Corn Bread Taco Bake
Indulge in a TexMex taco bake crowned with a golden cornbread topping, a hearty dish that is both easy to prepare and incredibly economical. This delightful bake features a savory meat filling infused with spicy vegetables and melted cheese, all nestled beneath a layer of comforting cornbread. Quick to whip up and budget-friendly, this recipe cleverly utilizes canned veggies, making it the perfect winter-friendly dish to warm your soul.
Equipment
- 1 Oven Proof Skillet Cast Iron, Carbon Steel,
Ingredients
Beef & Veggie Mixture
- 1-2 lbs lean ground beef
- 4-6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 med white or red onion, diced
- 1 can diced tomatoes and peppers (rotel style) lightly drained
- 1 14oz can Favorite Whole corn, (I like the Mexican style street corn)
- 1-2 med jalapeño peppers finely diced (optional)
- 1 large can diced green chili peppers
- 1-2 14 oz can black beans, drained
- 1/2 bunch cilantro (stems diced for meat mixture) tops reserved for serving
- 1 pkg favorite taco seasoning
- 1 1/2 cup grated Cheddar or Colby cheese, if you buy the block and grate it yourself it's cheaper and the cheese will melt better than the pre-grated.
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Cornbread
- 1-2 pkgs Jiffy Cornbread Mix
- 1/3 cup milk - Per Cornbread Package
- 1 egg Per Cornbread Package
Instructions
- Add ground beef and diced onion to large oven proof skillet (if you don't have an oven proof skillet you will transfer cooked mixture to baking dish before putting in oven) with head at medium break up the ground beef and cook till cooked through breaking up large chunks. While beef is cooking dice cilantro, peppers, and grate cheese.
- As soon as the beef is no longer pink, turn heat down to low and Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Open can of tomatoes (rotel style) drain off about 1/2 the liquid and add to meat, stir. Open green chilis and add to meat. Open corn, if using unseasoned corn drain then add to beef, don't drain seasoned corn. Rinse canned beans and add to the mixture. Add diced peppers, and cilantro stems. Add taco seasoning stir, taste for salt but don't add too much, (cheese can be a little salty)
- Top beef mixture with cheese and remove from heat.
- Mix cornbread mix according to directions on the box. Then in large spoonfuls top the beef mixture with the cornbread and carefully spread into an even layer covering the beef.
- Place taco bake in the oven and bake for 20-25 min. till top is golden brown and toothpick inserted into the center of just the cornbread comes out clean with no dough streaks.
- Serve with favorite taco toppings and reserved cilantro
