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.