Tamale Pie
September 1, 2014
181 Comments
Dive into layers of cornbread, enchilada sauce, ground beef, and cheese, baked until melty and topped with all your favorite taco fixings! If you like this tamale pie recipe, you may also enjoy these other easy, one-skillet tamale pie dinner recipes from 2teaspoons:
- Chicken Tamale Pie
- Easy Tamale Pie (boxed cornbread mix)
Happy Labor Day everyone! I hope you’re having a relaxing day, preferably one that involves great friends and a delicious backyard barbecue 🙂
Although the threat of rain in DC postponed my own barbecue plans, I’ve had a fun weekend relaxing in doors with friends. I’m feeling excited and recharged for the first day of my fellowship. I can’t believe it starts tomorrow already! 🙂
Today I have a delicious and easy, one dish dinner recipe…Tamale Pie! It’s packed with moist cornbread, gooey cheese, and general taco-y goodness. This recipe adaptation was originally motivated by two simple facts: 1) I didn’t have any leftover slow cooked meat and 2) I didn’t have time to make any.
By simply sautéing spiced ground beef I created a tasty beef alternative ready in only 10 minutes. Feel free to use any meat you have around…if it goes with taco spices it will go with this recipe. I baked this in a large cast iron skillet, but the recipe also cooks up well in a 9×9 or 9×13 pan. The size of the pan will change the thickness, but not the deliciousness of each layer.
I love my tamale pie topped with all the taco fixings…Salsa, sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheese, cilantro, and lime juice. It’s super personalizable, so have fun with it and enjoy! 🙂
Tamale Pie
Ingredients
CORNBREAD
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½ cup cornmeal
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2/3 cup flour
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3 tablespoons sugar
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1 tablespoon baking powder
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¼ teaspoon salt
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3-4 tablespoons oil I used olive oil
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1/3 cup milk
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1 egg
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1 small can diced green chiles 4.5 ounce can
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1 can of corn or creamed corn
MEAT
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1 lb ground beef
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1 teaspoon cumin
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1 teaspoon chili powder
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¼ teaspoon salt
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¼ teaspoon pepper
TAMALE PIE
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1 ¼ cup enchilada sauce
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2 cups of shredded cheese I used sharp white cheddar
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS
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Salsa
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Guacamole
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Sour Cream
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Shredded Cheese
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Cilantro
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Lime wedges
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
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Whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add oil until soft crumbles form. Whisk in milk and egg. Gently fold in chiles and corn. Pour into greased baking pan (9x9, 9x13, large cast iron skillet). Bake until set (a toothpick should come out clean), about 20-25 minutes.
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While cornbread is baking, combine beef with spices and sauté in a skillet over medium heat until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
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Once cornbread is done baking, reduce oven to 350 degree F. Poke holes in cornbread with a fork and pour enchilada sauce over it. Top with ground beef and shredded cheese, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and back until cheese begins to brown, about 5-10 minutes.
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Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving with desired toppings.
Linda
Does anyone have suggestions on how to make this paleo? What would be good corn/wheat substitutes?
Jamie
Hi I want to cook this Tomorrow I am cooking with a 9 by 13 inch pan should I double the cornmeal to 1 cup?
Karen
When I cook this in a 9×13 pan I usually keep the recipe as is. I’ve doubled it in the past, and it does turn out well, it just has a very thick cornbread layer. If you do double it, I would recommend doubling the entire recipe and making sure to bake the cornbread layer until it is fully cooked.
Crystal
I wasn’t too sure in this recipe but after reviewing all the comments/reviews, I’m definitely gonna make it tonight
Karen
Thanks Crystal – I hope you enjoyed the Tamale Pie 🙂
Carol
I love this recipe. When I make it, I divide it into 2 6-cup glass pans and put one into the freezer before the 2nd baking and finish off the 2nd 350° step with the other. It freezes very well.
Karen
Hi Carol,
Thanks for the tip on splitting and freezing half the tamale pie — I know lots of readers have this question and it’s great to get some insight from someone who’s tried it!
Tamara
Hello. I am just curious if you follow the same recipe for jiffy version if using cornbread mix? Thank you
Karen
Hi Tamara, Thanks for reaching out with your questions. I’ve only tried the recipe with Jiffy, but I think it should extend to other cornbread mixes. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it comes out. Good luck and happy cooking! 🙂
Peggy J. Seifert
GREAT dish. I wanted to grill fresh corn on the cob so I didn’t add in cornbread mixture. I had a huge 28 oz can of enchilda sauce, so i reserved the 1 1/4 cups, and added sauce to hamburg and kept reducing. Very good. Will definitely make again. The grilled corn on the side was a huge plus, along with simple salad. I had add one of black olives, sour cream and chopped onions. Yum
Karen
Hi Peggy! I’m delighted you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Ivy
I was a little skeptical of this — it seemed bland, and kind of too good to be true… But I made this, and it was amazing!! I didn’t use peppers, and I used a homemade enchilada sauce, and it came out so good. We ate a piece without toppings, and it was still soooo good. But I highly recommend cilantro and some of the leftover enchilada sauce on top, it made it just perfect. Thank you for the great recipe!
