Tamale Casserole

Tamale Casserole tastes just like your favorite homemade tamales, minus the hours of preparation that tamales require. What I love most about this recipe is the yummy masa dough that serves as the "crust" for all the delicious filling. This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover chicken or beef from grilling.

Note: Some of the links in the recipe are paid links, Amazon Associates. This means I make a small commission when you click and shop. Your cost is the same and I only link to products or ingredients that I use and love.

Ingredients to have on hand

• Red peppers
• Green salsa
• Pepper Jack cheese
• chicken or leftover beef or pork
• Instant Corn Masa Mix
• Smoked paprika
• Red enchilada sauce

My favorite Salsa

When it comes to choosing the salsa for this recipe, I love the Hatch Valley green salsa from New Mexico, "505 Southwestern" but any green salsa works great. It's also delicious with homemade guacamole, which I also highly recommend.

Meat Options for Tamale Casserole

One of the best things about this recipe is how versatile it is. I use rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, already cooked and ready to go. But you can easily use leftover roast, shredded or diced; cooked pork, diced; or opt for a vegetarian option and substitute with black beans.

Great Way to Use Grilling Leftovers

If you use leftover beef or pork from grilling such as a tri-tip or carne asada, keep in mind how heavily seasoned or marinated those cuts of meat may have been. When that's the case, I recommend we cut the salt in the tamale crust by about half.

Delicious The Next Day

Of all the main meals I prepare, this one makes the absolute best leftovers. The flavors blend and the tamale crust sets up more firmly so casserole is even better than when it's piping hot from the oven. Though, it's excellent then too!

Making the Crust

As crusts go, this one is about as easy as it gets. Don't worry about making the crust perfect. Just pat it in place and ensure it's equally distributed across the bottom of the pan.

Tips and FAQ

Other Dinner Ideas

• Cheesy Baked Ziti
• Quick Cheeseburger Pie
• Skillet Chicken Tacos
• Baked Beef Burritos

Recipe

Tamale Casserole

This tastes just like your favorite homemade tamales, minus the hours of preparation that homemade tamales require. It's a great way to use up leftover meat from grilling too! Serve with Fresh Homemade Guacamole and Restaurant-Style Mexican Fried Rice for a delicious meal!

5 from 30 votes

Print Rate Pin Recipe

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time: 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 662kcal

Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

Tamale Filling

• ▢ 3 red peppers
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 3 cups rotisserie chicken - or, any leftover meat such as beef or pork
• ▢ 2 cups green salsa
• ▢ 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese - divided

Tamale Crust

• ▢ 2 cups instant corn masa mix
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 ½ cups water
• ▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter - softened

Sauce and Garnish, Optional

• ▢ 1, 19 ounce can red enchilada sauce
• ▢ fresh cilantro

Instructions

Roast Red Peppers, Prep Meat

• Preheat oven to 425.° Slice and dice 3-4 red peppers, toss with olive oil.
• Place diced red peppers on a baking sheet lined with parachment paper and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until peppers are softened.

  While red peppers are roasting, shred or dice three cups of cooked meat, use any meat you like. I use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store or leftovers from grilling.
• Spray a 13" x 9" pan with Pam or grease with shortening and set aside.

Make Filling, Mix Dough

• Combine meat, salsa, 1 ½ cup shredded cheese and oven-roasted peppers in a medium bowl and set aside. Mix dry ingredients for the crust, add wet ingredients and combine to form a thick, sturdy dough.
• Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. Make the crust about ½ inch thick and about 2 inches up the side of the dish.

  Add the filling. Be careful not to overfill the crust, you'll want the filling to fit under the rim of the tamale crust.

Bake Casserole

• Adjust oven to 350°

  Bake for 50 minutes, covered. Add remaining ½ cup of cheese to the top and bake uncovered for 20 additional minutes.

  While casserole bakes, warm the enchilada sauce on the stove.

Serve

• Let casserole rest for 10 minutes, before serving. I cover it lightly with foil to help keep it warm.
• Spoon a few tablespoons of enchilada sauce onto each serving plate. Cut the casserole in squares or wedges and place each serving on top of the sauce.

  Serve with a few sprigs of cilantro.

Notes

Note: If you are using leftover meat or beef that has been heavily seasoned or marinated (such as tri-tip or carne asada) it may impact how spicy or salty the tamale casserole tastes. When that's the case, I recommend adjusting the salt and only use about half what the recipe calls for in the tamale dough. 

The nutritional information was calculated without including the enchilada sauce. Homemade Creamed Corn is a delicious side dish with this casserole. 

Calories: 662kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 46gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 167mgSodium: 1587mgPotassium: 424mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 3030IUVitamin C: 79mgCalcium: 366mgIron: 4mg

Please note, the nutrition details are estimated using a food database, so they’re just a rough estimate not an exact science.

Did you try this recipe? Leave a comment below or @crinkledcookbook on Instagram, snap a photo and tag it #crinkledcookbook