A gluten free tamale pie with masa, a classic chewy topping, all made in one skillet for a family pleasing meal!! Kind of like a tamale in a skillet! An easy one pot dish your family will love.
A ground beef filling makes quick work of this tamale pie!
Long before our kids came into the picture, I found a recipe in a magazine for a tamale skillet pie. It was instantly a husband favorite.
And what is not to love? All the great flavors of a tamale…..in a fraction of the time.
Somehow, the original recipe disappeared…and I tried modifying recipe after recipe to recreate this favorite dish. Problem was, the cornbread topping always left me feeling ho-hum about the end product. I was looking for a texture more similar to the tamale masa…not bread.
And then I had a EUREKA! moment. Tamales are traditionally nothing like cornbread, what about going in for a chewy tamale topping instead? And FINALLY! A dish everyone loved and that we have eaten multiple times now!
This is a family friendly meal that goes together easily. Enjoy!
Can you make a paleo tamale pie?
- If you wanted to go the cornbread topping route, this Paleo cornbread is a great recipe!!
- If you wanted to try a low-carb tamale mixture, this recipe looks super interesting and I will be trying it soon on MY portion of this family favorite!
- Of course, the beans would need to be omitted…
- And this keto chicken enchilada casserole looks delish!
Do you like Mexican food? Here are a couple other gluten free dishes using the flavors of Mexico:
- These Gluten Free Oven Baked Chimichangas (family favorite) are easy to make with the any taco leftovers! So crispy and crunchy!
- In only 30 minutes, these bomber Paleo Fish Tacos will be on the table!
- I love having quick and easy meals in my back pocket, you will love these Quick Mexican Eggs.
- My Instant Pot Tortilla Soup is easy and fast and has lots of authentic flavor! Pressure cooker or stove top as you choose!
Gluten Free Tamale Pie w/ Masa Recipe:
If you try this tamale pie, come back and leave a comment!
Skillet Tamale Pie - Gluten Free
Ingredients
Tamale Topping:
- 1 cup medium grind cornmeal or millet
- 2 1/3 cups broth part water OK
- 1 cup sharp cheddar grated, or favorite melting vegan cheese
- 1 tablespoon allowed butter or fat
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Ground Beef Filling:
- 1 pound ground beef or any ground meat.
- 2 teaspoons chili powder ( I use a flavorful yet mild chili powder called FIESTA found in bulk foods sections. It is great for making your own taco seasoning with the below seasonings too!
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup favorite salsa I use Trader Joes brand as it is mild for the kids, but still flavorful.
- 1 1/2 cup cooked beans I use my homemade beans, or about one can drained. I prefer pinto beans.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the cornmeal or millet meal with the broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium low, and continue simmering and stirring until thick, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cheese, butter, and sea salt, set aside.
- In an oven safe saute pan (I use my beloved cast iron skillet), brown the ground meat along with the spices.
- Stir in the salsa and beans. Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Pour the cornmeal over the top, dispersing evenly.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the topping has crisped up a bit!
Nutrition
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I love love LOVE this recipe! It was so super easy and it was a hit with the whole family! Thanks for another great recipe Tessa. More skillet recipes please 🙂
i made this last night – sooo easy and we all loved it! Thanks Tessa.
It is very family friendly Holly, thanks for letting me know!
I’ve never rated or left a comment about a recipe before; but, this pie turned out so delicious I decided now was the time! Keep up the great cooking!
Awesome Jill! Glad you liked it!
I wonder if this would work with masa instead of cornmeal. I’m going to pin this, try it, and get back to you. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Heather! masa harina should work, it will be smoother and provide less texture in the topping though!
I tried with Masa Harina tonight and it wouldnt set. It was too liquidy or something. I baked it for a LONG time and it still was soggy (but delicious tasting). I ended up scraping it off the top and replacing it with boxed cornbread. I’m going to try with masa again, but will probably change it up to make it less soggy.
The rest of the recipe was amazing!
Interesting, I’ve made countless times with these ratios, I’d be curious what brand you use? I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill, as well as an organic one I found on Amazon, Gold Mine brand. Both performed well.
Looks delicious! Question: What comes after step 6? Does it then go directly into the oven…and for how long?
Thanks for catching that Julie…mommy brain lives in me!! All fixed!
This looks so good!!!! Perfect for a crisp Fall day. Going to make this tonight with substituting the ground beef for ground turkey.