I stole this recipe for Tamale Pie from a cookbook called One Pan Wonders. This Tex-Mex dinner cooks in one pan. Ground beef or pork is cooked with green onions and seasonings. Black beans, corn, tomatoes and chicken broth are added to the meat mixture. Shredded cheese, salt and pepper are stirred in until the cheese melts. A cornmeal batter is made for a topping. The batter is poured over the meat and vegetable mixture and the pan is baked in the oven to cook the cornmeal topping.
Did you know? Tamale pie is a Southwestern casserole dish. It is prepared with cornmeal crust and ingredients typically used in tamales. It has been described as a comfort food. The dish may have originated in Texas in the early 1900s.³ (see more trivia in the Trivia tab)
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a 10 inch oven safe skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 1 lb ground pork (or beef if you prefer) and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until just beginning to brown, 5-7 minutes.
Stir in 6 sliced scallions, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp oregano and ¼ tsp salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Next stir in 15 oz can rinsed black beans, 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, 1 cup frozen corn and ½ cup chicken broth.
Bring to a simmer and cook until mixture has thickened slightly, 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in 4 oz shredded pepper jack cheese until combined, season with salt and pepper. (At this time, if you do not have an oven-safe skillet you can transfer the mixture to a 9×13 casserole dish.)
Whisk ¾ cup flour, ¾ cup cornmeal, ¾ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda and ¾ tsp salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk ¾ cup buttermilk, 1 egg and 3 tbsp oil. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Spread cornmeal batter evenly over meat mixture.
Transfer to oven and bake 20 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating after 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before slicing.
Tamale Pie
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 lb ground pork
- 6 scallions white and green parts separated and sliced thin
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp minced fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried
- Salt and pepper
- 15 oz can black beans rinsed
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 4 oz pepper jack cheese shredded (1 cup)
- ¾ cup flour
- ¾ cup cornmeal
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a 10 inch oven safe skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add pork and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until just beginning to brown, 5-7 minutes.
-
Stir in scallion whites, chili powder, oregano and ¼ tsp salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in beans, tomatoes, corn and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until mixture has thickened slightly, 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in cheese until combined, season with salt and pepper.
-
Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, scallion greens and ¾ tsp salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg and 3 tbsp oil. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until just combined.
-
Spread cornmeal batter evenly over skillet. Transfer to oven and bake 20 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating after 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes.
Recipe Notes
I substituted ground beef for the pork. You can use taco or fajita seasoning instead of the oregano. If you do not have an oven safe skillet (like me) you can transfer the meat mixture to a casserole dish before baking.