Tamales are the heart and soul of many holiday traditions, especially come Christmastime, when families gather to wrap, steam, and share stories over stacks of corn husks and savory fillings.
Simple Vegan Tamale Pie: All the Festive Flavor, None of the Work
This Simple Vegan Tamale Pie is a love letter to that ritual. Instead of hours spent stuffing and steaming, you get all the bold, festive flavors layered into a bubbling casserole with tender black beans, sweet corn, and a vibrant salsa stew, crowned by a golden blanket of creamy polenta.
It’s everything you crave from a holiday tamale, minus the fuss, and perfect for cozy gatherings or solo nights wrapped in a blanket.
Other whole food plant-based recipes you might like:
- Vegan Black Bean & Avocado Quesadillas
- Vegan Black Bean & Spinach Enchiladas
- Vegan Southwestern Potachos
- The Best Homemade Guacamole
- No-Oil Chili Lime Tortilla Chips
Simple Vegan Tamale Pie
Tamales are the heart and soul of many holiday traditions, especially come Christmastime, when families gather to wrap, steam, and share stories over stacks of corn husks and savory fillings. This tamale pie is a love letter to that ritual. Instead of hours spent stuffing and steaming, you get all the bold, festive flavors layered into a bubbling casserole with tender black beans, sweet corn, and a vibrant salsa stew, crowned by a golden blanket of creamy polenta. It’s everything you crave from a holiday tamale, minus the fuss, and perfect for cozy gatherings or solo nights wrapped in a blanket.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 284kcal
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium zucchini diced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 14.5 ounces low-sodium black beans drained and rinsed
- 14.5 ounces low sodium pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn kernels canned and drained or frozen and thawed
- 2 cups chunky salsa
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
Polenta
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup coarse yellow cornmeal
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro minced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ degrees. Set six 16-ounce ramekins or one 3-quart casserole dish on a baking sheet and set aside.
- In a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat, add the onion, garlic, and zucchini, sautéing with a small splash of water to prevent sticking, for about 2 – 3 minutes until aromatic. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and oregano, cooking for another minute.
- Add the black beans, pinto beans, corn, salsa, and tomato paste, taking care to work out any lumps of tomato paste before proceeding. Let the whole stew simmer gently for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld, before taking the pan off the heat. Divide equally between the prepared ramekins or simply transfer to the casserole dish, if using.
- To make the polenta topping, in a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable stock to a simmer but not quite boiling. Gradually stir in the cornmeal, whisking continuously to prevent it from clumping. Continue cooking until thickened, stirring constantly. Mix in the nutritional yeast and salt to taste. Turn off the heat and pour over the filling, using a spatula to smooth out the top.
- Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, until bubbling all around the edges. Finish with a light sprinkle of cilantro, if desired, and serve piping hot!
Notes
Serving suggestion: This is a perfect all-in-one meal that needs no further adornment to make a completely satisfying dinner. That said, you could always dress it up with a topping of diced avocado or a dollop of guacamole or vegan, oil-free sour cream. To stretch it further and feed more mouths, it goes well with s side of cilantro rice (or your favorite cooked whole grain) and refried beans. You could even pair it with oil-free tortilla chips and treat it like a hot dip!
Notes: Pick a bean, any bean! Feel free to use a total of 3 cups cooked beans, mixing and matching anything you’d prefer; red kidney beans, chickpeas, cannellini beans, navy beans, lentils, and more are all fair game for this filling.
Craving a bit more heat? Add fresh or pickled jalapeños to the filling or serve your favorite hot sauce on the side for everyone to customize their plates to taste.
Leftovers keep in the fridge, covered tightly, for 5 – 7 days, or in the freezer for 4 – 6 months. Simply reheat gently in the microwave for a few minutes or oven preheated to 350℉ for 10 – 20 minutes, depending on the portion size.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 558mg | Potassium: 1053mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1308IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 5mg
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