Gluten Free Tamale Pie

a black cast iron skillet with layers of cornbread, ground beef, and cheese

Gluten free tamale pie is cornbread topped with a savory meat filling. All the goodness of a classic tamale but without all the effort!

Course Gluten Free Dinner Recipes

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword gluten free tamale pie, tamale pie

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings servings

Calories 550kcal

Author Celeste Noland | Life After Wheat

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
½ cup chopped onion I used white
2 cloves garlic minced
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped jalapenos I removed the seeds
2 teaspoons cumin
1-2 teaspoons chili powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste
2 8 ounce cans tomato sauce
1 large egg
⅔ cup milk
⅓ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
¾ cup gluten free flour see notes
¾ cup gluten free cornmeal I used medium grind Bob's Red Mill
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter melted
⅓ cup frozen corn

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425

FOR THE MEAT FILLING

Brown ground beef in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet until about halfway done. (if you don't have a cast iron skillet, see notes)
Add onion, garlic, and jalapeno and cook until meat is done and veggies are crisp-tender.
Add cumin, chili, salt and pepper and cook about 30 seconds.
Add tomato sauce and simmer for a few minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.

FOR THE CORNBREAD TOPPING

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg until frothy
Add sour cream, milk, and sugar and whisk until smooth.
Add gluten-free flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt stir just until combined.
Stir in melted butter and frozen corn.
Spread cornbread batter evenly over meat filing in the cast iron skillet.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, until toothpick inserted into cornbread comes out clean.
Serve with sour cream, fresh cilantro, chopped avocados or guacamole, black or refried beans, and green chiles.

Notes

FLOUR OPTIONS

This recipe works well with pretty much any gluten-free flour blend. I've had best results with gfJules and Cup4Cup, but I've also used Bob's Red Mill 1:1, my own gluten-free flour mix recipe, and King Arthur Measure for Measure.

RECOMMENDED PANS

I love using a cast iron skillet for tamale pie. If you don't have a 10-inch cast iron skillet, you can use a 10 inch casserole dish or any similar-sized baking dish with tall sides.

VARIATIONS:

Vegetarian Tamale Pie
Swap 2 cups of cooked, drained lentils for the ground beef.

Cheesy Tamale Pie
Preheat a large cast-iron skillet in the oven while it preheats. Add cornbread mixture directly to the skillet and smooth into an even layer. Spread prepared meat filling on top, leaving around an inch all the way around for a crust. Bake as directed, then sprinkle with cheese and broil for 2 minutes.

Chile Verde Tamale Pie
Substitute ground beef for 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken and use 16 ounces of gluten-free salsa verde or green enchilada sauce in place of the tomato sauce.

Chorizo and Sweet Potato Tamale Pie
Use ½ pound chorizo in place of the ground beef. Add 1 cup cooked, finely chopped sweet potatoes along with the tomato sauce.

Nutrition