Tamale Pie With Fresh Tomato and Corn
3.4
(15)
Juicy ripe tomatoes and sweet summer corn perk up this fresh take on the old-school Southwestern casserole. Bonus: it just happens to be gluten-free.
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 450°F. Heat an 8" cast-iron skillet over high. Pat chorizo and beef (or vegetarian substitutes) dry with paper towels, then press into an even layer in bottom of hot skillet with a spatula. Cook, undisturbed, until a brown crust begins to form on the bottom, about 6 minutes. Turn, break into pieces, and continue to cook until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste, cumin, half of grated onion, half of jalapeño, and 1¼ tsp. salt and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and well combined, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, 1½ cups corn, and 1½ cups cheese.
Step 2
Whisk eggs, butter, ⅓ cup sour cream, and remaining onion in a medium bowl. Whisk cornmeal, baking powder, and remaining ½ tsp. salt in a small bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and stir to combine, then stir in ¼ cup cheese and remaining ½ cup corn.
Step 3
Dollop cornbread batter over meat mixture, then smooth into an even layer. Top with remaining jalapeños and ¼ cup cheese.
Step 4
Bake cornbread until golden brown, 15–18 minutes. Serve with sour cream alongside.
This recipe uses a mixture of ground beef and fresh chorizo, but any type or mixture of ground meat you prefer can be swapped in in equal amounts.
How would you rate Tamale Pie With Fresh Tomato and Corn?
Leave a Review
Reviews (15)
Back to TopVery good concept and I have enjoyed Anne's recipes before, but this one is way off. First, I found the recommended volumes for an 8" pan way too much, so I thought I would cook the tomatoes a bit so they would shrink in volume. Well, then they sweated out all their water and drowned everything so I had to keep sautéing until the water disappeared, and then it wasn't a fresh tomato pie, it was a cooked tomato pie. So- I would significantly reduce the volumes. Also, I added garlic, upped the cumin and added coriander at half the amount of cumin, and in future would add something green like some poblanos. But, I am going to try this again
wcavers
Victoria, B.C., Canada
3/1/2018
I agree with the Swed this was bland.
renofoodie
1/3/2018
Boring and bland, but with potential. Needs coriander, chipotle, garlic and cilantro. I found this dish too dry without the sour cream, needs more liquid e.g. canned tomatoes. I think the cornbread would be better with 3/4 c cornmeal and 1/2 c flour. There are better recipes out there but I will use this concept as a base.
kpalmer747
Sweden
12/18/2017
I made this recipe with a few substitutions. I used a meatless vegan chorizo, and ground turkey instead of ground beef. I also used some pepper jack cheese as well as mild cheddar. I added a few red pepper flakes and some garlic powder for extra kick. I was able to get some late season fresh corn. I used Roma tomatoes as I didn't have any beefsteak tomatoes. I did not have any extra liquid from the tomatoes at all. I also used a small amount of olive oil in the bottom of the skillet to brown the vegan chorizo and ground turkey since they do not render any fat of their own. It was delicious. My family loved it, and so did I. It is a bit time-consuming, but oh so worth it. I will definitely make this recipe again and again.
cmathis
Los Angeles, CA
9/26/2017
Overall this was decent. I'd play with the seasoning a bit though. Too much cumin and not enough of anything else. Maybe some epazote and ancho powder, and a little garlic. Also, I mixed a small amount of the cornmeal topping into the meat mixture. It helped hold the filling together and absorbed the water from the tomato. (I used an heirloom variety, and only one.)
aiphos09
Philadelphia, PA
9/25/2017
OK- this depends heavily on the chorizo for flavor, and the quality of available chorizo varies widely- most of them will result in a very (overly, to me) fatty dish if used as stated. Much more attention could be paid to the spicing- at the least some Ancho chile powder would bring it up considerably. Good quality frozen corn will generally work better for this type of recipe, and Beefsteak tomatoes- presumably what the author is growing- have little to recommend them other than looking impressive; not a good cooking tomato. Masa (preferably the coarser "for tamales" variety) has a much deeper flavor than plain cornmeal, and is better for this. You might want to do something else with the cheese, and the heat can always be adjusted, but you are depending a lot on the Jalapenos for flavor. Not sure what the author means by "traditional" tamale pie- there have been hundreds of versions around for ever; even the basic recipe on the Alber's corn meal box has changed a number of times. I sympathize with one reviewer's frustration with sloppy use of language, but agree it's not a good reason to pan a recipe.
oldunc
California
9/21/2017
Followed recipe, 'zactly. Fairly bland, mediocre at best. Needs a kick of black olives. Sriracha, more cheese and lots more sour cream (especially when serving...otherwise, it is kinda dry). Don't bother with ground beef, stick with 16 oz, chorozo. No resemblance to a tamale. Note spelling, sorry.
stephaniezenobia
Paradise, Colorado
9/21/2017
See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips
Our 67 Best Cornmeal Recipes
Looking for cornbread, corn cake, or corn muffin recipes? You've come to the right place.Four Recipes That Are Perfect for That Plant-Based Meat You've Been Meaning to Try
If you still haven't tried [meatless meat](https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/what-is-impossible-burger-beyond-burger-vegan-meatless-meat-explained-article){: target="_blank"} yet, you're not alone. But you *almost* are. Vegetarian “meats” become available in [more restaurants](https://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2020/07/20/greenleaf-lightlife-plant-based-burger-harveys.html){: target="_blank"} and [more grocery stores](https://www.engadget.com/impossible-burger-publix-171152263.html){: target="_blank"} seemingly every day, and they're bound to end up in your kitchen eventually. But what will you do with them once they get there? That's the question we're answering with these four recipes, each one perfect for a 1:1 swap of meatless meat for ground beef or sausage.41 Ways to Cook With Ground Beef
It's not just for burgers, you know.Weekly Meal Plan: Surf and Turf Your Way Through the Week
A big boil at the beginning of the week saves you a whole lot of stress later on.This Tamale Pie Is Fresher (and Tastier) Than the Classic
While ripe tomatoes and corn are still in full swing, make this naturally gluten-free take on tamale pie.
