Cornbread Cowboy Casserole
This cornbread cowboy casserole is savory and a little sweet, with ground beef and baked beans under a golden cornbread topping. Everything cooks in one cast iron skillet that goes straight from the stove to the oven. Make it on a busy school night or bring it to a tailgate. It freezes well, too. It takes 40 minutes and serves 8.
Confession. I didn’t grow up making casseroles.
My husband, on the other hand, loves a casserole. So I set out to make a hearty one I knew he’d like. We cook with cast iron skillets a lot around here, so it had to work in a skillet, too.
His favorite casserole topping is tater tots. We were out of tater tots. (Of course we were.)
Cornbread is a close second, so cornbread it was.
It’s the dinner you want on a busy night when you’re feeding your family, or a crowd of teenage boys like I used to.
More Ground Beef Casseroles for Busy Nights
- Chili Dog Casserole – chili dogs baked under a cornbread topping
- Grandma’s Ground Beef Casserole – an old school ground beef casserole
- Big Boy Casserole – a big, hearty ground beef dinner
- Mexican Trash Casserole – a Tex-Mex casserole with seasoned beef
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Ground Beef – I like lean ground beef, but regular hamburger meat or ground sirloin works. Ground turkey works too if you want to lighten it up a bit.
Baked Beans – Use your favorite brand, and don’t drain them. Pinto beans, black beans, or undrained ranch style beans work too. After testing it a few times, the ranch beans were my son’s favorite.
BBQ Sauce – Use your favorite brand. I like a Carolina mustard sauce, or make my homemade BBQ sauce.
Cornbread Mix – I use 2 boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix. Any brand works, or use your own homemade cornbread mix.
Cheese – A Mexican cheese blend or sharp cheddar.
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How To Make Cornbread Cowboy Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large oven safe skillet, cook the ground beef and onion over medium heat until the onion is soft and the beef is no longer pink. Drain the extra fat.
- Stir in the baked beans, corn, BBQ sauce, mustard, brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin.
- Spread it into an even layer, then top with the shredded cheese and bacon.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the milk and eggs together. Stir in the cornbread mix just until it’s combined. Pour the cornbread batter over the top and spread it into an even layer.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick in the cornbread comes out clean. Let it rest 3 to 5 minutes before slicing.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How To Store and Freeze Cornbread Cowboy Casserole
Fridge: Let it cool to room temperature. Then move it to an airtight container or cover the skillet tightly with foil. It keeps up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm it in the microwave or the oven until it’s heated through.
Freezer: Freeze the cooked casserole in a freezer safe dish for up to 3 months.
Crock Pot Cowboy Cornbread Casserole (Untested)
I haven’t made this one in the slow cooker, so think of it as a starting point, not a tested recipe. Brown the beef and onion first, then spread it in the crock pot and add everything except the cheese and the cornbread.
Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours. Sprinkle the cheese on top, spread the cornbread batter over it, and cook on high for about 30 minutes, until the cornbread is cooked through. Check it as you go.
Variations
Taco Seasoning Swap – Skip the individual spices and use taco seasoning or fajita seasoning instead.
Tomato Swap – Use a can of Rotel, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, or tomato paste in place of the BBQ sauce.
More Heat – Add a sprinkle of cayenne or a dash of chili powder.
Extra Veggies – Stir in bell peppers or black beans with the corn.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s a one skillet dinner of ground beef, baked beans, and corn in a sweet barbecue sauce, baked under a Jiffy cornbread topping. Think of it as the cowboy version of shepherd’s pie.
Right before the cornbread. Spread the beef and bean mixture in the skillet, top it with the shredded cheese and chopped bacon, and then pour the cornbread batter over everything.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use an oven safe skillet so dinner goes from the stove to the oven in one pan. If you’d rather bake it in a casserole dish, spray the dish and move the beef mixture over before you add the cheese.
- Drain the fat after browning the beef, or the cornbread can get soggy on the bottom.
- Stir the cornbread batter only until the dry mix disappears.
- Give it the full 3 to 5 minute rest before you slice so the juices don’t run out.
- Pile on sour cream, green onions, chopped parsley, or cilantro, plus another handful of cheddar right out of the oven.
Round Up More Cowboy Recipes
- Cowboy Caviar – a bean and corn dip to scoop with chips
- Cowboy Soup – a ground beef soup loaded with beans, corn, and potatoes
- Cowboy Sliders – spicy sliders brushed with cowboy butter
- French Fry Casserole – a ground beef casserole with french fries on top
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please leave us a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ five-star review in the comment section below. Thanks!
Cornbread Cowboy Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon cooked, chopped
- 24 ounces ground beef lean
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 16 ounces baked beans not drained, I love Ranch beans for this
- 1 cups frozen corn
- ½ cup bbq sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 17 ounces Jiffy cornbread mix (2) 8.5 ounce boxes
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ⅔ cup milk
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- In a large (oven safe) skillet cook the ground beef and onion over medium heat until the onion is soft and the ground beef is no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
- Add the baked beans, corn, bbq sauce, mustard, brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Stir to combine. Top with shredded cheese and bacon.
- In a medium bowl, combine the milk and eggs. Whisk to beat the eggs and mix with milk.
- Add in the cornbread mixture, stirring just until incorporated.
- Pour the cornbread mixture over the top of the meat mixture and spread into an even layer.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the cornbread is done. (Check with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean)
- Let the casserole rest 3-5 minutes before slicing so the juices don’t run out.
- Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Pan: A 12 inch oven safe skillet. For a 9×13 dish, grease it and move the beef mixture in before the cheese goes on.
- Swaps: Taco or fajita seasoning for the individual spices. Bell peppers or black beans can go in with the corn.
- Toppings: Chopped parsley, green onions, cilantro, sour cream, or pico de gallo.
- Leftovers: Up to 4 days in the fridge. Freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
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