This Savory Venezuelan Polenta Pie has become a family favorite. It layers a cheesy polenta crust with a flavorful beef filling and a tangy, cheesy topping. You’re going to love this dish! It’s like a delicious Latin twist on a shepherd’s pie, with every bite packed with flavor.
For more comfort food recipes, try my Texas Shepherd’s Pie, Spaghetti Casserole or Old South Sausage Pie.
I found this recipe from Betty Crocker many years ago, and it was called Venezuelan Mystery Pie. It has so many great layers of flavor – soft creamy polenta crust, savory beef filling, and the creamy, cheesy topping. You can take out the olives if you don’t love them, but they really make the flavor of the beef filling truly unique and delicious.
I’ve also discovered that the cheese topping is great on chicken enchiladas, too!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Three yummy layers: Soft polenta crust, savory beef filling, and a cheesy, tangy topping.
- Customizable: Skip the olives if you or your kids don’t like them, but trust me, they add SO much flavor!
- Perfect for any occasion: From family dinners to meal prep for the week, this recipe is a true all-rounder.
Ingredients Needed
- Yellow Cornmeal: The base of the soft polenta crust, which is satisfying and filling.
- Chicken Broth: Adds flavor to the cornmeal. You can substitute vegetable or beef broth.
- Garlic Salt: An additional seasoning for the cornmeal. Don’t skimp. Cornmeal needs salt.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the crust. The better the quality of the butter, the yummier the crust.
- Egg: Free-range is best. Helps bind the crust ingredients and gives it structure.
- Colby Cheese: Adds a mild cheese flavor to the crust. You can substitute cheddar for a sharper taste.
- Ground Beef: The base of the savory filling. Use ground chicken or turkey for a leaner version.
- Green Bell Pepper: Adds a fresh crunch and some color.
- Onion: Brings depth, sweetness, and umami to the beef filling.
- Pimiento-Stuffed Olives: Bring an irresistible, tangy flavor to the beef filling. You can omit them if you don’t like olives. Unstuffed olives work, too, and any color will do.
- Chunky Salsa: Homemade or store-bought. You could use canned tomatoes, too, but you will need more seasonings.
- Sour Cream: Adds creaminess that balances out the savory beef.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: We pick a sharper cheese for the top that melts perfectly.
- Mayonnaise: Adds extra richness to the topping and helps everything come together smoothly.
How to Make Savory Venezuelan Polenta Pie
A comforting Latin meal that’s surprisingly easy to make with ingredients you find at every grocery store. For the full printable recipe, check out the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 10-inch pie plate and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, heat cornmeal, broth, and garlic salt over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and egg. Fold in your Colby cheese.
- Spread cornmeal mixture into the bottom of the pie plate and up the sides. Flute top edges with oiled fingers. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef and drain excess fat. Stir in chopped pepper, onion and sliced olives. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in salsa, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Spread beef into pie plate.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
- In a medium bowl, stir together sour cream, shredded cheese and mayonnaise. Spread evenly over beef in pie plate.
- Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.
Helpful Tips
- Let the polenta crust cool for a few minutes before adding the beef filling to help it set a bit and stay firm during baking.
- Resting the pie for at least 15 minutes after baking helps everything set and makes it easier to cut clean slices.
- Add some fresh herbs, like chopped cilantro or parsley, into the sour cream topping for extra color and a fresh finish.
Storage Information
Refrigerator: Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: You can freeze the unbaked pie before topping. Just bake it for 30 minutes, let it cool, then wrap and freeze. Bake again after thawing and adding the topping.
Reheating: Warm any leftovers in the oven at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until heated through.
Serving Suggestions
- With a salad: This is a rich meal, so we like to serve it with a light green salad or a side of roasted veggies for a balanced meal.
- For meal prep, pair with white or brown rice to soak up any extra savory filling.
- A dollop of salsa or sour cream on top or on the side adds a little extra flavor!
Variations
- If you’re not a fan of olives, you can leave them out, but they truly bring out the best in the beef filling.
- Add chopped canned or pickled jalapeños or green chilies to the beef filling for a little extra heat!
- If you prefer chicken, use ground chicken instead of beef for a lighter version of this dish. You could also make this with leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Feel free to add a sprinkle of cheese to the top before serving for an even cheesier experience.
- If you want, swap the ground beef for a plant-based ground meat or cooked lentils for a vegetarian option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, of course! We can get creative here. You could substitute canned diced fire-roasted tomatoes or diced tomatoes with green chilies. Tomato sauce with a pinch of chili powder also works, or even a mix of marinara and taco seasoning for a similar texture and flavor.
Polenta is a type of coarsely ground cornmeal, traditionally used in Italian cooking. In most U.S. grocery stores, “cornmeal” and “polenta” are often interchangeable for recipes like this pie, but polenta is usually slightly coarser and creates a creamier, heartier texture when cooked. For this recipe, either regular yellow cornmeal or labeled “polenta” will work just fine.
Absolutely. You can swap the ground beef for plant-based ground meat, black beans, or a sautéed mix of mushrooms and lentils.
More Savory Pie Recipes
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Creamy Chicken Broccoli Pie
- Old South Sausage Pie
- Zwiebelkuchen – Onion Pie
- Texas Shepherd’s Pie
Savory Polenta Pie
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servings20
minutes1
hour462
kcal1
hour20
minutesMy Venezuelan Polenta Pie has become a family favorite. It layers a cheesy polenta crust with a flavorful beef filling and a cheesy topping.
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Ingredients
- Polenta Crust:
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 cup butter
1 large egg
1/4 cup Colby cheese, shredded
- Filling:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup Pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced
1 cup chunky salsa
- Topping:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375. lightly grease a 10-inch pie plate and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, heat cornmeal, broth and garlic salt over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter and egg. Fold in Colby cheese.
- Spread cornmeal mixture into bottom of pie plate and up the sides. Flute top edges with oiled fingers. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, brown ground beef and drain excess fat. Stir in chopped pepper, onion and sliced olives. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in salsa, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Spread beef into pie plate.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven.
- In a medium bowl, stir together sour cream, shredded cheese and mayonnaise. Spread evenly over beef in pie plate.
- Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing.
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