Karen
Hi Ivy! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! I bet your homemade enchilada sauce was a delicious addition:-)
Jaime
This is one of the most amazing dishes that I have ever made! I made it last month, and my boyfriend and I still go on about it. I’m definitely planning to make it again soon. I even shared it with several friends after they saw the photo I posted on social media. I made a few minor changes. I used ground turkey instead of ground meat. I used extra enchilada sauce. Added some veggies in with the meat and used homemade taco seasoning instead of the other spices. IT WAS AMAZING!!!
Karen
Hi Jaime! I’m delighted you enjoyed the recipe! I love adding veggies, like peppers and onions, to the meat mixture too 🙂
Susan
Just made this. Very good,Thank you..
Karen
Thanks Susan!
erica
this was SO YUMMY! Thank you for the recipe my 3 year old even gobbles this up! I will definitely make this again! I have a quick question when making the cornbread crust do you drain the chilies and corn? I drained them and the crust seemed a bit dry and crumbly, it was still super good but not as moist as your pictures look…
Karen
Hi Erica! I’m happy to hear the recipe was a hit! I usually drain the cans if there is excess water on the top, but don’t worry about it if there is only a little water in the cans. A few ideas to keep the cornbread from getting dry are 1) cook it a little less, a tooth pick should come out clean but this may happen faster in your oven since there can be a lot of variation between ovens, 2) try adding extra enchilada sauce, or 3) poking larger holes in the cornbread before you pour the enchilada sauce on. I hope these suggestions help – enjoy!
Denise
This was amazing! I tweaked a bit, because I didn’t pick up everything… I went without cumin, and used the green chilies w, tomatoes and cooked with meat. I also used enchilada sauce, which gave it a little cook. Cheddar cheese and white mixed cheese for topping.. so wonderful and moist.
Pat
What size–inch wise– cast iron skillet do you use?
Karen
Hi Pat! Thanks for reaching out with your question. I usually use a 10 inch cast iron skillet. Enjoy 🙂
Novalea
I’m going to try this, . Thank you for sharing.
Karen
Thanks Novalea! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Linda
I used the Jiffy Mix receipe and it was sooo good. I don’t usually leave comments but I had to with this one. It’s a keeper and I will be making it again soon.
Karen
Thanks Linda! I’m delighted you enjoyed the recipe – thanks for taking the time to letting me know 🙂 🙂 🙂
Lisa
Delicious recipe! I addeed a little heat by using pepper jack cheese along with the cheddar. The family loved it!
Karen
Thanks Lisa! I’m delighted your family enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Linda
I added Creole Seasoning to the meat, doubled the meat and used extra cheese. I used the Jiffy mix recipe and canned corn…the family LOVED it… they didn’t want to stop eating…lol. Thank you for sharing your recipe
Karen
Hi Linda! I’m delighted your family enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for sharing your additions – they sound delicious 🙂
Veronica
Karen,
I am excited to try this recipe! Do you drain the canned corn and chiles before incorporating them into the batter?
Also, I unfortunately don’t have a cast-iron skillet- do you think this would work in a 10in oven-safe skillet?
Thank you!
Karen
Hi Veronica! Thanks for your interest in the recipe. I usually pour out any excess liquid in the cans, but find that both the chiles and the corn tend not to have very much or any at all. I’ve made this recipe with square Pyrex pans and the cast iron skillet – I think a 10 inch oven safe pan should work well too. The cooking time might vary a little, so I would just recommend checking that the cornbread is fully cooked (a toothpick should come out clean) before adding the sauce, meat, and cheese. Enjoy!
Tyler
For the cornbread, did you mean 1 teaspoon of baking powder, instead of the tablespoon that is listed?
Karen
Hi Tyler! Thanks for reaching out with your question. I did use 1 tablespoon of baking powder. I’m not sure how sensitive the recipe is to it – I’d love to hear how it came out with 1 teaspoon if you ended up making it with less baking powder. Happy cooking!
Metin
Aiyaiyai!!! I used baking soda instead of powder. I didn’t know there was a difference. My bad.
Meg
Made this with some spicy shredded chicken and homemade enchilada sauce. Delicious
Karen
Hi Meg! I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed the recipe! I bet the chicken and homemade enchilada sauce was wonderful – Thanks for sharing 🙂
Sylvieann
Sounds good to me! Going to try. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Karen
Enjoy Sylvieann! 🙂
Peter
Sooooooo good.
