Pork Tamale Pie is a juicy, slightly spicy mixture of meat and vegetables topped with a golden cornmeal crust. Making this meat pie in a cast iron skillet ensures a moist filling and a topping that will bake to a perfect golden brown. This Pork Tamale Pie is easily made in one skillet for an easy, delicious meal! Serve it with a crisp Cilantro Iceberg Lettuce Salad drizzled with a cool, creamy Ranch Dressing or Mexican Crema.

I love one pan, one pot, or, in this case, one cast-iron skillet dinners. Anytime I can find a recipe I’m immediately curious about how it can be done or does it actually taste good. Pork Tamale Pie is basically the meat, vegetable, and tamale-style corn bread all-in-one. I added a Cilantro Iceberg Lettuce Salad with a Ranch Dressing or Mexican Crema and a squeeze of a lime to cool the palate. The Pork Tamale Pie does have a little spice from the 2 Tablespoons chili powder. If you would like less spice, just add 1 Tablespoon chili powder. But if you think more spice is needed, add a chopped jalapeño when the beans, tomatoes, and corn are added. For a more complete meal, serve with my Green Rice (Arroz Verde).

INGREDIENTS TO MAKE PORK TAMALE PIE

Vegetable oil
Ground pork
Scallions
Chili powder
Fresh oregano, minced or 1 tsp dried
Canned black beans
Canned petite diced tomatoes with juices
Fresh corn cobs, kernels sliced off or Frozen corn, unthawed
Chicken stock or broth
Pepper Jack cheese, shredded
All-purpose flour
Cornmeal
Baking powder
Baking soda
Buttermilk
Large egg
Salt
Ground black pepper
Fresh cilantro (optional)
Iceberg lettuce (optional)
Ranch dressing or Mexican Crema (optional)
Lime (optional)

HOW TO MAKE PORK TAMALE PIE

Preheat the oven to 400°F with the oven rack in the middle position.
Heat a 10-inch cast-iron or an oven-proof 10-inch skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add 1 Tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering.
Add pork and cook, breaking up the meat with a utensil, until just beginning to brown, 5 minutes.
Stir in scallion whites, chili powder, oregano, and ½ tsp salt; cook until fragrant for 1 minute.
Stir in the beans, tomatoes with juices, corn, and chicken stock.
Bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture has thickened slightly for 5-7 minutes.
Remove for the heat.

Stir in the pepper Jack cheese until well combined and season with salt and ground black pepper to taste.
Spread evenly in the skillet; set aside.

Make the Tamale Topping: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, scallion greens, and 1 tsp salt.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and remaining 3 Tbsps oil until smooth.
Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.

Pour the batter over the meat mixture and smooth into an even layer.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the tamale topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.
Rotate the skillet halfway through baking.

Dress the Cilantro Iceberg Lettuce Salad with Ranch dressing or drizzle with Mexican Crema and a squeeze of lime. Serve with my Green Rice (Arroz Verde) for a complete meal.

Let it cool for 10 minutes after baking before serving.
Mix together the iceberg lettuce and cilantro leaves.
Plate the salad next to a slice of the Pork Tamale Pie.
Drizzle with Ranch Dressing or Mexican Crema over the lettuce and squeeze with lime wedge.
Serve with my Green Rice (Arroz Verde) for a complete meal.

NOTES

BAKING OPTION: The meat mixture can be transferred to an oven-proof baking dish, topped with the tamale mixture, and baked for 15-20 minutes until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

OTHER DELICIOUS MEXICAN OR TEX-MEX RECIPES TO TRY:

Pork Tamale Pie

Pork Tamale Pie is a juicy, slightly spicy mixture of meat and vegetables topped with a golden cornmeal crust. Making this meat pie in a cast iron skillet ensures a moist filling and a topping that will bake to a perfect golden brown. This Pork Tamale Pie is easily made in one skillet for an easy, delicious meal! Serve it with a crisp Cilantro Iceberg Lettuce Salad drizzled with a cool, creamy Ranch Dressing or Mexican Crema.

Course Lunch, Main Dish, Mexican, Pork

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword savory pie, tamale

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings to 8

Author Louise Rio

Ingredients

¼ cup vegetable oil, divided
1 lb ground pork
6 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
2 Tbsps chili powder
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced or 1 tsp dried
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes with juices
1 cup frozen corn, unthawed or 2 fresh corn cobs, kernels sliced off
½ cup chicken stock or broth
1 cup (4 ounces) pepper Jack cheese, shredded
Salt
Ground black pepper

Tamale Topping

¾ cup (3 ¾ oz) all-purpose flour
¾ cup (3 ¾ oz) cornmeal
¾ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¾ cup buttermilk
1 large egg

Cilantro Iceberg Salad (optional)

1 cup or one handful fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
1 Iceberg lettuce, thin sliced (optional)
Ranch Dressing or Mexican Crema
fresh lime wedges, squeeze on top of salad

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F with the oven rack in the middle position. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron or an oven-proof 10-inch skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 Tablespoon oil and heat until shimmering. Add pork and cook, breaking up the meat with a utensil, until just beginning to brown, 5 minutes.
Stir in scallion whites, chili powder, oregano, and ½ tsp salt; cook until fragrant for 1 minute. Stir in the beans, tomatoes with juices, corn, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until the mixture has thickened slightly for 5-7 minutes.
Remove for the heat. Stir in the pepper Jack cheese until well combined and season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Spread evenly in the skillet; set aside.
Make the Tamale Topping: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, scallion greens, and 1 tsp salt. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and remaining 3 Tbsps oil until smooth. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until just combined. Pour the batter over the meat mixture and smooth into an even layer.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the tamale topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. Rotate the skillet halfway through baking. Let it cool for 10 minutes after baking before serving.
Mix together the cilantro leaves and iceberg lettuce. Plate the salad next to a slice of the Pork Tamale Pie. Drizzle with Ranch Dressing or Mexican Crema over the lettuce and squeeze with lime wedge. Serve with my Green Rice (Arroz Verde) for a complete meal.

Notes

BAKING OPTION (if you do not have an oven proof skillet): The meat mixture can be transferred to an oven-proof baking dish, topped with the tamale mixture, and baked for 15-20 minutes until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.