My husband, Charles, and I were very excited to share our whale watching trip photos with friends so we had a plant-based potluck slideshow and I supplied the main course of tamale pie. Our guests brought the sides, appetizers, salads and dessert.
Wow, did our friends come through, it was a huge spread. We had hummus and veggies, lentil dip with crackers, vegan cheese and guacamole for appetizers.
There was lettuce salad, fruit salad, faro salad, corn and tomato salad, and rice salad as the side dish. In addition to the Tamale Pie, someone made Cauliflower Enchiladas for the main course.
However, this meal was not completely dairy free because we had brownies and ice cream but I was pleased to say that everyone raved about the food and maybe, just maybe, a few decided that eating a plant-based diet could be pretty tasty!
I’m happy to report one of the favorite dishes of the night, was our tamale pie.
This is one of those recipes you can make as mild or spicy as you like. You can always throw in jalapenos or habanero peppers to kick it up a notch. If you want a kick without going too hot, then buy the diced green chilies labeled “Hot” instead of mild or medium.
These flavor-packed recipes are sure to be a hit:
- Vegan BBQ Meatloaf
- Black Bean Tacos with Avocado Cream
- Vegan Avocado Brownies
- Vegetarian Bean Chili
- Moroccan Chickpea Vegetable Tagine
You can also add a can of white beans in lieu of one of the other beans to add some color and different flavor, same goes with kidney beans.
One last thing, in addition to cilantro you can serve chopped raw onions, sliced avocado and lime wedges on the side. This works great if you’re serving it at a party or potluck because it allows the guests to customize the flavor to their taste.
I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments below for this Tamale Pie! If you have a photo, post it on my Facebook page, tag me using the hashtag #plantbasedcooking
Tamale Pie
Equipment
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Large Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 large red or green bell pepper diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp Ancho chili powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 15.5 oz. can black beans (no salt) rinsed and drained (or 1 1/2 cups homemade)
- 1 15.5 oz. can pinto beans (no salt) rinsed and drained (or 1 1/2 cups homemade)
- 1 14.5 oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes including juice
- 2 4 oz. cans diced green chilies including juice
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
Masa Layer
- 3 cups masa harina (Do not substitute cornmeal! Masa harina is available at most grocery stores.)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil (for a low oil version you could try substituting apple sauce and leave out the maple syrup.)
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or 1 1/2 cups homemade)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
Toppings
- vegan sour cream
- fresh cilantro
- toasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
Chili
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13″ baking pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of water over medium-high. Add the onion, bell pepper, and saute about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, or until vegetables are softened. Add more water if the pan starts to dry out. Add the garlic and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add all of the spices and stir well to incorporate, lowering the heat, if necessary.
- Add the beans, tomatoes, green chilies, and stir to combine. Salt & pepper to taste.
- Continue to cook until the mixture is only slightly watery.
- Stir in the cilantro and remove from heat.
- While the filling is cooking, prepare the masa layer.
- Fill your baking dish with the filling mixture.
Masa Layer:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well combined. The mixture should be the consistency of thick pancake mix.
- With a large spoon, spread the masa mixture over the filling and smooth to the edges.
- Bake for about 45 minutes or until the topping is starting to brown and isn’t soft any more.
- Serve toppings and allow everyone to add their own.
This is delicious, and I will make it again–the next time for company! I hope it survives being frozen, as that’s what I did with half of it. However, I do think the Nutrition Facts are not accurate, and I hope you can publish a correction. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I don’t know what happened on the nutrition label! ???? Thanks for pointing that out. I updated it. I’m not sure these nutrition label generators do a very accurate job, for example on the sodium, but luckily you can adjust most recipes for that by purchasing unsalted beans or making them yourself 🙂
We’ve been using this recipe for years now, it is delicious, especially the masa harina top layer
Hey Jessica, You’re so kind to let me know! 💕 I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe. I love the combo of chili and cornbread!