Tamale Pie
Call it cornmeal or polenta—it makes a great combo with beans and a small amount of meat.
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb extra lean ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 2/3 cups canned kidney beans (one 15-ounce can), drained and rinsed
- 2 cups tomato sauce (one 15-ounce can)
- 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
- 1 Tbs chili powder or more, to taste
- 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup reduced fat Cheddar cheese*, grated
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Brown beef in a nonstick skillet. Add onions and garlic and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add beans, tomato sauce, black olives, chili powder, and Tabasco sauce, and stir to combine. Transfer bean mixture to a 10x 10-inch (25x25cm) casserole dish that has been sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray.
- Combine cornmeal, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring until mixture is thick (about 10 minutes).
- Ladle cornmeal over meat and bean mixture and flatten with a spoon.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle grated cheese over the top.
- Return to oven and cook for another 10 minutes, until the cheese melts.
* Allergy notes: The egg protein lysozyme is an unlabeled additive in some cheeses. People allergic to eggs should eliminate any cheese in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 296
Calories from Fat 77 (26%)
(13%)Total Fat 8g
(15%)Saturated Fat 3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
(13%)Cholesterol 39mg
(43%)Sodium 1042mg
(21%)Potassium 749mg
Total Carbohydrate 36g
(32%)Dietary Fiber 8g
Sugars 4g
Sugar Alcohols 0g
(42%)Protein 21g
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Nutrition facts are calculated by a food expert using nutritional values provided by the USDA for common products used as recipe ingredients. Actual nutritional values may differ depending on the amounts or products used and can be affected by cooking methods.
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The information presented here is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires December 2025.