This Cornbread Taco Bake is exactly what you need for taco Tuesdays and quick, easy, budget-friendly homemade meals!
Why You’ll Love a Cornbread Taco Bake
This bake is gluten free and great for the whole family (serves 4) or freezing to eat the rest by yourself later. Plus, it’s made in under an hour! It’s easily customizable making it great for picky eaters, food allergies, and/or those who would like to choose more budget-friendly ingredients.
Ingredients & Variations
Dietary restrictions: this corn bread taco pizza bake is suitable for a gluten free diet and lentils can be made, seasoned, and substituted for the ground beef for a vegetarian option as well. For dairy free, shredded vegan cheese can be substituted (it’s actually really good without cheese as well) and almond or coconut milk can be used in the cornbread in place of dairy milk.
To make this healthier, opt for organic ingredients when affordable and available. However, there are other cheaper things you can also do to make it healthier in a more affordable way. To begin with, when working with cheese, always shred your own. Pre-shredded cheese contains additional anti-caking agents and other extra ingredients.
Additionally, the main ingredients to pay attention to in this recipe in terms of health are the taco sauce and seasonings. Make sure to find each without MSG; organic versions are preferable.
For affordability, if you don’t have taco seasoning on hand, you can substitute 1 tablespoon chili powder + 2 teaspoon cumin + cayenne pepper to taste + 2 tsp sea salt and skip the taco sauce. Some recommended taco sauce or seasoning options are linked to in the recipe below.
Additionally you may find that topping with lentils, black beans, or whatever ground meat is on sale (pork, chicken, or turkey) may be much more affordable than ground beef.
How to Make This Taco Bake with Cornbread
Cornbread is made according to the ingredients on the packaged and baked in a 9” round glass pie plate for 12-15 minutes. This typically is until fully cooked and like most items that are baked; until a toothpick entered in the center of the pan comes out clean.
Meanwhile, ground beef is sautéed and seasoned. It’s then spread over the baked cornbread, followed by the remaining ingredients, in the order listed, with the exception of the cilantro and taco sauce. Bake the cornbread taco pizza for an additional ten minutes to melt the cheese.
Preparation Tips
Topping is key to making this look and taste delicious! Prior to serving, fresh diced cilantro and green onions can be sprinkled on top of the pizza. Then taco sauce can be drizzled over top for additional Mexican flavor as well as an appealing fresh look. Slice like a pizza for even more fun.
Serving Suggestions
What’s tacos without margaritas? This bake is delicious served for Taco Tuesday with margaritas and/or Mexican soda. For sides or appetizer options, try serving with Spanish rice, cilantro rice, beans, salsa with chips, queso, guacamole, cilantro lime slaw, quinoa salad, Mexican salad, or black bean soup.
More Mexican Recipes
Try these Taco Tuesday favorites to complete the fun:
- Healthy Gluten Free Taco Dip (7 Layer Dip)
- Hot Honey Peach Margarita
- Easy Blackberry Basil Margarita
Here’s to quick, easy, budget-friendly homemade Taco Tuesdays and regaining our sparkle together,
✧❈✯✦Jenn✦✯❈✧
Cornbread Taco Bake
Ingredients
- 1 9-15 oz oz box gluten-free cornbread mix* (depending on preferred thickness of cornbread)
- Other ingredients on box typically milk, egg, oil
- 2/3 cup frozen organic corn thawed
- 1- pound organic grass-fed ground beef *you can also substitute lentils for a vegetarian version
- 1 serving taco seasoning
- 1 cup shredded cheese optional, omit for dairy-free
- ¼ cup sliced black olives
- ½ orange bell pepper chopped
- 1 diced tomato or ¼ halved grape tomatoes
- 1 small bunch cilantro chopped (optional)
- 2 green onions finely sliced (optional)
- Taco sauce optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and prepare cornbread mixture according to package. Mix in corn. Spray a 9” round pan* with non-stick spray, add mix, and bake for 12-15 minutes (or ten minutes less than listed on package directions)*.
- Sauté ground beef according to taco seasoning package. Remove from heat and mix in taco seasoning and a small amount of water. Simmer until thickened.
- Sprinkle ground beef and all other remaining ingredients (with the exception of cilantro, green onion, and taco sauce) on top of cornbread.
- Place pan back in the oven and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and cornbread has a very slightly browned edge.
- Remove from oven.
- Top with cilantro, green onions, and drizzle with taco sauce if desired.
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