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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, green chiles, and zesty jalapeño peppers.
Table of Contents
If you’re a fan of Jiffy corn muffin mix, be sure to try this chili dog casserole, a ground beef casserole with cornbread, and this wildly popular farmhouse chicken cornbread casserole, too!
The idea for this recipe comes from blog readers Debra and Traci, who created this dinner by adding the taco meat to our favorite Jiffy corn casserole recipe. The ground beef, cheese, green chiles, and jalapenos turn the classic corn pudding side dish into a flavorful, family-friendly entrée!
Why You’ll Love this Cornbread Taco Bake
- Easy. Thanks to some store-bought shortcuts like a packet of taco seasoning mix and a box of Jiffy corn muffin mix, this simple casserole is ready for the oven with just 15 minutes of prep time.
- Kid-Friendly. This is 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.
- Versatile. Adapt the recipe to suit your family’s preferences. For instance, swap out the ground beef and use ground turkey or ground chicken instead. Use homemade taco seasoning instead of a store-bought packet, or omit the jalapenos for a mild dish.
The Cornbread Topping
This 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 the crowd-favorite Jiffy corn pudding recipe, which includes butter, sour cream, creamed corn, and corn kernels, too.
I’ve reduced the amount of sour cream and butter in this casserole so that the crust is a bit more firm and less pudding-like; however, it’s still moist, tender, and decadent. With one bite you’ll see why it’s so well-loved!
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for this taco cornbread bake. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Ground beef: the base of the casserole. Sub with ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or ground sausage if you prefer an alternate protein.
- Taco seasoning mix: use a packet of seasoning for a shortcut, or make your own seasoning at home. Pick a reduced sodium variety if you’re sensitive to salt.
- Cheese: because every taco 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.
- Canned corn kernels: for little bits of whole sweet corn throughout the cornbread.
- Canned cream-style corn: a combination of whole kernel corn, as well as water, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
- Sour cream: for a moist, tender crumb and rich flavor.
- Eggs: give the cornbread crust structure.
- Jiffy Corn Muffin mix: the base of the topping, the sweet Jiffy cornbread mix includes the cornmeal, flour, leavening agent, and other ingredients that you’ll find in a classic cornbread recipe.
- Butter: adds rich flavor and keeps the topping moist and tender. We prefer the flavor of salted butter.
- Chopped green chiles and jalapeno pepper: give the cornbread zesty Mexican flavor. You can omit these if you prefer.
How to Make Taco Bake with Cornbread
This Mexican cornbread taco bake is packed with rich, zesty flavor. I’ve included detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick version:
- Cook the taco meat in a skillet.
- Pour the ground beef mixture into a baking dish and top with shredded cheese.
- Whisk together the cornbread topping.
- Spoon the cornbread batter on top of the casserole.
- Bake until the cornbread is set, about 50-55 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Here are a few Mexican-inspired sides that go well with this cornbread taco bake:
- A simple green salad, mixed greens with Dijon vinaigrette, or crispy iceberg lettuce with buttermilk dressing;
- Tortilla chips and salsa, pico de gallo, or guacamole;
- Corn and black bean salad;
- 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 more minutes, or until the cornbread crust is cooked through.
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.
- We use a Mexican cheese blend or sharp cheddar cheese, but Pepper Jack cheese, Monterey Jack, or other good melting cheeses will all work.
- Stir extra cheese into the cornbread topping, or sprinkle extra cheese over the top of the cornbread batter.
- To serve a larger family, double all of the ingredients and bake the casserole in a 9 x 13-inch dish.
Tips for the Best Taco Cornbread Casserole
- Baking Dish: You can use either a 2-quart or 3-quart casserole dish for this recipe. If you like a thicker cornbread layer on top, I recommend using the smaller pan. I’ve shown the Staub 10.5 x 7.5 inch baking dish here.
- Bring the sour cream and eggs to room temperature before stirring together the ingredients. This will help everything combine easily.
- Slightly cool the melted butter before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. This will prevent the hot butter from inadvertently scrambling the eggs.
- Check the Topping: Make sure that the cornbread is completely cooked through before you pull the dish from the oven. You don’t want to find uncooked cornbread batter in your casserole, so use a toothpick inserted in the very center of the casserole to determine if the topping is set. If the toothpick comes out clean, then you know that the cornbread is done.
- Tent with Foil: If your casserole starts to brown too much on top before it’s finished cooking, cover it loosely with foil.
- Garnish individual servings of this easy cornbread taco bake 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.
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
Jiffy Cornbread Taco Bake
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
An easy taco bake made with ground beef and a Jiffy cornbread crust!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef (or sub with ground turkey or ground chicken)
- 1 (1 ounce) packet taco seasoning mix, plus water or other ingredients called for on package
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend
- 1 (15.25 ounce) can corn kernels, drained
- 1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn
- 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles
- 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
- 4 tablespoons (½ of a stick) 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-quart baking dish (about 9-inch square or 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, stir together the corn kernels, cream-style corn, green chiles, jalapeno, 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 or with loose crumbs, but not wet with batter. 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
- Baking Dish: You can use either a 2-quart or 3-quart casserole dish for this recipe. If you like a thicker cornbread layer on top, I recommend using the smaller pan. I’ve shown the Staub 10.5 x 7.5 inch baking dish here.
- Bring the sour cream and eggs to room temperature before stirring together the ingredients. This will help everything combine easily.
- Slightly cool the melted butter before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. This will prevent the hot butter from inadvertently scrambling the eggs.
- Check the Topping: Make sure that the cornbread is completely cooked through before you pull the dish from the oven. You don’t want to find uncooked cornbread batter in your casserole, so use a toothpick inserted in the very center of the casserole to determine if the topping is set. If the toothpick comes out clean, then you know that the cornbread is done.
- Tent with Foil: If your casserole starts to brown too much on top before it’s finished cooking, cover it loosely with foil.
- Garnish individual servings of this easy cornbread taco bake 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.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/6 of the casseroleCalories: 594kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 29gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 1347mgPotassium: 569mgFiber: 5gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1200IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 204mgIron: 4mg
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!
Total fail! Would not cook through. The taste was there but stayed mushy in the middle. Wasted my money. Help. Pat.
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.