Quick Summary: A Mexican-inspired casserole with andouille sausage, black beans, butternut squash, and peppers in a harissa-spiced base, topped with cornbread. For slow carb, skip the cornbread on half the casserole. Comes together on the stovetop and finishes in the oven. Prep: 20 min | Cook: 30 min | Serves: 9
Jump to: RECIPE | Ingredients | Modify to Low Carb | Homemade Harissa | FAQ
This tamale pie started as an old family recipe and evolved when I added harissa from my farmers’ market line. The combination of chipotle, andouille sausage, and harissa gives it a complex, smoky heat that plain chili powder can’t match. For slow carb compliance, I top only half the casserole with cornbread, leaving the other half as a protein and vegetable bowl.
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Ingredients for Tamale Pie Casserole
The following photo shows you all the ingredients you will need for this recipe. For details on measurements, see the recipe below.
How to Make Tamale Pie Casserole
The full instructions are in the recipe card below. In short: Sauté cubed butternut squash until browned, then add onion, bell peppers, and sausage. Stir in black beans, tomatoes, harissa, and spices. Transfer to a casserole dish, top with cheese and cornbread batter, and bake at 375°F until the cornbread is golden.
How to Make Tamale Pie Slow Carb Friendly
To adapt this tried and true family recipe for those on a slow carb diet, I simply added the cornmeal topping to only half of the casserole.
I had a brief twinge of carb-envy watching my mom enjoy the cornmeal-topped portion, but it quickly disappeared as I finished off my “topless tamale harissa pie”
About Harissa Sauce
There are many versions of pre-made harissa sauce or harissa paste and they all taste quite different.
I have found that many of the harissa pastes are extremely spicy and it masks the complexity of the unique flavor profile. I prefer one that is robust, but that uses a variety of chili peppers ranging from sweet and fruity to hot and pungent.
It’s simple enough to make a great homemade harissa sauce with some dried peppers, good spices and a blender. Or try this DIY harissa powdered spice blend to use as a rub in your sheetpan dinner recipes.
FAQ
The filling is slow carb compliant. The cornbread topping is not. For slow carb, either skip the cornbread entirely or top only half the casserole, as shown in the post.
Yes. Use about 1/4 cup harissa paste or 2 tablespoons harissa spice blend. The recipe for both is in my harissa sauce post.
Andouille adds smoky heat that complements the harissa. Italian sausage (hot or mild) also works. For slow carb, check that your sausage has no added sugar.
Prepare the filling up to a day ahead and refrigerate. Add the cornbread topping just before baking so it stays light and fluffy.
Sweet potato works well. For strict slow carb, use extra bell peppers or zucchini instead.
Tamale Pie Casserole with Harrisa Sauce
Equipment
- casserole dish 9 x 13
- cast iron skillet or a dutch oven or large skillet
Ingredients
- 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed
- about 1/2 tsp salt
- about 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 ½ cups diced sweet bell peppers any color
- 1 lb Italian or Andouille sausage
- 15 oz can of black beans rinsed & drained
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes fire roasted if possible
- 2 Tbsp harissa spice blend or 1/4 cup harissa paste
- 1 Tbsp smoked chile peppers or just ancho powder
- 1 Tbsp chipotle spice
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
- 1 box cornbread mix Jiffy corn muffin mix
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.Peel and cube the squash and chop the onion.
- Add about 2 Tbsp oil to a large skillet or dutch oven and heat over medium-high until hot. Add the cubed squash to the skillet, along with the salt and pepper. Saute the squash about 7-8 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned.2-3 Tbsp olive oil, 2 cups butternut squash, about 1/2 tsp salt, about 1/4 tsp pepper
- Add onion and bell peppers to skillet and saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Add sausage to pot or skillet and cook until no longer pink (about 4-5 minutes), breaking it up with the spatula to combine with the vegetables.1 large onion, 1 1/2 cups diced sweet bell peppers, 1 lb Italian or Andouille sausage
- Add the black beans, tomatoes, harissa, and spices to the skillet. Stir everything together thoroughly and cook for another 3-5 minutes.15 oz can of black beans, 15 oz can diced tomatoes, 2 Tbsp harissa spice blend, 1 Tbsp smoked chile peppers, 1 Tbsp chipotle spice
- Pour the sausage-vegetable mixture into the casserole.Sprinkle the grated cheese over the mixture in the baking dish. Prepare the cornbread batter according to the package instructions and then spread the raw batter over the casserole. The cornbread mixture will be lumpy and difficult to spread evenly. Just do your best – it's rustic!1 box cornbread mix, 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
- Bake in a 375℉ oven for about 25 minutes or until the cornbread is golden brown. Cool slightly before cutting into squares for serving.
Don’t forget to leave the cheese out, too, if you’re being strict Slow-Carb. Love your harissa sauce, by the way!
Thank you Beth! It’s true, a strict 4-hour body approach would not allow the cheese. Low carb approaches in general can allow some cheese so I guess you could say this is a cross between slow carb and keto.
Good grief, my first comment is from 5 years ago! I think I’d better make this casserole again, it was very good and I have some harissa to use up.
Haha yes I saw that! I upgraded the recipe a bit (just finished eating the last bit of it). It is really filling so the servings are probably more like 8 than 6. Also mine ended up really spicy, which I liked, but just beware that all chipotle spices vary in their heat level. Mine vary year to year based on the summer soil conditions. Thanks for the comment Beth! Let me know how it turns out.