexican blend, but you can use Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or another variety that you enjoy.
- Make sure that you use a small 8.25 ounce can of cream-style corn (not the larger 14.75 ounce) can.
- Omit the chopped green chiles if you don’t care for them.
How to Make a Cornbread Taco Bake
This cornbread taco bake is packed with rich, zesty flavor. You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Cook the taco meat in a skillet.
- Pour the ground beef mixture into a baking dish (I’ve shown the Staub 10.5 x 7.5 inch baking dish here). Top with shredded cheese.
- Whisk together the cornbread topping.
- Spoon the cornbread batter on top of the casserole.
- Bake until the cornbread sets, about 50-55 minutes. Make sure that the cornbread completely cooks through before you pull the dish from the oven. You don’t want to find uncooked cornbread batter in your casserole! If the toothpick comes out clean, then you know that the cornbread is done. If your casserole starts to brown too much on top before it’s finished cooking, cover it loosely with foil.
- Garnish individual servings with chopped fresh cilantro, lime wedges, dollops of sour cream, salsa, diced avocado, guacamole, or a spoonful of pico de gallo for even more bright flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Pair the taco cornbread casserole with a house salad with candied pecans, mixed greens with Dijon vinaigrette, or crispy iceberg lettuce with buttermilk dressing. It’s also tasty alongside tortilla chips and salsa, pico de gallo, or guacamole; corn and black bean salad; or ranch-style beans, refried beans, or seasoned black beans.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: To reheat previously-baked taco casserole, warm the dish in a 325°F oven for about 20 minutes. Reheat individual portions in the microwave just until warmed through, about 1-2 minutes.
- How to Freeze: The taco bake is best when frozen before baking. To do so, add the cornbread batter on top and place in the freezer (uncovered) for one hour to allow the topping to harden. Then, wrap well with plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil, and place back in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To Bake from Frozen: When ready to enjoy, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the casserole straight from the freezer (covered) for 50 minutes. Remove the cover and continue baking for 40-50 more minutes, or until done.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Jiffy Cornbread Taco Bake
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef (or sub with ground turkey or ground chicken)
- 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning mix, plus the water or other ingredients called for on the package
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
- 1 (8.25 ounce) can cream-style corn (make sure you're using the smaller 8.25 ounce can)
- 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained well and patted dry
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh or jarred jalapeno pepper (optional)
- ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature and lightly beaten
- 1 (8.5 ounce) box Jiffy corn muffin mix
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- Optional garnish: sliced green onion or chopped fresh herbs such as parsley or cilantro; salsa; pico de gallo; guacamole or sliced avocado
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2 ½ – 3-quart baking dish (about 11 x 7-inches) or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set side. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground meat with the taco seasoning mix and water according to the package directions. Spread the taco meat in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with cheese.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cream-style corn, green chiles, jalapeno (if using), sour cream, eggs, Jiffy mix, and melted butter.
- Spread the cornbread mixture over the taco meat.
- Bake, uncovered, for 50-55 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. The casserole is done when the center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top of the casserole starts to get too dark before it’s cooked through, just tent loosely with foil and continue baking.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Variations
- Use ground turkey, ground pork, ground chicken, or sausage in lieu of the beef.
- Jazz up the filling with even more additions, such as sliced black olives, Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, diced onion, sliced green onions, or canned, drained pinto beans or black beans. You can also include extra seasoning, such as smoky ground cumin, garlic powder, oregano, or paprika.
- Stir extra cheese into the cornbread topping, or sprinkle extra cheese over the top of the cornbread batter.
More Taco Casserole Recipes to Try
Taco Pie
52 minutes mins
Taco Bake with Fritos
30 minutes mins
5-Ingredient Taco Casserole
35 minutes mins
Originally published in February, 2024, this post was updated in April, 2025.
Yum! I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free cornbread and added an extra pound of meat because we like meat! Then we topped it with tons of veggies, sour cream and homemade salsa!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, Pat! I’m so sorry to hear that! It sounds like it just needed more time in the oven. While it shouldn’t be raw, the topping is like a corn pudding texture — soft and moist, and not as dry or crumbly as cornbread.
I just made this tonight it was exactly what I was craving! I doubled the recipe and the corn casserole part ended up being more than I could fit in my 9×13 glass pan so I put the rest in a 9×9. I cooked it for about 65 minutes and thought it was cooked all the way through after testing it but sadly the middle turned out to be runny still. We ended up eating it anyways cause we were starving and it tasted great. I’ll have to figure out the time better next time or something cause I’m definitely making it again! Thanks for the recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Hannah! The glass pan could’ve impacted the baking time but we’d love to know how it goes if you try it out again.
Thanks for the feedback, Courtney! I’m going to tweak the recipe and see if I can get the cornbread topping to bake up quicker and firmer.
This is a wonderful recipe! I’ve made it several times with Jiffy and also with gluten free cornbread. Used the Green Giant brand cream corn since it’s gluten free.
Thank you, Lisa! We’re so glad you enjoy it.
I added onions and garlic to the meat while it was cooking. It gave it a lot of flavor.
Thank you for the feedback, Donna! We hope you enjoyed the recipe.