Last updated on April 23rd, 2019 at 03:14 pm
This Beef Tamale Casserole will certainly make your dinner time easy. We’re talking comfort food to the max, layers of cornbread, enchilada sauce, spiced ground beef, loaded with cheese then baked to perfection!
With the weather we’ve been having all I’ve been craving is comfort food, because the weather is depressing, my friends. Finally though, sunshine is on its way, and hopefully here to stay for the summer. My kind of comfort food are tamale casseroles or pies. I have made this tamale casserole many times, with both chicken and beef. Can’t really say I have a favorite, because I love them all. This dish isn’t really about the meat, but about that yummy cornbread and that cheese. Look at all that cheese.
This beef tamale casserole is so good, that I really hate sharing it with anyone. I love the fact that I can top it with all my favorite taco toppings, like avocados, cilantro, tomatoes, green onions, whatever you like. But you must top it with something, because the toppings really to make it way better, that is if you can improve upon perfection.
The cornbread really is super easy to make, basically you mix all the ingredients in a bowl. I remember I made this once and forgot to add the cream style corn. Hey it happens, even to the best of us, but you know what, it was still good.
I really like to spice up my ground beef, so I used some cumin, some chipotle powder and chili powder. Feel free to adjust the quantities as you wish, and add more or less depending on how spicy you like your food.
I do add some enchilada sauce to the meat mixture as well to make it more saucy and tasty. Trust me, it’s good.
Now let’s talk cheese. I’ve made this before with all kinds of different cheeses. I’ve used Monterey Jack cheese, which I think is my favorite, I’ve made it with different kinds of cheddar cheese, or even the Mexican blend or Tex Mex cheese you can find now. Careful though, I think the Tex Mex cheese also has some spice added to it.
So go ahead and use your favorite cheese, and add as much or as little as you want, but you do want to add cheese to this dish.
Did you know that a tamale is a Mexican dish of seasoned meat wrapped in cornmeal dough and then steamed or baked in corn husks. Yep, pretty cool! This is similar to that except in a casserole version. I love my Mexican food and with Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, well perfect timing. Not that I need an excuse to make it!
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #jocooks on Instagram so we can see it. I always love to see what you guys come up with!
Beef Tamale Casserole
Ingredients
For Cornbread
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 egg
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 14.75 oz cream style corn (1 can)
- 4.5 oz diced green chiles (1 can)
For Beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper or to taste
For Casserole
- 10 oz enchilada sauce (1 can)
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese shredded (cheddar cheese or any blend of Mexican cheese works as well)
- 1 tbsp cilantro chopped
- avocado optional
- jalapeno pepper sliced, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 F degrees.
- Add the cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder to a medium size bowl and whisk together. Add the egg, butter, and buttermilk and whisk well. Stir in the creamed corn and the green chiles.
- Pour the cornbread mixture into a large skillet or a 9x9 inch baking pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges are golden and the cornbread is done. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cornbread, if it comes out clean, it's done.
- While the cornbread is cooking, prepare the beef. In another large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, chipotle powder, chili powder, salt, pepper and stir. Cook until the onion has softened, another 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add half of the enchilada sauce to the meat mixture and stir. Set aside.
- When the cornbread is done, poke holes into it with a fork, or I used the end of a wooden spoon. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the cornbread and spread.
- Top with the ground beef and the shredded cheese.
- Bake the casserole for another 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and has started to lightly brown on top.
- Let cool for about 5 minutes, then top the casserole with cilantro and your favorite toppings.
Watch How To Make It
Notes
★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
Theresa says
April 24, 2019 at 3:38 pmThis casserole is awesome. The cornbread is delicious. The chipotle powder added a nice spice to the meat mixture. I put a little to much cheese, but it was still great. I just might have to buy Jo’s cookbook.
Theresa says
April 24, 2019 at 3:44 pmI would also like to let everyone know I used La Costena red enchilada sauce. It’s really good, and doesn’t have that vinegar taste most canned red sauces have. In addition to cilantro; I put chopped green onions on top. It was perfect.
Nicole Beaulieu says
April 25, 2019 at 10:16 amYou’ll love the cookbook! We’re so happy you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Kat says
April 11, 2019 at 4:56 pmI made this… found it so good with organic corn and Ortega peppers added also, to beef mix? Found the flavor was a bit just not perfect… cuz I’m like that…. added liquid smoke and a package of mild chili seasonings? It really needed something…. (McCormick’s). Oh, dang! Outrageous.
