Tamale Pie
A hearty Southwestern casserole with spiced ground beef and creamy cornmeal layers that captures all the flavors of tamales in an easy, family-friendly format. Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients
Instructions
Crank your oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish generously—don’t skip the greasing or serving will be a nightmare.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the ground beef and cook for 7-8 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until nicely browned all over.
Leave about a tablespoon of fat in the pan, draining off any excess, then add the chopped onion and diced bell pepper—sauté for about 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Stir in the drained diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chilies, chili powder, cumin, and a good pinch of salt and pepper—let this simmer for a full 10 minutes until thickened and the flavors have melded.
While the beef mixture simmers, bring the beef broth to a rolling boil in a separate saucepan.
Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and slowly pour in the cornmeal in a thin stream while whisking constantly with your other hand—this is crucial for avoiding lumps.
Keep whisking for 3-4 minutes until the cornmeal mixture thickens into something that looks like thick, creamy polenta—it should coat the back of a spoon.
Spread half of the cornmeal mixture in the bottom of your prepared baking dish using a spatula—it’ll be thick, so work it into an even layer.
Top with all of the beef mixture, spreading it out evenly over the cornmeal base.
Carefully spread the remaining cornmeal mixture over the beef layer, working from the center outward—don’t stress about perfection, rustic looks great.
Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top in a generous layer.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to brown in spots, and you can see bubbling around the edges.
Let the tamale pie cool for at least 10 minutes before serving—this helps it set and makes serving so much easier.
320
22g
19g
16g
3g
520mg
ruction-step-20" class="whitespace-normal break-words">Vitamin A
15% DV
12% DV
Seriously, whisk constantly while adding cornmeal—this is what prevents lumps that ruin the texture.
Don’t use super lean beef. The fat adds flavor and helps sauté the vegetables.
Let the beef mixture simmer the full 10 minutes so it thickens properly and won’t make your pie watery.
Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving or it’ll be impossible to scoop cleanly.
Every oven runs differently, so look for bubbling edges and golden cheese as your doneness cues.
A dollop on top adds cooling creaminess that balances the spices perfectly.
Dressed with lime vinaigrette to cut through the richness.
Makes this a complete Tex-Mex feast that feeds a crowd.
Adds healthy fats and creamy texture that everyone loves.
