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Tamale Pie
nibbleboard.com/recipes/tamale-pie-recipe
Ingredients
Beef Filling
- 1½ lbs ground beef (80/20)
- 1 medium onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can corn, drained (reserve ½ cup for topping)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1½ tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Cornbread Topping
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar (1 cup in batter, ½ cup on top)
For Serving
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
- Sour cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly grease an 11x7 inch casserole dish with cooking spray or butter.
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles with a wooden spoon. After 3-4 minutes, add the onion, bell pepper, and minced jalapeño. Continue cooking until the beef is no longer pink and the vegetables have softened, about 7 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Drain any excess grease from the skillet. Stir in the fire-roasted tomatoes, corn, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened slightly.
- Spoon the beef filling into the prepared casserole dish, spreading it into an even layer.
- Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the sour cream, milk, beaten eggs, oil, 1 cup of shredded cheddar, and the reserved ½ cup corn. Stir just until combined — don't overmix.
- Pour the cornbread batter over the beef filling, using a spatula to spread it evenly to the edges. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheddar and jalapeño rings over the top.
- Bake until the cornbread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the topping comes out clean, 40-45 minutes.
- Let the tamale pie rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Top with sour cream and fresh cilantro.
Nutrition per Serving
744Calories
36gProtein
53gCarbs
44gFat
Chef Tips
- I've found that fire-roasted tomatoes make a huge difference here — they add a subtle smokiness that regular diced tomatoes just can't match. Don't skip them.
- Drain your corn well and pat it dry. Excess liquid from the corn can make the filling watery and prevent the cornbread from setting properly.
- After trying both ways, I always let this rest a full 10 minutes before cutting. It slices so much cleaner and the layers hold together instead of collapsing on the plate.
- No jalapeños? Swap in a 4 oz can of diced green chiles for milder heat that still brings that Tex-Mex flavor.
- This freezes beautifully — wrap individual slices in foil and freeze up to 3 months. Reheat straight from frozen at 350°F for about 25 minutes.
Storage
Cover leftovers tightly with foil or transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.