Tamale Pie

This Tamale Pie recipe is pure comfort food bursting with the flavor of tamales without all of the work!

This tamale pie recipe is about to become a new easy, family favorite!  This tamale pie has it all with its layer of saucy, boldly seasoned ground beef, corn, beans, and cheese crowned with a velvety, cheese infused masa crust. It’s hearty old-school, budget friendly comfort food that’s quick and easy to make with pantry friendly ingredients, plus it can be easily customized to suite your tastes. This tamale pie recipe is also make ahead and freezer friendly; it can be made in one 9×13 pan or two skillets so you can enjoy one now and freeze one for later! 

Casseroles are always a make ahead dinner win the whole family loves.  When I need a scrumptious casserole, I turn to classic chicken divan (all time fav), tuna noodle casserole, King Ranch casserole, chicken pot pie and lasagna. 

 

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What is Tamale Pie?

So, what exactly is tamale pie?  Despite its name, tamale pie is not from Mexico, but an American comfort food invention inspired by the flavors and ingredients of tamales. 

To fully understand tamale pie, you must first understand tamales.  Tamales are a North and South American favorite that date all the way back to pre -Columbian Mesoamerica.  Tamales are made by lining a corn husk with masa (corn) dough, topping with meat, beans, veggies, cheese, etc. then wrapping up the corn husk and steaming until the dough firms up and the husks can be removed.   

 A tamale pie is a nod to tamales by combining some of the same ingredients including ground beef, beans, and cheese in the bottom filling, then topping with a thin masa crust.  You get the flavor without all the work!

WHERE DID TAMALE PIE ORIGINATE?

If you’re a child of the 70’s or 80’s, the era of casseroles galore, then you are likely familiar with tamale pie, a comforting, hearty staple that every kid looked forward to.  But the dish originated much earlier than that.

Tamale Pie was invented in Texas sometime in the early 1900s, and was even included in the curriculums of some home economics classes in U.S. high schools!   The recipe was popularized across the country in a cookbook during World War I, as a way to save wheat.  It saw a resurgence in the 1970s as versions began popping up using cornbread mix.  Today, tamale pie includes countless variations, but my favorite is the one I’m sharing with you today!   

Tamale Pie Recipe

Now on to the main event – this sensational tamale pie recipe!  Making traditional tamales is a laborious task usually reserved for many hands, and not a busy weeknight meal.  But this tamale pie allows you to enjoy the flavors in easy casserole form that only takes about 20 minutes of prep work before you pop it in the oven – winning at life!

Please note that tamale pie is not remotely authentic and it is not an exact replica of tamale flavors, but it is fabulous.  You will love it because:

• Quick and easy to prepare:  Brown the ground beef with the onions and seasonings, dump in the corn, beans, tomatoes and beef broth and stir in the cheeses – filling done!   For the masa crust, simply whisk all of the ingredients together.  Layer the batter on top of the filling and bake – so much easier than real tamales! 
• The best filling:  It’s rich, bold, smoky, aromatic and SO good you’ll be eating it with a spoon!  It’s spiked with robust, earthy, homemade taco seasoning, green chilies for a kick of smoky tanginess, beef bouillon for rich beefy flavor and most importantly, unlike other recipes, it’s laced with ½ cup of the corn batter which makes it tantalizingly creamy and really amps up the tamale flavor.
• The best corn topping:  The masa topping blankets the entire casserole in a thin, velvety, cornbread-like crust. The cornbread topping is meant to resemble the masa harina dough used in tamales, so instead of using boxed cornbread which is overly fluffy and lacks the masa harina flavor, this recipe uses masa harina mixed with chicken broth, butter and cheese to create the signature tamale flavor.  
• Feeds a crowd:  Instead of making a 9-inch pie, this recipe is made in a 9×13-inch baking dish because one pie is not enough!  This means you can feed the entire family with fabulous leftovers.
• Great leftovers:  To that end, this tamale pie tastes equally as fabulous the next day!  It is also make ahead and freezer friendly.
• Gluten free:  Many recipes use a cornbread mix for the topping which is not gluten free.  This tamale pie recipe, however is made with masa harina which is 100% gluten free.

