Black Bean Tamale Pie with Sweet Potato + Corn

 A vegetarian black bean tamale pie with sweet potato and corn is bursting with southwestern flavours, not to mention colour and nutrients. It’s the perfect meal to enjoy in the cooler months of the year. 

In middle school, one of my absolute favourite meals was tamale pie. Have you ever made tamale pie? It’s a dish that is quite popular in the American southwest, and has little in common with the husk-wrapped masa tamale. Traditionally, it’s a casserole made with a ground beef base and a cornbread topping. But, inspired by the tamale pie in one of the Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks, I’ve created my own vegetarian version with a spicy, flavourful black bean, sweet potato, and corn base topped with a layer of cheddar cheese and cornbread. It’s one of our favourite meals as of late- we love topping it with avocado and salsa, and serving it with a side salad consisting of greens, orange/grapefruit, red onion, and lime vinaigrette for the perfect revitalizing winter meal. 

ingredients you’ll need

• For the base: Extra virgin olive oil, onion, garlic, red bell pepper, sea salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, chili flakes, black beans, sweet potatoes, corn, vegetable broth, lime juice, and cheddar cheese. 
• For the cornbread topping: Cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, corn, red bell pepper, cilantro, eggs, non-dairy milk, apple cider vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. 

how to make vegetarian tamale pie

1. Prepare the base: Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. (If you use a cast iron skillet or other oven-proof skillet, all the better, as you’ll be able to transfer the skillet right into the oven when you bake the tamale pie.) Once the oil is warm, add the onion, garlic, and a small pinch of salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes, before adding the red pepper, the ½ teaspoon of salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste, cumin, coriander, and chili flakes. Cook for a couple more minutes , until the peppers to soften. 
2. Stir in the corn, black beans, and sweet potato, followed by the vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes have softened and are fork-tender, about 20 minutes or so. 
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. 
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
5. Prepare the cornbread topping: Combine the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar together in a small dish to ‘curdle.’ In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs and add the ‘curdled’ milk and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Fold in the corn, red pepper, and cilantro. 
6. Assemble the tamale pie: Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese over the bean and vegetable mixture in the skillet. Pour the cornbread batter over top, using the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread it out into an even layer that covers the entire top of the dish. Alternatively, if not using an ovenproof skillet, transfer the bean and vegetable mixture into a casserole dish, sprinkle with the cheese, and top with the cornbread batter. 
7. Transfer into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Let the tamale pie cool in the pan for a few minutes before slicing and serving in bowls, topped with avocado and salsa. 

can this be made vegan? 

I haven’t had a chance to experiment with a vegan cornbread topping yet, but I have a feeling that 2 batches of flax eggs (2 tablespoons of ground flax mixed with 5 tablespoons of water) would work as an egg replacement. And you could swap your favourite vegan cheese for the cheddar cheese, too. 

more southwestern/Mexican recipes 

• Creamy Eggplant Lentil Enchiladas (Vegan!)
• Vegan Cilantro Jalapeno Pesto
• Vegan Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos

I hope that you love this vegetarian black bean tamale pie! If you make it, let me know how you enjoyed it by leaving a comment and rating below. And if you post a photo to Instagram, tag it @upbeet.kitchen and #upbeetkitchen. I love seeing what you’ve made! 

Black Bean Tamale Pie with Sweet Potato + Corn

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• Author: Allison
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

A vegetarian black bean tamale pie with sweet potato and corn is bursting with southwestern flavours, not to mention colour and nutrients. It’s the perfect meal to enjoy in the cooler months of the year.

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Ingredients

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Black Bean and Sweet Potato Base

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups diced onion
• 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 cup corn kernels (thawed if frozen)
• 3 cups cooked black beans (or 2 14-oz cans, drained and rinsed)
• 3 heaping cups peeled, cubed sweet potato (½-inch dice- from ~2 medium sweet potatoes)
• 2 ¼ cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 heaping cup grated cheddar cheese

Cornbread Topping

• ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
• ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons light spelt or all purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup corn kernels (thawed if frozen)
• ½ cup diced red bell peppers
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

For serving

• Diced avocado
• Salsa
• Sour cream

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Instructions

1. Prepare the base: Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. (If you use a cast iron skillet or other oven-proof skillet, all the better, as you’ll be able to transfer the skillet right into the oven when you bake the tamale pie.) Once the oil is warm, add the onion, garlic, and a small pinch of salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes, before adding the red pepper, the ½ teaspoon of salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste, cumin, coriander, and chili flakes. Cook for a couple more minutes , until the peppers to soften.
2. Stir in the corn, black beans, and sweet potato, followed by the vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes have softened and are fork-tender, about 20 minutes or so.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Prepare the cornbread topping: Combine the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar together in a small dish to ‘curdle.’ In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and soda, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the eggs and add the ‘curdled’ milk and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Fold in the corn, red pepper, and cilantro.
6. Assemble the tamale pie: Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese over the bean and vegetable mixture in the skillet. Pour the cornbread batter over top, using the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread it out into an even layer that covers the entire top of the dish. Alternatively, if not using an ovenproof skillet, transfer the bean and vegetable mixture into a casserole dish, sprinkle with the cheese, and top with the cornbread batter.
7. Transfer into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Notes

Cornbread topping and recipe concept lightly adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Celebrates cookbook.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Main Dish
• Cuisine: Southwestern

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