Lisa says
March 13, 2019 at 6:11 pmWould corn tortilla chips work in place of cornmeal?
Holly says
February 2, 2019 at 6:52 amLooking for ways to wow my charter guests with make ahead casseroles I can freeze, thaw in frig overnight and cook the next evening. Have you ever attempted freezing?
Nicole Beaulieu says
February 4, 2019 at 10:59 amYes this will be a great casserole to freeze!
Susie says
November 5, 2018 at 8:13 amIs it just as good the next day?
I need to make some meals ahead of time.
Nicole Beaulieu says
November 5, 2018 at 10:22 amYes this will still be great.
Jessica says
September 11, 2018 at 8:28 amThis looks amazing! Thoughts on maybe using a salsa rather than enchilada sauce. My little ones are so finicky so I try to stick to things i know they like. Do you think it would be a reasonable substitute? Thanks!
Nicole Beaulieu says
September 11, 2018 at 10:53 amEnchilada sauce is completely smooth and is made with spices like cumin and chili powder, so it would definitely be different but it wouldn’t taste bad. If you know your kids will like it better, give it a try!
Molly says
April 26, 2018 at 7:10 pmThis was delicious! My husband immediately went for a second serving. I used Jiffy instead and love the flavor and moisture from the cream corn and chilies. I also changed it a bit by using some shredded pork I had left over from making actual tamales, which was already in red sauce. I still added the enchilada sauce as the recipe calls for and was glad I did for the extra flavor. The recipe was easy and so good. Will be making it again and again.
Linda says
April 9, 2018 at 3:40 pmSo GREAT! I have made this recipe many times BUT I don’t like red enchilada sauce so I used green. And instead of beef I used chicken. FANTASTIC!!!
Pat P. says
March 24, 2018 at 9:42 amGreat recipe!! Everyone loved it. It’s a keeper. Got off track, forgot to add the cream style corn to the cornbread mixture. Almost dumped cornbread to start over but time was a factor so I just added the corn to the meat mixture and it was amazing awesome.
Rick says
August 27, 2017 at 12:37 pmThis dish is perfect, especially for someone originally from Arizona
I used some Hatch chilies in the meat mixture, almost killed my self
from the heat, but did they make this soooo good.
Joanna Cismaru says
August 27, 2017 at 12:47 pmYou’re brave!!!
Katie says
August 25, 2017 at 5:00 pmCan I JUST USE THE BOX OF CORNBREAD FROM THE GROCERY STORE?
Joanna Cismaru says
August 25, 2017 at 7:15 pmSure!
Kathleen says
August 12, 2017 at 11:54 ammade this earlier this week and had some issues getting the corn bread base to set up — may have been my oven – the temperature knob is loose and i sometimes have trouble regulating the temp… so it was kind of a mess visually. BUT…. the taste was AH-MAZ-ING!!!!! really, really good. so, i will be making this again.
Janet says
May 6, 2017 at 11:26 amHappy Cinco de Mayo! I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious! I used a 9×9 pan instead of a skillet and next time I would use a large skillet or a larger 9×13 pan for a thinner cornbread layer. Definitely will make again.
Joanna Cismaru says
May 7, 2017 at 7:10 amSo glad you liked this!!
Eriana says
May 2, 2017 at 10:52 amWhat kind of enchilada sauce do you use?
Joanna Cismaru says
May 2, 2017 at 7:35 pmThe brand I used here is called Frontera.
Candace says
May 2, 2017 at 6:52 amI have a pound of lamb that I didn’t know what I was going to do with, but I think I just found out ?
mel says
May 1, 2017 at 2:11 pmIs the cornbread recipe correct….there’s no flour in it?
Joanna Cismaru says
May 1, 2017 at 2:34 pmNo flour, there’s cornmeal.
Sara @ Last Night's Feast says
May 1, 2017 at 1:01 pmThis looks delicious!
Analida's Ethnic Spoon says
April 30, 2017 at 9:08 pmCornbread is one of my favorites. With the addition of cheese and tamale sauce…wowee. Cannot wait to suprise my family with this one.
Angelina | Baked Ambrosia says
April 30, 2017 at 1:15 pmThis is PERFECTION! Dinner is set for tonight. Thank you!!