Gluten-Free Tamale Pie

There’s nothing better than removing fresh cornbread from the oven, especially when it’s piled on a layer of spiced meat. This gluten-free tamale pie has the perfect balance of sweet and savory, and you can change up the meat filling every time. Try adding sautéed peppers, tomatoes, & jalapeños, or top it with cheddar cheese. If you’re in a pinch, you could use boxed cornbread. We’ve tried the Trader Joe’s brand in the past and it tasted amazing.

My husband and I created this dish when we were looking for a hearty casserole. We lived in separate cities at the time, so between traveling to see each other and working, we rarely had the energy to cook elaborate meals. Plus, we had a small kitchen and tried to use as few dishes as possible. This gluten-free tamale pie is easy to whip up and can be adjusted based on ingredients in the pantry. Try cooking this for your next family dinner and let us know what you think!

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Gluten-Free Tamale Pie

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Serves: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 1 hour – Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

This gluten-free tamale pie has an amazing balance of sweet and savory. You could even spice it up by adding jalapeños!

Ingredients

• Cornbread:
• 1 ½ cups (180g) masa harina
• ½ cup (60g) blanched almond flour
• 2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 ⅓ cup (320ml) unsweetened coconut or almond milk
• ¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup or honey
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup corn kernels, optional
• Meat:
• 2 pounds ground beef or turkey
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp chili powder
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp cayenne

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius).

2

While the oven is preheating, heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet* over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and cook until browned and no longer pink.

3

Remove the skillet from the stove and drain the extra oil from the pan. Once drained, stir in the spices. Set the skillet aside.

4

Prepare the cornbread:

5

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the masa, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

6

In a separate small bowl, whisk the butter, milk, maple syrup, and eggs.

7

Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined and fold in the corn kernels. The batter will be sticky.

8

Spread the cornbread batter on top of the ground beef. Bake for 40-45 minutes in the oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the cornbread comes out clean.

9

Cut and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Notes

* If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, brown the meat in a skillet. Drain the oil from the meat and pour it into a greased 8x8 inch pan.