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4.6 from 321 votes

Beef Tamale Casserole

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, all loaded with cheese then baked to perfection!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 8
Calories: 402 kcal
Course: Main Course , Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

For Cornbread
  • ½ cup cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk
  • 14.75 ounce cream style corn (1 can)
  • 4.5 ounce diced green chiles (1 can)
For Beef
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin ground
  • ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper or to taste
For Casserole
  • 10 ounce enchilada sauce (1 can)
  • 2 cups Monterey jack cheese shredded (cheddar cheese or any blend of Mexican cheese works as well)
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
  • avocado optional
  • Jalapeno pepper sliced, optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat your oven to 400℉.
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Add half of the enchilada sauce to the meat mixture and stir. Set aside.
  6. 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. 
  7. Top with the ground beef and the shredded cheese. 
  8. Bake the casserole for another 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and has started to lightly brown on top. 
  9. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then top the casserole with cilantro and your favorite toppings.

Notes

  • To save time, you can use a boxed cornbread mix for this recipe.
  • I've made this several times with different types of cheeses. Monterey Jack cheese is good, you can also use a blend of cheddar cheese, or the Tex Mex blend.
  • This entire casserole can be popped in the freezer, as long as it's tightly sealed. It can be stored this way for up to 6 months and just needs to thaw out overnight in the fridge when ready to eat. Just pop it in the oven set at 350 F degrees for 30 minutes when ready to enjoy!
  • Nutritional information does not include any of the optional toppings.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 402kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 27g (9%) Protein 22g (44%) Fat 24g (37%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Cholesterol 99mg (33%) Sodium 964mg (40%) Potassium 541mg (15%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 810IU (16%) Vitamin C 6mg (7%) Calcium 313mg (31%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 402

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 402kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 27g 9%
Protein 22g 44%
Fat 24g 37%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Cholesterol 99mg 33%
Sodium 964mg 40%
Potassium 541mg 12%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 810IU 16%
Vitamin C 6mg 7%
Calcium 313mg 31%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.