Tamale Pie Recipe (Tamale Casserole)

Name: Tamale Pie Recipe (Tamale Casserole)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups masa harina; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 1/2 cups chicken broth; 5 ounces lard; 1 pound ground beef; 1/4 medium onion (diced); 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; 2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 can (7 ounces) red enchilada sauce; 4 ounces Velveeta

By Danielle on February 20, 2020, Updated April 8, 2022 72 Comments

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Much easier to make than traditional tamales, this Tamale Pie recipe has all the flavors of tamales wrapped up in one easy-to-make dish!

Cheesy ground beef mixed with chilies and spices, covered with masa dough and baked to a cheesy, tamale-like deliciousness. Yes. Just like tamales, but without the huge intensive amount of work.

That said, if you want to learn how to make tamales, check out these authentic Pork Tamales from Mexico in My Kitchen or this Vegetarian Tamale Recipe from Pinch and Swirl.

This tamale casserole is perfect for an easy family dinner, a larger gathering, potlucks or parties! Because it can be made in advance and frozen, it makes for a super convenient meal.

piece of tamale pie on a plate with skillet in the background

Where is Tamale Pie From?

Surprise surprise, it's not actually a Mexican dish. It's a Southwestern US style dish using the ingredients you would often find in tamales, but in a casserole version.

It's got a very similar flavor to tamales, but is far less labor intensive. However, it is heavily inspired by Mexican flavors.

The Ingredients

Don't get overwhelmed by the steps in the recipe. It's actually a very easy recipe to make and the taste is so incredible!

Ingredients for the Masa Dough

Masa harina
Chicken broth
Lard
Baking powder

What is Masa Harina?

Masa harina is a corn flour (not to be confused with cornmeal) commonly used to make tortillas and tamales. It is available in most grocery stores, but if you can't find it there you should be able to get it at a Latin market, or buy it here on Amazon (affiliate link).

Ingredients for the Beef Filling

Ground beef
Velveeta
Cumin
Red enchilada sauce
Diced green chilies
Onion

A 90/10 ground beef works the best. Because the masa dough has lard in it, we try to use a slightly leaner ground beef.

I find that the canned enchilada sauce works great, but if you want to make your own check out this Red Enchilada Sauce from Cookie and Kate.

Step By Step Instructions

How to Make Masa Dough

In large mixing bowl, combine the masa harina with the salt and baking powder and mix thoroughly.

**the salt will need to be adjusted based on whether you are using a salted broth or not. Start with half the amount of salt and taste it as you go along to see if it needs more salt.

Add the chicken broth and mix until a dough forms.

Add the lard and beat with a mixer on medium for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture doubles (or comes close). It should have a whipped creamy texture.

Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, ideally overnight.

How To Make Tamale Pie Filling

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

While the masa dough is chilling, add the beef to a skillet over medium heat and brown. If there is a lot of grease in the pan, drain the beef before going on to the next step.

Add the onions to the beef and cook until soft (about 5 minutes).

Add the diced green chilies, salt, pepper and cumin and cook for 1 minute.

ground beef with green chilies in a skillet

Add the enchilada sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the Velveeta to the beef mixture and continue heating and stirring until it is fully melted. Mixture should be thick and cheesy when done.

red gravy in a skillet with cubes of velveeta

Grease the cast iron skillet with shortening, lard, or non-stick spray. Spread one quarter of the chilled masa on the bottom of the pan. Add the beef mixture.

ground beef mixture in a cast iron skillet

Spread the remaining masa dough on top. It's best to use your fingers to place little pieces at a time on top of the beef if the masa will not spread particularly well. Otherwise, a spoon should spread it just fine.

cast iron skillet filled with beef mixture and dough on top

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the masa is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Expert Tips

Use your hand to break up the raw beef into small pieces. Also continue breaking it into small pieces while cooking for a more uniform filling.
The salt in the masa dough will need to be adjusted based on whether you are using salted stock. Start with half the amount and taste it as you go along to see if it needs more.
The masa dough needs to be refrigerated for at least 1 hour. It will be easier to spread if it's refrigerated overnight.
If the masa dough is difficult to spread over the beef mixture, just place pieces of it on top with your fingers.
You can substitute ground pork, chicken or turkey for the beef if desired. I personally prefer the taste of beef, but the other will work as well!
To make it spicier, add 1-2 diced jalapenos, or even a diced habanero pepper for some extreme heat!

Serving Options

There are so many different options for serving this tamale casserole:

Sour cream is a must in my house;
Serve it with this Calabacitas if you want some veggies on your plate;
I can't get enough of this Fresh Tomato Salsa;
Try these Flour Tortillas from House of Yumm;
And what Mexican inspired meal is complete with out Refried Beans (like these from House of Yumm)?

Freezing Options

Yes! You can make the tamale pie in an oven-proof dish and freeze for later (DO NOT BAKE FIRST). Place directly in the freezer for 3 hours, then wrap in plastic and foil and freeze until ready for use.

When you're ready to bake the frozen pie, cook it in a 400 degree oven for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean (clean of masa dough, not the filling).

Favorite Mexican Inspired Recipes

Did you make this recipe? Rate the recipe and leave me a comment below to let me know how it turned out!