I love savory pies. The buttery crumb, the salty filling, the alluring spices—it’s all good in my book. And tamale pie is a wonderfully southwestern take on such a dish. I’ve been making this for a while now, I first came across it years ago after hosting a photography worksop in New Mexico. We cooked primarily from the classic The Border Cookbook, which is essentially a bible of southwestern regional dishes and packed with gems such as tamale pie and the like. I fell in love at first bite, and have been making it on repeat ever since.
So, What is Tamale Pie?
In short, tamale pie is a spiced meaty beany filling with a layer of cornbread baked on top. As I’ve made it over the years, I’ve tweaked it to my own preferences, and made it a bit quicker to assemble. I primarily make this on days when I’m feeling tired and don’t want to spend a lot of time slaving over the stove. I’ve got it down to a simple one-pot meal that involves cooking onions and garlic and meat together in oil, then adding in a jar of my favorite freezer salsa, beans, and some spices (but you can use your favorite brand of store-bought salsa just as well!) The cornbread comes together very quickly with some whisking in a bowl, and then gets spread on top of the filling, and the whole thing goes in the oven to bake until the cornbread is cooked and you get delicious juices bubbling up around the edges.
I like adding chopped jalapeno to the cornbread filling, but if spiciness isn’t kind to your stomach then you can easily omit it. I do highly recommend adding the corn kernels, however, since they add a nice texture to the cornbread, and little bursts of corn sweetness. This recipe makes quite a few servings (about 10), so if you’re a small family you can always freeze extra portions for a future night off from making dinner. And if you’re looking for another savory pie recipe, might I highly recommend bookmarking this mushroom galette for fall (which I can’t believe is already just around the corner!) Buena comida!
Tamalie Pie with Jalapeno Cornbread Crust
This tamale pie has a salsa-filled meat and bean filling, and is topped with jalapeno cornbread with bits of sweet corn kernels. You can use your favorite salsa in the filling to customize the heat level, or your favorite homemade salsa. The choice is yours!
Ingredients
Tamale Pie Filling
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 2 pounds ground turkey beef, or meat substitute
- 12 ounce jar of salsa your favorite brand & heat level
- 15 ounce can pinto beans or chickpeas drained
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
Cornbread Topping
- 1 ½ cups cornmeal
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour or 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cups plain yogurt
- ½ cup corn kernels fresh or frozen
- 1 jalapeno chopped, optional
Instructions
Tamale Pie Filling
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Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven, about 10 inches in diameter and at least 4 inches deep. Add the onions and saute until softened and translucent and lightly golden around the edges, about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple minutes. Add the garlic and the ground meat and stir, breaking it apart with the end of a wooden spoon as it cooks. Once it’s nearly cooked through, add the salsa, beans, and spices and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then cook together for 10 minutes before tasting and adding salt as-needed. Remove from heat and set aside.
Cornbread Topping
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder and set it aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, and eggs until smooth. Add the flour mixture in two increments, alternating with the greek yogurt, and stir until smooth. Gently stir in the corn and jalapeno.
Assembly
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Carefully grease the exposed upper portion of the Dutch oven (it will still be hot from the stovetop). Pour the batter over the top of the filling into the Dutch oven and place it in the pan. Bake until golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out free of cornbread batter, about 40 to 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before scooping and serving.
