Black Bean Tamale Casserole
Home Cooking During Covid-19
I cook for stress management, personal expression, and because I have a spouse who loves my cooking.
That said, as of today there’s no shortage of dry or canned beans in the markets in our area, though if like me, your’re housebound and you have to have groceries delivered, you may not get your first choice of bean or brand. I ordered dried Navy beans. Out of stock. They sent dried black beans instead “Even better!” said my Tex Mex Soul.
So, how to cook dried black beans? Put them in your Instant Pot*, cover with about an inch of water. Add granulated onion,, dried garlic, cumin, red pepper and salt to taste. Toss in a beef bouillon cube, the peel and segments of one small orange or tangerine (extra points if you can peel it in one long strip).
Process for 25 minutes. Let pressure naturally release.
Couldn’t be easier.
*If you don’t have an Instant Pot, use a dutch oven or large saucepan. Pre-soak (or quick soak by boiling for 2 minutes, covering and let sit for two hours) then add seasonings and cook for about 40 minutes.
Beef and Black Bean Tamale Casserole
Lots of options and short-cuts if you like, but there’s something very rewarding about home cooking for those you love. If you cook your own beans, toss in some orange zest along with onion, garlic and cumin to really get the flavor going!
2 cups cooked black beans (or 1 can)
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large Clove garlic — thinly sliced
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
1 tsp southwest seasoning (or a mix of cumin, chipotle, pepper, etc.)
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups masa flour
2 chicken or beef bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 cups hot water
1 tsp oil (to grease baking pan)
1 cup grated Mexican blend cheese
1. If cooking from scratch, prepare the beans.
2. Brown the beef, add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Drain if there is any grease.
3. Add the tomatoes, southwestern spices and beans. Adjust seasoning if needed. Simmer about half an hour to meld flavors.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the crust by combining the masa harina with the hot water and bouillon. Cover and let sit while the filling simmers.
5. Grease the bottom of a heavy casserole or oven proof skillet.
6. Spread half the crust into the bottom of the pan.
7. Spoon in the filling. Top with half the cheese.
8. Spoon the remaining crust over the filling. Smooth with the back of a spoon.
9. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
10. Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden and cooked through.
11. Serve with Salsa and Guacamole. (optional)
Servings: 6
Cooking Times
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Oven Temperature: 350°F
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/6 of a recipe (11.1 ounces).
Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients. 2 of the recipe’s ingredients were not linked. These ingredients are not included in the recipe nutrition data.
Recipe Type: Gluten-Free, Main Dish
All Good Gifts 