This keto tamale pie layers tender shredded beef in enchilada sauce with melted cheddar cheese and a cheesy, low carb cornbread-style topping. It's a hearty, comforting casserole made without cornmeal, so it's gluten free, too. Serve it with a spoonful of sour cream and fresh pico de gallo for a dinner the whole family can enjoy.
Why You'll Love This Keto Tamale Pie
- Hearty and comforting. Tender shredded beef, saucy enchilada filling, melted cheese, and a thick cornbread-style topping make this a satisfying dinner.
- Low carb and gluten free. The cheesy topping uses coconut flour instead of cornmeal. Check your enchilada sauce and broth labels to make sure they're gluten free.
- Easy to make your own. Shredded beef is my favorite, but you can use ground beef or cooked shredded chicken to save time.
- Leftovers reheat well. Enjoy another serving for lunch or dinner the next day with sour cream and fresh pico de gallo.
What Does the Cornbread-Style Topping Taste Like?
Since we're using coconut flour instead of cornmeal, don't expect this topping to taste exactly like traditional cornbread. It's thick and cheesy, and even better with a little of that enchilada sauce from the filling in each bite.
Ingredients You'll Need
Here's what you'll need for the shredded beef version. You can find the full amounts in the recipe card below.
- Chuck roast: This is my favorite meat to use for this recipe. Once it's tender, shred it with two forks. You can also use ground beef or cooked shredded chicken-see the instructions below for those options.
- Chili powder, cumin, kosher salt, and black pepper: To season the beef before cooking.
- Water: You'll need this to cook the chuck roast in the Instant Pot. Skip it if you're using ground beef or chicken.
- Enchilada sauce: Use your favorite red enchilada sauce. Check the label for added sugar and make sure it's gluten free if needed.
- Canned diced green chiles: These add flavor to the filling. I use mild, but you can use hot if you like more heat.
- Shredded cheddar cheese: Some goes over the beef filling, and the rest gets mixed into the topping.
- Eggs: These help hold the coconut flour topping together.
- Chicken broth: Coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid, so you may need a little extra broth to make the batter easy to spread.
- Coconut flour: This replaces the cornmeal in the topping. It's very absorbent, so measure carefully.
- Baking soda: Gives the topping a little lift as it bakes.
How to Make Keto Tamale Pie
Cook and shred the beef. Cut the chuck roast into large chunks and season with the chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Add the beef and water to your Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully release the remaining pressure. Remove the beef and shred it with two forks. If it's still tough to shred, return it to the pot and pressure cook a little longer.
Make the filling. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Stir together the shredded beef, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Spread the mixture in a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
Mix the topping. Whisk the beaten eggs and chicken broth together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the coconut flour and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture, then stir in the remaining cup of cheddar cheese. The batter should be moist and easy to spread. If it's too thick or seems dry, add a little more broth.
Bake and serve. Spoon the topping over the beef mixture and gently spread it into an even layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the topping is set. Serve with sour cream and pico de gallo.
Tips for the Best Results
- Make sure the beef shreds easily. If you're struggling to pull it apart with two forks, it needs more cooking time. You want tender beef without large, chewy pieces.
- Leave the cooking liquid behind. Remove the beef from the Instant Pot before shredding. The enchilada sauce provides the liquid for the filling.
- Check the topping before spreading. Coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid. If the batter thickens as it sits, stir in a little more broth. It should be moist and easy to spread.
- Add the topping in spoonfuls. Place small spoonfuls across the filling, then gently spread them together. This is easier than adding all the batter in the middle.
- Check the center before taking it out. The filling should be bubbling and the topping should be set in the middle. If the top is getting too brown, loosely cover it with foil while it finishes baking.
Can I Use Ground Beef or Chicken?
Yes! Shredded beef is my favorite, but ground beef or cooked shredded chicken makes this recipe quicker since you can skip the Instant Pot.
For ground beef: Brown 2 pounds in a large skillet and drain any excess grease. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, then add the enchilada sauce, green chiles, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese.
For chicken: Combine 2 pounds of cooked shredded chicken with the seasonings, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Rotisserie chicken works well here, but taste the filling before adding all the salt since the chicken is already seasoned.
For either option, omit the water used to pressure cook the roast. Spread the filling in your casserole dish, then add the topping and bake as directed.
What to Serve with Tamale Pie
I like to serve this keto tamale pie with sour cream and fresh pico de gallo. It's a hearty dinner on its own, but my Mexican cauliflower rice is a great side if you want something to soak up the enchilada sauce.
For an easy vegetable side, try my crispy roasted broccoli or sautéed zucchini and squash. Either one rounds out the meal without much extra work.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Keep the sour cream and pico de gallo separate so you can add them after reheating.
Freeze: Divide the cooled casserole into individual portions and freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months for the best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheat: Microwave individual servings until heated through. For a larger portion, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven. If the filling seems dry, add a small splash of broth before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. This recipe uses a cheesy coconut flour topping instead of the cornmeal topping you'll find in traditional tamale pie. It won't taste exactly like cornbread, but it goes well with the saucy beef filling.