Karen
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe Peter 🙂
Michelle Hancock
Do you know the nutrition breakdown on this recipe? Watching my carbs but asking a little late , just had for dinner, my husband cooked. It was delicous
Karen
Hi Michelle! Thanks for reaching out, but I unfortunately don’t calculate nutritional information for my recipes. I’m glad you enjoyed the dish 🙂
Melody
So which size pan did you use because there’s a huge difference in a 9×9 and 9×13 and really don’t want to experiment with times, thickness, etc.
Karen
Hi Melody! An 8×8 and 9×9 will cook the most similarly to the cast iron skillet. Just follow the directions and double check that the cornbread is done by making sure a toothpick comes out clean before topping it with enchilada sauce, beef, and cheese. Enjoy!
Melody
So I ended up doing a 9×9 pan which was perfect and cooked the cornbread for 20 minutes. Next time I’ll only do it for 15 minutes…and there will be a next time because my husband loved it. Just FYI, the 9×13 pan must be a typo because the cornbread would end up being just a smear across the bottom of the pan. Just not enough of it.
LaTrice
I just got approved for my apartment, and will be moving in next week. Looking forward to making this recipe. 🙂
Karen
Enjoy LaTrice!
Shayla Venious
It looked so yummy and I decided to try it and it came out FANTASTIC 🙂
Karen
Thanks Shayla! I’m delighted you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Nel
Never even heard of tamale pie before but was searching the net for something different to make for dinner and these photos caught my eye so I decided to try this recipe out. And let’s just say, I don’t regret the decision. Came out absolutely delicious and will become part of my regular dinner rotation. not to mention, I’ve replaced my usual cornbread recipe with the one included in here as well. Thanks for sharing!
Karen
Hi Nel! Thank you for your kind message. I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Mary Johnston
Made the Tamale pie. Was super easy to make. My family kept commenting how good the house smelled. My 10 y/o ate almost half the pie!. He didn’t even wait for it to cool down a little. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thanks for sharing it.
Karen
Hi Mary! I’m delighted to hear the recipe was a hit with the whole family 🙂
Merrilly
My Mom used to make a Tamale pie. She added black olives to it. I guess it had some hamburger in it. But this was many many years ago, but have been trying to find something like it. This sounds amazing! Will try is very soon. If I added some black olives, would I add it to the cornbread or the meat?
Karen
Hi Merrilly! I’m happy to hear this recipe may have solved the mystery of your Mom’s tamale pie recipe. I think the olives would be good in either the cornbread or meat, but I would lean towards putting them in the cornbread. You could also serve extra olives on the side for people to use a topping. Enjoy – I’d love to hear how it comes out 🙂
Rhanda Zigler
I just sprinkled olives on top when I made mine, and that worked great.
Karen
I’m happy to hear it! 🙂
Katie
Hi,
I made this last night and it was wonderful! I used your recipe for the cornbread. Added the creamed corn as suggested. I made this in two pie pans! So it really made a lot. Topped it with lettuce, jalapeno and a dollop of sour cream. Sooooo good!!!! Thanks for a great recipe. Wouldn’t change a thing!!
Karen
Hi Katie! I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Stephanie
Super Easy & i just know my husband is going to LOVE it! It’s cooling now & the entire house smells so good (i may not be able to wait for him to get home from work!) i found this recipe while looking for something “different” to do with ground chuck besides the usual meatloaf or pot of spaghetti. He loves spicy food & it pacifies my cheese addiction (i used Gouda btw)- Love it. Thanks for sharing it!
Karen
Hi Stephanie! I’m so happy you found the recipe easy. I totally have a cheese addiction myself and agree it’s hard to resist eating this dish while looking at all the yummy melted cheese 🙂 I hope you and your husband enjoyed having it for dinner!
Aw
I figured I should probably finally leave a comment…I’ve been making this dish for two years now and it’s a family favorite! I make it for all kinds of occasions. It’s equally a kid & adult favorite and a favorite for those nights when you want something comforting and easy. Plus, I add chopped greens to the topping list to make it feel a tiny bit healthier:)
Karen
Hi Aw! I’m delighted to hear your family has been enjoying this recipe for two year! I love the idea of adding chopped greens. I often serve this with a side salad, and bet topping it with the salad would be delicious. Thanks for sharing 🙂
H
I just made this and it is filling and absolutely DELICIOUS! Thank you very much for the wonderful recipe, I’m going to follow your blog for sure going forward!
Karen
Thanks H – I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed the recipe and my blog! 🙂
Michelle
Mads this for dinner, it was delicious. I did the homemade version of the cornbread and had to make creamed corn, FYI. Whole family loved it!! Thank you.
