• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipe Index
  • FAQ
  • About
  • Cookbooks

All Day I Dream About Food

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • FAQ
  • About
  • Cookbooks
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • FAQ
    • About
    • Cookbooks
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Gluten Free » Keto Tamale Pie

    Published: Jan 20, 2021 by Carolyn

    Keto Tamale Pie

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    7.9K shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This keto tamale pie is sure to satisfy those Mexican food cravings! Richly seasoned ground beef topped with a grain-free coconut and almond flour crust. And plenty of cheese too! It’s an easy and delicious low carb dinner recipe.

    A plate of keto tamale casserole over a colourful napkin, in front of the skillet with the rest of the casserole.

    This easy keto tamale pie is a wonderful dinner recipe with all the great flavors of real tamales. You won’t miss the corn, I promise! And I’ve given it a little update so now it’s even meatier and lower in carbs.

    My family adores Mexican inspired recipes, and tamale pie is no exception. A few others that they love and willingly gobble down include my famous Keto Taco Pie, and 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!

    Tasting real tamales for the first time

    The first time I tasted real tamales was at Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico. I have to admit, I’ve had some interesting experiences in my day.

    After I finished my BA at the University of British Columbia, I was offered an internship at an archaeological center in southwestern Colorado, right in the heart of the Four Corners region. This was actually where I met my husband, who had just finished up his own internship and liked the place so much he took a job working at their front desk.

    We made a day trip to Zuni Pueblo for a Feast Dance, and were honoured to be invited into the homes to take part in the feast. We were plied with food and drink, and it was there that I first spotted the corn-husk wrapped tamales.

    Canadian-born Gringa that I was, I had absolutely no idea what they were. But one taste of a real tamal and it was love at first bite. From thence forward, I ordered them every chance I got.

    Top down image of keto tamale pie in a cast iron skillet on a white table.

    Easy keto tamale casserole

    Fast forward about a decade and diabetes put tamales on the naughty list for me. All that lovely steamed corn dough is not exactly diabetes-friendly. But I have since discovered that coconut flour can be made to taste quite a bit like cornbread. Add a little corn extract or cornbread flavor and it’s quite an acceptable facsimile. My keto cornbread recipe is extremely popular for that very reason.

    By all accounts, it’s a lot of work to make real tamales, carefully filling the corn husks, wrapping them, and steaming to tender perfection. Very few of us are up to the challenge on a busy weeknight.

    But we can get the same great flavours in a keto tamale pie. Simply cook some ground beef or pork with spices, top it with some faux cornbread, and bake it all in the same pan, and you have a delicious low carb dinner in under an hour.

    I apologize to my Pueblo friends for the lack of authenticity. All that really matters is that it tastes good, right? It’s a new family favourite in our house!

    A slice of keto tamale pie on a white plate over a striped napkin

    How to make keto tamale pie

    Brown the ground meat: You can use all ground beef, or a mix of ground beef and ground pork. You could even use ground turkey in this recipe. You want to cook it until it’s no longer pink but you don’t want to let it become too dry.

    What seasonings to use? I used an organic taco seasoning blend I get at a nearby grocer. But you can always make your own or you can grab this healthy taco seasoning from Primal Palate. Whatever you use, be sure to check your labels for fillers and sugars.

    I also amped up the heat and flavour with an additional tablespoon of chili powder and some chopped jalapeno. Those additions are optional, depending on your tastes.

    A little tomato paste and water helps make the filling nice and saucy but not too wet. Then top that lovely spicy filling with some shredded cheese, if so desired.

    Keto cornbread topping: You might recognize this mixture as similar to my keto cornbread recipe. And you would be right. Coconut flour with a little almond flour and a little sweetener makes an excellent grain-free “cornbread”.

    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. Then simply bake until the topping is golden brown and firm.

    Serve with your favorite toppings! We love it with sour cream and some chopped tomatoes and avocado.

    Keto Tamale Pie is a healthy and easy family friendly meal!

    More delicious keto Mexican recipes

    • Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
    • Easy Keto Enchilada Skillet
    • Keto Mexican Shredded Beef
    • Keto Carnitas
    • Keto Albondigas Soup
    • Keto Paleo Burrito Bowls

    Keto Tamale Pie

    This keto tamale pie is sure to satisfy those Mexican food cravings! Richly seasoned ground beef topped with a grain-free coconut and almond flour crust. And plenty of cheese too! It's an easy and delicious low carb dinner recipe.
    4.88 from 33 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Keyword: keto tamale pie, tamale casserole, tamale pie
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 55 minutes
    Cooling Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 10 servings
    Calories: 387kcal

    Ingredients

    • 2 lb ground beef or pork
    • Salt and pepper
    • 3 tablespoon taco seasoning
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder (optional)
    • 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional)
    • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
    • ½ cup water
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
    • ½ cup coconut flour
    • ¼ cup almond flour
    • 2 teaspoon baking powder
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 3 large eggs
    • 6 tablespoon butter melted
    • ⅛ teaspoon cornbread flavor (optional)
    • ¼ to ½ cup water
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 325F.
    • 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 30 to 40 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 Facts
    Keto Tamale Pie
    Amount Per Serving (1 serving = 1/10th of recipe)
    Calories 387 Calories from Fat 256
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 28.4g44%
    Cholesterol 153mg51%
    Carbohydrates 5.7g2%
    Fiber 2.8g11%
    Protein 22.4g45%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

     

    7.9K shares

    free email series

    Secrets to Keto Baking

    Tips and tricks to delicious and healthy recipes!


    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.

    Reader Interactions

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Kristina says

      November 09, 2022 at 6:49 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
    2. Lisa says

      September 23, 2022 at 12:49 pm

      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!!!

      Reply
    3. Monica Verdugo says

      August 05, 2022 at 8:22 am

      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.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        August 05, 2022 at 11:34 am

        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.

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Primary Sidebar

    FREE Secrets to Keto Baking

    Tips and tricks to delicious and healthy recipes!

    NEW E-COOKBOOK!
    The cover of Easy Dairy-Free Keto Desserts ebook.

    Carolyn Portrait

    Looking for the best low carb recipes? You’ve come to the right place! I’m Carolyn, a major carnivore and an unrepentant sweet tooth. Here you will find all you need to enjoy the low carb keto lifestyle to the fullest! Read more

    COPYRIGHT © 2023 · ALL DAY I DREAM ABOUT FOOD · DISCLOSURE POLICY · PRIVACY POLICY

    Copyright© 2023