Print

Easy Cheesy Tamale Pie

Close-up of a hearty slice of tamale pie showing a cornbread base topped with savory chili and melted cheddar cheese.
Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

A simple, comforting Tex-Mex casserole with a seasoned ground beef filling topped with a cheesy cornbread crust. This is a quick, family-friendly weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 (10 ounce) can mild red enchilada sauce
  • 1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
  • 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies, drained
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 package (8.5 ounces) corn muffin mix (like Jiffy)
  • Ingredients listed on corn muffin mix package (usually milk, eggs, oil)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate or a similar-sized casserole dish.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and onion. Cook, breaking up the meat, until the beef is browned and the onion is soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off any excess grease.
  3. Stir the enchilada sauce, drained corn, green chilies, chili powder, cumin, and salt into the skillet with the meat mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in 3/4 cup of the shredded cheddar cheese until melted into the filling. Pour this mixture into the prepared pie plate.
  5. Prepare the corn muffin mix according to the package directions, substituting the liquid amount if necessary to achieve a thick batter consistency. Stir the remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese into the batter.
  6. Carefully spoon or spread the cornbread batter evenly over the top of the meat mixture in the pie plate.
  7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cornbread topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Let the tamale pie cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • You can substitute ground turkey or shredded cooked chicken for the ground beef.
  • For extra flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano to the meat filling.
  • This casserole freezes well before baking; cover tightly and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before baking.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastetaught.com/easy-tamale-pie-recipe-quick-casserole/