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Vegan tamale pie slice in blue plate and casserole in background.
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5 from 5 votes

Vegan Tamale Pie Recipe

This vegan tamale pie is as cozy as it sounds! A layer of spicy bean chili is smothered under a layer of golden cornbread, then topped with vegan cheddar cheese shreds. Tuck in for a delicious comfort-food experience.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 469kcal
Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

Ingredients

For chili

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil (or any neutral oil)
  • 1 large onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic (crushed into a paste or minced)
  • 2 medium zucchini (diced)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • 2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 chipotle chili (with 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano (can replace with dried sage or rosemary)
  • 16 oz vegan sausage (optional*. Or use any vegan meat crumbles)
  • 28 oz black beans (canned or cooked. Drain out all water. Can also use pinto beans.)
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 1 medium tomato (diced)
  • ¼ cup pickled, sliced jalapeno peppers (divided. Use less if sensitive to heat)
  • Salt to taste
  • 6 oz vegan cheese shreds (divided)

For cornbread topping

  • 1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup vegan yogurt (homemade or store bought)
  • 2 tablespoons pickled, sliced jalapeno peppers
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make chili

  • Heat oil over medium heat. Add onions with a pinch of salt and saute until they turn soft.
  • Stir in garlic and saute for a minute.
  • Stir in the zucchini and cook 2-3 minutes until it begins to soften.
  • Add the smoked paprika, chili powder, ground cumin, chipotle chili and Mexican oregano. Mix well.
  • Stir in the vegan sausage and saute for a couple of minutes, breaking up any larger pieces with the ladle.
  • Stir in the beans followed by the tomato paste and a cup of water and mix well. Bring to a boil.
  • Stir in the tomato and pickled jalapeno peppers.
  • Bring the chili back to a boil, add salt as needed, then turn off heat.

Make cornbread

  • In a bowl whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Whisk the vegan yogurt with ½ cup water.
  • Add the vegan yogurt to the cornmeal and mix with a spatula.
  • Stir in chopped pickled jalapeno peppers.

Assemble the tamale pie

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/190 degrees Celsius.
  • Ladle the chili into a baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle on half the vegan cheese shreds.
  • Spoon the cornmeal mixture over the top in an even layer. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese shreds. Bake for 40 minutes or until the cornbread is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • If you skip the vegan sausage, add another 14 oz black beans or pinto beans to the recipe.
  • For a thicker cornbread layer, double all cornbread ingredients but keep the baking soda quantity the same -- ½ a teaspoon.
  • You can use a readymade cornbread muffin mix for the cornbread layer but be sure to read the ingredient labels. Jiffy came out with a vegan corn muffin mix, but the traditional Jiffy corn muffin mix has lard, or animal fat, in it. Bob's Red Mill also makes a vegan corn muffin mix and there probably are more on the market.
Make-ahead and storage instructions
  • Make-ahead: Assemble the pie, cover tightly with cling wrap and refrigerate for up to three days. Remove cling wrap and bake an hour before serving. You can also cover the pie in freezer wrap and freeze for up to four months.
  • Refrigerate: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to four days.
  • Freeze: Freeze the vegan tamale pie for up to four months.
Helpful tips
  • If you have an oven-safe enameled cast iron skillet or any skillet that can go from the stove to the oven, you can skip transferring the chili to a baking dish and reduce cleanup.
  • If you don't have chili powder, no worries. Double up on the cumin and smoked paprika.
  • If frozen veggies are all you have, that's fine. Use frozen veggies like corn, peas or cauliflower in this recipe instead of zucchini.
  • For a pop of fresh flavor, scatter a few chopped scallions or cilantro over the baked vegan tamale pie before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 469kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 936mg | Potassium: 1067mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 984IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4mg