Black Bean Tamale Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped green bell pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ pound ground chuck
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 (8 ounce) jar pasilla chile cooking sauce (such as Herdez®)
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
• Topping:
• 2 ½ cups water
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 2 ears corn, kernels cut from cob
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (Optional)

Step 1

Lightly heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Warm some oil in a cast iron skillet until it’s shimmering, then toss in the onion, green pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook everything together, stirring occasionally, until the veggies soften, about 5 minutes. Next, add the ground beef and garlic, breaking up the meat as it browns. If there’s a lot of fat, feel free to drain some off. Stir in the black beans, chile cooking sauce, and tomatoes, and let it simmer until the sauce thickens a bit, around 5 minutes.

Step 2

While that’s going, bring some water to a boil in a medium pot. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal and a little salt, cooking it until it turns thick and creamy, which should take about 2 minutes. Take the pot off the heat, then mix in the corn, Monterey Jack cheese, and jalapeño. Give it a good stir until everything is combined.

Step 3

Spread this cheesy cornmeal mixture evenly over the meat and bean layer in the skillet or casserole dish. Pop it in the oven and bake until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling nicely, about 45 minutes. Once it’s out of the oven, let it rest for 15 minutes before digging in. This helps everything set up so it’s easier to serve.