Tamale Pie Ingredients 

This tamale pie comes together with less than 20 minutes of prep, and then it’s ready to bake! It has two components: the spiced tamale filling and the masa harina topping. Here’s what you’ll need to make this tamale pie recipe: 

• Ground beef: Is quick and easy to prepare and satisfyingly beefy. You may also use chicken or turkey, see instructions below.  
• Aromatics: The complexity of the flavor profile begins with the aromatics. You will need 1 chopped yellow onion and 4-6 garlic cloves or 1 teaspoon onion powder and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
• Bell pepper: I used half a red bell pepper and half a green bell pepper but any color will work.  The bell pepper is also optional, you can totally skip it if you wish.
• Homemade taco seasoning: The tamale pie filling is flavored with chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cayenne. I prefer using my own spice blends rather than store-bought blends so I can customize the flavor exactly how I want it! 
• Canned corn: Use whole kernel corn for this recipe, and be sure to drain the can well before mixing into the filling.  You may also use 1 ½ cups frozen sweet corn.
• Black beans: I love adding black beans to the tamale pie filling as they provide so much texture. You can swap in pinto beans for a slightly creamier texture. 
• Green chiles: These come from a can and add a subtle tang. Take care you choose MILD chopped green chiles because the hot can is HOT. Mild green chiles, however, are more tangy than hot so you don’t have to worry about them making your tamale pie spicy.  
• Fire roasted tomatoes: Are located next to the traditional diced tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes are NOT spicy – the fire simply means they have been roasted which gives them a complex smokiness. If you can’t find fire roasted diced tomatoes, then traditional diced tomatoes work just fine.
• Tomato paste: Adds a rich tomato flavor. I keep tomato paste frozen by the spoonful in my refrigerator for easy access.  
• Broth: This recipe uses beef broth in the filling and chicken broth to make the masa harina topping. Please use reduced sodium broths or the tamale pie will be too salty.  If you only have regular broth on hand, then reduce the salt in the recipe. 
• Beef bouillon: Is made from dehydrated vegetables, meat stock, a small portion of fat, salt, and seasonings AKA it’s salt with flavor!  You can use bouillon powder, bouillon cubes or better than bouillon.  If using cubes, crush them up and then add directly to the filling without dissolving in liquid first.  You will need three cubes in this recipe.
• Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese adds robust flavor to both the filling and the topping.  Use freshly shredded cheese because it melts better. Packages of pre-shredded cheese are coating in anti-clumping chemicals which inhibit their melting ability.
• Masa harina: See my notes below on FAQs about masa harina, substitutions, etc. 
• Baking powder: Helps the topping rise in the oven. 
• Butter: 1 stick (½ cup) melted butter is used in the topping. I prefer using butter to oil since it adds so much flavor. 

What Is Masa Harina? 

Masa harina is a type of naturally gluten-free corn flour, used to make sopes, tortillas, tamales and to thicken Mexican soups – but masa harina is not just corn flour or cornmeal – they are NOT 100% interchangeable. To make masa harina, corn is treated with an alkali solution which gives it a distinctive flavor and makes it easier for the body to digest. It is then rinsed, dried and ground. Corn flour, on the other hand, is just plain ground corn.

Where Can I Find Masa Harina? 

Masa harina should be easy to find at your grocery store in the flour aisle or Latin aisle or you can purchase it on Amazon. The most common type is white masa harina, which is made from dried white corn, or you can also use yellow masa harina, which is made from dried yellow corn. The white is a bit sweeter, but both will work. You may or may not see “instant” on the label – both will work great.

CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE WITH GROUND TURKEY? 

Yes! This tamale pie recipe works fabulous with ground turkey or ground chicken. If you really want the turkey to taste like ground beef, then omit the salt and add 1 additional teaspoon beef bouillon in the filling. I use this trick in my turkey tacos and turkey chili and it is AMAZING!  It infuses the turkey with a rich, beefy flavor that will blow your mind!  After you combine all of the filling ingredients, then salt to taste. 

CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE WITH CHICKEN? 

Absolutely!  In addition to ground chicken, you can also use shredded or chopped rotisserie chicken or cooked and chopped chicken breasts.  If making a chicken tamale pie, swap the beef broth for chicken broth in the filling and the beef bouillon with ½ tablespoon chicken bouillon, plus more to taste.

CAN I MAKE VEGAN/VEGETARIAN TAMALE PIES?

Absolutely!  You can swap the ground beef with additional black beans and corn or make tofu-like “ground-beef.”  To prep the tofu, place it in a pie plate, top with a heavy plate and weigh down with 2 heavy cans (to release water). Set aside for 10 minutes before chopping and seasoning and cooking like you would the ground beef. 

