Tamale Casserole – Easy One Pan Meal!
This delicious tamale casserole has all of the flavor of tamales but is way easier to make! Loaded with ground beef, garlic, tomatoes, corn, and topped with a cheesy cornbread topping, this casserole is a winner for the whole family.
We typically have grown dent corn in our three sisters garden (corn, beans, and squash), but this year we tried sweet corn for the first time! That means we have tons of both dried dent corn to turn into cornmeal as well as a freezer stocked with sweet corn. This tamale casserole is one of our favorite recipes for putting all of that corn to use!
Layered enchilada casserole has been a long-time staple for our family, and cornbread is a side we make all of the time. Tamale casserole is a combination of the two that makes a hearty, delicious, and easy meal to throw together.
Tamale Casserole Ingredients & Substitutions
For the Beef Filling:
Ground beef – Ground beef is the standard in this recipe but you could also substitute any other ground meat (i.e. ground pork or turkey).
Onion
Garlic
Tomato Sauce
Corn – This can be canned, frozen, or fresh corn.
Spices – I use chili powder, salt, and a bit of cumin but you can experiment with spices as you wish to raise or lower the heat of this chili casserole.
Optional Add In’s – Diced tomatoes, beans, peppers, jalapeño
Cornbread Topping:
Cornmeal
Flour – My favorite is grinding soft white wheat berries, but an all-purpose flour is perfect too. For a gluten free variation, you can substitute gluten free all purpose flour or substitute more cornmeal for the flour.
Baking Powder – Always look for aluminum free baking powder (we like Bob’s Red Mill or the baking powder from Azure Standard).
Sea Salt
Plain Yogurt – Greek yogurt or regular plain yogurt works in this tamale casserole. We use homemade yogurt.
Eggs
Olive Oil – You can substitute avocado oil or melted butter or coconut oil.
Shredded Cheese – We like a cheddar cheese in this recipe, and typically use our grated farmhouse cheddar. But Monterey Jack would be a good option as well.
Reserved Corn from Beef Filling
Optional Toppings: Sour cream, cilantro, shredded cheese
How To Make Tamale Casserole
Begin by sautéing garlic and onion over medium-high heat. Then add in ground beef to brown in the same pan.
Pro Tip: Sauté the veggies and ground meat in a 12” cast iron pan that will double as your casserole dish to avoid extra dishes.
Once the meat is cooked, add in spices, tomato sauce, corn (making sure to reserve around ½ cup for the cornbread topping), and any other add in’s you’d like (i.e. diced tomatoes, beans, peppers, and/or jalapeño).
Remove the beef filling from the stove and set aside. If you’re making the casserole in a separate 9×13 pan instead of a cast iron pan, now would be a good time to transfer the beef filling to that casserole dish.
Next, it’s time to make the cornbread topping.
In a medium mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt).
Then add in the rest of the ingredients (yogurt, eggs, oil, reserved corn, and shredded cheese – making sure to reserve ½ cup for sprinkling over the top).
Stir together until just combined and the flour/cornmeal are fully incorporated.
Carefully spoon the cornbread topping over the top of the beef filling, and with the back of a spoon or a spatula, spread the cornbread so it fully covers the filling.
Sprinkle the top of the cornbread with the remaining ½ cup of shredded cheese.
Bake at 400°F for around 30 minutes, until the cornbread topping is lightly golden and cooked through.
Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Top with sour cream, cilantro, and/or additional shredded cheese as desired.
How to store and serve leftover tamale casserole?
This tamale casserole makes delicious leftovers. Simply store any remaining casserole in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge and reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
Can tamale casserole be frozen?
Absolutely! Freeze the casserole once it is fully cooked. To eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in oven before serving.
How to serve tamale casserole?
Honestly, this hearty meal usually stands alone in our house, but a garden salad or coleslaw would be a perfect side dish to go with it.
Tamale Casserole Recipe
Yield: 8 Servings
Ingredients:
Beef Filling:
– 2 pounds of ground beef
– 1 large onion, diced
– 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 cup tomato sauce
– 2 cups fresh or frozen corn (or 1 can of corn, drained), reserving ½ cup for cornbread topping
– 1-2 tbsp chili powder
– 1 tsp cumin
– 1-2 tsp sea salt
– *Optional add in’s – diced tomatoes, black beans, peppers, jalapeno.
Cornbread Topping:
– ¾ cup cornmeal
– ¾ cup all purpose flour
– 1 tsp baking powder
– ¼ tsp sea salt
– 1-¼ cup plain yogurt
– 2 eggs
– 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
– 1-½ cup shredded cheese (reserving ½ cup for sprinkling on top)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Sauté garlic and onion over medium heat (I like to do this directly in a 12” cast iron pan that we will use to cook the casserole in).
3. Add ground beef and cook until browned.
4. Mix in tomato sauce, corn, spices, and any additional add in’s.
5. Remove beef mixture from heat and set aside. If cooking casserole in a separate 9×13” casserole dish, transfer the filling into that pan.
6. To make the cornbread topping, mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium size mixing bowl.
7. Add in yogurt, eggs, oil, reserved corn, and shredded cheese.
8. Mix until just combined.
9. Spoon over the top of the beef filling and use the back of a spoon or spatula to spread until the filling is fully covered.
10. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheese over the top.
11. Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes until the cornbread is fully cooked and golden.
12. Wait 10 minutes before serving. Optional, serve with sour cream, cilantro, and additional shredded cheese.
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For more of our favorite one pan meals:
- Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Potato Nachos
- Simple Ham and Cheese Strata
- Layered Enchilada Casserole
Tamale Casserole – Easy One Pan Meal!
This delicious tamale casserole has all of the flavor of tamales but is way easier to make! Loaded with ground beef, garlic, tomatoes, corn, and topped with a cheesy cornbread topping, this casserole is a winner for the whole family.
Ingredients
- Beef Filling:
- 2 pounds of ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 2 cups fresh or frozen corn (or 1 can of corn, drained), reserving ½ cup for cornbread topping
- 1-2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1-2 tsp sea salt
- *Optional add in’s – diced tomatoes, black beans, peppers, jalapeno.
- Cornbread Topping:
- ¾ cup cornmeal
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1-¼ cup plain yogurt
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- 1-½ cup shredded cheese (reserving ½ cup for sprinkling on top)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Sauté garlic and onion over medium heat (I like to do this directly in a 12” cast iron pan that we will use to cook the casserole in).
- Add ground beef and cook until browned.
- Mix in tomato sauce, corn, spices, and any additional add in’s.
- Remove beef mixture from heat and set aside. If cooking casserole in a separate 9x13” casserole dish, transfer the filling into that pan.
- To make the cornbread topping, mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium size mixing bowl.
- Add in yogurt, eggs, oil, reserved corn, and shredded cheese.
- Mix until just combined.
- Spoon over the top of the beef filling and use the back of a spoon or spatula to spread until the filling is fully covered.
- Sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheese over the top.
- Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes until the cornbread is fully cooked and golden.
- Wait 10 minutes before serving. Optional, serve with sour cream, cilantro, and additional shredded cheese.
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