Jiffy Mexican Cornbread Tamale Pie Recipe

Jiffy cornbread tamale pie is a super easy recipe, packed with flavor and a filling meal to make for the whole family.

The easy tamale pie recipe is perfect for those busy weeknights when you want to make a simple but delicious meal for the family.

Mexican Cornbread Casserole Recipe

Jiffy cornbread tamale pie on a white plate with a fork

Looking for an easy and delicious Mexican-inspired recipe? This Jiffy Mexican cornbread is perfect! It’s made with ground beef, cornbread mix, and enchilada sauce, so it’s flavorful and satisfying. Plus, it’s quick and easy to make, so you can have a delicious meal on the table in no time. Give it a try tonight!

Delicious Ingredients

Delicious ingredients, including ground beef, melted cheese, and flavorful seasonings, make up the bottom portion of the cornbread recipe. It’s topped with Jiffy cornbread layer, creamed corn, and sour cream, all mixed together to make a filling and delicious dinner. 

Try some (Arroz Mexicano) Mexican rice on the side of the hearty dish.

Jiffy cornbread tamale pie on a white plate next to a pan of it.

Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

I’ve been on a bit of a Jiffy cornbread kick lately and that’s because it just tastes so good, and you can make so many different dishes with it for a super low price. Jiffy cornbread tamale pie is a great dinner for the family because it will feed quite a few people, and if you’re like us with growing boys, you know how much they can eat. 

We eat a lot of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix because it’s so budget-friendly and can be used in so many dishes, from pancakes to moist cornbread or ground beef casserole. It’s a great cornbread base for your main dish.

If you love cornbread, give Jiffy corn pudding with creamed and whole-kernel corn. It’s the best thing.

What Ingredients Do I Need To Make Tamale Pie With Cornbread Topping?

(Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card)

For the beef mixture:

  • Ground Beef
  • Green chiles
  • Red enchilada sauce
  • Dried minced onion
  • Chili powder
  • Garlic salt
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Sour cream

For the cornbread topping:

A fork filled with Jiffy cornbread tamale pie

How To Make The Mexican Cornbread Recipe With Ground Beef And Jiffy

  1. Cook beef in a skillet until brown. Drain the grease and add to a large heat-safe bowl.
  2. Add the green chiles, enchilada sauce, minced onion, chili powder, and garlic salt and mix well.
  3. Next, add the sour cream and shredded cheese to the meat mixture and mix well.
  4. Pour into a casserole dish.
  5. Next, add the boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix, egg, milk, vegetable oil, sour cream, and cream corn to a large bowl and mix well.
  6. Spread over the top of the meat mixture and bake for 50 minutes until the top is golden brown and the cake tester comes out clean.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Ground Beef Mixture

Ground beef cooking in a cast iron skillet.

Start by adding the ground beef to a large skillet and cooking on medium heat until brown. Drain the grease. 

If you want to make the meal less fattening, you can use ground turkey instead of beef.

Or, you can opt for shredded chicken. A chicken tamale pie is just as delicious.

You can grab a rotisserie chicken down at the store and shred it to add to the dish if you prefer chicken.

Fresh Market has a great selection of rotisserie chickens.

Having different options like this is a great way to change up the recipe.

Ground beef with green chiles in a glass bowl

Next, add the ground beef to a large mixing bowl. Drain the juice off of the green chiles and add them to the bowl.

Pouring the red enchilada sauce over the ground beef in a glass bowl.

Pour the red enchilada sauce into the bowl with the beef and chiles.

For this recipe you can pick your favorite enchilada sauce.

Ground beef, enchilada sauce, garlic, chiles, and minced onion in a large glass bowl.

Add the garlic salt and minced onion.

I used dried minced onion for this recipe simply because it’s easier, but it’s still just as flavorful.

You can dice some fresh onions for this dish if you’d like to do that, as well.

Ground beef, tamales, and seasonings for Jiffy Cornbread Tamale Pie

Next, add the chili powder to the bowl with the other ingredients.

Adding sour cream to the glass bowl with ground beef and seasonings for tamale pie.

Sour cream is next on the list to add to the mixture.

