Beef Tamale Pie

Mexican Tamale Pie is a one-pot meal made with either ground beef or chicken, pantry staple ingredients, and a tamale-inspired topping. This easy dinner recipe is completely customizable to fit what you have and is ready in under an hour!

Tamales are one of my favorite Mexican foods to eat, but the idea of making them myself is daunting, to say the least.

I’ve heard that they’re hard and time-consuming, and everyone I know who made them always has aunts and mothers and grandmothers and friends helping them out.

That’s one reason why I love Tamale Pie so much – it’s all the awesome flavors of traditional tamales, with the quickness and ease that come with a one-pot meal!

Tamale Pie

You need one pot, one bowl, and one hour to make the perfect Tamale Pie, which is a huge win in my book. Given that 45 minutes of that one-hour time frame is the pie actually cooking in the oven means a delicious meal that’s ready with very little work on my end.

I also love that Tamale Pie makes enough for us to have leftovers for lunch or even another dinner later in the week. Of course, my husband doesn’t like ground meat, so that probably helps too…

If no one in your family has any issues with the ingredients, I wouldn’t count on leftovers. This comfort food recipe is just too good to pass up!

If you happen to make tamale pies for a potluck, be prepared for everyone to ask for the recipe!

Tamale Pie Recipe Ingredients

This easy tamale pie recipe can be broken up into two parts, the “filling” and the “topping”. For the filling, you need:

• Ground Beef (keep reading for how to make this a chicken tamale pie)
• Onion + Green Bell Pepper + Garlic
• Corn
• Crushed or Diced Tomatoes
• Diced Green Chiles
• Cornstarch
• Spices: Chili Powder, Cumin, Salt
• Shredded Cheese (we like sharp cheddar cheese or Monterey jack cheese)

And then for the cornbread topping, you need:

• Corn Masa (corn flour)
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Chicken Broth (or Beef Broth, Vegetable Broth, or water)
• Melted Butter
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Instructions to Make This Recipe for Tamale Pie

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400F. In a 12” cast iron skillet or oven-safe large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until it’s no longer pink, breaking the beef into small pieces as it cooks. I really like to use this potato masher to break up the beef because it gets the pieces really, really small.

Tip: See notes below for making this recipe using chicken instead of beef.

Step 2: Without draining the grease, add the onions, bell pepper, and garlic to the beef until the onions start to turn translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the corn, canned tomatoes, diced green chilies and stir well.

Step 3: Sprinkle the cornstarch over the ground beef mixture and stir well. Add the spices and stir until everything is combined. Finally, add the shredded cheese and stir well. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Step 4: Prepare tamale topping in a large bowl and pour over the filling mixture. Bake the tamale pie for 45 minutes, or until the cornbread crust is baked through and golden brown on the edges. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Can you make this chicken Tamale Pie?

Yes! We’ve made this recipe with both ground beef and chicken. Both were delicious, but the beef version won our hearts just a smidge more.

To make chicken tamale pie, follow the recipe as written except cook the vegetables in one tablespoon of coconut oil (instead of the fat from the ground beef) and stir in 2 cups of shredded chicken at the end. I recommend making either Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken or Sheet Pan Chicken or Instant Pot Whole Chicken the night before so you have shredded chicken ready for this recipe.

Ground turkey would be a great protein as well, although we have not tried that variation yet.

How to Store Masa Tamale Pie

Leftover masa tamale pie should be stored in the refrigerator or the freezer.

• Fridge: Cover leftovers in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
• Freezer: Package leftovers in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, removing excess if possible to prevent freezer burn. Label, date, and store the contents in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Cornbread Tamale Pie Variations

• Topping: Swap the masa topping as written with your favorite cornbread recipe.

• Vegetarian: Make the recipe vegetarian by using black beans instead of beef, and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. You can also omit the cheese and lean more towards non-animal toppings like salsa, pickled jalapenos, and hot sauce.
• Pan Size: Use a 9”x13” glass pan if you want to double this recipe, or a 9”x9” baking dish if you prefer to not use a cast iron skillet. You will want to spray with nonstick cooking spray if you use a glass pan.
• Chilies: Substitute chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, or diced jalapenos for the green chiles.

Tip: Using a glass casserole dish with a lid like this one makes storing leftovers in the fridge AND reheating leftovers in the oven super easy!

What to serve with tamale pie?

The best tamale pie has a Mexican feel to it, so I like to serve it with traditional taco toppings like sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, and chopped cilantro.

Cilantro Lime Rice and Slow Cooker Refried Beans would make excellent side dishes as well!

FAQs on Cornbread Tamale Pie

More Mexican Recipes

• Easy Black Bean and Corn Salsa Tacos
• Slow Cooker Mexican Potato Soup
• Enchilada Casserole
• The Best Tex-Mex Migas