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:
- Green Rice (Arroz Verde)
- Chicken-Bell Pepper Nachos
- Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Chile Sauce
- Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas
- Corn and Bacon Pasta
- Quinoa Mango Black Bean Salad
- Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Tex-Mex Pork Chop Foil Packets
- Pico de Gallo
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.
Servings: 4 to 8
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.
