The BEST Cowboy Cornbread Casserole (Easy To Prep In 15 Minutes)

This cowboy cornbread casserole recipe is absolutely loaded with flavor. It combines sweet cornbread mix with seasoned ground beef, red beans, and shredded cheese to make a cheesy, savory, and hearty casserole dish that the whole family will love. And the best part is this cowboy cornbread casserole takes just 15 minutes to prepare!

The Best Cowboy Cornbread Casserole

I've been on quite the casserole kick lately, as you can tell by all of these casserole recipes. But, out of all of the casseroles I've made recently, this cowboy cornbread casserole might just be one of my favorites.

I mean, this cowboy cornbread casserole combines the perfect balance of flavors. It has a sweet cornbread batter that gets combined with a savory and seasoned blend of beans and ground beef. Then you add in tomatoes and sweet corn along with shredded Mexican cheese and bake it to golden brown perfection.

Honestly, what's not to love about that?

And, in addition to tasting incredible, this cowboy cornbread casserole also happens to be so, so easy to make. You basically just make the cornbread batter, cook the ground beef, combine those with the rest of your ingredients, and then bake the casserole in the oven. Pretty easy, right?

Plus, the whole thing comes together in an hour, and almost all of that time is spent baking in the oven! So while the casserole is baking, you'll have plenty of time to whip up some equally delicious sides like these Red Lobster brussels sprouts or some Chinese green beans.

Ingredients

The ingredient list for this cowboy cornbread casserole dish couldn't be simpler. In fact, you probably have most - if not all - of the ingredients you'll need in your kitchen already!

Anyway, here's what you'll need for this cowboy cornbread casserole:

• 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix (or any boxed cornbread mix)
• 1 egg
• ⅔ cup milk
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 cup Rotel Tomatoes
• 1 cup corn, drained
• 1 cup red beans, drained
• 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 2 tbsp. taco seasoning
• Green onions to serve

See, pretty simple, right?

By the way, if you're picking up some Jiffy cornbread mix from the store, make sure to grab some extra so you can make this tamale casserole or corn soufflé next!

Oh, and if you're looking for a cowboy casserole with tater tots, you have to check out this cowboy casserole recipe.

Ingredient Substitutions And Suggestions

Now, I think this cowboy cornbread casserole tastes perfect when made with the ingredients listed above. But with that said, there is definitely room to switch some things up and still have it turn out delicious.

Switch Up The Beans

This recipe calls for red beans, but if you don't have any - or if you don't feel like running to the store - then you can use any other kind of beans. Pinto beans, black beans, or even baked beans all work well in this recipe.

Use Creamed Corn

I like to use canned corn in this recipe because of the texture it adds to the dish, but you can use other types of corn instead. I've used creamed corn in this recipe, and it works pretty well. In fact, you could use a combination of creamed and frozen corn kernels if you still want the texture of whole corn in your casserole.

Serve Your Casserole With Toppings

I like to keep this casserole dish simple and just serve it as is with the cornbread mix, beef mixture, seasonings, and melted cheese. But if you think the dish is in need of additional toppings, then I recommend adding a dollop of sour cream, diced tomatoes, or extra cheddar cheese on top.

How To Make Cowboy Cornbread Casserole

Now onto the fun part, it's time to make the casserole!

Again, this cowboy cornbread casserole dish is super easy to make. I mean, the whole thing comes together in just 15 minutes, so what could be better than that?

Anyway, let's stop wasting time and get into the recipe.

Step 1: Prep Work

First things first, begin by preheating the oven to 390°F (200ºC).

Then, take out a large mixing bowl and add the cornbread mix to it along with the egg and milk. Now mix these three ingredients together until they combine to form a cornbread batter, and set it aside for later. 

Step 2: Assemble The Casserole

Once your cornbread mixture has been made, take out a large skillet, spray it with cooking spray, and put it over medium-high heat.  Let the skillet heat up for a minute, then add the ground beef to it and cook for a few minutes, breaking the beef apart until it's browned on all sides. Then you can drain the excess grease from the skillet, leaving the cooked ground beef in it.

Now add the taco seasoning, shredded cheese, Rotel tomatoes, beans, and corn to the skillet and allow the meat mixture to simmer for 5 minutes.

After your 5 minutes is up, add the cornbread batter to the ground beef mixture and stir to fully combine everything together. 

Step 3: Bake The Casserole

Now that the ground beef cornbread mixture is good to go, grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray - or you can line it with parchment paper - and pour the cornbread mix into the baking dish.

Then you'll want to cover the baking dish with tin foil and put it in the oven to bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Finally, serve your cowboy cornbread casserole with fresh green onions and sour cream, and enjoy!

How To Store Cowboy Cornbread Casserole

This recipe for cowboy cornbread casserole makes 8 servings, so you should have no problem feeding everyone. In fact, you may even end up with leftovers, and if you do, then you're in luck because this tastes just as good the next day. 

As for those leftovers, you can either cover the baking dish with a lid or store the leftovers in an airtight container. Stored this way, the leftover cowboy cornbread casserole will last in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Alternatively, if you want your leftovers to last longer, then you can store them in the freezer for up to 4 months. Just transfer the sliced, cooled cornbread to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag to store.

How To Reheat Cowboy Cornbread Casserole

When you're ready to enjoy this cowboy casserole again, you'll definitely want to reheat it first.

To best reheat your leftover casserole, I recommend putting the whole thing back into a casserole dish and warming it in an oven preheated to 350°F for about 10 minutes or until it's warmed through.

Now, if you're just trying to reheat a single slice, you can save some time and microwave your cornbread. I usually microwave my cowboy cornbread in 15-second intervals until it's fully reheated, and then top it off with a slab of butter.

Wrapping It Up

Well, that's how to make cowboy cornbread casserole!

This cowboy cornbread casserole is the perfect dinner or hearty side that will leave everyone asking for more. It has the perfect balance of sweet cornbread mix and savory ground beef, with delicious flavors and cheesy goodness throughout. 

Honestly, I know I'm biased, but I really think this is the best cowboy cornbread casserole recipe out there. But don't take my word for it, you'll have to try it for yourself and see if you agree.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this cowboy cornbread casserole as much as my family and friends do. If you give this recipe a try, be sure to leave a comment below and let me know how it went.

More Casserole Recipes

If you love making casserole recipes, then we have plenty more on the blog for you to try next!

Here are some of our favorite easy casseroles:

• Chile relleno casserole
• Sloppy Joe casserole
• Reuben casserole
• Buffalo chicken casserole
• Chicken hashbrown casserole

Oh, and as always, make sure to check us out on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! We post new recipes on them every day.

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