Cheesy Polenta Pie

Name: Cheesy Polenta Pie
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 Cups
Ingredients: FILLING½ pound lean ground beef (15% fat)½ medium onion; chopped (about ½ cup)1 can (15.5 ounces) kidney beans; drained and rinsed1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice1 ½ cups corn (canned and drained; frozen; or fresh cooked)1 Tablespoon chili powder½ teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 4 cloves of garlic; minced½ teaspoon oregano½ teaspoon each salt and black pepper TOPPING1 cup yellow cornmeal½ teaspoon salt1 teaspoon sugar1 teaspoon chili powder2 ½ cups water1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Dinner in an hour! This quick recipe can be easily customized to meet everyone's taste preferences.

Video

Recipe Card

CheesyPolentaPie_recipecard.pdf

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Makes: 12 Cups
Nutrition Facts: View label

Ingredients

FILLING

½ pound lean ground beef (15% fat)

½ medium onion, chopped (about ½ cup)

1 can (15.5 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice

1 ½ cups corn (canned and drained, frozen, or fresh cooked)

1 Tablespoon chili powder

½ teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder or 4 cloves of garlic, minced

½ teaspoon oregano

½ teaspoon each salt and black pepper

TOPPING

1 cup yellow cornmeal

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 ½ cups water

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions

Wash hands with soap and water.
Rinse or scrub fresh vegetables under running water before preparing.
Brown meat and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat (350 degrees F in an electric skillet). Drain fat (see Notes).
Add the rest of the filling ingredients.
Reduce heat to low (250 degrees F in an electric skillet) and cover the pan.
As the filling heats, mix cornmeal, salt, sugar and 1 teaspoon chili powder with water in a small saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in cheese.
Spread topping over the filling.
Cover and cook over low heat, with lid slightly ajar, until topping is set, about 10 minutes.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

Notes

Substitute 1-2 Tablespoons taco seasoning mix for the last 6 ingredients in the filling.
Cook your own dry beans. One can (15 ounces) is about 1 ½ to 1 ¾ cups drained beans.
One large ear of corn makes about 1 cup of cut corn.
Pour fat from cooked meat into a metal container. Let it cool, then dispose of it into a garbage can.

Comments

Submitted by AngMath on Mon, 07/27/2020 - 15:20

My family really liked this. I did make a few changes to the recipe. I added one diced green bell pepper and started by sauteing the diced pepper and onion in a little oil to soften them before adding the rest of the ingredients. I used a 15 oz can of drained black beans in place of the ground beef. I didn't have cornmeal so I used masa harina in its place and it worked out great.

Submitted by mcddaisyplanet (not verified) on Sun, 01/03/2016 - 19:31

Very hearty meal! Made vegetarian as well. Took longer to make than I anticipated but well worth the wait!

Submitted by tierrabonita on Tue, 03/25/2014 - 23:21

SUCH a great recipe! For sure a Food Hero fav and super easy and all the kids loved it! We served it with low fat sour cream and hot sauce. Oh, and we made it vegetarian by substituting the meat for 1 cup of black beans.

Submitted by MommySutter on Tue, 07/10/2012 - 15:17

This is a great way to feed a lot of people! Delicous and a lot of food for your money!

Submitted by jovan (not verified) on Tue, 12/13/2011 - 09:02

This is my favorite dinner recipe!!! My friends all love it too!