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Cozy Cornbread Taco Bake

cozy cornbread taco bake - featured image
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A warm, cheesy, and savory layered taco bake topped with golden cornbread, perfect for easy weeknight dinners and cozy meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey for a lighter option)
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 packet taco seasoning (or homemade blend of chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper)
  • 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained (optional)
  • 1 cup cornmeal (yellow preferred)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (or almond flour for gluten-free)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk (or dairy-free alternative like oat milk)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese
  • Optional: sliced jalapeños or diced green chilies for extra kick

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef until no pink remains, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
  3. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the beef. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onion is translucent and fragrant.
  4. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning and stir to coat the meat evenly.
  5. Pour in the diced tomatoes with green chilies and add black beans if using. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
  6. In a mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  7. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with milk and melted butter.
  8. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix; lumps are okay.
  9. Spread half of the taco meat mixture evenly in the bottom of a greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
  10. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese over the meat.
  11. Pour the entire cornbread batter over the cheese layer, spreading gently to cover it.
  12. Top with the remaining taco meat and then finish with the rest of the shredded cheese.
  13. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  14. Let the bake rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

If cornbread browns too fast but is undercooked in the middle, tent loosely with foil and continue baking. For a crispier top, broil for last 2-3 minutes watching closely. Let rest before slicing to set layers. Batter should be pourable but not runny. Can be made ahead and reheated. Freezes well for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: cornbread, taco bake, cheesy, comfort food, easy dinner, weeknight meal, ground beef, layered casserole

Find it online: https://bouncybowl.com/cozy-cornbread-taco-bake-recipe-easy-cheesy-savory-layers/