Grand Prize Winner Black Bean Tamale Pie
Submitted by ED CJ
Black bean tamale pie with a cornmeal-corn crust, ground turkey, black beans, taco seasoning, and melted cheddar. A contest-winning inverted take on a Tex-Mex classic.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
35 minREADY
60 minThe twist here is geometry. Most tamale pie recipes bury the cornmeal on top as a crust; this award-winning version flips it, pressing the cornbread-style batter into the bottom of the pie plate as a crust and piling the saucy ground turkey and black bean filling on top. The result is more tamale, less casserole.
Mixing whole kernels of corn into the cornmeal batter is the detail that sells the whole dish. The corn stays tender in the bake and delivers little bursts of sweetness against the savory, taco-seasoned ground turkey and black beans layered on top. Cheddar goes on for the final 5 minutes so it melts without hardening.
Chef Tips
- Press the cornmeal crust firmly into the pie plate with your fingertips. A loose crust crumbles when you slice.
- Drain the black beans well. Wet beans thin the filling and soften the crust from above.
- Don’t overbake the cheese topping. 5 minutes is enough to melt; longer turns it rubbery.
- Let the pie rest 5 minutes after baking. Slicing too soon sends filling sliding off the plate.
- Make ahead: bake without the cheese, refrigerate, then reheat and add cheese in the last 5 minutes.
Variations
- Swap ground turkey for ground beef, chorizo, or a plant-based crumble.
- Stir 1 diced jalapeño or a can of diced green chilies into the filling for heat.
- Serve topped with salsa, sour cream, sliced avocado, and fresh cilantro for a loaded finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃)..
Spray a 9” pie plate with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Spray a medium sized skillet with nonstick cooking spray.
Sauté onions and green pepper until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add turkey and cook until no longer pink, breaking the meat up into small chunks as you cook.
Stir in beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning mix.
Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, sugar, and salt.
In a separate small bowl mix the egg, milk, and oil.
Add egg mixture to cornmeal mixture and combine well.
Stir in drained corn.
Press the cornmeal mixture into the prepared pie plate like a crumb crust.
Spoon the bean mixture on top of the cornmeal “crust".
Bake 20 minutes.
Sprinkle the top of the pie with grated cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
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