We wanted to develop a vegetarian tamale pie with an ultraflavorful filling and tender cornbread topping. The slightly sweet cornbread was a perfect foil to our spicy filling, and we were happy to find that it held up well to being refrigerated or frozen before being baked. For a hearty and satisfying filling, we turned to a combination of black and kidney beans, fresh zucchini, and corn. Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce added smoky flavor. Stirring the cheese into the filling instead of sprinkling it on top kept it moist and thickened it perfectly. You can substitute two 6.5-to 8.5-ounce packages of cornbread mix for the homemade cornbread topping; mix the batter according to the package instructions and dollop over the pie as directed in step 3. To make the filling spicier, add the larger amount of chipotle.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- Salt and pepper
- 2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained with 2 cups juice reserved
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2–4 teaspoons minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney or pinto beans, rinsed
- 1½ cups frozen corn
- 1 zucchini, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)
- ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
- 4 teaspoons lime juice
- 1½ cups (7½ ounces) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (5 ounces) yellow cornmeal
- 6 tablespoons (2⅔ ounces) sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- For the filling Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and sugar and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes are very dry and browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Stir in chili powder, garlic, chipotle, oregano, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in reserved tomato juice, scraping up any browned bits. Off heat, stir in black beans, kidney beans, corn, zucchini, Monterey Jack, cilantro, and lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer bean mixture to 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
- For the cornbread Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, butter, and eggs together. Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture until uniform. Spread topping evenly over filling, pushing it to edges of baking dish.
- Bake until filling is bubbly and crust is golden, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
