Freezer Mix Mexican Casserole

This Mexican beef casserole starts with a frozen beef-tomato mix simmered with chili powder, corn, and sliced black olives, then gets topped with a cornmeal-cheddar biscuit batter that bakes into a golden, crusty lid.

The biscuit topping is the star move. Baking mix, cornmeal, shredded cheddar, egg, and milk get stirred together and dropped by teaspoonfuls over the hot meat mixture. The blobs expand and merge in the oven, forming a single cornbread-like crust with a crispy top and a soft underside that soaks up the spiced beef juices.

Drop the batter about half an inch apart. Too close and they merge before they rise. Too far and you get bare spots without crust coverage.

Chef Tips

• Make sure the meat mixture is bubbling hot when you pour it into the casserole dish. A hot base helps the biscuit topping cook from both sides, bottom and top.
• Don’t stir the batter too much. Overmixed biscuit dough gets tough. A few lumps are fine.
• The casserole is done when the topping is golden brown and firm to the touch. The filling should be bubbling up around the edges.
• Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving so the filling thickens slightly and the topping firms up.

Variations

• Add a can of diced green chiles to the meat mixture for smoky heat.
• Swap cheddar for pepper jack cheese in the topping for an extra kick.
• Top each serving with sour cream, sliced jalapeños, and chopped cilantro.