That dollop of sour cream is going to add quite a bit of moisture.

Shredded cheddar cheese sitting on top of a bowl of tamale pie ingredients.

Finally, add the shredded cheddar cheese to the bowl.

For this recipe, I chose sharp cheddar, but you’re welcome to choose any type of shredded cheese that you’d like because they are all going to taste delicious.

Mexican cheese blend is a great choice, as well.

Adding ground beef tamale mixture to the bottom of a casserole dish

Spread the ground beef mixture into a greased casserole dish and set aside while you get the cornbread topping ready.

You can use a 9″ x 13″ dish or something just a tad smaller. I wouldn’t go as small as 9″ x 9″ because it will be too small once you add the cornbread mixture on top.

If you have a large cast iron skillet, you can bake the recipe in that, as well.

Jiffy Cornbread Ingredients for Topping

Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix and an egg in a glass bowl

Grab another bowl and add the Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix and an egg to the bowl.

I started out using one box of muffin mix but ended up adding another one, so the recipe calls for two boxes.

Pouring milk into a bowl with Jiffy Muffin Mix and egg.

Pour the milk into the bowl with the muffin mix and egg.

Pouring vegetable oil into a bowl with Jiffy Muffin Mix

Add the vegetable oil to the bowl.

This is a very moist cornbread recipe, and part of it is taken from my “How To Make Jiffy Cornbread More Moist” post, which has been wildly popular because it’s such an easy and delicious recipe.

There are a lot of different ingredients that go into this recipe that help make the cornbread topping so moist, including sour cream, vegetable oil, and egg.

Cream corn in a glass bowl with Jiffy Muffin Mix

Next, add the cream-style corn to the bowl and mix everything together until well combined.

Cornbread on top of beef tamale pie in a casserole dish

Pour the Jiffy cornbread casserole mixture over the ground beef mixture and spread it out evenly to the edges of the pan.

Cornbread batter will be lumpy. If you try to mix it until all the lumps are gone, you might create some crumbly cornbread. So, lumpy Jiffy mix is good.

Baked cornbread on top of tamale pie in a casserole dish

Baking the Jiffy Cornbread Tamale Pie

Finally, bake the Jiffy cornbread tamale pie for approximately 50 minutes until the top is golden brown.

You can stick a cake tester or a knife through the top, and if it comes out clean, it should be finished cooking.

This is the perfect tamale pie recipe, and it’s a family favorite around here. And that cornbread layer is sooo good.

Jiffy cornbread muffin mix makes so many meals taste wonderful.

If you love Mexican-inspired recipes, give this Mexican ground beef casserole a try.

A fork filled with Jiffy cornbread tamale pie

Additional Extra Ingredient Options:

  • Black beans
  • Green onions
  • Diced green bell pepper
  • Diced jalapeño peppers to make it a spicy tamale pie
  • Kidney beans

How To Store Tamale Pie

If you have leftovers, you can store the meal in an airtight container or place some plastic wrap over the top and keep it in the refrigerator.

How Do You Reheat a Tamale Pie?

There are a couple of different ways to reheat tamale pie. You can place a piece on a microwave-safe dish, cover it with a paper towel, and heat it for about two minutes.

If you’d like to heat the delicious tamale pie in the oven, it is just a few simple steps. Heat to 350 degrees for about twenty minutes. If you are only reheating one piece, check after ten minutes to see if the pie is hot.

Tips and Variations

  1. Different Cornbread Base: For a twist, try making a sweet homemade cornbread crust or add layers of cornbread for a richer texture.
  2. Filling Variations: For the filling, mix ground chicken or chorizo with taco seasoning mix. You can also add a can of black beans for extra protein and fiber. In a medium bowl, blend the cooked meat with tomato sauce, green chilies, and bell peppers sautéed in olive oil. For those who love heat, adding hot sauce or more green chilis can kick up the spice level.
  3. Cheese and Toppings: Sprinkle layers of quesadilla cheese or pepper jack cheese within the tamale pie. After baking, top with a sprinkle of cheese or a container of queso for extra flavor. Add a dollop of sour cream on top.
  4. Serving: Serve the tamale pie hot (let it cool out of the oven for a few minutes) for the best flavor.
  5. Make-Ahead and Meal Prep: This is a great recipe for meal prep. Consider making a double batch and freezing individual portions for an easy dinner option later.
  6. Healthier Options: For those looking for healthy recipes, consider using lean meats like ground chicken or turkey and load up on vegetables. Using whole-grain cornbread mix can also add nutritional value.
  7. Variations for Different Occasions: You can adapt the Jiffy Tamale pie for different themes, like a Texas tamale pie, by adding specific regional ingredients or make a more traditional Mexican tamale casserole by using authentic Mexican cheeses and spices.

