Health

A Vegetarian Update for Old-School Tamale Pie

Not to be confused with a Latin American tamale, a tamale pie is a beloved retro casserole in the United States, the kind of recipe you’d find taught in 1950s home economics classes, but in a very good way. A layer of ground beef chili covered with cornbread, it’s an easy, convenient and thoroughly adaptable classic that doesn’t get as much attention as, say, a chicken potpie but has the same cozy appeal.


Recipe: Vegetarian Tamale Pie


Because casseroles weren’t really a thing in my childhood, I didn’t meet a tamale pie until college. There it was in the cafeteria, golden on top, saucy on the bottom, looking, from my uninitiated perspective, like something I should be wary of.

But then I tasted it. The warm cornbread was nubby, crisp at the edges and very tender. And the ground meat was seasoned with a touch of chili powder, for a kick so gentle it was more like a nudge. It wasn’t like any chili I’d had before. There were no beans, and the beef was dotted with sliced pimento-stuffed olives and yellow corn kernels. Yet, somehow, it melded into something deeply delicious and thoroughly comforting.

A layer of bean-based chili covered with cornbread makes up the base of this tamale pie.Credit…Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

When I moved off campus, I forgot all about tamale pie for a decade or two. Then, one day, I stumbled upon the recipe in “The Joy of Cooking.” I made it as soon as I could assemble the ingredients. They were mostly the same as I remembered but with the addition of beans, and sans olives (which, frankly, I didn’t miss).

When I hoisted the pan out of the oven, it was burnished, bubbling perfection, a warming meal that immediately went into our dinner rotation.

Grated Cheddar tops the cornbread batter for a cheesy top.Credit…Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Naturally, over the years, I tweaked the recipe, enriching the cornbread with sour cream, melted butter, grated Cheddar, a drizzle of honey. And I sharpened up that chili, too, doubling the chili powder and adding cilantro, along with jalapeños and poblanos to amp up that gentle nudge of heat to a full-on kick in the pants.

The tweaking continues in this version, where I’ve nixed the meat entirely. Then I pushed things even further by charring the chiles and onions, a technique common in Mexican salsas. It does require an extra step, but using a broiler keeps it relatively quick.

This zipped-up version never would have passed home ec, but it’s sure to get an A-plus at your next shindig.

Follow New York Times Cooking on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Pinterest. Get regular updates from New York Times Cooking, with recipe suggestions, cooking tips and shopping advice.

Back to top button