Easy Beef Tamale Pie Recipe

Make this yummy tamale pie with beef or chicken and a handful of pantry staples (plus vegetarian and vegan options!). A simple beef and veggie filling with cheese and corn topping – it’s an easy meal that everyone will love!

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!

EASY TAMALE PIE RECIPE

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, it means a delicious meal that’s ready with very little work on my end.

I also love that this tamale pie recipe:

• 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…)
• Super yummy! 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!
• Doubles easily. Go ahead and make a double batch – cook it in a 13×9 pan instead of your skillet, and you’ll be able to enjoy it the next day too.
• Frugal favorite. Beef tamale pie is made mostly from pantry staples.
• Popular. If you happen to make tamale pie recipes for a potluck, be prepared for everyone to ask for the recipe!

RECIPE FOR TAMALE PIE INGREDIENTS

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

Beef Filling Ingredients:

• Ground Beef. Ground turkey or ground chicken would be a great protein as well, although we have not tried that variation yet. Keep reading for how to make this a chicken tamale pie!
• Fresh Veggies. Onion + Green Bell Pepper + Garlic
• Corn. Use frozen corn or canned corn.
• Crushed or Diced Tomatoes. No need to drain diced tomatoes before adding them to the filling mixture – the filling thickens as it bakes. I would avoid tomato sauce in this recipe as it will create excess liquid.
• Diced Green Chiles. I always have canned green chiles in my pantry!
• Cornstarch. This helps any liquid in the filling thicken into a sauce in the finished tamale pie.
• Spices. Chili Powder + Cumin + Salt (no need for taco seasoning!)
• Shredded Cheese. We like sharp cheddar cheese or Monterey jack cheese, but use whatever you have in the fridge. Pepper jack cheese would give it a nice kick!

Corn Topping Ingredients:

• Corn Masa. Also known as corn flour. You’ll typically find this in the baking aisle at the grocery store near the other flours. (This is different than cornmeal, which is coarser than flour.)
• Baking Powder. For light, fluffy cornbread topping.
• Salt. If you’re going to use salt, make sure it’s a good one like Ava Jane’s Kitchen that doesn’t have microplastics! You can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt right now (just pay shipping and handling!).
• Chicken Broth. Or beef broth, vegetable broth, or water.
• Melted Butter. For flavor and richness.
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese. Cheese in the filling AND in the topping takes this tamale pie to the next level!

HOW TO MAKE TAMALE PIE INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 400F.

Step 2. 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.

See notes below for making chicken tamale pie instead of beef.

Step 3. 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, and diced green chilies and stir well.

Step 4. 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 5. Prepare the tamale topping in a large bowl and pour it in an even layer over the filling mixture.

You can also transfer the filling to an oven-safe square baking dish before adding the topping.

Step 6. Bake the tamale pie for 45 minutes, or until the cornbread crust is baked through and golden brown on the edges. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN TAMALE PIE

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 cooked, shredded chicken with the corn and tomatoes.

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.

HOW TO STORE BEEF TAMALE PIE

Storage of leftover tamale pie should be 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 as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. Label, date, and store the contents in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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!

CORNBREAD TAMALE PIE VARIATIONS

• Switch the Topping: Swap the masa topping with your favorite cornbread recipe.
• Vegetarian Tamale Pie: Make the recipe vegetarian by using black beans instead of beef and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
• Vegan Tamale Pie: Follow the vegetarian substitutions. You can also omit the cheese and lean more toward toppings like salsa, pickled jalapenos, and hot sauce. Use melted coconut oil instead of butter in the topping.
• Change the Pan: Transfer the filling mixture to a 9”x13” glass pan if you want to double this recipe, or a 9”x9” baking dish if you prefer not to use a cast iron skillet. You will want to spray with nonstick cooking spray if you use a glass pan.
• Swap the Chilies: Substitute chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, or diced jalapenos for the green chiles.

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:

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

MACRO-FRIENDLY TAMALE PIE RECIPES

Tamale pie recipes are one-pot meals that contain all three macros: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Depending on your goals for the specific meal, you can adjust the tamale pie to fit your needs.

Protein: To increase the protein in the tamale pie recipe, double the beef or add cooked black beans or pinto beans to the filling mixture.

Fat: To lower the fat in tamale pie, use half the cheese, and skip higher-fat toppings like sour cream or avocado.

Carbs: Most of the carbohydrates in tamale pie come from the corn topping. To keep your carbs in check, consider doubling the filling but not the topping. You’ll have a lower proportion of topping to filling, giving you fewer carbs per serving.

GROUND BEEF TAMALE PIE FAQS

MORE MEXICAN RECIPES