Easy Tamale Casserole is a hearty, family-friendly dish that brings together all the comforting flavors of traditional tamales—without the time-consuming prep. Layers of seasoned ground beef (or chicken), beans, corn, and melty cheese are baked with a soft cornbread topping for a golden, slightly sweet crust. It’s warm, savory, and satisfying, making it the perfect weeknight dinner or potluck favorite. Serve it with salsa, sour cream, or fresh cilantro for a delicious finishing touch.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 (15 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can cream-style corn
- 1 (6 ounce) box cornbread mix
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground beef in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Season beef with salt and black pepper.
- Stir onion into ground beef; cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute, then immediately remove the skillet from heat. Stir in pinto beans and crushed tomatoes.
- Beat together cream-style corn, cornbread mix, and egg in a large bowl until smooth; spread over ground beef mixture in the skillet. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and cornbread is set in the middle, about 25 minutes.