Karen
Hi Michelle! I’m delighted to hear your family enjoyed the recipe – sounds like you cooked up a wonderful dinner 🙂
Elizabeth
I used this a starting point for dinner. I didn’t feel like making a trip to the store so I improvised. I used about 1/2 cup of frozen corn in the corn bread and only put half the can of green chile in it. The ground beef I made very close to recipe but added the other half can of green chile’s to the meat. I didn’t have enchilada sauce, so this is where I really improvised. I mixed a can of refried beans, a can of diced tomatoes with green chile (I drained the tomatoes) and some hot sauce. It worked for my crew. Still, I’m looking forward to trying it again according to the recipe.
Karen
Hi Elizabeth! Sounds like you put together a wonderful dinner! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe and thank you for sharing your modifications – they sound delicious 🙂
Greg
To say it was delicious would be… Well, accurate! Signing up for the newsletter now!
Karen
Hi Greg! I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for signing up for the newsletter 🙂
Susan
I’m going to take this to Mexican potluck at church. I think I will use the green enchilada sauce as one comment mentioned it and I love green chilies – especially the Hatch ones. Looks like a perfect potluck dish and not too expensive, either!
Karen
Hi Susan! I’m delighted to hear you’re going to share this recipe at your church’s Mexican potluck! I hope everyone enjoys it 🙂
LuAnn
Hi Karen, We made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit! For one, we are cornbread eaters. Not the boxed kind but homemade. So easy to make. We had salad and homemade Margaritas and for dessert, Key Lime Pie. It helped make the evening special.
Karen
Hi LuAnn! Your dinner sounds wonderful! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe and made it into such a fantastic dinner 🙂
Kate
I made this last night, and it was very good! Thank you for the recipe!
Karen
Hi Kate! I’m delighted to her you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Tonya
This is a great recipe everyone should try. I make the tamale pie once or twice a month. It’s one of my daughter’s favorite meals. We add half a package of chorizo to our ground beef for extra flavor.
Karen
Hi Tonya! I’m delighted you and your family enjoy Tamale Pie! I bet the chorizo adds a wonderful flavor – thanks for sharing 🙂
Elecia
I was wondering if you made your own enchilada sauce and if you would share that recipe. If you didn’t make your own what brand do you use?
Karen
Hi Elecia! I haven’t made my own enchilada sauce, but I bet this recipe would be fantastic with one. I usually use trader joe’s brand sauce, but have also used brands like Old el Paso, Hatch, and Las Palmas and it’s tasted wonderful 🙂
Mary Ceverha
Making this right now! Changed it a bit by adding some of the extra enchilada sauce to the meat and also stirring in half a can of fat free refried beans. Can’t wait to eat it!
Karen
Hi Mary! I’m so happy to hear you’re trying out this recipe! Thanks for sharing your wonderful additions – I hope you enjoyed the dish 🙂
Janice
Just made it for supper tonight and we all really enjoyed it. I added a few more spices to the meat since my family likes things spicy but other than that I kept pretty faithful to the recipe. This recipe is going into rotation. Thanks.
Karen
Hi Janice! I’m delighted to hear you and your family enjoyed the recipe! The spices are definitely easy to modify to fit everyone’s tastebuds 🙂
Jan
I would like to know how all the people who have left a comment, have leftovers ? We certainly didn’t !
Karen
Thanks Jan! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 🙂 🙂
Nicole
I tried this recipe tonight! I tried it in a baking dish though since I plan to take it to a family dinner tomorrow night. Although, my cornbread came out dry. I think it’s because I let it cool too long before adding the enchilada sauce. Any recommendations for adding moisture back in before I serve it tomorrow? I’m pretty new at cooking, so anything helps! Thanks!
Karen
Hi Nicole, Thanks for reaching out with your question. I’m sorry to hear your cornbread turned out a little dry. I think the cornbread may moisten just sitting below all the toppings for the day. Also, if you warm it up before serving it you can try covering to keep in the moisture. I’ve also warmed up individual pieces in a covered skillet on low with melted butter – it might not be how you’re looking to serve it today, but it’s definitely a delicious way to heat up leftover pieces 🙂
Kim
Are 1of the 3 types of pans preferred over the others. Also what size is considered a large cast iron skillet.
Karen
Hi Kim! I’ve made this recipe in a 9 inch cast iron skillet, and in 8×8, 9×9, and 9×13 baking dishes, and think it comes out good in all of them. The cooking time varies a little depending on the dish you select. I just make sure to bake the cornbread portion until it’s fully cooked (a tooth pick comes out clean), then I add the toppings and cook until it’s warmed through. Good luck and enjoy! 🙂
Robyn Conners
Thanks for the recipe, I made it tonight for dinner. I cheated on the cornbread and made it from a box. I used almond milk as I am allergic to milk. I also made two different ones, one with red enchilada sauce and one with green enchilada sauce, both were equally good. Oh, I used Manchego cheese (sheep) which was yummy as well. Thanks for the recipe, the hubby loved it. Next time I will make my own cornbread and maybe even try to make it gluten-free 🙂
Thanks again!!
