This Mexican Tamale Pie recipe is a delicious one-pot meal made with ground beef, corn, enchilada sauce and spices, topped with a tamale inspired masa topping.
Looking for more Mexican-inspired recipes? Try my Birria Ramen, Chilaquiles, or Tres Leches Cake!
Why I love this recipe:
- One-Pot Meal: Easy prep and even easier clean up! I love hearty meals that don't make my kitchen a mess, and this is one that your family is sure to love!
- Basic ingredients: this dinner is a go-to when I need to use ingredients I already have on hand to make something warm and comforting for my family.
How to make Tamale Pie:
Brown Beef: Cook ground beef in a deep skillet or cast iron pan, crumbling it into small pieces as it cooks, until browned. Add diced onion, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 3 minutes.
Add Flavor: Add enchilada sauce, corn, chiles, chili powder, coriander, and cumin and cook for 5-10 minutes. Taste and add additional spices (chili powder, cumin, salt or pepper), as desired. Stir in cheese.
Make Topping: Mix the corn flour, baking powder and salt together. Stir in the chicken broth, milk, butter and cheese. Pour topping mixture evenly over the top of the meat mixture.
Bake at 400 degrees for 40 min. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Serve: Top this old school tamale pie with avocado and sour cream, if desired.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: The beef mixture can be made ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Warm in a pan before adding the tamale topping.
To Freeze: To freeze baked tamale pie, the easy Tamale Pie recipe and allow to cool. Cover well and and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before baking. May also freeze after baking. The beef mixture may also be frozen separately in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Recipe Variations:
- Pan Size: I like to bake the tamale pie right in the skillet I’m cooking in but if you don’t have the right size or oven proof pan, you can bake it in a 9×9 inch or similar size pan.
- Vegetarian: Swap the meat for two cans of pinto or black beans.
- Box Mix Cornbread Topping (Jiffy or Bobs Red Mill): Prepare according to package instructions. Pour over meat mixture and bake.
- Chiles: Try using diced jalapeños or a chipotle chili in adobo sauce.
- More Veggies: Add a chopped bell pepper, grated carrot, olives, peas or whatever you like.
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Recipe
Tamale Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
Meat Filling:
- 1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion , finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 10 oz can red enchilada sauce , or homemade
- 1 can creamed corn
- 8 oz can diced green chiles
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
Masa Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups Masa Harina (corn flour)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
Optional Topping Ideas:
- avocado, sour cream, cilantro, hot sauce
Instructions
- Cook ground beef in a deep 12-inch skillet* or cast iron pan, crumbling it into small pieces as it cooks, until browned. Add diced onion, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add enchilada sauce, corn, chiles, chili powder, coriander, and cumin and cook for 5-10 minutes. Taste and add additional spices (chili powder, cumin, salt or pepper), as desired. Stir in cheese.
- Make Topping: Mix the corn flour, baking powder and salt together. Stir in the chicken broth, milk, butter and cheese. Pour evenly over the top of meat mixture.
- Bake 400 degrees for 40 min. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
- Top with avocado and sour cream, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Amazing dish all around packed with flavor. The cornbread topping goes so well with this dish. The heat from the meat and the sweetness of the cornbread merry so well. The first words from my husband was “Save This Recipe”. We used our cast-iron pan and it turned out great. I was able to put this together within minutes. We love dishes that you are able to put together easily with ingredients in your local stores. My Husband loves to spice his food up and topped his with a homemade Chipotle sour cream sauce. 😋 I tried to add a pic of the final results but the option was not available.
Great to hear that you enjoyed our tamale pie recipe and that your husband loved it too! We’re thrilled to know that you were able to put it together quickly with ingredients from your local store. It’s always wonderful to hear that our recipe was able to make someone’s day better.
We would love to see the photo of your final results on Facebook or Instagram! Please feel free to tag us so that we can see how it turned out. Thanks for sharing your experience with our recipe!
The finished product is delicious. I will be adding it to my recipe book. When I finished making this recipe I said never again. I felt like it took me a long time. I did make my own Enchilada sauce (your recipe) so that added to my time.
I tried to add my picture but couldn’t figure out how.
I love this recipe. I didn’t have a couple items so I had to make a couple small substitutions.
Drained, home canned sweet corn instead of creamed corn.
Fresh poblano chile, chopped and cooked with ground beef and onions instead of canned chiles.
I used a half recipe of unsweetened scratch cornbread because I didn’t have masa harina.
We will definitely be having this again! Easy, tasty, filling and had leftovers for another meal. So good!
I took a pic but don’t see how to add it.
My husband of 40 years said,
“oh now this looks good”. After tasting he exclaimed, “ oh man! This is really good! It’s a keeper!!”
This recipe is delicious and easy (I used canned enchilada sauce)! Even my 7 year old asked for multiple servings. Next time I make it, I will include some beans. I had previously made a similar dish using a boxed muffin mix, but the homemade topping is much better!
most excellent flavor; I even utilized your red enchilada sauce recipe. this came out very well, only drawback was I had to put it in my large glass rectangular casserole dish (probably my fault) but it satisfied an army and everyone enjoyed it.
Oh my goodness. So good full of yummy flavor !! My family LOVED it. They said it’s there new favorite thing I have made !! I didn’t have any hamburger meat so I substituted chorizo!! Definitely made it taste like tamales 🫔 😋 Thank you for all your recipes and meal plans with shopping list!! You have made my life so much easier! ❤️
This recipe was easy and quick to put together I like that there are no special ingredients A delicious and comforting meal.
Great cold weather meal! My husband even told me to write it down to make it again! I made mine in a Dutch oven with the lid off 😊
Just ate this for dinner!! A quicker version of homemade tamales 🙂
My family loved this recipe. My husband took the left overs to work instead of the kids. everyone loved it. I think we are going to make it again tonight. The flavors are Soo good and the texture of the masa reminded us of tamales.