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A cheesy baked casserole topped with a dollop of sour cream and chunky salsa sits on a white plate.
Melissa Jo

Tamale Poke Cake

5 from 1 vote
A savory poke cake? Trust me on this one! I took my Vintage Mexican Casserole and gave it a fun little makeover! Instead of cornbread on top, I baked it first, soaked it with enchilada sauce, then piled on taco beef and cheese. It's cheesy, cozy, and so stinkin' good.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Calories: 569

Ingredients
  

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F and grease an 8x8- or 9x9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
  2. In a bowl, stir together the Jiffy mix, egg, sour cream, and creamed corn until just combined. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cornbread is cooked through and lightly golden.
  3. While the cornbread bakes, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion along with the taco seasoning and cook until the onions begin to soften and turn lightly golden. Melissa’s Tip: Most people brown the beef first and add the onions later, but I’ve always done it the opposite way. Cooking the onions first lets them caramelize a little and gives the whole dish so much more flavor before the beef ever goes into the pan.
  4. Add the ground beef and break it apart as it cooks. Sprinkle in the remaining tablespoon of taco seasoning and cook until the beef is fully browned. Important: Drain the grease really well before assembling. You can pour it off or even blot the meat with paper towels. This keeps your casserole from getting greasy or having oil pool on top.
  5. Remove the baked cornbread from the oven. Using a fork, poke holes all over the surface. Slowly pour the entire can of enchilada sauce over the cornbread, letting it seep into the holes. Don’t worry if all of the sauce doesn’t disappear immediately. It may look like a lot, but that’s exactly what keeps the cornbread moist and packed with flavor.
  6. Spread the seasoned ground beef evenly over the enchilada-soaked cornbread. Using a spoon, dollop the diced green chiles evenly across the top. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and finish with a light shake of extra taco seasoning.
  7. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted, bubbly, and lightly golden around the edges. Let it cool for about 5–10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream and salsa. Enjoy!

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Nutrition

Calories: 569kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 27gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 126mgSodium: 1239mgPotassium: 390mgFiber: 4gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 896IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 261mgIron: 4mg

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