There are some keto dinner recipes that make everyone at the table happy, and this Keto Tamale Pie is one of them. It has all the bold, comforting flavor of real tamales, without the carb-heavy cornmeal. It’s hearty, satisfying, and the kind of meal that makes you forget you’re eating low carb.
My family adores Mexican inspired recipes, and happily gobble down large servings of Keto Taco Pie or Keto Mexican Cauliflower Rice. I do believe that a little bit of ground beef, some taco seasoning, and plenty of melty cheese may be the way to my kids’ hearts.
I created this recipe when I was craving an easy casserole with tons of flavor. I already have a wonderful keto cornbread recipe, and realized it would make the perfect topping for a dish like this. I scaled it down a bit so it didn’t overpower the filling, and was thrilled with the results.
If you need a family-pleasing recipe that reheats well and feels like pure comfort food, this Keto Tamale Pie is it!
Reader’s Thoughts
“I made this for dinner tonight. I followed the directions and it turned out perfect! Full of flavor and very filling. Will be adding to the rotation.” — Cheryl
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy preparation: Brown the beef, add the seasonings, and make the cornbread topping. Pop it in the oven and relax!
- Hearty and satisfying: It’s incredibly flavorful and leaves you feeling satiated, without weighing you down.
- Bold Tex-Mex flavor: Some taco seasoning, chili powder, and a little fresh jalapeño turn this into a mouthwatering meal.
- Gluten-free and keto-friendly: No grains or gluten, and only 3 grams net carbs per serving.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground meat: You can use ground beef, pork or even turkey and chicken.
- Taco seasoning: You can use store-bought seasoning, but make sure it has no added fillers, sugars, or starches. Or make your own by combining chili powder, cumin, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Jalapeño peppers: If you want something less spicy, you can use poblano or anaheim peppers. If you like more spice, keep the seeds in.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: You can shred your own or use pre-shredded cheese. Cheddar, Monterey, or Pepper Jack are great choices for this recipe.
- Keto flours: I use a mix of coconut and almond flour to give it the texture of real cornbread.
- Cornbread flavoring: Yes, there really is such a thing! And many readers like to add it. But a little vanilla extract works as well.
- Kitchen staples: Butter, eggs, chili powder, tomato paste, baking powder, salt and pepper
How to Make Keto Tamale Pie
- Brown the meat: In an oven-proof skillet, brown the ground beef with a little salt and pepper, breaking up any clumps. Stir in the the taco seasoning, chili powder, and jalapeño.
- Add the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk the tomato paste with the water until well combined. Pour over the beef and stir in.
- Top with cheese: Remove from heat and sprinkle evenly with the shredded cheese.
- Prepare the topping: Whisk the coconut flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt together. Stir in the wet ingredients until the batter is thick but spreadable.
- Bake: Spread the topping evenly over the filling. Bake until the edges are golden brown and the top is firm to the touch.
- Serve: Let cool 10 minutes, then serve with your favorite toppings.
Tips for Success
What seasonings to use? I used an organic taco seasoning blend I get at a nearby grocer, but this one from Spiceology is fantastic as well. Whatever you use, be sure to check your labels for fillers and sugars.
Customize the spice level to your liking. Not a fan of spicy food? Skip the jalapeño and use mild chili powder. Prefer it spicier? Leave the seeds in the jalapeño for more heat and add a touch of chipotle powder.
Use an oven-proof skillet, so the dish can go from stovetop to oven. It doesn’t need to be cast iron, although that’s always a good choice!
Spread the topping over the filling, all the way to the edges. In essence, you want to seal the juicy fillings into the pan before baking.
Serve with your favorite toppings! We love it with sour cream and some chopped tomatoes and avocado.
More Popular Keto Tex Mex Recipes
Keto Tamale Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lb (907.18 g) ground beef or pork
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp chili powder, (optional)
- 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and minced, (optional)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup (118.29 g) water
- 1 cup (113 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup (56 g) coconut flour
- 1/4 cup (28 g) almond flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 6 tbsp butter, melted
- 1/8 tsp cornbread flavor , (optional)
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup (59.15 g) water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- In a 10-inch oven-proof skillet set over medium heat, brown the ground beef with a little salt and pepper until mostly cooked through, breaking up any clumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in the the taco seasoning, chili powder, and jalapeno.
