Tamale Pie

Loaded with enchilada sauce, ground beef, and plenty of cheese, this smothered tamale pie is the epitome of easy, cozy comfort food. While this might be slightly different from your typical tamale pie recipe, I think the cornbread crust is truly something special.

Most tamale pies consist of a flavorful ground beef base and a cornbread topping, but I decided to go a different route. I layered ground beef and cheese on top of an enchilada sauce-smothered cornbread crust. Amazingly, even with all of our meat, cheese, and sauce, the crust doesn’t get soggy, and becomes the perfect flavor-packed base for all of the delicious toppings.

What People Are Saying:
"I made this for a game day lunch for my friends today. We all raved about it! I used a casserole pan and doubled up on everything. I was only able to escape with a single portion to take home for leftovers with 5 people eating it! It's the best tamale pie I've ever had!" - slp2655

"I love this recipe so much! I usually make it every couple weeks and my husband and son love it as well." - jen4894

What Is A Tamale Pie?

Despite its name, this cornbread-ground beef combo is nothing like the husk-wrapped masa dish it's named after. Even calling it a "pie" is somewhat controversial. What it is: a cozy cornmeal-crusted casserole, especially popular in the Southwest, that originated in the early 1900s.

How To Make Tamale Pie

INGREDIENTS

• Corn Muffin Mix: While I won’t try to dissuade you from making your own cornbread, I will say that your marginal gain over boxed mix is going to be minimal given all the strongly flavored ingredients in play. Still, if you really want to go the extra mile, this simple skillet cornbread recipe will get you there.
• Sour Cream: I went with sour cream for an extra-rich cornbread with a welcome bit of tartness.
• Creamed Corn: Canned cream-style corn is a casserole superhero. For the uninitiated, it does not include cream (though homemade creamed corn sometimes does); rather, some of the corn kernels have been “creamed” (mashed) to release their thick, corny juices. Here, it performs the clever trick of providing liquid for the cornbread while dialing the corn flavor up to eleven.
• Cumin & Chili Powder: I really had no choice but to include these two emblems of the Southwestern spice cabinet. Do note that chili powder is not the same thing as chile powder. The former is a seasoning mixture composed of ground dried chiles, garlic, oregano, and more. The latter is ground dried chiles pure and simple.
• Red Enchilada Sauce: This velvety smooth tomato-based sauce saturates the cornbread and beef filling with rich umami flavor and just-enough chile heat.
• Cheddar & Monterey Jack: Feel free to omit the cheddar and double up on the Monterey Jack if two melting cheeses is a bridge too far, but I encourage you to give them a try. The sharp, nutty cheddar is a wonderful complement to the mild, subtly sweet Monterey Jack.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Start things off by preheating your oven and greasing a large skillet. Whenever there’s cornbread involved, I prefer to use a cast-iron skillet—there’s just something about the marriage of cast-iron and cornbread that can’t be beat. Whisk together the cornbread ingredients, making sure they're well combined, then pour into the prepared skillet and spread into an even layer. Bake until golden on top and beginning to turn golden brown around the edges. Let the cornbread cool in the skillet to give it time to set further, should take about 20 minutes. Do not turn off the oven; you’re not through with it just yet.

While the cornbread is cooling, grab a wooden spoon and another skillet and get to work on the beef filling. Start by cooking the onion and spices, stirring often, until the onion is softened and looks like you can sort of see through it, which you can’t really, but you get the idea. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant. Now add the beef and cook, breaking it up with the spoon, just until it’s lost its pink color; not to worry, the beef will finish cooking in the pie.

Once the cornbread has cooled and the beef filling is perfuming your kitchen, it's time to introduce them to one another. But first, take a fork and prick holes all over the cornbread (think of these as flavor tunnels), then pour the enchilada sauce over.

Top the cornbread with the beef filling, spreading it into an even layer. Scatter the cheeses over, cover with foil, and ship this baby off to the oven.

When the cheese is melted and the pie is bubbling around the edges, remove the foil, turn on the broiler, and broil until the cheese is golden in spots. All that’s left is to top the pie with cilantro, squeeze some lime juice over, and enjoy the fruits of your (not-so-very-hard) work.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Can I swap out the ground beef? Sure thing! If ground beef isn't your thing, feel free to replace it with ground chicken or ground turkey. If you’re looking to go the vegetarian route, swap in black beans.

• What are some other good toppings for tamale pie? Anything that tastes good on nachos is going to taste good on tamale pie. Top with sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, and sliced avocado and you’re golden.

What To Serve With Tamale Pie

Tamale pie can more than stand on its own, thank you very much, but it's only improved by the company of rich black beans and punchy homemade salsa.

Storage

If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.