One-dish dinners like this cheezy vegan Mexican black bean casserole are my favorites to make and eat. Another meal I make often, especially during the cooler months, is a vegan hot tamale pie. In the southwestern Tex-Mex tradition of smothering a bean chili with other tasty foods, much like this vegan frito pie or these vegan chili fries, a tamale pie tops a yummy chili with a layer of cornbread. This is a classic American casserole recipe, the stuff of old school cafeteria lunches and the kind of food you make when you want all the fun of eating a tamale without all the work. And what a fabulous dish it is, with layers of a hearty bean chili, golden cornbread and gooey, melting vegan cheddar cheese. I add vegan sausage to this recipe along with the beans for an extra bump of protein (largely because I have a teen who’s preoccupied with building his muscles), but it’s optional and you can make this vegan tamale pie just as delicious with beans alone. This is a rather easy recipe to pull off and although the hour-long cooking time might make you want to save it for a weekend, you could pull it off for a weeknight with some planning. Let’s get cooking!
Why you will love this recipe
Hearty and delicious. This really is comfort food at its best. The contrasting textures of the fluffy cornbread, the meaty chili and the melting but slightly crispy vegan cheese are amazing.One-dish meal. You get everything in this recipe–veggies, heart-healthy protein and carbs from the cornbread. No need to make anything else!Healthy. There are so many good-for-you ingredients packed into this recipe, including the veggies and beans.Suited to all diets. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free.
Ingredients
Onions. Use any kind you have on hand, but red is best for flavor.Garlic. You can vary the amount of garlic you use depending on how much garlicky flavor you like. I love lots of garlic here.Vegetables: zucchini, tomato and tomato paste. You can also use green bell peppers and/or frozen corn instead of zucchini.Black beans. You can also use kidney beans or pinto beans. Canned beans are fine and that’s what I used, but you can also use beans cooked from scratch.Pickled jalapeno peppers. These add a nice hit of spice and flavor. Use less if sensitive to heat.Spices: Smoked paprika, ground cumin, chipotle chili in adobo sauce and chili powder.Mexican oregano. You can use dried sage or rosemary instead.Cornmeal. Use stoneground cornmeal, yellow or white cornmeal are both fine.Leavening for cornbread: Baking powder and baking soda.Shredded vegan cheddar cheese
How to make vegan tamale pie
Make-ahead and storage instructions
Make-ahead: Assemble the pie, cover tightly with cling wrap and refrigerate for up to three days. Remove cling wrap and bake an hour before serving. You can also cover the pie in freezer wrap and freeze for up to four months.Refrigerate: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to four days.Freeze: Freeze the vegan tamale pie for up to four months.
Helpful tips
If you have an enameled large cast iron skillet or any skillet that can go from the stove to the oven, you can skip transferring the chili to a baking dish and reduce cleanup.If you don’t have chili powder, no worries. Double up on the cumin and smoked paprika.For a less spicy tamale pie, replace the pickled jalapenos with an equal quantity of sliced, canned black olives.If frozen veggies are all you have, that’s fine. Use frozen veggies like corn, peas or cauliflower in this recipe instead of zucchini.For a pop of fresh flavor, scatter a few chopped scallions or cilantro over the baked vegan tamale pie before serving. You can also top the serving with a dollop of vegan sour cream.
More yummy vegan casserole recipes
If you love this vegan tamale pie recipe, be sure to check out more gluten-free vegan recipes on Holy Cow Vegan! Check to get new recipe updates by email.
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