To make this recipe vegan as well, omit the bouillon and use vegetable broth instead of beef and chicken broth.  You will likely need to add additional salt to the filling because bouillon is quite salty.  Use your preferred shredded cheese substitute and use vegetable oil in place of the melted butter in the tamale pie topping. Omit the egg and increase the broth to 3 cups.

How to Make Tamale Pie

This tamale pie recipe couldn’t be simpler to make! Here’s an overview of how to make this easy Mexican-inspired dinner: 

• Step 1 – Make the filling: Add the ground beef, onion, and bell pepper to a large skillet and cook until beef is cooked through and onions are softened. Season with chile powder, ground cumin, oregano, smoked paprika and salt. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Then, add corn, diced tomatoes, green chiles, tomato paste and beef broth. Lastly, stir in shredded cheese, don’t worry about it not melting.   

Step 2 – Make the topping: Whisk together all the dry ingredients (masa harina, baking powder, salt) in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat the egg  and chicken broth until combined, then mix that into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir in the melted butter and cheese.

• Step 3 – Assemble the tamale pie:  Pour the ground beef filling into a 9×13-inch baking dish, then spread tamale topping over it. 

• Step 4 – Bake the tamale pie: Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the tamale topping comes out clean. Serve warm with sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, tomatoes, guacamole or sliced avocados.

Can I make Tamale Pie recipe in a skillet?

Yes!  You can make tamale pie in a 9×13 baking dish as shown or in two lightly greased lightly greased 12–14-inch cast iron skillets.  The skillets will take closer to 40-45 minutes.

Tips for Making Tamale Pie 

• Use lean ground beef: I recommend 85%-93% lean ground beef. The fat will give the ground beef juicy beefy flavor without all the dripping grease. If you use beef with a higher fat content, you’ll want to drain off any excess grease after browning but before adding the seasonings.  Make sure to finely crumble the beef while it cooks using a spatula.
• INTERNATIONAL WARNING: American Chili powder is a blend of chilies, cumin, garlic powder, and herbs with a ratio of one-part cayenne to seven parts the other spices. Chili powders sold in other parts of the world, however, are 100% cayenne pepper and 8X hotter than American chili powder! So, please use American-style chili powder to make this recipe or your mouth will be on FIRE!
• Customize ingredients: You can add additional veggies to the filling in place of ½ pound ground beef.  You don’t want to just add more veggie or it will throw the ingredient ratio off.  You can also play around with ground turkey or chopped chicken.
• Use tamale topping immediately:  The masa harina batter will seize up and become thick and unspreadable if it sits.  So, after you whisk all the ingredients, work quickly to add the ½ cup corn batter to the filling and season to taste, then immediately assemble.  If the batter has become too thick, add ½ – 1 cup of additional chicken broth to loosen it again before spreading over the casserole.   Be aware that if you add additional chicken broth, it will take longer to bake.
• Prevent edges from burning:  You may need to cover the edges of the tamale pie with foil if they are browning too quickly (I didn’t have to do this). More golden is fine/natural, you just don’t want burnt.
• The tamale topping isn’t overly fluffy like cornbread: Instead it is tender – and tastes like tamales! Also, don’t worry after the topping is fully cooked that it is more moist on the bottom where it meets the filling– it is still cooked, it is just mingling with the juices for added flavor. 
• Toppings! Top your tamale pie with all or some of your favorite toppings, such as sour cream or Greek yogurt (highly recommend), cilantro, jalapenos, avocados, tomatoes, black olives, etc.

Recipe Variations to Try

• Swap protein: You can use ground turkey or ground chicken. You can also use shredded rotisserie chicken and stir it in with the beans, corn, etc.
• Swap beans: Swap the black beans for pinto beans for an even creamier filling.
• Add vegetables: Zucchini, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, jalapenos, etc. – pick your favs! You will want to swap some of the meat for extra veggies.
• Add olives:  Add olives directly to the filling or layer on top of the filling before the topping.
• Swap cheese: Use more or less cheese.  You can also swap part of the cheddar for Monterrey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese in the filling.
• Spice it up: If you love heat, you have a few options to spice up it up:  1) add additional cayenne pepper, 2) add hot sauce to the filling, 3) add chopped, pickled jalapenos to the filling, 4) add minced chipotle peppers to the filling 5) swap the Monterrey for Pepper Jack.  Alternatively, you can allow everyone to control the spice level of their own portion by passing around a bottle of hot sauce.
• Cornbread topping:  I have NOT personally tried this, but you can try swapping the tamale pie topping with a cornbread topping.  You’ll need two 8.5-ounce boxes dry corn muffin mix (like Jiffy), 2 large eggs, 2/3 cup chicken broth and ½ cup cheddar cheese.  In a large bowl, combine the dry muffin mix, eggs and milk, mix well, then fold in the cheese. The tamale pie will take closer to or 40 minutes to bake.

