Layered Tamale Pie with Corn, Tomatoes & Cheese
Submitted by Gimli
Vegetarian tamale pie layered with spiced kidney beans, corn, tomatoes, and cornmeal polenta topped with Monterey Jack cheese. Baked until bubbly and golden.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
60 minThis tamale pie skips the meat but doesn’t skip the flavor. Kidney beans cooked with jalapeño, cumin, and oregano create a thick, spiced filling that holds its own against any ground beef version.
The vegetable base gets sautéed in the reserved bean liquid instead of oil. Onion, garlic, green pepper, and diced carrots cook down in that starchy liquid until tender, then the beans, corn, and tomatoes simmer together into a thick, scoopable mixture.
The cornmeal layer is essentially a quick polenta. Boiled with water and black pepper for five minutes until thick, it spreads over the bean filling to mimic the masa layer in a traditional tamale. Layering everything twice (beans, cornmeal, cheese, repeat) means every forkful gets all three components.
Let it rest a full 10 minutes after baking. The layers need time to set, or it’ll be a sloppy mess on the plate.
Pro Tips
- Cook the bean filling until it’s genuinely thick, not soupy. Excess liquid will make the cornmeal layer slide around and the pie won’t hold together when sliced.
- Stir the cornmeal constantly while it boils. It goes from liquid to paste fast and scorches on the bottom if you walk away.
- Spread each layer evenly to the edges of the dish. Gaps let the filling bubble up through the cornmeal.
- A cast-iron skillet works great as the baking dish if you don’t have an 11-inch round.
Variations
- Black bean version: Swap kidney beans for black beans and add a chipotle pepper for a smokier, spicier filling.
- Topped with sour cream: Serve slices with a dollop of sour cream and fresh cilantro for a classic Tex-Mex finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Drain liquid from beans, reserving ¼ cup.
In a large skillet heat reserved bean liquid to a boil over medium heat.
Add onion, garlic, green pepper, carrots, jalapeno, oregano and cumin.
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and liquid is absorbed.
About 10 min.
Add drained beans, corn and tomatoes; cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until thickened.
Preheat oven to 350 deg.
In a 2 quart saucepan, heat water, cornmeal and black pepper to boiling, stirring constantly.
Cook for 5 minutes until well thickened.
Into an 11 inch round baking dish , pour half of the bean mixture, spreading evenly around bottom of dish.
Spread half of cornmeal mixture evenly over the bean mixture.
Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat layering. Bake for 35 minutes or until bubbly and brown. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
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