Description

Simple, Delicious Tamale Pie with your choice of ground turkey, beef, or veggie meat topped with a delicious cornbread crust. Vegetarian and Gluten-free are adaptable.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Filling

1-2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
1 lb ground meat (chicken, turkey, or beef) or use vegetarian ground "meat".
1 red bell pepper
14-ounce can black beans, drained (or sub extra veggies or more meat)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried mexican oregano (or use regular)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce (or sub 1 can tomato puree or tomato sauce or diced tomatoes- see note to double the spices and salt)
4-ounce can of drained green chilies (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 cup water
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro- optional
1 cup grated cheese- optional (jack, cheddar, mozzarella or vegan cheese- anything melty)

Cornbread Topping

1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup flour (or gluten-free flour blend)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2/3 cup milk, plant-based milk, or buttermilk, more as needed
2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
1 jalapeño, sliced- optional
Garnish with a pat of butter, fresh cilantro, sour cream (or avocado) and hot sauce ( all optional).

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F
Make the filling: In a 10-inch oven-proof or cast iron skillet, sauté the onion, garlic, ground meat, and salt over medium heat until the meat is golden brown, about 10 minutes. If your meat is lean, add a little olive oil. Stir in the bell pepper, corn, drained beans, and spices; cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the enchilada sauce and optional canned chilies; bring to a simmer over low heat. Taste, adjust salt and spices. Add a little water to loosen. *If you used tomato puree instead of enchilada sauce, I would double the salt and spices. You want this stew base to be flavorful and robust in flavor and just slightly liquidy. Turn the heat off.
Make the Cornmeal Crust: Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, milk, and oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk. If it seems dry, just add a few more tablespoons of milk until the mixture is pourable.
Combine. Stir in optional cilantro into the filling and sprinkle with the optional cheese. Pour the cornbread batter in a thin layer over top, starting in the middle and spreading outward to the edges. Give the pan a shake. Top with thinly sliced jalapeño (or more grated cheese).
Bring to a simmer on the stove; you want the stew to be hot before putting it in the oven- then place in the oven on the middle rack. I would place a sheet pan below to catch any overflow.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until puffed and beautifully golden. Brush with butter if you like.
Serve with fresh cilantro, sour cream, or avocado and hot sauce.

Notes

Plant-based meat. No need to brown first unless you want to- cook the onion, garlic and bell pepper until tender, then add the ground veggie meat. Feel free to add vegan cheese.

Baking dish. If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, bake this in a 9 x 13inch baking dish; it will take a little longer to bake.

Leftovers keep 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Do not store this in the cast iron skillet as it can rust.

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 347
Sugar: 7.5 g
Sodium: 1085.7 mg
Fat: 13.6 g
Saturated Fat: 3.8 g
Carbohydrates: 36.4 g
Fiber: 6.4 g
Protein: 20.2 g
Cholesterol: 70.9 mg