Description
This Texas Tamale Pie recipe is a comforting, flavorful casserole combining seasoned ground beef, black beans, and a creamy cornmeal batter topped with melted cheddar cheese and optional black olives. Baked to golden perfection and garnished with fresh cilantro, it serves as a satisfying and hearty dish perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Mixture
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cornmeal Batter
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large egg
Toppings
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the tamale pie.
- Cook Meat and Onion: In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef and chopped onion until the beef is browned and the onion is soft, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
- Add Beans and Seasonings: Stir in the black beans, diced tomatoes with green chilies, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Let the mixture simmer gently for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Prepare Cornmeal Batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, milk, and egg until smooth and well combined.
- Assemble the Pie: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Pour half of the cornmeal batter into the dish, spreading it evenly to form the base layer.
- Add Beef Layer: Evenly spread the cooked beef mixture over the cornmeal base.
- Top with Remaining Batter: Pour the remaining cornmeal batter over the beef layer and spread it evenly across the top.
- Add Cheese and Olives: Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese and optional sliced black olives evenly over the top.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden brown and set.
- Cool and Garnish: Remove the tamale pie from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish each serving with chopped fresh cilantro.
Notes
- You can substitute black beans with pinto beans if preferred.
- Use low-fat cheddar cheese to reduce fat content.
- For extra spice, add a diced jalapeño to the beef mixture.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated.
- For a vegetarian version, replace ground beef with cooked lentils or textured vegetable protein.
