Clean Eating Tamale Pie

Tamale Pie is typically smothered in store-bought enchilada sauce (with some scary ingredients) and topped with a corn muffin mix that includes loads of refined grains, sugar, and preservatives.

Making a clean version of this family-friendly treat is just as simple as making the “quick” version plus, it tastes a lot better and doesn’t leave you feeling blah afterwards.

The trick to getting crispy edges is to use a heavy-duty cast-iron skillet. I invested in two of them more than 20 years ago and they are still a staple in my everyday cooking.

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Clean Eating Tamale Pie

( 0 reviews )

Yield 4

Author 1200Today

Prep time

10 Min

Cook time

30 Min

Total time

40 Min

IngredientsUSMetric

Filling

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 bell pepper cored, seeded and diced (any color)
• 1/2 jalapeño
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 15-oz can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted if you can find them!)
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• For the tamale topping

Tamale Topping

• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup cornmeal finely ground (I prefer Bob's Red Mill)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese finely shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a cast-iron skillet (or other oven-proof large skillet) heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onions while stirring until they begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the ground beef to the pan and cook while breaking it up with a spatula until almost brown all the way through, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the bell and hot peppers and cook until soft, another 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the seasonings onto the beef mixture and stir until well combined. Add the diced tomatoes and corn kernels and bring to a light boil then turn off the heat.
5. Meanwhile, in a small pot combine the milk, cornmeal, butter, and salt. Bring to a light boil while whisking constantly. As soon as the mixture begins to thicken, only takes a minute or two, scrape out of the pot and spread on top of the meat mixture into one even layer.
6. Top with shredded cheese and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. If preparing in advance may take longer to bake if putting it in the oven cold.
7. Garnish with sour cream, avocado and/or cilantro (if desired) and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

652.95

Fat (grams)

32.58

Sat. Fat (grams)

16.13

Carbs (grams)

50.83

Fiber (grams)

7.86

Net carbs

42.96

Sugar (grams)

13.65

Protein (grams)

41.52

Sodium (milligrams)

1172.25

Cholesterol (grams)

129.01

Estimate only

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