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Mexican Tamale Pie with Cornmeal

My Mexican Tamale Pie with Cornmeal would be a great addition to a Super Bowl menu. This make-ahead dinner is hearty and filling for a cold winter night and all you need is a salad on the side to complete the meal.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Mexican Tamale Pie with Cornmeal Crust
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  • Ingredients:

For the tamale base and topping:

  • 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal not instant
  • 1 cup cold water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons butter

For the meat filling:

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 2 ribs celery
  • 1 sweet red pepper chopped
  • 1 ½ Poblano peppers roasted, seeded and chopped (use two if you like it spicy)
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
  • 1 14 ounce can petite diced tomatoes very well drained
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn thawed and dried off with paper towels
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 cup sliced black olives
  • 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese
  • chopped cilantro

Instructions

For the tamale base and topping:

  1. In a small bowl combine corn meal and cold water. Whisk until well mixed.
  2. Bring 2 cups chicken stock to a boil in a medium -sized heavy saucepan. Stir in the cornmeal mixture and reduce heat to low. Add the butter. Cover and cook the mixture over very low heat. Keep stirring occasionally for 35 minutes.

For the meat filling:

  1. In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, celery, red pepper, and Poblano peppers to the skillet and reduce heat to medium. Stir the vegetables until the onion is translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes.
  2. Add the chili powder, cumin and garlic and stir for two minutes. Remove the onion mixture from the pan and add the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil to the skilled. Add the ground beef (or turkey) and cook, stirring, until the meat has lost its red color. Return the onion mixture to the skillet with the meat and stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Lower the heat to medium low and cook, stirring from time to time, for thirty minutes. Add the corn and salt to taste. Cook the mixture for another 10 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Cover a cookie sheet with foil.
  5. Generously spray a square of aluminum foil large enough to cover the pie dish with cooking spray.
  6. Oil a 10 inch deep pie plate generously and spread the cornmeal mixture over the bottom and up to the sides. Spoon in the meat filling. Sprinkle the olives over the top and top with the cheeses.
  7. Gently lay the aluminum foil over the top of the pie dish (don’t press the foil into the top or the cheese will stick to it) and place the pie plate on the foil covered cookie sheet. Carefully place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil cover and bake 10 more minutes until the top is golden and the pie bubbly.

  8. Remove Mexican Tamale Pie with Cornmeal from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Sprinkle cilantro over the top and slice into wedges. Serves 6-8.

Recipe Notes

This tamale pie can be made ahead and refrigerated before baking. , If the pie is made ahead, remove it from the refrigerator for one hour before baking. You may have to add 10 or 15 minutes to the baking time to make sure the pie is bubbly and warm throughout. This pie makes a great contribution to a potluck supper or a delivery to new parents or someone recovering from an illness. Hearty, warm and filling. Like a warm blanket and fireplace on a cold winter day.