Black Bean Tamale Bake

All your favorite Mexican dishes come together in this one-skillet tamale bake with ground chuck and black beans covered in a cheesy cornbread topping.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins
• Calories: 264 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
• ½ pound ground chuck
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (Optional)
• 2 ears corn, kernels cut from cob
• 1 (8 ounce) jar pasilla chile cooking sauce (such as Herdez®)
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Step 2

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet until shimmering. Add onion, green pepper, and salt. Cook and stir until soft, about 5 minutes. Add ground chuck and garlic; cook until meat is browned, about 5 minutes. Drain fat if desired. Add beans, chile cooking sauce, and tomatoes. Cook until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add cornmeal and salt; cook until thick and creamy, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add corn, Monterey Jack cheese, and jalapeno. Stir well and spread over meat mixture.

Step 4

Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden and filling is bubbling, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.