Tamale Pie Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on May 12, 2025 
This gluten-free and spicy Tamale Pie Recipe feeds a crowd with big flavors, and is so much easier to make than traditional tamales.
This Tamale Pie Is The Ultimate Tex-Mex Dish
There’s nothing more Tex-Mex than this bold and savory Tamale Pie recipe. It’s packed with ground beef and a cheesy, tender corn masa top, making this dish the culmination of Southwestern flavors.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Tamale-making is a ridiculously daunting process. I have made tamales before, but it is not something that I make regularly because they take so long to make!
But you know what I have made again and again? This delicious Tamale Pie Recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Tamale Pie
- Perfect for a crowd – This size of this tamale pie recipe makes it perfect for gatherings or pot lucks.
- Bold flavors – This recipe is loaded with bold flavors from the melty cheese, sweet corn, savory ground beef filling and crispy corn bread topping.
- Easy-ish to make – Get tamale vibes without all the time it takes to wrap traditional tamales.
This Tamale Pie is a hearty comfort dish that you’ll keep making on repeat. You’ve got a masa (corn flour) coating, that bakes into a pillowy tamale-like top. You’ve got spiced meaty filling that balances out the sweetness of the corn topping and is perfectly savory. And the best part, is you’ve got fewer supplies involved, less cleanup, and much less cook time.
Ingredients and Tips
- Ground beef – To get that savory beef filling, I recommend using ground beef with a little bit of fat.
- Fresh veggies – You’ll need peeled and chopped sweet onion, seeded red bell peppers and minced garlic cloves.
- Corn – Use frozen corn that’s been thawed and drained.
- Canned veggies – For the filling you’ll need canned crushed tomatoes and canned chopped green chiles.
- Spices – You’ll need staple Tex-Mex spices like chili powder and cumin.
- Corn Flour – To get that tamale top, use a good quality masa flour. If you don’t have corn flour, you can also just cornmeal or corn muffin mix, but each will have a different texture.
- Cheddar cheese – Use shredded sharp cheddar cheese for that melty goodness.
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Poultry – Swap the ground beef mixture with shredded rotisserie chicken or ground turkey.
- Beans – Replace the ground beef with your favorite beans like black beans, pinto beans or lentils to make a vegetarian version of this dish.
- One-pan – Instead of making this recipe in a baking pan, make it in an oven-safe cast iron skillet.
- Dairy-free – Use dairy-free butter and vegan cheese.
- Low-carb – Swap the corn masa topping with a cauliflower alternative.
How To Make Tamale Pie
Tip for Success – Masa mixtures have a way of seizing up, making them un-spreadable, if they sit too long. If needed, add 1/2 – 1 cup of additional chicken broth to loosen it before spreading over the top.
Find the full Tamale Pie recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Tips
- Storing Leftovers – Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing Leftovers – If freezing for a later date, complete the recipe above as directed, but do not bake. Freeze uncovered for one hour to harden the top. Then wrap well and place back in the freezer. When ready to enjoy, heat the oven to 400 degrees F. and bake for 60- 70 minutes.
- Reheating Leftovers – Reheat leftovers in the oven or microwave.
Serving Suggestions
Tamale pie is a complete meal on its own, but is delicious served with some side dishes like this chimichurri tomato salad and toppings to make it extra special!
Enjoy it with a dollop of guacamole and sour cream and a side of either red salsa or green salsa. If you want extra cheese, sprinkle some cotija cheese on top and drizzle some of my creamy chimichurri sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Masa is made from corn that has been soaked in lime water, which is why it has that distinct tamale flavor. Cornmeal, however, has a totally different texture and taste.
This dish is inspired by the classic Mexican tamales, but it’s made in a casserole format without the traditional corn husks, wrapping and steaming.
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Video
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes (1 can)
- 4 ounces chopped green chiles (1 can)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons chile powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
For the Tamale Top:
- 2 1/4 cups corn flour (masa)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2+ cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray two 9-inch pie pans, one 9 X 13 inch baking dish, or a 12-14 inch cast iron skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place a large saute pan (or cast iron skillet) over medium heat. Add the ground beef and break into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Brown the meat, then push it to the sides of the pan and add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until the onions have softened. Then mix in the frozen corn, crushed tomatoes, green chiles, cornstarch, chile powder, cumin, salt and cheese. Stir well and turn off the heat.
- Meanwhile, mix the corn flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add in the chicken broth and butter. Whisk until smooth. Then stir in the cheese.
- Pour the meat filling into the prepared pans. (If you cooked the filling in a cast-iron skillet, you can leave it in the pan.) Pour (or scoop) the corn batter evenly over the top and spread to the edges of the pans. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the corn batter comes out clean. Serve warm!
This is a very tasty dish. Be sure though to have an inch clearance before putting it in the oven to cook. I didn’t and it went all over!
Our family has had it with the meat and vegetarian, and loved the vegetarian version even more!! We substituted meat with cooking 2 cups of tricolor quinoa in chicken broth. Then doubled all the rest of the ingredients and substituted red bell pepper for orange! We used Daiya dairy free cheddar. I also used about 4-5 teaspoons of our homemade taco seasoning instead of spices listed. We loved it so much that it even won our 2 year old over. I’m planning to freeze this meal when we have baby #2!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
This is delicious! I made it as a comfort meal for a grieving family and kept a little for myself. This was my first time to make this and I was so pleased with the outcome. Will definitely make it again!