What toppings for tamale pie?

Tamale pie is quite rich so it pairs well with bright, fresh toppings such as: 

• Pico de gallo or chopped tomatoes:  Pico de gallo Is fresh tomato salsa that adds a vibrant, punchy freshness.  You can use my homemade pico de gallo recipe or store bought. You can make the pico de gallo ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.  Bring to room temperature before serving.  You can also go as simple as fresh, chopped tomatoes with cilantro.
• Sour cream or Mexican Crema: Its refreshing, bright, silky creaminess compliments and cuts through the rich tamale pie and marries all of the flavors together. 
• Guacamole or avocados: Lusciously creamy, tangy, salty and OBSESSIVE worthy. Go all out and make with avocados, lime juice, cilantro, jalapenos, red onions, and juicy tomatoes, or keep it simple with just avocados, lime juice, salt and pepper.  You can also go even simpler with chopped avocados with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
• Jalapenos: Sliced jalapenos for the heat lover!

MAKE AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS

You can make the tamale pie filling ahead of time or assemble the entire casserole ahead of time.

• Filling: You can prepare the tamale filling up to 5 days in advance. Store in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it. Then, all you’ll have to do is quickly whisk together the tamale topping, add ½ cup to the filling and bake. Do NOT make the masa harina topping ahead of time without spreading it over the filling or it will become too thick. 
• Assemble ahead: You can completely assemble the entire tamale pie including the masa harina topping up to 24 hours ahead of time. Let the casserole sit on the counter for 20 minutes before baking and increase baking time by 15 minutes.

How to Store and Reheat Tamale Pie 

• Storage:  Store the tamale pie an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This tamale pie recipe keeps and reheats well both in the oven and in the microwave:
• To reheat in the oven: Cover the pan with foil and bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
• To reheat in the microwave: Reheat individual servings in the microwave by transferring to a microwave safe plate and microwaving for 90 seconds. Continue to microwave at 20 second intervals until heated through.

Can I Freeze Tamale Pie? 

Yes, this tamale pie is perfect for meal prep, but please note, it is best frozen UNBAKED to preserve the texture of the topping – do not bake beforehand.  To freeze tamale pie:  

• Add the corn batter topping and smooth but do not bake.
• Transfer to the freezer for 1 hour for the topping to harden.
• Wrap with two layers of plastic wrap all the way around the dish followed by one layer of aluminum foil.
• Label the tamale pie and freeze for up to 3 months.
• When ready to bake, place in the refrigerator 48 hours ahead of time to thaw completely then remove plastic wrap and foil and bake according to directions, adding an additional 10-15 minutes.
• Alternatively, you can bake from frozen at 400 degrees F for 60- 70 minutes. Cover with foil if the top starts to darken too quickly.

What to Serve with Tamale Pie 

This rich tamale pie pairs beautifully with fresh sides such as:

• Salads: Mexican Salad, Mexican street corn salad, Southwest salad, corn salad, or Southwest orzo salad.
• Veggies:  Baked asparagus, roasted broccoli, roasted potatoes, roasted cauliflower.
• Fruit: Pina colada fruit salad, fruit salad with honey lime vinaigrette, grape salad, winter fruit salad, or caramelized grilled pineapple.
• Dessert:  Tres leches cake or churros for the win!

Looking for More Easy Mexican Dinners? 

• Mexican Lasagna 
• Chipotle Chicken Burrito Bowls
• The BEST Ground Beef Tacos 
• Baked Chicken Tacos 
• Barbacoa Beef Taco Bowls
• Best Taco Salad
• Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas 
• Chicken Fajitas 
• One-Skillet Mexican Chicken and Rice
• All of my Mexican recipes! 

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Tools Used in This Recipe

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Tamale Pie

This tamale pie recipe is about to become a new easy, family favorite! This tamale pie has it all with its layer of saucy, boldly seasoned ground beef, corn, beans, and cheese crowned with a velvety, cheese infused masa crust. It’s hearty old-school, budget friendly comfort food that’s quick and easy to make with pantry friendly ingredients, plus it can be easily customized to suite your tastes. This tamale pie recipe is also make ahead and freezer friendly; it can be made in one 9x13 pan or two skillets so you can enjoy one now and freeze one for later!