Recipe Card Below

If you’re looking for a hearty dinner any night of the week that your whole family will love, look no further than Jiffy cornbread tamale pie.

This recipe is packed with flavor and is so simple to make–you can have it on the dinner table in no time at all. So what are you waiting for? Get the recipe and start cooking!

Check out the Jiffy cornbread tamale pie recipe card below, grab those ingredients for the easy meal, and start baking! I love this recipe and I think you’ll love this one, too. 

Then, share your comments below and share a picture of your Jiffy cornbread casserole tamale pie on the Pinterest Pin!  If you made any changes or added something different, be sure to share it with us.

Jiffy cornbread tamale pie on a white plate with a fork

Jiffy Cornbread Tamale Pie

4.42 from 122 votes
Julie Pollitt
Jiffy cornbread tamale pie is a super easy meal to make for the family. Ground beef, melted cheese, and flavorful seasonings on the bottom, topped with Jiffy cornbread, creamed corn, and sour cream.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 664 kcal

Ingredients
  

Ground beef mixture

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 4 oz. green chiles
  • 10 oz. red enchilada sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. dried minced onion
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic salt
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup sour cream

Jiffy Cornbread Topping

  • 2 boxes Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 14.75 oz. can cream corn

Instructions
 

  • Ground Beef Mixture
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9" x 13" casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Be sure to spray the sides and bottom of the pan for easy clean-up.
  • Brown the ground beef.
  • Drain the grease off of the ground beef.
  • Add the ground beef, green chiles, enchilada sauce, minced onion, garlic salt, and chili powder to a large bowl.
  • Add the sour cream and shredded cheese and mix well.
  • Pour into the greased casserole dish.
  • Jiffy Cornbread Topping
  • In another bowl, add the two boxes of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, egg, milk, vegetable oil, sour cream, and cream corn and mix well.
  • Pour over the ground beef mixture and spread it out evenly over the top.
  • Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven or until the top is golden brown and the cake tester or knife comes out clean.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 664kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 34gFat: 45gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 155mgSodium: 1224mgFiber: 3gSugar: 12g
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4.42 from 122 votes (121 ratings without comment)

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39 Comments

  1. Mmmmm! This looks like my kind of dinner, flavorful and filling. I’m putting it on our menu!

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Thanks so much, Carlee!

  2. This was an excellent recipe. I made it tonight & my husband & I loved it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      You’re welcome and I’m so glad to hear your both loved it!

  3. Melinda G says:

    I made this tonight for dinner. I did make a couple of changes. I added a packet of taco seasoning to the ground beef and I added a can of pinto beans to the beef mixture. I also added more shredded cheese. I had to add some time as well (about 20 min). My husband loved this and told me to definitely make this dish again.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Thanks so much for sharing and those sound like great additions to the recipe! I’ll have to try them next time.

  4. Will this work with one box of cornbread?

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Devin,

      I haven’t made it with one box, but it’s probably possible. You would have to lower the amounts of some of the ingredients. I would use one egg, same amount of milk, and half of the sour cream, oil, and corn. Let me know how it goes.

  5. Oooh… no..no.,this was not great
    Followed recipe exactly
    Filling was mush flat tasting too much cheese made it a no for my family and unfortunately left overs tossed. Corn bread topping was good but sorry, cannot recommended and will not be making again

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Oh no! I am sorry to hear that, Margaret.

