Name: Best Tamale Pie
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 12
Ingredients: Savory cornbread recipe crumbled (4 cups divided); 2 tablespoons butter; 2 lbs ground beef; 2 cups home prepared pinto beans; 1 10 oz can tomatoes & green chilis (like rotel); 1/4 cup jalapeño juice from sliced jalapeño jar; 2 teaspoons chili powder; 2 teaspoons cumin; 1 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion Powder; 2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 ground pepper; 2 cups shredded jack cheese divided; 4 eggs; 1 1/2 cups milk; Toppings:; Half a head of finely shredded iceberg lettuce; 3 finely diced roma tomatoes; 1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion; 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro; 2 Sliced avocados; Sliced jalapeños optional; Fresh lime wedges, not optional ;)

This is as picture of a savory tamale pie in a southwest designed pie plate topped with lettuce, onion, tomatoe, avocado, cilantro which is also all pictured on a yellow cutting board nearby. — This Best Tamale Pie will be enjoyed by all at your table!

When you can’t find a tamale, make this Best Tamale Pie!

I did not grow up making tamales. Still haven’t ever made a single tamale. I am however, incredibly good at eating fresh handmade tamales. They are SO good, how can you not throw down a couple whenever you get the chance?! But that’s just it, I don’t often get that chance, and that’s the problem. Hence, the concoction of some of those gorgeous flavors in this, Best Tamale Pie recipe.

Growing up in small town California there was a local rodeo and parade in our small town every year. In a small town, anything like that is a BIG deal. Everyone who is anyone, so … everyone comes out for the festivities, because there is something for everyone.

The cowboys (and vaqueros) can ride in the parade, and participate in the rodeo events. Local clubs and classes make and ride on their own floats to show off their interests. Old friends catch up and new friends are made, and the little kids rake in the parade candy.

And… everyone eats. The rodeo will have food vendors to buy funnel cakes and the like, but what I always enjoyed was the tamales. These were the ones for sale on the street, after the parade, hand rolled by some beautiful and wonderful ladies, friends of ours, who sold them by the dozen.

Like I said, I never learned to make them myself, but I did always appreciate the savory corn flavor mixed with whatever flavorful meat we had chosen. I love savory items and this Best Tamale Pie is beautiful to me. It is hearty, savory and has a variety of flavors all working together perfectly. It also has that smooth subtle corn flavor melded in every bite. Perfectly just right. This would work well for a Cinco de Mayo recipe to make, or any night you were hoping to feed your family healthy delicious food. It’s that simple.

This meal is delicious, but is it good for you?

Sometimes we think “healthy food” is something we have to suffer through in order to be well. I am hear to tell you flavor and healthy work in perfect harmony here with ingredients chosen down close to the ground, which I always think is best. This recipe is packed with protein and fiber as well as important vitamins. Home-prepared pinto beans, corn, tomato’s, peppers, local ground beef, jalapeño flavor, along with fresh vegetable garnishes that add a virtual salad on top of this dish.

Why so much fresh on top?

Those fresh accoutrements add a crisp lightness that perfectly balances the otherwise hearty (heavy) base. Freshly cut iceberg lettuce, diced Roma tomatoes, crisp onion, cilantro, jalapeño, along with a little cheese complete this Best Tamale Pie to make it as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palette.

There is something beautifully satisfying about a savory pie. Those words alone evoke a warm affection for old world calm, and simplicity. An American comparable today would be the chicken pot pie, also incredible. Who doesn’t love a golden flaky crust with healthy and filling vegetables and meat spilling out once cut into?

This Mexican food counterpart is not a tamale,I know. But when It’s not parade day, in small town California, and since I don’t live in the same state anymore, and for a variety of other reasons why I can’t just go have a tamale, I’m going to do myself a favor and make this. Do yourself a favor and make this as well. While I know it’s not the same as an actually tamale, it will leave you and your loved ones savoring each bite and satisfying the craving for that tamale flavor.

Yield: 12

Best Tamale Pie

Not everyone has the knowledge and skill to make homemade tamales. If that’s you, but you still enjoy tamale flavors, try this tamale pie recipe and revel in the delicious flavors. While its not a tamale it‘s still, amazing.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Savory cornbread recipe crumbled (4 cups divided)
2 tablespoons butter
2 lbs ground beef
2 cups home prepared pinto beans
1 10 oz can tomatoes & green chilis (like rotel)
1/4 cup jalapeño juice from sliced jalapeño jar
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion Powder
2 teaspoon salt
1/4 ground pepper
2 cups shredded jack cheese divided
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
Toppings:
Half a head of finely shredded iceberg lettuce
3 finely diced roma tomatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
2 Sliced avocados
Sliced jalapeños optional
Fresh lime wedges, not optional 😉

Instructions

Press 2 cups crumbled cornbread into the bottom of two buttered 9.5 inch deep dish pie plates.
Brown the ground beef in a large cast iron pan, and add tomatoes, jalapeño juice, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and stir until mixed.
Add rinsed and drained home prepared pinto beans to meat and gently fold in, then pour evenly over the cornbread crumbles.
Mix eggs and milk together and pour evenly over the top both pie plates.
With a fork gently incorporate it into the pie filling.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until set.
Top with shredded jack cheese after removing from oven.
Over the melting jack cheese place the diced, chopped, and shredded: lettuce, Roma tomatoes, sweet onion, cilantro, jalapeño slices, avocado and lime wedges.

Notes

If you have not prepared your own pinto beans you could substitute 2 15 oz cans of beans.

This recipe calls for 2 lbs of ground beef but would still work well with just one.

Instead of the diced tomatoes and chiles you can substitute one cup of your favorite salsa.

If you prefer black beans or another kind feel free to substitute for your favorite here.

For a vegetarian tamale pie simply omit the ground beef and add 4 more cups of beans.

I prefer serving this in two pie plates, but it can be made in one 9x13 baking dish as well.

Enjoy this recipe yourself and find joy in serving delicious food to those you love, and those you are getting to know. Serving this on the regular will be quick way to make some fast friends. But be warned your table will fill up quickly!

I enjoy feeding our family healthy, filling recipes with lots of flavor. This is just such a one.

Leave a comment of your take on this recipe, or of your success after making it!