- In a small bowl, whisk the tomato paste with the water until well combined. Pour over the beef and stir in, then remove from heat. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese.
- In a large bowl, whisk the coconut flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the eggs, butter, and cornbread flavor until well combined.
- Add the water a little a time until the batter is thick but spreadable.
- Dollop the batter over the beef in the pan. Use a knife or an offset spatula to spread over the top and to the edges.
- Bake 25 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the top is firm to the touch. Remove and let cool 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Cornmeal is very high in carbs and should be avoided on low carb and keto diets. But you can simulate the texture and flavor with a combination of coconut and almond flour. A little cornbread flavoring and you’ll fool your tastebuds!
Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It reheats well in the microwave or in the oven.
This keto tamale pie recipe has 5.7g of carbs and 2.8g of fiber per serving. That comes to 2.9g net carbs per serving.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I only used 700g of ground meat and added some chopped onion, minced garlic and about 200g of finely chopped mushrooms to make it less „meaty“. I needed 3 TBSP of tomato paste with 200ml of water to get the perfect consistency. I also cut down on the cheese a bit as it is already quite heavy. The batter is really cornbread-like! Great taste and delicious with some greens and Avocado of course 💚
I made this today using ground pork as my son does not eat beef. I had 2 jalapeños left that had to be used up so I sliced them in half and cleaned out the seeds and membranes from 3 of the 4 halves so there was a little heat but not too much. All the other ingredients I used as posted except I didn’t have cornbread flavouring but tasting it after it was done, it didn’t need it but reading Lisa’s comment, I might just invest in it. This is an awesome recipe Carolyn, thank you!
There is NO WAYYYYY this is keto!! Carolyn you are the most brilliant scourceress!!! I made this last night and OMG it is soooo delicious! I did get the exact corn extract and added it to the batter. Amazing how just that tiny amount changed the flavor to true yummy cornbread!! I have more in the fridge for leftovers. I’m hoping the crust reheats well and doesn’t get mushy. As always all my thanks to you for creating and sharing all the amazing recipes that you do!!!
Wow this recipe is just on point as usual! The Mexican in me was a bit skeptical But once again you didn’t disappoint! Didn’t have the cornbread flavor but that didn’t seem to make a difference in flavor although I’m sure it would have put this recipe over the top. We topped this with a dollop of sour cream fresh homemade pico and of course hot sauce for me and it was delicious.Thanks again for another delicious recipe.
Well, I am flattered to hear that it met with approval. I don’t try to pass any of my recipes as “authentic”… keto kind of eliminates that from the get go. But I try to aim for the flavor profile.
Made this last night and it was yummy and a nice change of pace. Have you tried making a sloppy Joe variation of this? I think it would really suit the cornbread topping. Next time I will try a mash-up of your bacon sloppy Joe dinner recipe with this topping!
Great idea!
Made the tamale pie for dinner last night with the peach muffins for dessert! Both were delicious! Thank you.
Yum!
What is your favorite brand of corn extract? I can’t wait to make this!
I’ve only ever used the one-on-one flavors brand.
This Tamale Pie is amazing. Loved the topping. Making the Almond Ricotta cake today, can’t wait!
Great dinner! It has a lot of flavor and is a refreshing change of pace.
My husband and I made this last week. It is even better than I expected. I seem to be the one who always notices the coconut flour, but I am happy to say that the texture and flavor of this dish was just right for us. Thank you, Carolyn, for sharing this recipe!
I made this today for my hubby and I. Even though he is not Keto, he approved of this. I cut the recipe down to 4 servings and will definitely make it again. I used the corn extract and added a dash of cayenne to kick it up a bit. So yummy.
Fantastic! I have missed tamale pie. Your recipe was super simple and I used my corn extract for the time time with it. I have been missing out!
Thanks!
Wonderful! Thank you for the great recipe! I highly recommend trying this out.
So delicious! My whole family gobbled this up and asked for more! Loved this! Love that it’s keto!
This sounds incredibly delicious!! I can’t wait to try it!
Yum! This really turned out so good and we all loved it! Can’t wait to make it again.