Tamale Pie

Tamale Pie features a zesty, flavorful ground beef filling with a delicious baked topping made of masa. The result is an easy dinner that tastes amazingly like a beef tamale...and it can easily be made gluten-free!

Today I'm excited to bring y'all a brand-spankin'-new dinner recipe that's not only quick and easy to make, but it's positively loaded with flavor. It also happens to be perfect for both busy weeknights and impending fall weather. Say hello to Tamale Pie!

What Is Tamale Pie?

If you ever decide to look up a recipe for Tamale Pie, you will most often find a taco-seasoned base of ground beef topped with a layer of cornbread.

Well, I already have a recipe like that and -- while it's definitely yummy -- I have always called it Mexican Cornbread Casserole. 😉

Because in my mind, Tamale Pie should taste like, well...a tamale. So that's what I set out to create! And I'm not trying to brag on myself, y'all, but the final result here tastes amazingly like an actual beef tamale. (Success!)

This version starts with a savory ground beef "filling" that's loaded with flavor and as mild or spicy as you prefer to make it.

And while the topping is cornbread-esque, it's actually made with straight masa harina (AKA, Mexican corn flour). Since masa is the primary ingredient in tamales, it's the reason that this recipe tastes so much like its namesake!

Ingredients

So let's talk about the ingredients for this Tamale Pie recipe, shall we?

• Ground beef. I prefer making this recipe with lean ground beef, but ground turkey would work as well.
• Garlic. This recipe keeps things simple on the veggie front, only calling for garlic. But if you'd like to add chopped onion and/or bell pepper to your dish, you could first cook those in your pot until soft. Then remove them to a plate and cook your ground beef in the same pot before proceeding with the recipe.
• Flour. A little bit of flour is used to help thicken the sauce. All-purpose flour works great, but I actually use a GF baking flour to make this recipe gluten-free for my kiddo that can't have it.
• Tomato sauce + beef broth (or stock). The sauce ingredients! And if you don't want to open a whole carton of beef broth for just half a cup, you can always use a little Better Than Bouillon Beef Base (I recommend the organic version to avoid icky artificial ingredients) mixed into ½ cup warm water.
• Spices. This Tamale Pie is bursting with flavor, thanks to plenty 'o Mexican-inspired spices: chili powder, cumin, coriander, garlic salt, onion powder, and Mexican oregano. If you don't have Mexican oregano on hand, feel free to substitute regular (Mediterranean) oregano.
• Chipotle chile pepper powder. While regular chili powder (listed above) is a mild blend of various spices, chipotle chile pepper powder is packed with heat. So this is the ingredient that can take this recipe from mild to spicy, and it's totally optional if you prefer to leave it out completely. This recipe calls for ¼ teaspoon, which I think keeps things pretty mild. When I make this dish for my family, I actually add ½ teaspoon, which makes it moderately spicy (because we enjoy a little heat). Adding more than that will definitely boost the heat level. Just remember that you can always start with a small amount and gradually add more...but you can't take it away once it's in there!
• Canned diced green chiles. These are typically mild. But if yours happen to be hot, be sure to adjust your chipotle chile pepper powder accordingly.
• Shredded cheese. I like to use Monterey jack in this recipe, but cheddar (I recommend sharp), a Mexican blend, or even pepper jack (for more heat!) would all be yummy.
• Masa harina flour. Also known as Mexican corn flour, this ingredient is key in giving this Tamale Pie recipe its authentic tamale flavor. If you can't find it at your grocery store, it's easy to order on Amazon. And if you need this recipe to be gluten-free, just make sure your masa is labeled GF. (Masa should be naturally gluten-free, but sometimes it's not because of cross-contamination in the factory.)
• Baking powder + salt + melted butter + milk + egg. Combined with the masa, these ingredients create a thick batter that gets spread atop the pie.

How to Make Tamale Pie

(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)

First, make the filling:

1. Brown a pound of ground beef, drain the grease, and remove to a plate.
2. In the same pot, add some olive oil, stir in fresh minced garlic until fragrant, and then whisk in flour and cook for a minute.

3. Whisk in the beef broth and tomato sauce followed by all of the spices. Simmer until thickened.

4. Mix the cooked ground beef back into the sauce along with the green chiles and most of the shredded cheese.

5. Transfer to your prepared baking dish.

Next it's time to prepare the topping:

6. Whisk together the masa, baking powder and salt.
7. Stir in the melted butter, milk, egg, and remaining cheese. The mixture will be extremely thick and that's okay!

8. Spread the masa mixture over the beef mixture in the baking dish.

9. Bake until golden brown. Serve hot and ENJOY!

Gluten-Free Version

As mentioned above in the "Ingredients" section, this recipe can easily be made gluten-free by using a GF flour to thicken the sauce and purchasing a masa that's labeled gluten-free.

Optional Garnishes

I always think that warm, comforting recipes like Tamale Pie are even tastier when topped with fresh garnishes that add contrasting tastes and textures!

Here are some of our favorites:

• Sour cream.
• Salsa.
• Pico de gallo.
• Guacamole.
• Cubed avocado.
• Chopped tomato.
• Diced onion.
• Chopped fresh cilantro.

Helpful Tips, Tricks, & Equipment

• As mentioned before, the masa mixture will be extremely thick. I find it easiest to dollop it all over the top of the beef and then use a spatula and/or wet fingers to spread it to the edges.
• If you'd like a bit of heat but aren't sure how spicy you want to go, taste your sauce first before adding any chipotle chile pepper powder. Then, if you want more heat, add ⅛-teaspoon at a time -- stirring well and tasting in between -- until the spice level is to your liking.
• A substitute for chipotle chile pepper powder would be canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. You can puree a pepper or just use some of the sauce...but again, keep in mind that this product is very spicy and one small can goes a long way. So I find it easier to just use chipotle powder, since I can use a small amount without any leftovers to worry about refrigerating.
• If you prefer a slightly sweet topping, you may mix a tablespoon or so of honey (or maple syrup) into your masa mixture. However, I don't really think this recipe needs it, as masa has an underlying natural sweetness.

And there you have it! Tamale Pie is a hearty, cozy dinner that will wake up your tastebuds and warm your tummy.

My middle child adores tamales (he literally asks to have them on his birthday), so you can imagine the home run that this recipe was at my house! But actually, the whole family loved it so much that every bit was demolished with ZERO leftovers.

Next time, I'm going to have to double the recipe. 😉

I hope y'all love it just as much!

More Tex-Mex Dinner Ideas

• Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Mexican Meatloaf Muffins
• Taco Pasta Skillet
• Homemade Beef Taco Hamburger Helper (copycat)
• Easy Tres Leches Cake