Tamale Casserole

Love tamales but don’t have half a day to wrap them? This casserole captures that same cornmeal-and-meat magic in about 90 minutes with zero folding involved.

Browned ground beef gets simmered with diced tomatoes, oregano, sliced green olives, and cottage cheese, then stirred into a simple cornmeal batter and baked until firm and golden.

The cornmeal sets up around the filling like a soft, savory crust that’s somewhere between polenta and a corn muffin.

Variations

• Swap in chopped ham or shredded chicken for the ground beef. The recipe is designed to work with all three proteins.
• Add a can of green chiles to the meat mixture for a spicier, more Southwestern kick.

Kitchen Tips

• Drain the fat well after browning the meat. Excess grease will prevent the cornmeal from setting properly and make the casserole greasy.
• Don’t skip the olives. They add a briny, salty pop that keeps the filling interesting and gives it that authentic tamale-adjacent flavor.
• Let it rest 10 minutes before cutting. The cornmeal batter needs time to firm up or it’ll crumble when you serve it.