Tamale Pie is a one-skillet dinner packed with seasoned beef, beans, and a cheesy green chile cornbread topping. It’s hearty, comforting, and full of bold Tex-Mex flavor!
What Makes This Tamale Pie Recipe So Good?
- Flavorful: Seasoned beef and bean filling with a sweet and savory cornbread topping.
- Easy To Make: Ready in under an hour in just one skillet!
- Comfort Food: Cheesy, hearty and satisfying.
- Budget Friendly: Big on flavor, but low on cost!
- Make Ahead: Can be prepared in advance for an extra easy dinner later.
Ellen’s Recipe Notes
This isn’t your average tamale pie! We add red enchilada sauce to give the filling a good depth of flavor, and that cornbread topping? It’s loaded with cheese and green chiles to create the perfect sweet and savory pairing for the saucy beef filling. Being from south Texas, my husband is a huge tamale lover. I make this tamale casserole recipe anytime the cravings strike… It has all the flavors—but without all the work.
Key Ingredient Notes
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this tamale pie recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Ground Beef: Swap this with ground turkey or ground chicken if preferred. Crockpot salsa chicken would also be a unique twist!
- Jalapeños: I take the seeds out, especially when I’m making this for the kids. Leave the seeds in the mix if you like extra heat. For even more heat, you can swap them for Serranos.
- Red Enchilada Sauce: This is my not-so-secret ingredient that gives the meat SO much flavor. You can use any brand you prefer, but we really like the spices in Frontera red chile enchilada sauce.
- Pinto Beans: Don’t forget to rinse and drain them well before using! Black beans also work well, but we like the more tender and creamy texture of pinto beans in this casserole.
- Diced Green Chiles: These add just enough spice to the cornbread to help cut through the sweetness.
- Shredded Cheese: While Mexican blend cheese is our go-to, cheddar, Monterey jack, or even pepper jack will all work well.
How to Make Tamale Pie
Whenever we make this, it fills the house with the most amazing aroma, and by the time it’s ready, everyone is more than ready to dig in. Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll down to the recipe card for full instructions.
Cook’s Tips & Variations
- Make in a Casserole Dish: If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the beef mixture to a greased baking dish before adding the cornbread topping.
- Serve with Toppings: Diced tomatoes, fresh cilantro, a little more cheese and a dollop of sour cream really help to dress it up and also add flavor.
- Add More Veggies: Bell peppers, corn, or even diced zucchini can be mixed into the filling for extra nutrients. You can also stir corn kernels into the cornbread topping!
- Try a Homemade Cornbread Mix: If you prefer, make a batch of your own homemade cornbread batter instead of using a boxed mix. Then stir in your mix-ins and add it on top of the tamale pie.
Prepare Tamale Pie in Advance
- Filling Only: Prepare the filling in advance and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 48 hours (or you can freeze it for up to 3 months). When ready to bake, simply top it with the cornbread batter and bake as directed.
- Whole Pie: Assemble the tamale pie, but do not bake it. Cover with a lid, foil, or plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Uncover and bake as directed, adding 5-10 minutes to the total bake time.
Yield: 6 servings
Tamale Pie
This hearty and easy Jiffy Tamale Pie recipe is packed with seasoned ground beef, pinto beans, and a cheesy green chile cornbread topping. It's a one-skillet dinner that always satisfies!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef, or ground turkey
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 jalapeños, diced (seeds removed for mild heat)
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
- 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups Mexican shredded cheese, divided
- 1 (8.5 oz) box Jiffy corn muffin mix
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ⅓ cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onion and jalapeños for 5 minutes. Using a spoon to break up and crumble the meat as it cooks. If using regular ground beef, we recommend draining any excess fat before the next steps.
- Add the taco seasoning and enchilada sauce. Stir and simmer, cooking for 10 minutes more, to slightly thicken the filling and develop the flavors.
- While the meat is cooking, in a medium size bowl, combine the cornbread mix and chili powder. Then add the milk, egg, and green chiles, stir just until blended. Fold in 1 cup of the shredded cheese and set aside. Do not over mix the cornbread or it will not rise correctly.
- Once the meat is done simmering, use a spoon to scoop up some of the cornbread batter and add it to the top of the meat mixture. You want to make a circle with the cornbread, building the circle out, leaving the edges of the ground meat mixture exposed.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the cornbread mixture is golden brown and cooked through. Let the tamale pie rest 10 minutes before serving, this will help it to firm up. Garnish with more cheese, diced tomatoes, cilantro and sour cream or crema, if desired.
Notes
- Store: Transfer any leftover Tamale Pie to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: For the best texture, warm leftovers in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes until heated through.
- Freeze: Leftovers freeze decently, but the cornbread filling does become a little soggy. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating for best results.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 650kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 123mg, Sodium: 1181mg, Potassium: 694mg, Fiber: 11g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 951IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 349mg, Iron: 5mg
This was a really fun dinner that was easy to throw together. The whole family loved it, so I’ll definitely be making it again!