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Mexican Cornbread with Ground Beef

Mexican Cornbread Skillet with Ground Beef Recipe

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 460
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb lean ground beef (90/10)
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained well
  • 1 cup corn kernels (frozen and thawed, or drained canned)
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • Sliced jalapeños
  • Fresh cilantro and sour cream for serving

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the meat is no longer pink and the onion softens, about 6 minutes. Drain off fat, then stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the buttermilk, melted butter, and egg, stirring just until combined.
  3. Off the heat, stir the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, tomatoes, and corn into the beef. Spread the mixture evenly. Pour the cornbread batter over the top and use a spatula to spread it to the edges. Sprinkle the cheese and dot with jalapeños.
  4. Bake until the cornbread is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the skillet rest 5 minutes, then slice, top with fresh cilantro and sour cream, and serve.

Notes

If you are not using a cast-iron skillet, grease a 9-inch square baking dish and add 5 minutes to the bake time. The cornbread batter is thick on purpose, so do not be tempted to thin it out or you will lose that soft, sturdy layer.