These flours absorb very different amounts of liquid, so you can't swap them cup for cup. Stick with coconut flour for this version.
Coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid, and the batter can thicken as it sits. Stir in a little more chicken broth until it's moist and easy to spread.
It depends on the sauce and how much you use. Check the label for total carbohydrates and serving size, and choose one that fits your needs. If you need this recipe to be gluten free, check for that, too.
Yes! Season the chuck roast and cook it in your slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours, or until it shreds easily with two forks. Remove the beef from the cooking liquid, shred it, and use it to make the filling as directed. You can also skip cooking the roast and use ground beef or cooked shredded chicken.
Recipe Card
Keto Tamale Pie with Shredded Beef
Ingredients
- 2 Pounds chuck roast
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 15 ounce Can Enchilada Sauce See notes
- 1 4 oz Can diced green chilis
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 4 eggs beaten
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup Coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Method
- Cut the chuck roast into large chunks and season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper
- place beef and water in Instant Pot and set for 35 minutes, when finished cooking, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest. (see notes for ground beef or chicken)
- Remove beef from instant pot and shred with 2 forks
- preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Combine shredded beef, enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese and green chilis in a bowl
- pour into a 9x13 rectangle casserole dish.
- To make the "cornbread" top: combine beaten eggs and chicken broth in a bowl
- In a separate bowl combine coconut flour and baking soda
- add the coconut flour mixture to the egg mixture
- add remaining cup of cheese to the batter. If it seems too thick, add more chicken broth. It should be easy to spread and not dry.
- spread over the top of the beef and cheese in casserole dish
- bake for 35-40 minutes until bubbly
- Serve with pico de gallo and sour cream
Notes
- Ground beef option: Brown 2 pounds of ground beef in a skillet and drain any excess grease. Stir in the seasonings, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Omit the water and skip the Instant Pot steps. Assemble and bake as directed.
- Chicken option: Use 2 pounds of cooked shredded chicken. Mix with the seasonings, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and 1 cup of cheddar cheese. Omit the water and skip the Instant Pot steps. If using seasoned or rotisserie chicken, taste before adding all the salt.
- Slow cooker option: Season the chuck roast and place it in your slow cooker with the ½ cup of water. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until easily shredded. Remove the beef from the cooking liquid, shred, and continue with the filling.
- Instant Pot liquid: Follow your model's minimum liquid requirement, adding more water if needed. Remove the beef from the cooking liquid before shredding.
- Topping consistency: The batter should be moist and easy to spread. If it seems dry or thickens as it sits, stir in additional chicken broth a little at a time. Coconut flour and almond flour are not interchangeable cup for cup.
- Enchilada sauce: Check the label for total carbohydrates and choose a sauce that fits your needs. For a gluten-free casserole, use gluten-free enchilada sauce and broth.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days, or freeze individual portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until hot throughout.
- Nutrition: Calculate using the meat and flour listed in the recipe card and 2 cups total cheddar cheese. Optional toppings are not included.
Jena Merryman says
yummmm thganks for sharing!
Brenda says
I am definitely going to be trying this out. Your pumpkin cheesecake is a huge hit with my husband and I. I have made it with and without the crust. My husband prefers without the crust. Thank you for such yummy recipes.
Brenda
Peggy says
I can't wait to try this!!! Looks soooo good!
Love all your recipes!
Thank you!
MoodyMoody says
I tweaked the filling a lot: used ground beef, more spices, and added onions and bell peppers. I left out the cheese for the filling as well. The topping is perfect as it stands. I mean to try it as stand-alone cornbread substitute one day.
DianeZ says
I wasn't sure what to expect since I'm not a huge fan of coconut flour but this was delicious! I couldn't taste the coconut flour at all. My chuck roast was nearly 3 pounds so I did 1.5x the recipe and baked it in a 9x13 dish. Absolutely fabulous. This will become a regular dish at my house. Store bought pico de gallo was a great addition.
Charles says
This is going in the crockpot now!! Can't wait. I dig the expression on everyone's face at work when I come in with something new!! Thanks
jenniferbanz says
Crockpot is a good idea for cooking this recipe!
G Bennett says
This recipe was absolutely delicious. My family loved it ! Can't wait to make it again.
jenniferbanz says
So glad you liked it! I need to make it again!
Marisa says
Hi,
Do you think I could omit the cheese it turn out ok?
jenniferbanz says
It would be a little less topping but I think it would still work fine
Marisa says
Thank you!
shelby says
This looks absolutely delicious and I cannot wait to give it a try!!
jenniferbanz says
Thank you Shelby!
Nicole Keng says
I used almond flour. 1 and 1/2 cups. Baked up nice and brown!
Kelly says
This was so good but I wonder- can you use almond flour instead of the coconut flour? Not sure I love the sweetness of the coconut flour
jenniferbanz says
You could kelly but I am not sure of the proportions. Coconut flour absorbs a lot of liquid.