Ground Beef Tamale Casserole

This easy-to-make Tamale Casserole is full of great Tex-Mex flavors. It's a tasty dish for a large family or it freezes beautifully if you need to divide it into a few separate meals.

*Disclaimer - This recipe was originally published in 2012. I'm working hard to update all my older recipes with recipe cards, new photos, and additional recipe information. But, getting to all of them will take time. Please bear with me. In the meantime let me assure you that this recipe is still a winner and one I'm sure you'll be well pleased with when you make it at home.

I found and adapted this recipe from an America's Test Kitchen cookbook called "The Best Simple Recipes". 

This recipe is loosely based on corn tamales and has a crumbled cornbread topping which you can either purchase already made from the store, or you can make your own ahead of time. 

I chose to make mine ahead of time from a "Jiffy" box mix (two to be exact) because I wanted A LOT of cornbread topping!

Is that so wrong?

TAMALE CASSEROLE      {PRINT THIS RECIPE}
Feeds 8-10 hungry mouths or leaves you with plenty of left-overs
Prep time - 20 minutes    Bake time 15-20 minutes

2 packages of cornbread mix, prepared as directed on the package, set aside to cool, and then crumbled.
1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 cans of pinto beans (16 ounces), drained
2 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained
1 cup frozen corn
2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo
1 small can of fire-roasted chilies
1 teaspoon smoked cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
-In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef in olive oil.
-Halfway through the browning of the meat, add the onion and green pepper and continue cooking until the meat is fully browned and the veggies are slightly soft.
-Reduce the heat to low and add the beans, tomatoes, corn, chipotle chilies, and the fire-roasted chilies.
-Add the cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and cilantro and stir well to combine.
-Spray a 13x9 inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
-Add the ground beef mixture evenly into the prepared casserole dish.
-Top the ground beef mixture with an even layer of Mexican cheese.
-Top the ground beef and cheese mixture with a nice, thick layer of the cornbread crumbles.
-Bake until the cornbread is nicely golden brown (approximately 15-20 minutes) and you're ready to serve.