  6. SeattleGracie says:

    This was amazingly great and is plenty for me and my always hungry growing daughter. We will enjoy the leftovers for a few days. I did toss in a small can of crushed black olives because we had an extra can in the cupboard that I wanted to use.

    Turned out absolutely amazing for us and super simple and easy.

    I’m of course always on the hunt for those extra simple and easy recipes with few simple ingredients.

    We will make this from now on once in awhile.

    Thanks so much for sharing with us all.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      That’s so great to hear! Thanks for the tip with the black olives, I will do that next time. My hubby would love that.

  7. This was so good. My boyfriend gave it a 10 and his son (my hardest food critic) loved it and said I must make it again.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      That’s great to hear! Thanks for sharing that, Teri!

  8. I really love this recipe! I make two modifications – I sautée a chopped onion first in a large cast iron pan for 5 minutes then add in fresh garlic, a jalapeño, and then the beef (beyond beef works nice too when feeding non-meat eaters). Then, I mix and cook everything right in the cast iron. There’s one in the oven right now. Always so yummy!! Thanks for this recipe!

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing so we can try it, too!

  9. Any chance this could be made with a substitution for the red enchilada sauce – I don’t have any on hand and trying to think through another alternative.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Emily, you could try salsa, taco sauce, or some red sauce and add some spices in. I hope that helps!

  10. Deborah Griswold says:

    Can I cook this recipe in a crockpot?

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      I think it would work great in the Crock Pot. I would cook the meat before adding it to the Crock Pot. I am not sure on the time, though. But, I think it would do well in there.

  11. 5 stars
    Delicious and easy recipe. Added a few other seasonings to ground beef base but followed everything else to a tee and it was a household hit! Will definitely be making again.

  12. NickSteel says:

    Made this exactly as presented. It was well liked by the family. I do feel it could be improved by somehow altering the Jiffy mix to reduce the sweetness.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      You might be able to add a little more flour and cornmeal to bring the sweetness down a little. So glad you all liked it!

  13. Can you substitute sour cream with something else in the corn bread tamale pie recipe?

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Pam, you can use Greek yogurt instead.

    2. Jeannetta says:

      @Julie Pollitt, thank you for this tip! I’m not a fan of sour cream… My son, on the other hand, loves it and can add some when it’s on his plate!

      1. Julie Pollitt says:

        You’re welcome! Glad to help.

  14. Melissa Oakley says:

    Could you make ahead and put in the fridge? Then pull out and bake the next day?

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Melissa,

      If you wanted to make it ahead of time, I would just make the bottom ground beef part. Then, make the cornbread right before you put it in the oven.

  15. Tom Eastwood says:

    We went to dinner last night and a friend served this. It was soooo good.

    I can’t get it to print above. 🙀🤔😞

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Tom,

      Great to hear! Did you click on “Print” on the recipe card?

  16. Adele Aiken says:

    Does this casserole freeze well?

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      If you freeze it, I would add the cornbread right before cooking. Otherwise the cornbread might get soggy. Hope that helps!

  17. Michelle Bogart says:

    I made this tonight for my dad, son and me. Mom used to make one, but her recipe died with her and hers was likely the one from the Jiffy site. I fried the hamburger with some chopped onion, skipped the green chiles (my Dad has throat cancer and too much spice hurts him), mixed refried beans into the hamburger and used a 1/2 pouch of mild taco seasoning instead of the individual spices.

    The only other change was putting 1/2 the batter on the bottom like a crust and 1/2 on top. It felt pretty substantial going in the oven and we are looking forward to it!

    I think some other time I would like to add some diced potatoes to it. I bet that would be good.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      I hope you all loved it! Potatoes would be good. Mmm…

    2. Michelle Bogart says:

      @Julie Pollitt, We did all love it! It wasn’t too spicy and my son just added some of his acid producing hot sauce to his. lol Definitely another repeat recipe.

      1. Julie Pollitt says:

        Great to hear!

  18. Jennifer Britton says:

    I have a kiddo, whose favorite food is tamale pie and this one is our go to every time. Thanks so much for sharing. I keep the recipe handy we make it every couple months.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Jennifer, I am so glad you all like it!