tamale

I've been on a tamale pie kick ever since updating my mom's classic recipe a couple months ago by adding a brown butter cornbread crust. Essentially an olive-packed chili baked underneath a sweet cornbread crust, it's one of the all-in-one comfort classics that never fails to bring big smiles and full bellies in its wake. This 100% vegetarian version is no different.

Quick and Easy Vegetarian Tamale Pie With Brown Butter Cornbread Crust Recipe

olive oil

corn kernels corn

onion,

red bell pepper, diced

poblano pepper, diced

salt and black pepper

garlic,

Serrano pepper, minced

cumin (preferably from whole seeds)

coriander (preferably from whole seeds)

oregano

ancho chili powder

green olives, sliced

soy sauce

black beans, drained and rinsed

kidney

cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)

scallions, thinly sliced

cilantro

For the Brown Butter Cornbread Crust:

unsalted butter

(about 5 ounces) fine yellow cornmeal

(about 5 ounces) all-purpose flour

sugar

baking powder

baking soda

eggs

(about 3/4 cup) sour cream

(about 1/4 cup) cultured buttermilk

scallions

red jalapeño pepper, finely minced

Sour cream,

Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven, or saucepan over high heat until lightly smoking. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is well charred in spots, about 4 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and poblano pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. 

Add garlic, Serrano pepper, cumin, coriander, oregano, and chili powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add olives, soy sauce, tomatoes, black beans, and kidney beans. Bring to a simmer and adjust heat to maintain. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and fragrant, about 20 minutes. Stir in grated cheese, scallions, and cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the Brown Butter Cornbread Crust: Heat butter in a 12-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium heat until melted. Continue to cook, swirling pan gently until butter is nutty-smelling and solids are a toasty brown. Transfer to a heatproof cup or bowl and let rest until slightly cooler, about five minutes. 

Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Combine eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk in a second bowl and whisk until homogenous. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in reserved browned butter. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until homogenous. Fold in scallions and jalapeño pepper.

Transfer bean mixture to a large cast iron skillet. Using a large spoon, place small dollops of the cornbread batter mixture on top of the bean filling, then use the back of the spoon to spread it into an even layer. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until pale golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cornbread comes out clean, about 20 minutes. 

Let cool 15 minutes, then serve with sour cream.

Tamale pie is a dish that screams for an update. I mean, it's cornbread and chili all rolled into one! This version uses tender, slow-cooked, shredded skirt steak flavored with layers and layers of aromatics and vegetables for a rich, complex, chili-based stew topped with corn bread flavored with browned butter.

The Best Tamale Pie With Braised Skirt Steak, Charred Corn, and Brown Butter Cornbread Crust Recipe

skirt steak,

whole sweet dried chilies

chilies

chicken stock

vegetable or canola oil

red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced

poblano pepper, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced

Worcestershire sauce

Asian fish sauce

Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 300°F (see note for pressure cooker instructions). Heat butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until melted. Continue to cook, swirling pan gently until butter is nutty-smelling and solids are a toasty brown. Transfer to a heatproof cup or bowl and reserve for Brown Butter Cornbread Crust.

Return pan to high heat. Season skirt steak generously with salt and pepper. Add to the pan in as close to a single layer as possible. Cook without moving until deeply browned on bottom side, about 6 minutes. When beef is browned (do not brown top side), transfer to a large plate and set aside.

Meanwhile, place chilies on a microwave-safe plate and microwave until hot, pliable, and toasted, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup and add 1 cup chicken stock. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high power until gently simmering, about 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and transfer to a blender. Add remaining chicken stock. Blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Return Dutch oven to high heat. Add oil to Dutch oven followed by corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is well charred in spots, about 4 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and poblano pepper, and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. 

Add garlic, Serrano pepper, cumin, coriander, and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chili purée and stir to combine. Return beef to the pot along with any drippings. Add olives and stir to combine. 

Bring to a simmer on the stovetop, cover, and transfer to the oven (see note for pressure cooker instructions). Cook until beef is fall-apart tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Remove from oven.

Set oven temperature to 425°F. Stir Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, and cheese into stew. Return to stovetop and simmer on medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened to a rich, stew-like consistency, about 5 minutes. Stir in scallions and cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a 9- by 13-inch casserole dish.

For the Brown Butter Cornbread Crust: Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Combine eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk in a second bowl and whisk until homogenous. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in reserved browned butter. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until homogenous.

