Mexican Cornbread Casserole
This Mexican cornbread casserole is an easy comfort food perfect for weeknight dinners. Sweet, savory, and loaded with meat and veggies, it’s ready in an hour and so easy to make!
Love cornbread? Try our jalapeno cheddar cornbread, healthy pumpkin cornbread, and maple cornbread, too.
Call us crazy, but we didn’t know what cornbread Mexican casserole was for years. Then, a friend shared the dish with us, and we fell in love. We knew we had to make our own!
So, we recreated the sweet, savory flavors using simple, “clean” ingredients. That means we don’t use oil or refined sugar, but the cornbread layer still tastes like the soft, sweet cornbread you know and love.
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Meat – We use ground turkey, but you can use ground beef, buffalo, or even venison, if preferred.
- Veggies – Onion and bell pepper add extra nutrients to the dish.
- Spices – Skip taco seasoning packets, and use ground chili powder, cumin powder, salt, and pepper for a savory flavor with lots of depth.
- Salsa – Use any salsa you like best.
- Cheese – Cheddar cheese is sprinkled on top for the ultimate comfort food dinner. Mexican blend cheese also tastes great!
- Optional Mix-Ins – We like to include corn and black beans for extra taste and texture.
- Cornmeal and Flour – This forms the base of the cornbread batter. We use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to keep this cornbread Mexican casserole recipe gluten-free.
- Sweetener – We use monk fruit sweetener to keep this recipe low in sugar, but coconut sugar also works.
- Milk – We use unsweetened almond milk to lighten the batter slightly, but any regular or non-dairy milk will work.
- Greek Yogurt – This creates a rich, tender cornbread batter that stays nice and moist.
- Eggs – These bind the cornbread, helping it hold its shape.
Tip: Make this recipe even easier by using a boxed mix like Jiffy cornbread mix or a corn muffin mix.
How to Make an Easy Mexican Cornbread Casserole Recipe with Meat
- Brown the meat mixture. Brown the turkey in a skillet with the onions and bell peppers. Stir in the seasonings along with the corn and black beans (if using).
2. Combine. Add the salsa and spinach, and cook to wilt the spinach.
3. Prepare the cornbread layer. Whisk all the cornbread ingredients in a bowl, and spread them in an even layer in a greased baking dish.
4. Layer. Spread the ground meat mixture over the cornbread.
5. Add. Sprinkle the top with cheese.
6. Bake. Transfer the dish to the oven, and bake until the cornbread is fluffy and golden. Top with Greek yogurt or sour cream, salsa, diced tomatoes, olives, avocado, pico de gallo, or guacamole, and enjoy warm!
Common Questions
We serve this Mexican cornbread with meat as a main course, finding it plenty filling on its own. However, you can never go wrong with a side of refried beans, Mexican rice, or tortilla chips and salsa!
Once cool, transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
More Tex-Mex Recipes
Mexican Cornbread Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9×13 pan
Ingredients
Meat Mixture
- 1 pound ground turkey, beef, buffalo, or venison
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 cups baby spinach
- Optional Add-Ins: 1 cup of corn and 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Cornbread Mixture
- 3/4 cup cornmeal
- 3/4 cup gluten-free flour blend
- 1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plain unsweetened almond milk
- 2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 1 egg
Topping
- 1 cup shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Meat Mixture
- Brown the ground turkey with diced onion and bell pepper. Once browned, mix in the chili powder, cumin, salt and black pepper. If using, add in the corn and black beans now.1 pound ground turkey, beef, buffalo, or venison, 1 onion, diced, 1 bell pepper, diced, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, Optional Add-Ins: 1 cup of corn and 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- Stir in the salsa and baby spinach. Cook over low heat until the spinach is wilted. Set aside1 cup salsa, 2 cups baby spinach
Cornbread Mixture
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add all the cornbread ingredients. Mi until combined. Pour the batter into the greased 9×13 baking dish.3/4 cup cornmeal, 3/4 cup gluten-free flour blend, 1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup plain unsweetened almond milk, 2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, 1 egg, 1 cup shredded cheese
Assemble Casserole
- Top the cornbread batter with the meat mixture and spread evenly. Sprinkle the top with the shredded cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese in melted and cornbread is baked. If desired, top with plain Greek yogurt, salsa, olives, or avocado when serving.
- Store leftover casserole in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you enjoy this Mexican Cornbread Casserole Recipe? We’d love it if you left a rating and review to let us know, and don’t forget to tag us in your recreations on Instagram!
Hello Sammi,
Thank you for linking up at our Home Matters Party!
I am so glad you shared this recipe! It looks wonderful!
Have a lovely day,
Randi 🙂
#HomeMattersParty
Thanks Randi! Blessings!
Sammi, I “healthify” everything, too! This looks wonderful! We love eating casseroles like this.
Jean, we are two peas in a pod! I just know you all will love this one 🙂 Blessings to you!
I love Mexican food and cornbread so this recipe is a no-brainer for me. Can’t wait to try it out. Thank you for sharing at the Snickerdoodle Create Bake Make link party!
I am so excited for you to try this then, Sharon! Enjoy every last bite 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and Happy Fall!
Sounds fantastic!
Thanks
Michelle
This would be a great way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey!
Totally! Great idea…I only wish I would have thought of it myself. Ha!
Mmmmm… This sounds wonderful! Thank you for the recipe! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
‘Visiting from the Family Joy Link Party!
I’ve never heard of a cornbread casserole before! I will be trying this one though 🙂
Thank you for linking up at the Talented Tuesday Link Party! I hope you join us again tomorrow 🙂
I hope you love it as much as we do!
Hi ladies!
Thanks for linking up with us on Momma Told Me. This recipe looks so good. I will put it on my list of things to try!
~Jen
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, Jen! Can’t wait to chat soon 🙂
Thanks so much for coming and linking up with us over at the #HomeMattersParty – we hope to see you again next week! Feel free to bring a friend! 🙂
Okay, this looks delicious! And as I always say, if it’s gluten-free, it’s for me!
Looks delicious!
I only had cornbread for the first time last year. Cornbread casserole a new one for me. Look great though. Julie
Thank you for linking up with #wordlesswednesday
co-host – http://www.julieinthemaking.com/
Cornbread can be a bit dry, but when you combine it with all the meat and veggies it is moist and delicious. Thanks for stopping by Julie and for providing us with a great link up opportunity each Wednesday.
Nothing like a hearty casserole for cold winter days. I love this. Found you over at Two Cup Tuesday. I’d love it if you would link this to my Tuesday recipe link party, Tickle My Tastebuds.
Cheers!
I just made this recipe and it was so yummy!!! Would recommend it!!! It was a hit in our house!!!
any idea calories Sammi??
Hi Liz! There are about 2000 calories total. We were able to get 9 servings from the pan so about 225 calories/piece. I topped mine with some plain Greek yogurt and salsa which made it about 300 calories total! I hope you enjoy this meal as much as we do 🙂