Karen
Hi Robyn! What wonderful ways to modify the tamale pie recipe! I’m really happy to hear you and your hubby enjoyed the recipe and that you got delicious results changing it up for your tastebuds 🙂
Khara
Delicious! This was the first time I ever made tamale pie. Instead of enchilada sauce, I made the beef mixture with Frontera skillet Texas taco sauce (because that’s what I had on-hand) and poured it over the cornbread all mixed together. I followed the cornbread recipe exactly and it was a perfect base for the toppings… not too sweet, but sweet enough.
Question: I used the creamed corn, but only used half of my 14.75 oz. can as that looked like enough in the bowl when I was mixing. Do you normally use a small can (8-ish ounces) or should I have added the whole bigger can? Just curious for the next time we make it, which will be very soon.
Thank you! This is permanently added to our dinner rotation 🙂
Karen
Hi Khara! I’m delighted you enjoyed the recipe! I use the whole 14.75 oz can of creamed corn when I make the tamale pie, but I think the recipe should come out great either way. I’d love to know which amount you prefer if you get a chance to make the recipe again 🙂
Diane
Do you really use 1Tablespoon baking powder or should that be 1 teaspoon? Most cornbread recipes use 1 teaspoon per cup of flour/cornmeal combined. I prefer less sugar in my cornbread so prefer to not use Jiffy Mix as some suggested. This sounds awesome and I plan to invite some friends to share it with. Love that the base is cornbread instead of the top. The deepish pizza comparison sold it for me. I think I just may need to follow you.
Karen
Hi Diane! Yes, it really is 1 Tablespoon. The recipe isn’t too sensitive to the amount of baking powder, but I found a little extra leavening improves the cornbread texture when it’s covered in all the delicious toppings 🙂
Bernice
OMG!!! This recipe is a winner! Very easy to make and tastes AWESOME!!! Used a jiffy cornbread mix and added cheese and a can of creamed corn. The rest of recipe the same. Will be making this again and again! Thank you for an amazing recipe!
Karen
Hi Bernice! I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed the recipe!!! I bet adding cheese to the cornbread mix was delicious — thanks for sharing the tip 🙂
Sally Powell
I made this recipe last night for dinner. It was delicious. My family loved it and I will make it again. It was really easy to put together. When I pulled the skillet out of the oven it looked just like your picture. It would be a fun dish to serve to company because it looks so good in the skillet with the cheesy topping. Thanks for posting this.
Karen
Hi Sally! Thank you for your wonderful comment — I’m so happy to hear you and your family enjoyed the tamale pie 🙂
Anna
A winner! My husband, 5yo and 2 yo daughters ate it (even the leftovers) enthusiastically. They all especially enjoyed the sweetness of the cornbread, especially against the savory chili topping. I checked Pinterest, desperate for dinnertime inspiration, and this recipe got me out of a bind! Thank you!
Karen
Hi Anna! I’m delighted to hear you and your family enjoyed the recipe! I’m so happy you found the Tamale Pie recipe on Pinterest in the nick of time and it was able to save the day (or at least dinnertime) for your family 🙂
Lisa
This looks awesome! First glance it looked like a deep dish pizza, guess its kind of close to that!
Pinning this one, it looks like a keeper!
Lisa
Karen
Hi Lisa! It does look like a deep dish pizza. Especially in the cast-iron. And it’s just as delicious. Thanks for pinning!
Elyse S.
Just got done eating this for dinner! It was absolutely delicious! My family said we needed a bigger cast iron skillet, and this recipe is definitely a keeper. I’m so full I could burst. We didn’t have a can of green chiles so I substituted part of a can of Ro*Tel mild tomatoes and green chiles and loved the extra tomato flavor. My Mom doesn’t typically like Mexican because of the use of all the onions and peppers, but she loves tamales and loved this dinner so much! So thank you! We will definitely be adding this to our circulation of dinner recipes.
Karen
Hi Elyse! I’m happy to hear you and your family enjoyed the Tamale Pie, and that it even won over your Mom! Giving the cornbread a tomato flavor sounds delicious — thanks for sharing the wonderful suggestion 🙂
Beverly
Tried this tonight and it is awesome! I did mix in chopped black olives in the cornbread….this is a keeper recipe
Karen
Hi Beverly! I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed the tamale pie! Adding olives sounds delicious — for sharing 🙂
Amanda West
SOOOO awesome! I used ground bison because I just prefer bison to beef and used Glutino gluten-free all purpose flour to replace the flour in this recipe. It came out great! Thanks for such a delicious and easy recipe. I will most definitely be making this again.