Servings: 12 servings

Total Time: 50 minutes mins

Prep Time: 25 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

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Ingredients

For the Filling:

• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 yellow onion, chopped or 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 red bell pepper chopped (optional)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp EACH dried oregano, salt
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 15 oz. can sweet corn rinsed and drained
• 1 15 oz. can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 4 oz. can mild chopped green chiles
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup low sodium beef broth
• 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

For the Masa Topping:

• 3 cups masa harina
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray one 9 X 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
• Filling: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef, onions, and red bell pepper and cook until beef is cooked through and onions are softened. Season with beef bouillon and all seasoning. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, green chiles, tomato paste and beef broth and stir until well combined. Heat over medium heat to warm through then stir in cheese; set aside.
• Topping: Whisk together all the dry ingredients (masa harina, baking powder, salt) in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat the egg and chicken broth until combined, then mix that into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir in the melted butter followed by cheese.
• Assemble: Remove ½ cup of the masa batter and stir it into the filling then transfer the filling into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Transfer the remaining masa batter to the 9x13 and evenly spread over the filling. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Note that the topping may not look cooked so make sure to check it anyway with a toothpick; tamale pie is done when a toothpick inserted into the center of the masa topping comes out clean. Serve warm with sour cream, salsa, hot sauce, tomatoes, avocados, etc.

Notes

Tips for Success

• Masa harina: Is a type of naturally gluten-free corn flour treated with an alkali solution which gives it a distinctive flavor (used in tamales, tortillas, sopes, etc.) Masa harina should be easy to find at your grocery store in the flour aisle or Latin aisle or you can purchase it on Amazon.  The most common type is white masa harina, which is made from dried white corn, or you can also use yellow masa harina, which is made from dried yellow corn. The white is a bit sweeter, but both will work. You may or may not see “instant” on the label – both will work great.
• Beef bouillon:  You can use bouillon powder, bouillon cubes or better than bouillon.  If using cubes, crush them up and then add directly to the filling without dissolving in liquid first.  You will need three cubes in this recipe.
• Customize ingredients: You can add additional veggies to the filling in place of ½ pound ground beef.  You don’t want to just add more veggie or it will throw the ingredient ratio off.  You can also play around with ground turkey or chopped chicken.
• The tamale topping isn’t overly fluffy like cornbread: Instead it is tender - and tastes like tamales! Also, don’t worry after the topping is fully cooked that it is more moist on the bottom where it meets the filling– it is still cooked, it is just mingling with the juices for added flavor.
• Skillet tamale pie:  You can make tamale pie in a 9x13 baking dish as shown or in two lightly greased lightly greased 12–14-inch cast iron skillets.  The skillets will take longer to bake.  You can also halve the recipe and bake in on skillet.

MAKE AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS

You can make the tamale pie filling ahead of time or assemble the entire casserole ahead of time.

• Filling: You can prepare the tamale filling up to 5 days in advance. Store in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it. Then, all you’ll have to do is quickly whisk together the tamale topping, add ½ cup to the filling and bake. Do NOT make the masa harina topping ahead of time without spreading it over the filling or it will become too thick. 
• Assemble ahead: You can completely assemble the entire tamale pie including the masa harina topping up to 24 hours ahead of time. Let the casserole sit on the counter for 20 minutes before baking and increase baking time by 10-15 minutes.

How to Store and Reheat  

• Storage:  Store the tamale pie an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This tamale pie recipe keeps and reheats well both in the oven and in the microwave:
• To reheat in the oven: Cover the pan with foil and bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
• To reheat in the microwave: Reheat individual servings in the microwave by transferring to a microwave safe plate and microwaving for 90 seconds. Continue to microwave at 20 second intervals until heated through.

How to Freeze

This tamale pie should be frozen UNBAKED to preserve the texture of the topping – do not bake beforehand.  To freeze tamale pie:  

• Add the corn batter topping and smooth but do not bake.
• Transfer to the freezer for 1 hour for the topping to harden.
• Wrap with two layers of plastic wrap all the way around the dish followed by one layer of aluminum foil.
• Label the tamale pie and freeze for up to 3 months.
• When ready to bake, place in the refrigerator 48 hours ahead of time to thaw completely then remove plastic wrap and foil and bake according to directions, adding an additional 10-15 minutes.
• Alternatively, you can bake from frozen at 400 degrees F for 60- 70 minutes. Cover with foil if the top starts to darken too quickly.

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