They are almost too cute to eat.
Almost, but not quite.
And when you see how easy these little pies are to prepare, you might give up buying frozen meals for good.
They take just THREE simple steps, the first of which is to simply throw a bunch of cans into a pot and wait. Not much harder than microwaving a frozen meal, is it?
The perfect comfort food for a chilly Fall night.
Katie’s Mexican Tamale Pies
(makes 4-5 pies)
- 1 can (15oz) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 small zucchini, cut into tiny pieces (optional)
- 1 can (15oz) corn, drained (or 1 3/4 cup fresh or frozen)
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp each: onion and garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- optional: hot sauce or red pepper flakes (for a spicier version)
- for the topping: 1 cup cornmeal, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 cups water, and optional 2 tsp oil. Or you could probably just use instant polenta and slice it on top.
Combine first 8 ingredients in a small pot and cook on low-medium for 40 minutes, stirring very occasionally as it bubbles. (If you prefer, you can even make this in a crockpot!) Meanwhile, if using the homemade polenta topping, combine all other ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. As soon as it starts to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and stir constantly until it thickens. Preheat the oven to 350 F and portion the bean mixture into oven-proof dishes or aluminum pans (as shown in the picture directly below these instructions). Top with polenta, smooth the tops, and bake 45 minutes. I also set the oven to “broil” for a few minutes at the end, to achieve more of a crust on top. You can either eat in the dish, or go around the sides and pop the pies out. (Note: if you sub fresh corn and/or unsalted tomatoes, you’ll probably want to add a little extra salt.)
View Tamale Pie Nutrition Facts
Above, before being covered with the cornmeal topping.
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I made those for dinner last night, except in cupcake pans. They were delish!
I am so thankful for vegan frozen isle items on days when I have left the house without my lunch! But in general I try to avoid them as they usually have super high sodium content. Lately whenever I make a meal I double it and freeze half so I have healthy options for lazy days. This looks like a good one and I’ll certainly be trying it out soon!
Those look great! I’m a big fan of Amy’s, especially when I have to go on trips for long periods of time. I’ll be away from home, without a kitchen, for 2 months and I’m relying on Amy’s to sustain me a night or two here and there 🙂 When I get home, I’ll be sure to recreate my own frozen meals!
I also had a question about sponsorship/marketing. If you are willing to take some time, I’d love an email on how you went about determing what to charge for sponsorship/marketing on your blog. Thanks!
I’ve actually been with foodbuzz for years, and they contacted me originally. 🙂
This is great! (And they ARE cute!) I’m a terrible cook, but I think I can handle these. You’re amazing!
Hi Katie!!
This looks AMAZING! I love amy’s food; which bring me to wondering if you would be able to do a copycat recipe for a single serve light & lean soft taco fiesta 🙂
Wow. Just when I thought I could not love you more Katie. I am obsessed with Amy’s products, and the Mexican Tamale Pie is definitely one of my favorite so this will undoubtedly be of good use in the future. Thank you so much Katie, I’m serious, you amaze me. I always think you couldn’t possibly think of any more genius ideas and then you do! I’m also impressed with how similar these pies look to the real thing. Actually scratch that, these look 10x better.
Hi,
I repinned your Greek yogurt cheesecake recipe. I hope I win, I really do want a food processor! Thanks for all the great recipes.
I made this for dinner for my family so I put it in one big baking dish. Everyone LOVED it! Even the carnivores. Thank you!
Looks so cute and delicious! Also love how easy and simple it is! WAY better than a frozen meal!