Karen
Thanks Amanda! Yum — I bet the bison was delicious!!! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the Tamale Pie and found it easy to follow. It’s also great to know the recipe comes out well gluten free 🙂
Jude Cole
I am just in the process of making your delicious looking Tamale pie, I was wondering though ….when you say a tin of creamed corn, what size tin? in the UK creamed corn only seems to come in 418g tins….as I wasn’t sure, I used three quarters of a tin? don’t know whether this is right or not ?
Also the tin of chillies you used…I could only find jars of mixed HOT chillis in vinegar and as they were quite large I only put one in and I scraped out the seeds….I didn’t want a fiery chilli overload!!!
Am I doing this right?
Jude
Karen
Hi Jude! Thank you for your questions and your interest in the tamale pie recipe. I checked and the 418g can of creamed corn you found is the same size as the 14.5 ounce can I used. The recipe should still be great using only 3/4 of the can though, but next time feel free to use the whole thing if you’d like. For the diced green chiles I used a 4 ounce can (about 113 grams) and they are mild. Hopefully the ones you used will add a nice spicy kick to the recipe. I’d love to hear how the tamale pie turns out. Good luck!
Mia
What size cast iron did you use?
Karen
Hi Mia! Thank you for your question and your interest in the recipe. I used a 10 inch diameter cast iron skillet in the photos. Enjoy 🙂
Kelly
So thankful for the comments! I’m making this currently and after 25 minutes my cornbread was still runny! So glad I had your comments to tell me to put it back in! I thought maybe it would just cook more once I put it in with the meat! Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Karen
Hi Kelly! I’m happy to hear you’re making the Tamale Pie recipe and that the comments were helpful! I’m updating the recipe a little to reflect that the cornbread should be completely baked before adding the sauce, meat and cheese — Thanks for the suggestion! I hope you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Jennifer
I just made this. Used Old Gringo enchilada sauce (prefer to use my own as I live in the Southwest and canned/jarred is not authentic). I also added about a cup of pinto beans and some red pepper flakes for heat to the meat. I put half the cheese between the meat and the cornbread and the other half on top. Served with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and avocado. It was really easy and very yummy! No leftovers in the house.
Karen
Hi Jennifer! I’m delighted you enjoyed the Tamale Pie! Your suggestions sound wonderful – I bet placing some of the cheese directly on the cornbread is delicious. Thanks for sharing the tip 🙂
Teresa
I’m going to try this tomorrow, and the chef at work were discussing if I should use corm meal or masa flour. I think we might try both to see which we like best
Karen
Hi Teresa! I’m excited to hear you’ll be trying the Tamale Pie soon! My guess is that the cornmeal will work better, but I’ve never tried it the masa flour and would love to hear what you find out 🙂
Happy mama
Just made this for dinner! Amazing! Tasty with out being too spicy.
My kids, 6, 4 and 3 year old all ate their meal. It never happens! This recipe is here to stay!
Thank you!
Karen
Hi Happy Mama! I’m so happy to hear the Tamale Pie was a hit – adult and kid tastebuds included 🙂
tracey
Oops…keeper!
tracey
I made this gluten free. I used Bob’s red mill gluten free cornbread…followed instructions except use half the milk reqired…so I could add a can of creamed corn. It turned out absolutely delicious. I was surprised how much it tasted like real tamales. Definitely a Kepler. Thank you!
Karen
Hi Tracey, I’m delighted to hear you enjoyed the Tamale Pie! Thanks for sharing a gluten free version – it’s great to hear the flavor translates well 🙂
Mary A
This recipe was a total bomb for me. It came out sickeningly sweet. I checked that I followed the recipe. Here’s what I think happened. I used a small can of creamed corn; the brand I used listed sugar towards the top. That along with the 3 tablespoons in the recipe turned this into a meat cake! Yech! So to be safe use kernel corn rather than creamed. The texture of the cornbread was lovely.
Karen
Hi Mary! Thanks for the tip! I’ve used both creamed corn and kernel corn and both have come out well, if there is a lot of extra sugar in the creamed corn it could easily make the dish too sweet. I’m happy you enjoyed the cornbread 🙂
AJR
Did you make a side dish with this or serve alone. It seems like it may be a complete meal by itself. Just curious
Karen
Hi AJR! I’ve served the Tamale Pie both as a stand alone dish and with a side salad. Enjoy 🙂
Cate
Can you use corn flour if you don’t have corn meal? If yes, how much? I can’t wait to try this one.
Karen
Hi Cate! Thanks for asking your question. Unfortunately, I’m not very familiar with corn flour. Can you bake cornbread with it? Does it have a gritty texture like cornmeal or a smoother texture like all-purpose flour? From what I’ve found online it’s much finer than cornmeal, so it may change the texture of the dish. If so, I’d definitely recommend using cornmeal, but if you do give it a try I’d be interested in hearing what you think. Thanks!
