Cheesy Rotel Taco Cornbread Cups
Cheesy Rotel Taco Cornbread cups are the perfect marriage of taco meat and the popular Rotel dip. This amazing filling is added to golden cornbread muffins that have been pressed down to create a cup.
Servings: 12 servinfa
Calories: 251kcal
Equipment
- 12 cup Regular Muffin Pan
- ¼ cup ice cream scoop
- 12-inch skillet with a lid
Ingredients
Cornbread Cups
- 1 cup (5.5 ounces, 156 grams) yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup (5 ounces, 142 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- 1 cup (8 ounces, 227 grams) buttermilk, room temperature (See Tips 1 and 2)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature (See Tip 2)
- ¼ cup (2 ounces, 57 grams) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Rotel Taco Mixture
- 1 pound (16 ounces, 454 grams) ground beef (See Tip 3)
- 1 ounce package taco seasoning
- 2 teaspoons chili powder (See Tip 4)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 10 ounce can Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies
- ½ cup water
- 8 ounces Velveeta, cubed
- Garnishes, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, sliced green onion tops, sour cream, sliced jalapeńos, etc. (Optional)
Instructions
Cornbread Cups
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a regular-size 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Whisk together the buttermilk and eggs. Then add the cooled, melted butter and whisk to combine. (See Tip 5)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the wet ingredients; stir just until combined.
- Add a scant ¼ cup of the cornbread batter to the prepared muffin pan. Partially bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 10 minutes. (See Tip 6)
- Remove from the oven. Using a greased tart tamper or shot glass, gently press down the center of each cornbread muffin to create a cup. (See Tip 7)
- Return to the 400°F oven for 10 to 11 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven; allow to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes. Then remove. Can be made in advance up to this point. (See Tip 8)
- Yield: 12 cornbread cups.
Rotel Taco Mixture
- Brown and crumble the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat until no longer pink, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain well. (See Tip 9)
- Return the cooked and crumbled ground beef to the skillet. Add the taco seasoning, chili powder, cumin, oregano, Rotel tomatoes, and water. Stir to combine. When the mixture comes to a gentle boil, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes.
- Add the cubed Velveeta. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the Velveeta is melted. Stir to combine. Can be made in advance up to this point. (See Tip 10)
- Spoon the warm Rotel Taco mixture into heated cornbread cups. Garnish with desired toppings like shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, cut green onion tops, sour cream, jalapeńo slices.
- Yield: 12 Rotel Taco Cornbread Cups
Video
Notes
- If you don't have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup and adding enough milk to equal 1 cup. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes before using.
- If the buttermilk and/or eggs are cold, then the melted butter will solidify when added. Therefore, I prefer to use room-temperature buttermilk and eggs.
- I used 93% ground beef. You can use different fat content ground beef so long as you drain the cooked ground beef well. Before cooking, I added ½ teaspoon of baking soda mixed with 1 tablespoon of water. This helps to tenderize the ground beef.
- Through the years, I've found that the 1-ounce package of store-bought taco seasoning needs enhancement, at least for my taste. That's why I add the extra chili powder, cumin, and oregano. It's a matter of preference.
- I like to whisk the eggs with the buttermilk before adding the melted butter to minimize the risk of the eggs cooking from the heat of the melted butter.
- I like to use a ¼ cup ice cream scoop to ensure even amounts of cornbread batter in each muffin cup.
- I like to dip the tart tamper in melted butter before pressing the center of the cornbread muffin. This way, the tamper does not stick. Also, it adds a bit of butter to enhance the browning of the cup.
- If made in advance, allow to cool to room temperature. Then store in a Ziploc bag. Reheat at 375°F for 5 to 7 minutes, or until heated through.
- I like to transfer the cooked ground beef to a colander and run it under hot water to remove as much of the grease as possible. Before returning the cooked ground beef to the skillet, I rub it between my palms to break down any large clumps.
- If made in advance, store covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat before filling the cornbread cups.
Nutrition
Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 710mg | Potassium: 413mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 709IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 3mg
