Description
A hearty Tex‑Mex casserole: chili‑seasoned ground beef with beans and corn, baked under a cheesy cornbread crust.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef (lean)
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1–2 jalapeño peppers, diced (optional)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups salsa or crushed fire‑roasted tomatoes
- 1 10 oz can enchilada sauce
- 1 15 oz can black or pinto beans, drained
- 1 15 oz can corn, drained
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all‑purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt (for topping)
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup milk (or sour cream/Yogurt)
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 2–4 oz shredded Cheddar (or Colby/Jack)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C).
- In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with onion and jalapeño until no pink remains. Drain excess fat.
- Add garlic (if using), chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper; stir until fragrant.
- Stir in salsa or tomatoes, enchilada sauce, beans and corn; heat through.
- Transfer filling to a greased 9×13‑inch baking dish.
- In a bowl, whisk dry topping ingredients (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt). In another bowl, mix eggs, milk (or yogurt), oil. Combine wet and dry until just mixed.
- Pour cornbread batter evenly over filling; sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
- Bake for approx. 30–60 min (until crust is golden and firm and filling bubbles). Let rest 5–10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use Jiffy cornbread mix instead of scratch topping to simplify.
- Use ground turkey or chicken for lighter variation.
- Add sliced jalapeños on top before baking for extra heat.
- Freeze meat layer; add topping only when baking later.
- Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, cilantro, avocado or tortilla chips.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ≈1 slice (of 8–10)
- Calories: 282 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 933 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 56 mg