Lisa M.
This was so great… adding to our regular rotation. Made with a few changes since I used what I had on hand (ground turkey instead of beef, 2 boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix according to box – 2 eggs, 2/3 cup milk and 1 can of regular corn drained and 2 tbls. honey). I added my green chile’s to the meat mixture and my optional toppings were green onions, avocado, sour cream and chopped tomatoes. The family and our 2 dinner guests really enjoyed it… thanks for sharing!!!
Karen
Thanks Lisa! I’m delighted to hear your family and guests enjoyed the Tamale Pie! Thanks for sharing your modifications to the recipe – they sound delicious! I love any reason to eat more avocados. Yummy! 🙂
Glenda
Hi!! I made this last week. And it was fabulous!!! I also used the Jiffy corn mix made as directed on the box (I used two boxes but felt that was too much cornbread. So next time I’ll only use one box) but I also added half a can of sweet corn and about 4 tablespoons of canned Chili’s to the cornbread and then everything else the same it was delicious!!! Can’t wait to make again!
Karen
Hi Glenda! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the Tamale Pie! Thanks for sharing how you substituted in the Jiffy cornbread mix – it sounds super easy and super delicious 🙂
Glenda
Karen you have a super fabulous recipe here! Thank you for sharing with us!!!
Lisha
I would be interested in knowing how to make this with Jiffy cornbread instead to make it quicker & easier. Can anyone tell me how they did that.
Anna
I didn’t know this dish existed until yesterday. I used Jiffy cornbread mix and it was FABULOUS!! Have added this to my repertoire. A very nice beginning to my therapeutic, culinary year.
Thank you
Karen
Happy New Year Anna! I’m so happy to hear the Tamale Pie was a winning recipe to start off your therapeutic culinary year! How did you incorporate the jiffy cornbread mix? Did you have to change the recipe around a little? I haven’t gotten a chance to try it, but I’ve received a few questions about using a mix instead of cornmeal and flour and would love to hear how you made the substitution. Thanks! 🙂
Anna
I followed the instructions on the box to make the cornbread then added drained corn and somewhat drained green chilies. Poured the cornbread into a melted buttered cast iron skillet to cook for the usual time and temp directed on the Jiffy box. Once the cornbread is ready, I placed holes in the cornbread with a fork, then added sauce, meat mixture, and cheese. Cover with foil to bake then took foil off to finish browning the edges of the cheese for some yummy goodness.
Karen
Hi Anna! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the Tamale Pie! Thank you for sharing how you used a cornbread mix in the recipe – it sounds simple and delicious 🙂
Anna
Mrs. Callendar’s cornbread mix rocks also!! 🙂
Karen
Hi Lisha! From a few of the reader comments, it looks like can substitute 1-2 boxes (depending on how much cornbread you’d like) of jiffy cornbread for the cornbread recipe I have on the site. Then stir in the corn and chiles, bake the cornbread until it’s fully cooked, and proceed to step 3. I hope this helps and would love to hear what you think if you give the recipe a try 🙂
Dana Glenn
This looked so good, I had to try it. I used Jiffy cornbread mix instead though. After that baked, I topped with taco meat, drained corn and black beans, chunky salsa, cilantro and tons of cheese. My family loves it; my 14 year old has started to make this by herself now.
Karen
Hi Dana! I’m so happy to hear your family enjoyed the Tamale Pie! It’s fantastic your 14 year old is even making it by herself now 🙂 Your additions are making me crave this dish – midnight isn’t too late to start cooking right? 🙂
Kate @ Babaganosh.org
Whoa, this looks seriously awesome. I just pinned this and I will definitely be making this. Sooner rather than later. I think my mouth actually started watering as I am thinking about making and eating this.
Karen
Thanks Kate! Photos of cheesy goodness get my mouthwatering too 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think when you get a chance to make it. Happy New Year!
Tina
I made this over the weekend and it was a hit.My boyfriend ate it all except from the one piece I was able to eat right after I took it out of the oven. This is a keeper.
Karen
Hi Tina! I’m delighted to hear the Tamale Pie was a hit! I’m glad your boyfriend enjoyed it – and that you managed to get a taste 🙂 Happy New Year!
Monica
My husband loved it! I added a small can of diced jalapenos to the cornbread(I cheated and used Jiffy) and also added a small can of diced green chilies to the meat. We like it spicy here! This was ranked top 5 dinners ever at my house!
