Description
Cornbread Cowboy Casserole is a hearty and comforting one-pan meal featuring a flavorful chili base made with lean ground beef, black beans, tomatoes, and spices, topped with a cheesy cornbread crust baked to golden perfection. Ideal for feeding a family or guests, this dish combines robust southwestern flavors with satisfying textures for an easy, crowd-pleasing dinner.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Meat and Chili Mixture
- 1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
- 1 lb. 90/10 lean ground beef
- 1 medium-size (8 oz.) yellow onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp. minced garlic (from 3 large garlic cloves)
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 3/4 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup frozen corn (from 1 [10-oz.] pkg.)
For the Cornbread Topping
- 2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix (such as Martha White)
- 1 1/3 cups whole milk
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (remaining from total 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp.)
- 8 oz. pepper Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
Instructions
- Cook beef and onion: Preheat your oven to 450°F. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, chopped onion, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned and the onions have softened, about 6 minutes.
- Add seasonings: Stir in the tomato paste, minced garlic, chili powder, and ground cumin. Cook while stirring frequently, allowing the spices to become fragrant and fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Add stock, beans, and tomatoes: Pour in the chicken stock, add the rinsed black beans, and undrained diced tomatoes. Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Cook chili mixture and add corn: Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid slightly thickens and reduces, about 5 minutes. Stir in the frozen corn, then remove the skillet from heat.
- Make cornbread mixture: In a separate bowl, whisk together the self-rising cornmeal mix, whole milk, beaten egg, and the remaining 1/4 cup vegetable oil until smooth and well combined.
- Sprinkle cheese on chili: Evenly sprinkle the shredded pepper Jack cheese over the meat and chili mixture in the skillet.
- Add cornbread mixture to casserole: Pour the prepared cornbread batter evenly over the cheese-topped chili mixture in the skillet.
- Bake: Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake until the cornbread topping is golden brown and cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Use a cast-iron skillet for best results, as it transfers well from stovetop to oven.
- Adjust chili powder to your preferred spice level.
- For a richer flavor, consider substituting chicken stock with beef stock.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven to maintain texture.
- Self-rising cornmeal mix already contains leavening agents; do not substitute with plain cornmeal unless you add baking powder and salt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of casserole
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 860mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
