Tamales are a staple dish in many American households. The main problem with tamales is the process of making them, which is daunting, to say the least. Fortunately, you can use this awesome tamale pie recipe to get that great tamale taste in an easy to prepare dish. Best of all, this recipe is gluten-free.
Making the perfect tamale pie
This perfect tamale pie recipe is easy to make and includes everything that you look forward to in a tamale, including a spiced meat filling and a cornflour coating that bakes into that perfect tamale-like top. This tamale recipe also takes fewer ingredients to make, it is easier to clean up when you are done and is ready much faster.
Make the tamale filling
Any great tamale recipe starts with the filling, For this tamale pie recipe, you need the following ingredients for the filling.
- 2 pounds of ground beef
- 1 sweet onion – peeled and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper – seeded and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves – minced
- 1 cup of frozen corn
- 1 can of crushed tomatoes (15 ounces)
- 1 can of chopped green chiles (4 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons of chili powder
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 ½ cups of shredded cheddar cheese
The ingredients you need
Next, you need to gather the ingredients for the delicious tamale topping. To make the fluffy tamale top, you need the following:
- 2 ¼ cups of cornflour (masa)
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- ½ cup of melted butter
- ½ cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. As the oven heats, spray two 9-inch pie pans with a nonstick cooking spray. You can also use one 9- by 13-inch baking dish or a 12- to 14-inch cast-iron skillet. Set the dish aside.
Make the filling
To brown the meat, place it in a large sauté pan or iron skillet, breaking the beef into small pieces using a wooden spoon. Brown the meat and then push it to one side. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the pan and cook until the onions are softened.
Continue by mixing in the frozen corn, crushed tomatoes, green chiles, cornstarch, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cheese. Stir all of the ingredients until they are mixed well and turn off the heat.
Make the crust
For the crust, mix the cornflour baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Pour in the chicken broth and melted butter. Finally, whisk until smooth and add the cheese. Once the topping is ready, pour the filling into your dish before pouring the corn batter on top.
Bake the tamale pie
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Spread the corn batter to the edges of the dish and place in the oven. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until you can insert a toothpick into the center of the corn batter and it comes out clean. Serve warm.
Optionally, you can freeze for a later date. Prepare as above but do not bake. Freeze the dish uncovered for one hour until hard. Wrap and place in the freezer. To prepare, heat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for 60 to 70 minutes.
