Tamale Pie Mexican Casserole Recipe
This Tamale Pie Mexican Casserole is packed with ground meat, beans, vegetables, and tamale flavors. Baked with a simple cornmeal topping, and sprinkled with cheese, it's an easy dinner any night of the week.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 305kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground meat beef, turkey, chicken
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 (15-oz) can corn drained
- 1 (15-oz) can kidney beans or pinto or black beans, drained
- 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1-2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
Tamale Topping
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese cheddar, Mozzarella or Mexican blend
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a nonstick skillet, brown the ground meat with onions. Once browned, stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more or until fragrant.
- Stir in the green peppers, corn, beans, tomato sauce, salsa, chili powder, and cumin and red pepper flakes. Transfer the filling into a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish; set aside.
- Make the Tamale Topping: In a saucepan combine the cornmeal, water, and salt. While stirring, bring the mixture to a boil. Continue cooking until it thickens slightly. Spoon the topping over the meat and bean mixture.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle grated cheese on top. Return to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted; about 15 minutes more.
Notes
- Ground Meat: Use your favorite. While lean ground beef is always a favorite, ground turkey or chicken is delicious too.
- Topping Ideas: I like to top the casserole with fresh chopped avocado, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh parsley, and green onions.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 655mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g