Cowboy Cornbread Casserole

Cowboy Cornbread Casserole is an easy ground beef casserole recipe that is quick and easy and great to have on hand when feeding a crowd. This layered dish has a sweet and spicy meat layer covered with a cheesy cornbread layer that makes a hearty meal the whole family will love.

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why you'll love it
• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• 🥄 Equipment
• 🥫Storage
• 📖 Variations
• 💭 Tips
• 📚 Related Recipes
• 🍽 Serve with...
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

❤️ Why you'll love it

• It's made with simple ingredients that even the picky eater in the family will be willing to eat
• This easy dish makes a hearty main dish that is under 500 calories per serving and will feed 8 to 10 hungry people
• It's a cowboy dinner that is an upscaled version of shepherd's pie
• This casserole is a great way to do meal prep and make freezer meals for quick weeknight dinners.

🥘 Ingredients

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Lean ground beef: I like to use 90/10 for this recipe to keep the fat counts lower

Onion: an aromatic that adds flavor

Red bell pepper: adds color and sweetness to the dish

Jalapeno: adds a spicy heat to the dish, adjust to your own tolerance (or leave it out if you wish)

Garlic: I like to use fresh garlic cloves, but jarred minced garlic works here also

Salt: added to taste to enhance flavors

Barbecue sauce: my families all time favorite is Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce and that is what I used in this recipe

Canned black beans: or use what you have on hand, pinto beans or red kidney beans are a good choice

Canned corn: or use 1-½ cups thawed frozen corn

Gochujang paste: I highly recommend using this! You don't have to but this fermented Korean chili paste adds a ton of flavor to the dish.

Jiffy corn muffin mix: there are several types of this cornbread mix out there, I used the honey cornbread mix

Large eggs

Milk: use whatever you have on hand. I had whole milk and that is what I used.

Shredded cheddar cheese: buy the brick cheese and shred it yourself, it is so much better!

🔪 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, onion, peppers, garlic, and salt for 7 minutes, until beef has browned and vegetables are softened.
3. Stir in the barbecue sauce, then add the barbecue sauce, guochuang paste (if using), corn, and black beans.
4. Pour meat mixture to the bottom of the prepared baking dish and evenly spread it out to cover the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornbread mix, egg, and milk until combined. Stir in the shredded cheese.
6. Pour the cornbread mixture over top of the meat mixture and using the back of a large spoon, spread the cornbread mixture over the meat layer.
7. Bake casserole for 50 minutes, or until cornbread topping is baked through and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread topping comes out clean.

🥄 Equipment

Casserole dish

Large skillet

Wooden spoon

🥫Storage

Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days or in the freezer up to 3 months.

To reheat from frozen state, place casserole in the microwave and heat at 50% power for 7 minutes. Remove, stir, and return to the microwave on high for 3 minutes, or until casserole is hot.

📖 Variations

• Substitute a can of Rotel tomatoes with a tablespoon of taco seasoning for the bbq sauce
• Use frozen mixed veggies in place of the corn.
• Substitute lean ground turkey or venison in place of the beef.

💭 Tips

• To rinse the beans, pour the can of beans icolanderlendar and rinse them off with cold water. This removes any of the mucky starch that has settled on the beans.

📚 Related Recipes

Everyone loves this Big Mac Casserole

This Easy Ham and Noodle Casserole is perfect with leftover ham, but you can also use chicken or turkey

I love this fresh and comforting Green Bean Soup

🍽 Serve with...

Serve this Cowboy Cornbread casserole with a green salad, roasted broccoli or asparagus.

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📖 Recipe