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–+ servings
a slice of Texas Tamale Pie topped with sliced avocado and fresh sour cream

Texas Tamale Pie

Genevieve Jerome
Texas Tamale Pie is an easy weeknight dinner that can be in a Jiffy and tastes delicious! Made with a cornbread crust and ground beef, this beef tamale casserole will be a hit at the dinner table. Bonus: This best tamale pie recipe ever freezes well and makes great leftovers.
5 from 37 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Casseroles Recipes, Dinner, Easy Dinners
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 666 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 boxes Jiffy Cornbread Mix
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen corn
  • 1 quarter cup black olives or Spanish olives
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro
  • 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 
  • Avodcado and fresh sour cream for garish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray cooking oil spray in a 9x13 casserole dish or prepared baking dish.
  • Cook the ground beef in a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet over medium heat. and season the ground beef with chili powder, sea salt, and black pepper. 
  • Add the chopped bell pepper and salad to the ground beef mixture and combine and simmer on low heat for ten minutes. Using a spatula, make sure to break up the ground beef really well, as it won't have to break down before we put the Texas Tamale pie into the oven. Simmer on low heat for 20-minutes.
  • In a small mixing bowl, add the two boxes of Jiffy cornbread mix, two cups milk, and two eggs, and stir until combined. 
  • Pour half of the Jiffy cornbread mix into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish Texas Tamale Pie.
  • Add a layer of corn on top of the cornbread mixture into the baking dish.
  • Next, add a layer of sharp cheddar cheese to the corn layer.
  • Pour the prepared ground beef mixture onto the cheese layer.
  • Next, add a layer of black olives, more fresh corn, and fresh cilantro
  • Pour the remaining Jiffty cornbread mixture on top and add more shredded sharp cheddar cheese.
  • Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes until the top is bubbly and golden brown. Slice and top with sliced avocado and sour cream and enjoy!

Notes

🌮 Pro Tips for the Best Tamale Pie Recipe

    • If the cornbread topping of the Tamale Pie browns too fast, top the casserole dish with a layer of tinfoil and continue cooking. 
    • Slice the pie into squares and top with sour cream, sliced avocado, fresh salsa, and fresh cilantro. 
    • Texas Tamale Pie freezes well. Simply store leftover in a sealed, glass airtight container and reheat at 350 degrees to enjoy.
    • You could mix in black beans, poblano peppers, ground chicken or ground turkey, and green chiles for even more of a treat! You could also add red enchilada sauce for a spicy kick.
    • Swap out Sharp Cheddar Cheese for Monterey Jack Cheese or Mexican
 
All images and text © Genevieve Jerome / Fitty Foodlicious 2023 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 666kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 35gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 141mgSodium: 1462mgPotassium: 636mgFiber: 6gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 1472IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 537mgIron: 4mg
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