Description
The ultimate comfort food hack! This Mexican-inspired casserole delivers all the flavor of traditional tamales with half the work. Your family will be fighting for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
- 1 cup chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 1/2 cups fine cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or large cast-iron skillet.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and jalapeño, cooking for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
- Sprinkle in chili powder, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika, stirring to coat the meat evenly. Let spices toast for 30 seconds.
- Pour in fire-roasted tomatoes, green chiles, and chicken broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
- While filling simmers, make the topping. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, beat milk, egg, and oil together, then pour into dry ingredients. Stir just until combined.
- Fold in 3/4 cup of shredded cheese, reserving the rest for topping.
- Transfer hot filling to prepared baking dish (or leave in cast-iron if using). Spread cornmeal mixture evenly over filling and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into cornmeal layer comes out clean.
- Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, or sour cream if desired.