Crust Me, I'm a Tamale
Beef Tamale Pie with Corn Tortilla Crust and Tomato-Chile Filling
1 hour
Serves 6
DinnerMexicanGluten-freeNut-freeShellfish-freeSoy-free
Herb's take
This Mexican-inspired casserole layers seasoned ground beef and tangy whole tomatoes under a crisped corn tortilla crust, fusing classic tamale flavors with weeknight, one-pan ease. You’ll learn the art of blooming spices and building a truly beefy, saucy base, no masa required.
Ingredients
Yield
6
Instructions
- 01Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- 02Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Add diced onion and cook until softened and golden, about 5 minutes.
- 03Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart, until browned and no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes. Drain off excess fat if needed.
- 04Stir in garlic, chipotle, cumin, oregano, and chili powder. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 05Pour in the whole peeled tomatoes and their juices, crushing the tomatoes by hand as you add them. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.
- 06Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- 07Arrange 6 corn tortillas over the beef mixture, overlapping to cover most of the surface. Tear or cut the last 2 tortillas to fill gaps at the edges.
- 08Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the tortillas.
- 09Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and starting to brown and the tortillas are crisp at the edges.
- 10Remove from oven. Let rest 5 minutes before garnishing.
- 11Top with chopped cilantro and sliced scallions, then slice into wedges and serve.
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