Cornbread Tamale Pie

Recipe from Joy of Cooking

Adapted by Jennifer Steinhauer

Updated October 23, 2017

  • Michael Kraus for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
4(4,181)
Comments
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This recipe came to The Times in a 2006 magazine article about the 75th anniversary edition of The Joy of Cooking, the soup-to-nuts cookbook found on practically every home cook's shelf since its first publication in 1931. Like many of the book's beloved recipes, this dish is a crowd-pleasing, homespun classic that is incredibly simple to put together. First, make a quick chili of beef, black beans, corn, green pepper and onion seasoned with chile power and cumin. Spread that in a baking dish, top with a simple cornbread batter and pop it into the oven. In about a half hour: tamale pie. Serve with hot sauce, a dollop of sour cream and a few slices of avocado. If you're trying to eat less red meat, ground turkey or chicken would make a fine substitute for the beef. —Jennifer Steinhauer

Featured in: The Way We Eat: Ode to Joy

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

COOKING-OIL SPRAY FOR GREASING PAN

  • 1 pound ground beef

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 1 cup rinsed and drained canned black beans

  • 1 cup corn, drained, canned or frozen (thawed if frozen)

  • 1 cup tomato sauce

  • 1 cup beef or chicken broth

  • ½ cup diced green bell pepper, optional

  • 1 tablespoon chile powder

  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

  • ¾ cup cornmeal

  • 1 tablespoon flour

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 egg

  • ⅓ cup milk

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

37 grams carbs; 83 milligrams cholesterol; 449 calories; 12 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 24 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 6 grams fiber; 708 milligrams sodium; 21 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 3-quart high-sided casserole dish with cooking spray. In a large skillet, saute the beef and onion over medium-high heat until the meat is brown and the onion translucent, about 10 minutes. Then add the beans, corn, tomato sauce, broth, bell pepper (if using), chili powder, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and teaspoon salt. In a small bowl whisk together the egg, milk and oil until combined. Whisk the milk mixture into the flour mixture until combined. Spread the meat mixture into the casserole dish and cover with the corn bread topping. The topping will disappear into the meat mixture but will rise during baking and form a layer of corn bread. Bake until the corn bread is brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
4,181 user ratings
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Comments

Sheila Flory

Use a dutch oven for browning the meat and for cooking the pie - one less pan the wash.

MJ

This is a favorite dish in my house. I needed a dairy free alternative, so I substituted 1/3 cup water and an extra teaspoon of oil for the milk. Also, I think the salt in the cornbread perhaps should be 1/2 tsp - the recipe calls for 1 1/2 tsp salt, and if 1 tsp goes into the chili, that leaves 1/2 for the cornbread (which comes out a little salty if you add a whole tsp). I have also been know to throw a can of chopped green chiles into the meat, which is a nice addition.

shore cook

This was a big hit, I will definitely make it again. Cornbread was perfect texture, spices in the meat and bean mixture not too spicy, just right.

I sprinkled grated cheddar on top of the meat-bean mixture before topping with the cornbread mixture. I also added some to the cornbread before baking.

Because the recipe calls for one cup of a few items, leaving me with leftover canned ingredients, I decided to double the recipe, which gave me an extra pie to freeze for another night. Perfect!

MM

I would scrap the term cornbread completely from this recipe and focus on the portion of the recipe that creates a corn mixture that closely resembles tamales. My first shot at this recipe, yielded a cornbread, and didn’t taste like tamales at all. I realized that it’s essential to use 2 cups masa harina (a Mexican corn flour), baking powder and salt, melted butter, and 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. What comes out is a lot like a cookie dough, and it’s not easy to spread over the meat mixture, but with patience you can do it and the reward in terms of tasting just like tamales is huge! This mixture only needs about 30 minutes on 350°F.

sfmike

This one punches above it's weight in work:flavor ratio. After reading comments I: - Used one ear of fresh corn each in the base and topping - Used 50/50 tomato sauce and salsa - Added a thin layer of cheese under the cornbread topping - Ran out of chili powder so used Taco Seasoning - Used Bob's Red Mill Polenta I had on hand I've tried taco casseroles before and they were always 'meh' but this is yummy.

Vanessa

Double the cornbread mixture. I found the first time I made this, there wasn't enough cornbread. Also, I topped it with a little bit of cheese for something extra!

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Credits

Adapted from Joy of Cooking

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