Made with a seasoned ground beef mixture and topped with homemade cornbread, this super easy recipe for Tamale Casserole delivers all the flavors of tamales minus the work!
Looking for additional easy, family-favorite casserole recipes? Don't miss Tater Tot Casserole, Easy Baked Rotini, and Chicken Enchilada Casserole!
Tamales the Easy Way!
I adore authentic tamales. But I do NOT have the patience or time to make tamales on a busy weeknight.
But what I DO have time for is an easy casserole that tastes like tamales.
This recipe for Tamale Casserole, AKA Tamale Pie, features all the flavors you love about tamales, from the richly seasoned meat to the creamy cornbread, with less than 20 minutes of hands-on work.
Ingredients/Substitutions
- Ground Beef: While I love the flavor of lean ground beef in the tamale pie, you can opt to use ground turkey or chicken if that is what you have on hand or prefer.
- Aromatics: The combination of diced onions, sweet bell pepper, and garlic is the building block to developing incredible flavor to the base of this casserole. I recommend using a red, orange, or yellow bell pepper rather than a green bell pepper, as they are sweeter and add more flavor the the tamale casserole.
- For Spice: A small can of diced green chiles adds the perfect subtle kick of heat and a lot of flavors to the tamale casserole base. If you want to add a bit of heat to the meat mixture, a bit of finely minced jalapeno goes a long way to really waking up your palate. For those sensitive to heat, I recommend omitting the jalapeno completely.
- Corn: I love adding frozen corn to the beef mixture as it pairs beautifully with the cornbread topping and adds a nice bit of natural sweetness to contrast with the heat of the chiles and jalapeno. However, this addition is completely optional.
- Tomato Sauce: Canned tomato sauce gives the tamale pie base moisture and a rich flavor, often traditional in tamale filling.
- For Flavor: I use my blend of homemade taco seasoning which is a combination of cumin, paprika, and chili powder. I also recommend adding fresh lime juice. It is a simple chef's tip that really takes this dish over the top!
- Cheese: If you love cheese in your tamales, don't forget to add a layer of shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese to this casserole.
- Cornbread: Use your favorite boxed cornbread or easily prepare homemade cornbread using my recipe that combines, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, milk, honey, egg, and oil.
How to Make Tamale Pie Casserole
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare Beef Mixture. Saute the ground meat of choice with onions, peppers, jalapeno and garlic. Once browned, add in the tomato sauce, seasonings, and corn and let simmer until thickened. Just as I do with my famous taco meat recipe, I finish the tamale beef mixture with a bit of fresh lime juice to make all the flavors pop.
- Prepare Cornbread. It is super easy to whip up homemade cornbread. That said, feel free to use your favorite store-bought mix and follow the instructions for the batter on the package.
- Assemble Tamale Casserole. To assemble the tamale pie/casserole, simply spread the meat mixture in a casserole dish, top with shredded cheese, and then pour the cornbread batter evenly over the top.
- Bake. Bake the casserole until the cornbread is set and golden. Serve tamale pie without any additional toppings or top as you would tacos, with sour cream, guacamole, diced onions, tomatoes, etc.
Speed It Up Using Leftovers
While this Tamale Pie is already a quick and easy casserole recipe, you can make it EVEN faster by swapping out the Tex-Mex beef mixture with 3-4 cups of your favorite leftover chili, like Instant Pot Beef Chili, Crockpot Chili, or Chicken Chili, and then top with the cornbread mixture and bake as directed. It is a great way to transform leftover chili into something new and delicious.
Storage & Make-Ahead Instructions
- Refrigerate: Store the cooled casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Transfer the cooled tamale casserole to a freezer-safe container and freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Reheat: Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until warmed through. Alternatively, reheat individual servings in the microwave on a microwave-safe plate and microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: You can assemble the entire tamale casserole up to 24 hours prior to baking. Once assembled, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. When ready to bake, let the casserole sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, remove the plastic wrap, and bake for 40-45 minutes.
More Family-Friendly Casserole Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Casserole
- Creamy Parmesan Chicken Casserole
- Creamy and Cheesy Chicken and Rice
- Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
- Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
- Mexican Lasagna
- Easy Baked Ravioli
If you tried this Tamale Casserole a try, I would love for you to leave a comment or review.
Easy Tamale Casserole
Made with a seasoned beef mixture and topped with homemade cornbread, this Tamale Pie delivers all the flavors of tamales minus the work!
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Servings: 10
Calories: 404kcal
Ingredients
For the Tamale Casserole Base
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small onion finely minced
- 1 small red or yellow bell pepper seeded and minced
- 1 small jalapeno seeded, and finely minced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning see note
- 4 ounces diced green chiles
- 16 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1 small lime juiced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
For the Cornbread Topping
- 1-¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup yellow or white cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¾ cup milk or buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons melted, cooled unsalted butter or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ℉.
- Over medium-high heat, heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet. Once the oil has heated, add in 1 pound of ground beef, 1 minced onion, 1 minced bell pepper, and 1 minced jalapeno. Sauté the mixture, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the meat is fully browned and the onions and peppers have softened. Add 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and sauté sauté briefly for 30 seconds just to toast.
- If needed, drain off any excess grease and return the skillet to the heat. Add in 1 tablespoon of taco seasoning, 4 ounce can of green chiles, 16 ounce can of tomato sauce, and 1 cup of frozen corn kernels. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened and warmed through, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the juice of one lime.
- Prepare the cornbread topping by whisking together 1-¼ cup flour, ¾ cup cornmeal, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and ¾ teaspoon salt. In a smaller bowl, combine ¾ cup milk, ⅓ cup honey, 2 eggs, and 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and fold together until the flour is fully moistened and everything is nice and combined.
- To assemble the Tamale Casserole, spread the prepared mixture in an even layer in a 2-quart or a 9x13 pan and top with 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese if desired. Pour the cornbread batter over the top of the casserole and spread to cover.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the cornbread topping is golden and set. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Equipment Needed
Notes
Ground Beef: Feel free to use ground chicken or turkey in place of the beef if desired.
Corn: Use frozen or canned corn, that has been rinsed and drained.
Jalapeno: Optional, omit for sensitive palates.
Taco Seasoning: In place of taco seasoning, use 1 teaspoon of chili powder and ½ teaspoon each of salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder.
Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container.
Using Packaged Cornbread: Use a 15-ounce Cornbread mix prepared according to package directions in place of the homemade cornbread.
Make-Ahead Instructions: You can assemble the entire tamale pie up to 24 hours prior to baking. Once assembled, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. When ready to bake, let the casserole sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, remove the plastic wrap, and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 765mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 580IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 303mg | Iron: 4mg
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This recipe was originally published in 2018 but has been updated in 2024 with new photos and tips.
Joyce Lamb
I made this last night with some premade chili from my freezer. I heated it up and added some cooked corn and a diced jalepeno. It turned out very tasty. The one thing that didn’t go over very well was the cornbread topping was too runny to dollop over the filling. It spread out and created a layer. But it was very tasty.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Joyce! I need to change the wording. Dollop does make you envision a thicker batter, this is a thin pourable batter.
Angela
Can I make this ahead of time?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Angela! Great question! You can prepare the casserole up to 24 hours ahead of time. Let the casserole sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes before baking and increase baking time by 15 minutes.
Doris Layhe
My family LOVES tamales and this was such a huge hit! next time I need to double the recipe. Thank you!
Allyssa
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It's really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
Jen
SO SO GOOD! Our whole family enjoyed it so much!