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Mini Bean and Corn Tamale Pies

adapted from Everyday Food: Light – The Quickest and Easiest Recipes, All Under 500 Calories ^[1]

Dinner | Yield: 8 pies (4-8 servings)
Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: 45 min

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. safflower or canola oil
• 2 bunches scallions, trimmed white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Course salt and ground pepper
• 2 cans (15.5 oz. each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes*
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tube (16 oz.) prepared plain polenta, patted dry and sliced into 8 equal rounds**
• 1 packed cup fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 tsp. (or more to taste) hot sauce (like Tabasco)
• 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded pepper Jack cheese
• Salsa and low fat sour cream, for serving (optional)

Process

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).
2. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add white parts of the scallions and the garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, stirring constantly, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Tip: You can use the back of a spoon to mash the beans, but I found a potato masher got the job done much easier and faster. Add beans, tomatoes, corn and water. Mash a quarter of the beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the mixture has thickened, 10-15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, spray or brush eight 6 ounce ramekins with oil. Place a polenta round in each dish.
5. Remove bean mixture from heat and stir in the green parts of the scallions, cilantro (reserve some scallions and cilantro for garish if you want) and hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Spoon the mixture into the ramekins (pile it up above the rim if necessary) and sprinkle with cheese. Place all the ramekins on a baking sheet for easier transfer to and from the oven. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra cilantro and/or scallions. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Recipe Notes:

*Spice this up by using fire-roasted tomatoes or tomatoes with green chilies. You can also increase the hot sauce to 1 tsp. or more.

**If you’ve never bought this polenta before, look for it in a refrigerated part of your produce section. In my store it’s with the tempeh, tofu and other vegetarian meat substitutes.

You can make a full size version of this in two deep dish pie plates instead of ramekins. Slice the polenta into 16 thin rounds and line each pie plate with 8 of them. Top with the bean mixture and cheese. Bake as directed.