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    Home » Recipes » Everyday Meals

    Jul 11, 2020 · Modified: Feb 23, 2022 by Melinda O'Malley Keckler · This post may contain affiliate links · this blog generates income via ads.

    Tamale Casserole

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    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.

    Diced beef with red peppers and green salsa in a tamale crust, all placed in a large glass dish.
    Tamale Casserole is the perfect say to use up all that leftover beef from outdoor grilling.

    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.

    Tamale crust ingredients in a bowl with a spatula.
    The masa combines to create that distinctive tamale flavor, but in this recipe for tamale casserole, the masa is just in the crust.

    Meat Options for Tamale Casserole

    Wedge of tamale casserole on a plate with cilantro garnish.
    It tastes just like a tamale, but serves like a wedge of pie or quiche.

    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.

    Diced beef with red peppers and green salsa in a tamale crust, all placed in a large glass dish.
    Tamale Casserole is the perfect say to use up all that leftover beef from outdoor grilling.

    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.

    Tamale casserole ingredients in two bowls on the counter.
    Two bowls are all you need to mix up this casserole. A time saving tip is to use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Just shred it into bite-sized pieces.

    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!

    Tamale casserole crust in the bottom of baking dish.
    This is a pat in the pan crust. So easy!

    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.

    Tamale crust patted into a glass baking dish.
    Pat the tamale crust up the sides of the casserole dish to create a thick crust along the edges.

    Tips and FAQ

    Is the enchilada sauce necessary?

    The enchilada sauce adds some spicy flavor to each serving, but as an option instead of the enchilada sauce, serve a wedge of the casserole with a big scoop of salsa and guacamole instead. Delicious!

    Why does tamale casserole need to set after baking?

    That's probably one of the most important steps to ensure this turns out great! The tamale crust is quite soft, so giving it at least 10 minutes after baking to rest helps all the ingredients "set" and allows for easier serving.

    Wedge of tamale casserole on a plate with cilantro garnish.
    It tastes just like a tamale, but serves like a wedge of pie or quiche.

    Other Dinner Ideas

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

    Be sure to give a star rating to the recipes you make from the Crinkled Cookbook. I always love hearing from you. Sharing is great too! Use the buttons after the recipe to text it with just one click or send it to family and friends on Pinterest and Facebook. Enjoy.

    Diced beef with red peppers and green salsa in a tamale crust, all placed in a large glass dish.

    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!
    5 from 29 votes
    Print Rate Pin Recipe
    Prep Time: 40 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 662kcal
    Author: Melinda O'Malley Keckler

    Ingredients 

    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
    • 2 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° and spray a 13" x 9" pan with Pam, or grease with shortening and set dish aside.
    • 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.

    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.
    Did you make this recipe? Scroll up and leave a star rating.Tap @crinkledcookbook and follow me today.

    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. 
     

    Nutrition

    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 and are offered here only as a guideline for informational purposes.

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