Tamale Pie is an old school casserole with layers of seasoned ground beef, cornbread, and melted gooey cheese. Made from scratch, yet quick and easy, this gluten-free tamale pie is made cornmeal and other simple ingredients, making it perfect for a family-approved weeknight meal!
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Classic Tamale Pie with Beef and Cornmeal
Nothing beats an old school, old fashioned comfort food recipe. My mom’s homemade tamale pie recipe came from the source of all her cutting edge recipes – church cookbooks.
They were all the rage before Food Network, celebrity chefs, and, well, food blogs.
Recently my mom stumbled across her old tamale casserole recipe and passed it on to me with a personal plug written on it: “I made this a lot years ago. It was very good and very easy.” I was immediately sold because it’s made without flour, Jiffy mix, and all naturally gluten-free and affordable ingredients.
Sounded right up my alley. 👌 (Just like 25-minute walking taco casserole – can’t go wrong with silly easy!) However, I did have to change things up a bit so I could use it again and again as part of my easy weeknight gluten-free dinner ideas.
To make an old fashioned tamale pie without a cornbread mix, I relied on cornmeal, adding a can of cream-style corn (check with manufacturer to make sure it’s GF!), baking powder, egg, melted butter, and a little sugar. It’s just as easy to whip up as a box of Jiffy mix, and mimics the taste, even down to the bit of sweetness.
I made this the other week and it was sooo good. I’m making it tomorrow for our Wednesday night dinner at our daughter’s house. I can’t wait for them to try it. This is a wonderful recipe and easy to make. Thank you!!
—Susan
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Ingredients Tid Bits
This tamale pie casserole is great weeknight dinner option because most of the ingredients are kitchen staples, like butter, sugar, eggs, baking powder, milk, and chili powder.
Similar to when making another family-favorite, Mexican-inspired dish, gluten-free enchiladas with beef, I do have to pick up a few items, like lean ground meat, cream-style corn, GF enchilada sauce, and salsa.
- Cornmeal – Although cornmeal is naturally gluten-free, some brands are processed on shared equipment. Be sure to read labels carefully if making gluten-free tamale pie.
- Cream-style corn – Always read the label to make sure there are no hidden ingredients, questionable food starches or wheat. A lot of major brands are GF, but it’s always best to read labels and double check with a manufacturer.
- Sugar – While this may be eliminated, I like the touch of sweet taste it adds, just like old school recipes!
- Enchilada Sauce – For a gluten-free recipe, I use LaVictoria brand or you can make your own homemade 5-minute enchilada sauce.
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(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Easier-than-easy homemade cornbread layer
This is a measure and dump cornmeal layer you can handle. Promise! Whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Then add in the cooled and melted butter, egg, milk, and cream-style corn. Dump it in the prepped baking pan and bake while cooking the ground beef layer.
Whip up the seasoned ground beef
While that’s baking, it’s time to brown the beef. I like a use a leaner ground beef so I don’t have to drain off excess grease, but use whatever floats your boat. Once it’s cooked, stir in the salsa, half a can of enchilada sauce, and chili powder.
The fun part – Poke some holes!
Use a wooden spoon handle to poke some holes on the baked cornbread. Then pour on the rest of the enchilada sauce to seep in. Top with the ground beef mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Choose between colby jack, cheddar, or pepper jack. Basically it’s hard to go wrong when it comes to cheese.
Time for the quick second bake
Once it’s loaded up with cheese, pop it bake into the oven to melt it. At this point everything is cooked through, so it’s just a matter of melting the cheese. If you want to speed things up, you can always put it under the broiler too. It’s time to dig in!
Age-old question – What to serve with it?
We serve this easy tamale pie recipe similarly to how you would serve tacos. Everyone can pile on what they would like best, but I usually offer up shredded lettuce, sour cream, avocado, and salsa.
Since it’s a casserole, it doesn’t require much to round out the meal. Honestly, I usually just steam some rice and call it a day. You can go fancier…cilantro lime rice, Elotes, corn salad, refried beans, or charro beans would be stellar side dishes.
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Old School Tamale Pie (Gluten-Free, Without Jiffy!)
Ingredients
Cornbread:
- ¾ cup cornmeal, gluten-free certified
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ( ) salt
- 1 egg
- 4 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
- ⅓ cup milk
- 14.75 ounce can cream-style corn, read label for gluten-free
Tamale Pie Filling:
- 1 pound lean ground beef, such as sirloin
- 10 ounce can enchilada sauce, La Victoria brand for gluten-free
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 ½ cups shredded colby jack cheese
- optional toppings: additional salsa, cilantro, sour cream, and sliced avocado
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF. Grease a cast iron skillet with butter or spray a pie plate, 11X7 pan, or 9X9 pan with cooking spray.
- Whisk together the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add egg, melted butter, milk, and cream-style corn. Whisk to combine. Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean and edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and decrease oven temperature to 375ºF.¾ cup cornmeal, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 egg, 4 tablespoons melted butter, ⅓ cup milk, 14.75 ounce can cream-style corn
- Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the cornbread surface. Pour ½ can enchilada sauce on top and spread evenly over cornbread. Set aside.
- While cornbread is baking, begin to make ground beef layer. In a large skillet brown beef over medium high heat and drain, if necessary. To the browned beef stir in remaining enchilada sauce, salsa, and chili powder. Bring to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes until thickened.1 pound lean ground beef, 1 cup salsa, 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Spread beef filling over warm cornbread. Top with cheese and return to 375ºF oven for 15 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly. Let sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting. Serve with additional salsa, cilantro, sour cream, and sliced avocado.1 ½ cups shredded colby jack cheese
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Can you make this in an 9×13 baking dish
Yes, Doris, I would just double the recipe and bake the cornbread part a little longer.
Best,
Melissa
why do people comment if they haven’t made the recipe? or they have stupid questions? this recipe is delicious as is. try it you won’t be disappointedJ
Lol, I always appreciate it when my community comes to my “rescue.” 🙂 Unfortunately people who put things out there publicly, like me, sometimes are the fall guy for someone’s bad day. I try not to take it personally. I appreciate your kind words, though.
Best,
Melissa
How many servings are in this recipe?
Eight. Sorry, it’s at the very top of the recipe card and it’s easy to miss!
Best,
Melissa
Sounds good without the sugar.