Cornbread Cowboy Casserole
Hearty, cheesy, and downright delicious, this Cowboy Cornbread Casserole is the ultimate comfort food! Layers of savory beef, beans, melty cheese, and golden cornbread come together in one dish. Perfect for family dinners or potlucks—this easy recipe is a crowd-pleaser every time!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Cowboy Beans
- 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion diced (approximately 1 cup)
- 1 green bell pepper diced (approximately 1 cup)
- ½ teaspoon EACH: garlic powder and onion powder
- Salt as needed
- 10 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1 can 28 ounces kidney beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 10 oz. can Rotel drained
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Cornbread
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup whole milk room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup mild cheddar cheese shredded
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Cook the Cowboy Beans: Heat a large (12-inch ) oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, diced onion, green bell pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned and fully cooked.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and drain any excess grease.
- Stir in the cooked bacon crumbles, beans, Rotel, barbecue sauce, and Dijon mustard. Mix everything until well combined.
- Make the Cornbread Topping: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, eggs, and melted butter until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold in the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Assemble and Bake: Carefully pour the cornbread batter over the bean mixture in the skillet, spreading it out evenly to cover the beans completely.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.
- Pro Tip: If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the bean mixture to a 9-13-inch baking dish before adding the cornbread topping.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, cover the casserole with foil and warm it in the oven at 350°F until heated through. For a quicker option, microwave individual portions.
Nutrition
Calories: 602kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 1235mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g