Karen
Hi Monica! I’m delighted to hear the tamale pie made your top 5 – that’s so exciting! I bet the jalapeños were yummy! 🙂
Amanda
Just letting you know that I made this last night and every bit was eaten. What’s really remarkable is I’ve been asked to make it AGAIN tonight! This recipe is a keeper! So easy and delicious. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Karen
Thanks Amanda! I’m delighted the tamale pie was such a hit! 🙂
Ariane
I made this last night and it was fantastic! The cornbread was especially good – I think that will become my go-to recipe from now on. Thanks for sharing!
Karen
Thanks Ariane! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the tamale pie! The flavor and texture of the cornbread in this recipe totally won me over too 🙂
Kim
Made this today and it is delicious! Had ground turkey on had, so used that. This is a keeper.
Karen
Hi Kim! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the Tamale Pie! I bet ground turkey was delicious 🙂
Halie
Hey! I made this tonight and had a question – what is the consistency of the corn bread crust supposed to be like? I used cream corn and poked the holes with a straw as I would with a cake, and the consistency is still like uncooked dough on the inside (used a large cast iron). If that’s the way it’s supposed to be, fine by me, but my husband isn’t a fan (I just got the crunch with chips :-P). If I’m off track, please let me know! I’d love to make this a regular but I’d have to win my husband back over lol. Thanks!
Karen
Hi Halie! I’m sorry to hear your cornbread crust turned out a bit doughy. It should taste like moist, fully cooked cornbread. Was it still doughy before you added the sauce/toppings? The time step 2 takes to bake the cornbread can definitely vary depending on the size and shape of the baking dish you’re using, but the cornbread crust should be completely cooked and set before adding any sauce/toppings. If it became doughy later maybe adding less sauce or draining the meat could help. If you get a chance to make it again let me know how it turns out. I hope you’re able to win your husband back over with it! It’s one of my favorite go-to dishes 🙂
nicolthepickle
I made this for supper tonight and I give it 5 stars. And in general I don’t give many recipes that high marking.
I upped the salt to 1 tsp in both the cornbread and on the meat.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I’m sure I’ll make it again many times.
Karen
Thank you so much Nicol! I’m super happy to hear you loved the recipe! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Aly
How can I make this gluten free? Can I use gluten free cormeal and gluten free flour?
Karen
Hi Aly! I haven’t made the recipe gluten free, but substituting gluten free flour and cornmeal should totally work. I’d love to hear how it comes out! 🙂
Kate @ Babaganosh.org
Whattttt! This looks so ridiculously good. I bet the cornmeal crust goes so nicely with the rest of this pie. Yummy.
Karen
Thanks Kate! I love cornmeal! It definitely makes a perfect base for the saucy, beefy, cheesy toppings in this dish 🙂
Sarah
This looks delicious, I can’t wait to try it. Do you think it would freeze well?
Karen
Thanks Sarah! Yes, this recipe should freeze really well. I would follow the first half of the directions as is, baking the cornbread base, topping it in sauce, cooked ground beef and cheese, and then covering and freezing it. When you’re ready to serve it I’d bake it from frozen, covered for an extra 30-60 minutes depending on the shape of the pan you used (9×13 vs. 9×9 vs. cast iron skillet). Once it’s heated through remove the foil, brown the cheese, and enjoy! 🙂
Jessica | A Happy Food Dance
I have never had tamale pie – can you believe that?! But this looks amazing, I definitely must try!
Karen
You should totally give Tamale pie a try Jessica! If you like cornbread and cheese you’ll love it 🙂
Kate
Congrats on your fellowship , good luck .
Recipe looks easy and ready to eat .
Trying it
Karen
Thanks Kate! I’m really excited about starting the fellowship tomorrow. I hope you enjoy the tamale pie 🙂
Vanessa @ Vanessa Baked
Oh man! This looks extremely good!
Karen
Thanks Vanessa! The tamale pie was definitely a winner! I love it every time I make it and it totally makes great lunch leftovers too 🙂
Judy @ I'm Bored, Let's Go
WOW! This looks so amazingly yummy!!! I love anything Mexican and cheesy so I know this has to be a winner! BTW, I live in DC too…quite a downpour for a short time, eh?
Karen
Thanks Judy! The downpour was pretty crazy for a little while! All of the sudden I looked out the window and the sky had opened up. I hope you managed to stay dry and have a great Labor Day 🙂
Thalia @ butter and brioche
I am definitely craving a bowlful of this tamale pie right now.. it looks cheesy and SO hearty & delicious. I just have to recreate the recipe, thanks for sharing it!
Karen
Thanks Thalia! It’s definitely cheesy, hearty, comfort-y goodness. Definitely let me know if you end up making it. I’d love to hear what you think (and taste!) 🙂
Liz @ Floating Kitchen
Whoa – this looks like extreme comfort food! I’m in love!
Karen
Thanks Liz! I love comfort food too and this dish definitely fits the bill. Perfect for the cool fall nights ahead and also still yummy during the summer since it doesn’t have to bake super long 🙂