Using a large spoon, place small dollops of the cornbread batter mixture on top of the beef filling, then use the back of the spoon to spread it into an even layer. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until pale golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cornbread comes out clean, about 20 minutes. 

These tamales, from Martin Morales's cookbook, Ceviche: Peruvian Kitchen, are much different from their Mexican brethren. Instead of using a dough made from masa and lard, they're made with pureed fresh corn, cooked down with butter, garlic, chili paste, and a touch of sugar.

Tamales De Queso (Cheese Tamales) From Ceviche: Peruvian Kitchen Recipe

Dough

ripe ears choclo or other corn

(50 g) butter

Amarillo Chili Paste

garlic, crushed

salt

Tamales

banana leaf, each

cream cheese

Julienned Salsa Criolla

red onion

cored and seeded medium tomatoes

seeded and deveined rocoto chilies (or mix of bell pepper

lime juice

cilantro sprigs

Salt and pepper

Tamales de Queso (Cheese Tamales) From Ceviche: Peruvian Kitchen Recipe

First, make the dough. Cut the choclo or other corn kernels from the cob. Put them in a food processor or blender and add a couple tablespoons water. Blitz until smooth.

Melt the butter in a shallow, wide saucepan set over medium heat. Add the chili paste and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the blended choclo, season with the salt and sugar, and then cook the mixture for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. After this time, the mixture should be dry, smooth, and any floury taste from the corn should be cooked out.

Remove the choclo mixture from the saucepan and leave it to cool a little. Add the egg yolks and mix thoroughly. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions.

To assemble, take a piece of dough and flatten it to about 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick in the center of a banana leaf. Put a tablespoon of cheese in the center of the dough. Lift up the two long sides of the leaf to help enclose the cheese in the dough and fold the edges over together. Then fold the remaining two sides over the top to create a roughly square parcel. Tie securely with string and place in a steamer. Repeat for all tamales.

Meanwhile, make the salsa criolla: For a julienned salsa, thinly slice red onion, tomatoes, and rocoto chilies into fine julienne. Soak the onion in iced water for 10 minutes. Drain and mix with the tomatoes, chilies, lime juice, olive oil, and chopped cilantro sprigs. Season with salt and pepper.

After tamales have finished steaming, unwrap and serve with the salsa criolla.

Tamales are delicious, but forming them is a small pain in the culo. This baked tamale pie, know as a tamal de cazuela in Mexico, is the solution: all the joys of tamales with not nearly as much work.

Mexican Tamale Pie (Tamal De Cazuela) With Black Bean Filling Recipe

For the Masa:

(3 cups) masa harina para tamales (see note)

chicken stock or water

lard

For the Filling (see note):

ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded

chicken broth

lard oil

white onion, chopped

garlic, chopped

beans beans

Kosher salt

Nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil,

Hot sauce and salsa verde,

Mexican Tamale Pie (Tamal de Cazuela) With Black Bean Filling Recipe

In a large mixing bowl, combine masa harina and broth.

Combine lard, salt, and baking powder and, using an electric mixer, beat at medium-high speed until lightly whipped, about 1 minute.

Add 1/4 of the re-hydrated masa at a time to the lard, beating between additions until thoroughly incorporated. The masa should be soft and spreadable, with a hummus-like texture.

Cover masa with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, For the Filling: Microwave ancho chilies until fragrant and pliable, 15 to 30 seconds. Transfer to microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, add broth, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and microwave on high power until barely simmering, about 3 minutes. Let steep for at least 5 minutes. Using a blender or immersion blender, blend until smooth.

In a skillet, heat lard over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add beans and cook until heated through. Using a potato masher, bean masher, or wooden spoon, mash beans to form a chunky puree. Stir in ancho mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Assembly and Baking: Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove masa from refrigerator, discard plastic, and re-whip, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to return it to original hummus-like texture. Lightly grease a 12-inch cast iron skillet or 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray or oil, wiping up any excess.

Scrape 2/3 of masa into skillet and press to form an even thin layer on bottom and edge of pan.

Add 2 cups of black bean filling, smoothing to an even layer. Save any remaining filling for another use.

Gently form a top crust with remaining 1/3 masa, binding it with edge.

Wipe any masa residue from rim of skillet. Bake tamale pie until cooked through and lightly golden on top, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly, then slice and serve, passing hot sauce and salsa verde at the table.

This cheesy Chicken Tamale Casserole is a quick and easy family weeknight dinner that has all the flavors of classic tamales without all the fuss!

