Black Bean Tamale Pie

Black Bean Tamale Pie! This weeknight meal is healthy and filling! Black Bean and Zucchini Chili topped with homemade cornbread. Baked to perfection! Vegan with Gluten-Free option.

this Recipe

Black Bean Tamale Pie! This weeknight meal is healthy and incredibly filling. A simple black bean and zucchini chili topped with homemade cornbread, then baked to golden-brown perfection! 

I’m fairly certain that I will love any recipe that includes the words ‘cornbread crust’ in the description, but this tamale pie might just take the cake. The flavor of vegetarian tamales with a fraction of the work.

Ingredients you’ll need for this Vegan Tamale Pie

For the black bean chili filling: 

• Olive oil
• Aromatics like onion and garlic cloves 
• Green or Red bell pepper 
• Zucchini
• Spices like chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin and ground coriander
• Canned black beans
• Canned diced tomatoes with juice

For the cornmeal tamale topping: 

• Ground cornmeal
• Whole-wheat flour (or use gluten-free flour for gluten free option)
• Baking powder
• Canola oil
• Maple syrup
• Unsweetened soymilk, or dairy-free milk of choice
• Apple cider vinegar or other vinegar; you just need a splash of acidity 
• Can of diced green chilis, mild or hot depending on spice preferences 
• 1/2 cup corn (thawed from frozen or canned)

Instructions 

Make the black bean chili

Start by making the bottom layer; a simple black bean chili that comes together in just 15 minutes. 

Prep all of the vegetable ingredients first. Chop the onion, zucchini, bell pepper and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet or stock pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened. 

From there, stir in the zucchini and bell pepper and cook another 5 minutes until tender. Sprinkle in the spices along with the drained and rinsed black beans and tomatoes with their juices. 

Just like regular chili, you can season until your heart’s content. I use the usual suspects: chili powder, cayenne, cumin and coriander but feel free to turn up the heat with chopped jalapeños or other spices.

If you plan on using the same pan then you’ll need to choose a large skillet. I like my 12″ cast-iron skillet but any oven-safe option will work. 

Make the cornmeal crust

Now comes the best part– the cornbread crust. Essentially, tamale pie is just chili and cornbread combined together in one pan. And for me, it’s not chili unless I’ve got a side of cornbread. I’m using my favorite cornbread recipe here that’s only 7 ingredients and requires just one bowl.

While the chili is cooking, mix up the cornbread filling and set aside. If you cooked the chili in an oven safe skillet, like a cast-iron then you are ready to go. Otherwise, you can pour the bean mixture to a casserole dish or other oven-safe skillet. 

Top with the cornbread filling, then place in the oven and cook until hot and bubbly. 

Pie goes in the oven, delicious dinner comes out. How great is that? If you decide to use a casserole pan or baking dish for this instead of a skillet, make sure your chili is fairly saucy. It will dry out as it cooks in the oven and you want enough moisture to create the best part of this meal —> the thin layer of soggy cornbread that’s been baked in chili juice. 

The top layer is slightly crunchy, the underneath is perfectly soggy. The texture is so perfect. Good luck not picking off the cornbread topping as you dish this one up!

Shortcut Options

For an easy weeknight shortcut, you can use any box mix that you’d like for the cornbread topping. If using a boxed version, then I highly recommend adding in the canned chilis and cheddar, either regular or dairy-free cheese to elevate the boxed version. 

Or, alternatively you can use any chili recipe and top with this homemade cornbread topping. 

What to top this vegetarian tamale pie with? 

You can top this pie with whatever you’d like. I usually go with avocado slices, fresh cilantro, salsa and thinly sliced scallions. 

More One Pot Dinner Recipes:

• One Skillet Dinner with Sausage and Potatoes
• Healthy Vegan Enchilada Casserole
• Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
• Pasta Bake with No-Cook Noodles
• Sheet Pan Maple Balsamic Tempeh and Vegetables 
• One Pot Pasta Puttanesca 

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking! This recipe was originally posted in 2015, updated in 2021 based on user feedback.

Black Bean Tamale Pie

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
• Category: dinner, entree, pie, healthy
• Method: oven, stove top
• Cuisine: southwestern, mexican
• Diet: Vegan

Description

Black Bean Tamale Pie! This weeknight meal is healthy and filling! Black Bean and Zucchini Chili topped with homemade cornbread, baked to perfection! Vegan with gluten-free option. Originally posted in 2015; updated in 2021. 

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Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
• Category: dinner, entree, pie, healthy
• Method: oven, stove top
• Cuisine: southwestern, mexican
• Diet: Vegan

• Author: Alex Caspero
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
• Category: dinner, entree, pie, healthy
• Method: oven, stove top
• Cuisine: southwestern, mexican
• Diet: Vegan

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

Black Bean Chili Filling:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use more if you want more heat)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 15. oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 oz. diced tomatoes with juice Vegan Cornmeal Topping:
• 3/4 cup ground cornmeal
• 1/4 cup cup whole-wheat flour (use gluten-free flour blend for gluten free option)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup canola oil or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 3/4 cup unsweetened soymilk or other unsweetened non-dairy milk
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 4oz. can diced green chilis
• 1/2 cup corn (thawed from frozen or canned)

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Instructions

1. Make the black bean chili layer. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil and sauté the onion for 5-6 minutes until translucent. Add a pinch of salt and the garlic, then stir together.
2. Add the rest of the vegetables: bell pepper and zucchini along with the chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, and coriander. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the beans and tomatoes with juice to the skillet.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
4. Make the cornbread filling. Whisk together the dry ingredients: cornmeal, flour, baking powder in a large bowl. In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the wet ingredients: oil, maple syrup, soymilk and apple cider vinegar.
5. Add the wet to the dry and mix until combined. Add in the green chilis and corn, mix again then pour the cornmeal batter over the filling and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Notes

I used a large cast iron skillet for this dish but if you don’t have a skillet that large, use a casserole dish instead.

For a cheesy cornbread topping, stir in shredded cheddar cheese (either regular or dairy-free) to the cornbread mixture.

Once it’s baked, enjoy as is or top like you would your favorite chili!

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