Cornbread Cowboy Casserole

Finished serving of cornbread casserole, cowboy casserole in a white plate with the baking dish remainder in the background.

When you need to feed a crowd, this cornbread cowboy casserole is the answer. Seasoned ground beef, kidney beans, and corn come together under a golden cornbread crust for a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs dinner that everyone at the table will love!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Cornbread Casserole, Cornbread Casserole Recipe, Cowboy Casserole, Cowboy Casserole Recipe, Ground Beef Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 40

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 660kcal

Ingredients

Ground Beef Filling

2 pounds ground beef
2 cups corn frozen, or canned and drained
2 cups kidney beans cooked and drained
2 cups salsa
1 ounce taco seasoning
½ cup water
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
2 cups shredded cheese

Cornbread Topping

1 package cornbread mix 14-16 oz
¾ cup milk
½ cup sour cream

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then drain off any excess grease.
Into the prepped baking dish, add the browned meat, corn, kidney beans, salsa, taco seasoning, water, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir until everything is well combined.
Top with shredded cheese, and set aside while you make the cornbread.
In a medium bowl, combine the cornbread mix, milk, and sour cream. Mix until you have a thick batter, then spoon it evenly over the beef and cheese layer.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the topping is cooked through and golden brown. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to five days, or freeze for up to three months.

Notes

Ingredients

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that almost all of the ingredients are shelf-stable. You can even can your own corn, dry beans, and ground beef to make it even easier and more cost-effective!

Ground Beef – We like to use ground brisket for an extra rich flavor! You can use fresh ground beef or canned in this recipe.
Corn – Fresh, frozen, or canned all work well! I like to keep home-canned corn on the shelf, so that’s what I use most often!
Kidney Beans – You can use whatever type of beans you want, but I like the kidney bean texture and flavor best in this recipe. Having a few jars of home-canned beans will make this recipe even easier (and cheaper!).
Salsa – Use home-canned or store-bought and whatever level of spice you prefer! The dish is a bit spicy with the amount of taco seasoning used, so just keep that in mind!
Taco Seasoning – Homemade taco seasoning or store-bought both work perfectly!
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder – The trifecta of perfect seasonings!
Shredded Cheese – We prefer a nice sharp cheddar, but use what you prefer.
Cornbread Mix – Organic cornbread mix is available at most grocery stores, but you can also just use the dry ingredients from my cornbread recipe here to make your own!
Milk – Any type of milk will work here!
Sour Cream – I like to get a big container of sour cream to top this recipe with when serving, so it won’t go to waste!

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