Chicken Tamale Casserole

8.5 oz corn muffin mix ((such as Jiffy))

14.5 oz cream-style corn

eggs (lightly beaten)

milk

tsp chili powder

tsp cumin

taco cheese blend (shredded

enchilada sauce

chicken (from rotisserie chicken)

tomato

sour cream

lettuce

black olives

chopped green onions

salsa

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9x13 inch casserole dish with non stick cooking spray, set aside.

In a large bowl combine the corn muffin mix, cream-style corn, eggs, milk, chili powder, cumin and 1 cup of cheese. Stir till combined then pour into the casserole dish. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and use a knife to pierce the cornbread mixture several times all over. Pour the enchilada sauce all over the top of the casserole. Top with the shredded chicken and remaining cheese. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing into pieces and serving with optional toppings. Enjoy!

This chile verde chicken tamale casserole is a quick and easy spin on traditional tamales. It's loaded with flavor and every bit as delicious as the real deal!

Chile Verde Chicken Tamale Casserole Recipe

rotisserie chicken (pulled (about 4 cups))

c. chile verde enchilada sauce

c. chopped cilantro

garlic powder

c. masa harina*

tsp. coarse kosher sea salt

black pepper

c. frozen corn (thawed, divided)

poblanos

c. low-sodium chicken broth- more if needed

c. grated monterey jack cheese (divided)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease or spray a 9x13-inch baking dish, set aside.

In a large skillet set over medium-low heat, add the chicken, broth, sauce, cilantro, and garlic powder. Heat while preparing the remaining ingredients, stirring occasionally.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the masa, salt, sugar, baking powder, pepper, butter, 2 cups corn, and poblanos. Process or pulse until a coarse meal forms. Add chicken broth and process or pulse until them mixture reaches a thick peanut butter consistency. More broth (or water) may be required. Fold in remaining 1 cup of corn.

Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese, then add the chicken filling. Sprinkle with another 3/4 cup cheese. Press the remaining tamale dough over top.

Cover with 1 cup of chile verde sauce and remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Place a piece of foil over top and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Top with cilantro, if desired.

Cooking frozen tamales in the Instant Pot is so easy and delicious! They will be perfectly steamed and ready to eat in no time.

Instant Pot Frozen Tamales

Package Frozen Tamales

Cup Water

First open the instant pot and place the metal trivet inside.

Add 1 cup of water to the instant pot.

Place the tamales on the trivet. You can use more than 2 if you want.

Close the lid and seal the valve.

Set to Pressure Cook on High for 20 minutes.

When done cooking, use the quick release to release the pressure.

Remove with tongs. Unwrap and enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbU8JRx_5N4

These Instant Pot frozen tamales are amazing! EASY INSTANT POT RECIPES HERE: https://www.melaniecooks.com/category/instant-pot/ Just put frozen tamales in the Instant Pot and it will steam them to perfection! Instapot pressure cooker is the best and easiest way to cook frozen tamales! Once you try steaming frozen tamales in the Instant Pot, you'll never make them any other way! Instant Pot frozen tamales just melt in your mouth, they are so tender and moist, OMG sooooo gooood! If you love tamales, you need the Instant Pot tamales in your life! 
VIEW ALL MY INSTANT POT RECIPE VIDEOS IN THIS PLAYLIST: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxnfP_LRoakE9dboEzz1O5KbUbdzCeIF_

Instant Pot Frozen Tamales - the best ever way to steam frozen tamales is in the Instapot! OMG! 🤩

A tasty Mexican casserole that starts with ground beef!

Cornbread Tamale Pie

beef

onion

garlic

taco seasoning

red enchilada sauce

black beans

corn kernels

salt and pepper

box corn muffin mix

Egg and milk

cheddar cheese

toppings

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add ground beef and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook for 4-5 minutes, then add onion and cook for another 4 minutes or until the onion has softened and meat is cooked through. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.

Stir in taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, beans, and corn. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour beef mixture into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.

For the filling

Place corn muffin mix into a bowl. Add eggs and milk according to package directions. Mix until a batter forms, then add cheese and stir until just combined. Spread batter over the layer of meat.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cornbread layer comes out with just a few crumbs attached. (If your casserole is browning too quickly, you can cover it with foil for the duration of the bake time.)

Cut into slices and serve with your choice of toppings!

For the topping

Let the gentle heat from the oven thicken the sauce and slowly cook the pork into tender shreds in this fix-it-and-forget-it dish.

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Top 11 tamale recipes from across the web

The most viewed tamale recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Quick and Easy Vegetarian Tamale Pi...

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The most viewed tamale recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine