Chef Shares Hearty Taco Pie Recipe Perfect for Family Dinners

A delicious taco pie recipe featuring a homemade crust filled with seasoned ground meat and topped with a creamy cheese mixture has been shared by Chef Tammy Brawley. The comfort food dish combines Mexican flavors in an easy-to-make pie format that's perfect for weeknight dinners.

A mouth-watering comfort food recipe that brings together Mexican flavors in pie form has been featured by Chef Tammy Brawley during her appearance on Real Virginia, the weekly television show produced by Virginia Farm Bureau.

The hearty taco pie recipe combines a homemade biscuit-style crust with a savory seasoned meat filling and a rich cheese topping that’s sure to please the whole family.

For the Crust:

2½ cups plus 1 tablespoon flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
5½ tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

For the Filling:

1 tablespoon butter
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
2 teaspoons kosher salt & coarse ground pepper
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon cayenne
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2/3 cup water
1¼ cups sour cream
4½ ounces cheddar cheese, grated
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare the crust, use a food processor to blend flour, baking powder, and salt until the mixture has a coarse texture. Incorporate the cold butter pieces, then gradually add milk, pulsing until a cohesive dough forms. If the mixture seems too dry, add small amounts of water until you achieve a soft consistency. Form the dough into the bottom and partway up the sides of either a 9-inch springform pan or deep pie dish. Wrap in plastic and chill for approximately 45 minutes until firm.

For those without a food processor, you can achieve the same results by whisking the dry ingredients in a bowl, then working in the butter with your fingers or a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk and mix until the dough holds together.

Time-saving suggestion: The crust can be prepared the evening before and removed from refrigeration about 30 minutes prior to continuing with the recipe.

For the meat mixture, warm butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat and brown the ground meat thoroughly, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Create a spice blend by whisking together the 2 teaspoons of salt with all the spices and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir this seasoning mixture and the water into the cooked meat, continuing to cook while stirring until the liquid evaporates, approximately 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Prepare the cheese topping by combining sour cream, grated cheddar, beaten egg, and mayonnaise in a medium bowl, whisking until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place the chilled crust on a parchment-covered baking sheet. Using a slotted spoon, distribute the seasoned meat evenly over the crust, then spread the creamy cheese mixture on top. Bake for about 45 minutes until the topping is firm and the crust turns golden brown. Allow the pie to rest for approximately 15 minutes before slicing and serving.