Skillet Tamale Pie Recipe with Gluten-Free Variations

I grew up in suburban America with parents from rural Indiana. Our meals were built around meat, potatoes and gravy, canned vegetables and Velveeta. It was the era of TV dinners, tuna-and-potato-chip casseroles, Campbell’s tomato soup, Rice-A-Roni and Jello-mold salads. If not for my grandmother, I likely would never have learned to cook from scratch.

Comfort foods are often the dishes you remember from childhood: food that evokes a time when your biggest concerns were homework and chores, when long summer days and cozy winter nights felt endless and worry-free. These meals are simple, familiar and emotionally grounding.

At their best, comfort foods combine good ingredients in uncomplicated ways. They fill both belly and soul, often warm and carbohydrate-rich — which helps release serotonin, the body’s natural mood lifter. That warm, satisfying feeling is why comfort food comforts.

One-dish meals are a hallmark of comfort cooking. I love throwing everything into a single pot or pan and ending up with a finished meal. This Skillet Tamale Pie is just that: part stovetop, part oven, with a savory filling beneath a cornbread topping. It’s essentially a casserole and cornbread baked together — simple, hearty and full of flavor, influenced by southwestern and Mexican-style ingredients.

Though its name references tamales, Tamale Pie differs from a traditional tamale. A tamale is made from masa, filled, wrapped in cornhusks and steamed; the pie layers a meat mixture and a cornbread batter, which is baked. The pie is an American adaptation inspired by Hispanic flavors. The version here is mild, suitable for kids; add chopped chipotles, fresh jalapeños or dried ancho chiles if you prefer heat.

Cooking the filling and baking the cornbread in a cast iron skillet develops a lovely crust on the topping. Enamel-covered cast iron is easy to care for and behaves predictably in the oven. When choosing cast iron, pick pieces with a support handle opposite the main handle so you can lift heavy skillets with two hands.

Serve the tamale pie with a crisp green salad for a complete meal. To make it vegetarian, increase the beans and corn and add cooked Spanish rice and canned mild green chiles. If you’ve never tried Tamale Pie, this approachable recipe may become a family favorite.

Skillet Tamale Pie

2015-07-21 17:31:02

Yields 4

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Ingredients

1. Tamale Filling
2. 2 tbsp vegetable oil
3. 1 medium onion, minced
4. 2 tbsp chili powder
5. 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp)
6. 1 lb lean ground beef or bulk pork sausage
7. 1 (15.5-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
8. 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
9. 1 can (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
10. 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
11. 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro leaves
12. Salt and freshly ground black pepper
13. Cornbread Topping
14. 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
15. 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
16. 3 tbsp sugar
17. 3/4 tsp baking powder
18. 3/4 tsp baking soda
19. 3/4 tsp salt, divided
20. 3/4 cup buttermilk
21. 1 large egg
22. 3 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
23. 2 green onions, tough green tops discarded, remaining onion finely minced

Instructions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450°F.
2. For the tamale filling: Heat the oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, chili powder and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add the ground beef, beans, corn and tomatoes and bring to a simmer, breaking up the meat with a spoon, about 5 minutes. Stir the cheddar and cilantro into the filling and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.
4. For the cornbread topping: Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until blended, then stir in the melted butter and fold in the green onions.
5. Dollop the cornbread batter over the filling and spread into an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven until the cornbread is cooked through and golden on top, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated recipe

The Heritage Cook ®

Gluten-Free Cornbread Options for Skillet Tamale Pie

You can buy gluten-free cornbread mix from brands like Bob’s Red Mill, or make cornbread from scratch. Below are three reliable gluten-free cornbread recipes to use as a topping or as a side.

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