Southwestern Casserole with a Sweet Corn Crust

This Southwestern Casserole with a Sweet Corn Crust makes a filling one dish meal and it’s packed with vibrant colors and flavor to boot. Serve it with your favorite taco toppings and it’s a homemade fiesta at your own kitchen table.

Easy Southwestern Casserole with a Sweet Corn Crust Recipe

Who doesn’t like a casserole, right?  We all have those days when we have to be creative with what we have on hand. I originally shared this recipe in the early days of my website, and wanted to bring it forward as we still enjoy this dish today. This easy casserole combines Southwestern flavors with a sweet cornbread topping. It’s reminiscent of a classic Mexican tamale with ingredients that are pantry shelf items. Combined with fresh toppings, it completes this one dish meal. How to make Southwestern Casserole with Sweet Corn Crust: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

• Prepare Dish – Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an 11×7 inch baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
• Ground Beef – Drizzle a large skillet with olive oil. Cook the ground beef and onion over medium-high heat until no pink remains. Add garlic cooking for 1 minute. Drain any excess fat from the pan.
• Mix-ins – To the skillet add tomatoes, taco seasoning, water and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to break down. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your taste.
• Cream Cheese – Add cream cheese and corn to the pan. Stir until cream cheese is completely melted and mixed through. Remove from heat.
• Sweet Corn Crust Stir together the muffin mix, 1/2 cup of buttermilk and 1/2 cup of cream style corn. Add green chilies, if using. (Cook’s note: You may add 1/2 of reserved cheese to batter, if preferred)
• Assemble Casserole – Pour the ground beef mixture into dish and sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese. Spread corn bread batter evenly over beef mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake – Bake per the recipe until a toothpick inserted into the corn crust comes out clean.
• Serve immediately with sour cream, lettuce, chopped tomatoes or any of your favorite taco toppings.

How to Make the Best Southwestern Casserole with a Sweet Corn Crust Recipe

• Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Southwestern Casserole with Sweet Corn Crust: Ground beef, diced onion, olive oil, garlic, diced tomatoes i.e. chili ready or Rotel tomatoes or similar, taco seasoning, worcestershire sauce, beef broth, chive and onion cream cheese, shredded colby jack cheese.
• Ingredients to make the sweet cornbread crust: Cornbread and muffin mix, cream style corn, buttermilk and chopped green chiles.
• Kitchen gadgets you’ll need: An 11 x 7 inch baking dish, mixing bowl, skillet, sharp knife and cutting board, measuring cups and spoons, a cheese grater, large spoon or silicone spatula and can opener.
• I prepared this casserole in an 11 x 7 inch 2 quart baking dish, which made the sweet corn crust a bit thinner. If your family enjoys a thicker crust, use an 8 x 8 baking dish instead.
• In keeping with the Southwestern flavors, you may also like to add black beans to this casserole.  One cup of fully cooked rinsed black beans will add more flavor plus stretch the dish a bit further.
• You can add an extra 1/2 cup of the cheese to the cornbread batter, if you like.
• Cilantro is one of those herbs people either love or hate. We’re in the love category so, I usually toss some into any dish with these flavors. I didn’t include it as an ingredient but, please add some if you love it, too.
• Store leftover Southwestern casserole chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in single servings in the microwave.

More Southern Style Casserole Recipes to Make

There’s nothing like a family filling casserole for supper. It’s the kind of dish that rotates through my kitchen year-round. More delicious casserole recipes you may like to try:

• Classic and easy Chicken and Rice Casserole. 
• Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole with a crunchy potato chip topping.
• Easy Broccoli Casserole is fitting for family dinners and holiday parties.
• Homemade Tuna Noodle Casserole is a retro casserole that won’t break the bank.
• Skillet Cowboy Rice Casserole will bring the heat to meal time.
• Mexican Pinto Bean Casserole from Love Bakes Good Cakes.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• 13 x 9 inch Dish
• Cheese Grater
• Spatula
• Chopping Board and Knives