Tamale pie is one of our top 5 favorite family meals. It’s a savory and hearty Mexican meal packed with plenty of vegetables and beans. It’s also a hearty chip dip that you get to eat as a meal! But before I get to the recipe, there’s a back story to this meal that I want to share.
The first time I had Tamale Pie was during the worst time in my life. Within one week my father passed away and my first child was born a month premature. I was very overwhelmed. I was grieving the loss of my Dad, learning how to be a mom for the first time, and trying to fight off baby blues. I didn’t have time or the energy to cook.
My friends from church stepped in and scheduled a meal delivery for my new family. Every other day a friend would drop off a meal so we didn’t have to worry about cooking.
It was wonderful!
Tamale Pie was one of the meals that got dropped off that week. My friend Rhonda made it and we loved it so much I asked for the recipe.
I’ve had the opportunity to bless others and make this meal for them, just like Rhonda did for me. In my church community, if someone suffers loss, has a new baby, or needs help, someone starts a meal plan for them. Making a meal may not sound like much but I can tell you it’s a HUGE blessing. I felt so loved by my friends!
If you want to set up a meal plan for someone, TakeThemAMeal.com is a wonderful website that helps coordinate all the details. It really makes it easy so you can spend your time taking care of someone in need.
Now…let’s get back to the recipe!
- 1/2 to a full pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped peppers (green, red, orange and or yellow)
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 TBSP chili powder
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1.5 cups frozen sweet corn (frozen corn from Aldi is the best!)
- 1 24 oz jar of your favorite salsa (I use Great Value's white corn and black bean salsa)
- 1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 bag Fritos Scoops chips
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Saute ground beef, onion, and peppers in a skillet until meat is fully cooked and then drain off grease.
- Add black pepper, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder to the meat and saute for one more minute.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 greased pan.
- Add the corn, salsa, and beans to the mixture and stir.
- Spread the mixture out evenly in the pan and then top with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Serve with Fritos and enjoy!
- To keep this meal healthier, serve with a smaller amount of chips.
- For a spicier version, feel free to add your favorite hot sauce to the mixture before baking.
This post linked to Link’n Blogs, Family Fun Friday, Eat. Create. Party!, Inspire Me Please, Make It Pretty Monday, Link Party Palooza, Strut Your Stuff Saturday, Skip the Housework Saturday, Saturday Sewlicious, DIY Sunday Showcase, Think Pink Sunday, Inspiration Monday, Craft-O-Maniac Monday, Give Me The Goods Monday, Project Inspire{d}, Whatever Goes Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Create It Thursday, Moonlight and Mason Jars. , Thrifty Thursday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, and The Weekend Re-Treat.
Thank you for your kind words about our site, sharing your story, and for the wonderful recipe!
My husband would be all over this! I think I’ll make his week and make it for him!!
You should! If he’s a fan of bacon he’s sure to love it!
Carrie,
Your post with the T Pie recipe really touched my heart! I hope many people are blessed by your sharing it! Your blog is wonderful!
Thanks for all you’ve done for us, Rhonda!
This sounds wonderful!!!!!! And easy at the same time. Found you on wine’d down wednesday 🙂
It is wonderful! It’s a hearty meal that serves a lot so we enjoy this meal for several days! Thanks so much for stopping by!
What a wonderful comforting meal on cold night! Love the recipe, pinning! Thank you for linking up at Moonlight and Mason Jars!
Tamale Pie will surely warm you up on a cold night! Thanks so much for pinning it!
My mom loves traditional tamales and they are so hard to find out here..i am going to try this and see if she likes it..thanks for posting.
I hope you enjoy this Stephanie!
Oh my Carrie…on a cold day like today your hot tamale pie sounds like the perfect supper…easy too!!!
I’m so sorry about your day and your baby….but grateful that the body of Christ held you close and ministered to you.
Thanks for linking up at Project Inspire{d}-AnExtraordinaryDay.net.
Diane
I don’t know what I would have done without Jesus. He really walked me through that time and it was Him working through my friends while they were taking care of me.
this looks great! I love the combination of flavors! I pinned this and checked it out from someday crafts link party 🙂
Cathy
This really is a wonderful mix of flavors–I hope you like it! Thanks so much for pinning this!
It sounds delicious! Thanks so much for sharing it with us at Sewlicious Home Decor! 🙂
Marti
Suzanne of Simply Suzannes at Home
I make something very similar to this . . . and yes, it’s wonderful. I add a can of ‘cream of chicken or mushroom soup’ to the mixture to make it slightly thicker. Yum! Thanks so much for sharing :0)
I’m thinking it’s time to make it again.
Have a beautiful week,
Suzanne
I bet adding the cream of chicken soup makes it creamer! I like that variation! Now that the big game is hours away I’m thinking I need to make another batch!
Thank you so much for visiting Family Fun Friday and for bringing your delicious Tamale Pie! I am pinning for later! Blessings!
Glad to be a part of the fun! Trust me–this meal is so good!
Carrie, this looks so delish! I could go for some right now! Thank you for sharing and thank you for the visit and sweet comment at The Dedicated House. Feel free to share this or any post at my Make it Pretty Monday which is still live. Here is the link if you want to check it out. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2014/01/make-it-pretty-monday-week-86.html Hope to see you at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
I could go for some right now, too! Thank so much for the invite–I just checked it out and linked up!
Carrie this looks so yummy! I will need to add this to my Mexican Monday rotation. I’m starting a Monhtly Link Party on the 1st Monday of each Month. Would love for you to link up! Have a great weekend!
This meal would be the perfect addition to your Mexican Monday rotation! Thanks so much for the invitiation! What time will your party start?
This recipe sounds yummy. I already have the frito chips. Thanks for stopping by my blog. Your blog is lovely. I just added you to my list. Have a blessed day.
Isn’t it great when you see a fun recipe and you already have the ingredients on hand? I love it when that happens. I hope you enjoy this!
Oh yum! I am trying this soon!
I hope you love it! It’s also a great dish to bring to small group & share!
Sounds really good. A good one for the large crowd at the Ranch.
Love your story too with a reminder to think of others in time of need.
Thanks for sharing.
Audrey Z. @ Timeless Treasures
This meal really is good! We just had some the other night and really enjoyed it.