Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

grandma's tamale pie

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Denise Van Dyne
Dallas, TX

Grandma fixed this for our family ever since I was little. She obtained it from a ladyfriend in the 1940's in San Francisco, and has been a family favorite ever since, eagerly anticipated at family gatherings and certainly every Christmas Eve at Grandma & Grandpa's! Since moving to Texas six years ago, I've amended the original recipe a bit to add a bit of Texas heat, but I hope grandma won't mind! I hope y'all enjoy!

(1 rating)
yield 8 -10
prep time 45 Min
cook time 50 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For grandma's tamale pie

  • 1 c
    butter (unsalted)
  • 3 clove
    garlic, minced fine
  • 28 oz can
    diced fire-roasted tomatoes w/ juice
  • 3 lg
    eggs
  • 2 lb
    lean hamburger
  • 3 tsp
    salt
  • 1 3/4 c
    polenta (not quick cooking)
  • 2 can
    large pitted olives, quartered
  • 7 oz
    diced green chilis
  • 1 lg
    yellow onion, diced small
  • 3/4 c
    vegetable oil
  • 14 oz
    can creamed corn
  • 1 c
    whole milk
  • 3 Tbsp
    chili powder (mixed w/ 1/2 cup water)
  • 1/4 tsp
    ground pepper
  • 2 tsp
    ground cumin
  • 2 Tbsp
    diced cilantro (optional)

How To Make grandma's tamale pie

  • 1
    Combine onion, garlic, oil and butter in large turkey roaster pan (this will probably cover 2 stove burners). Simmer 15 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • 2
    Add diced tomatoes with juice, cream corn, eggs, cilantro, if using, milk, hamburger (pinch off in small bits and stir into mixture), chili powder(mixed with 1/2 cup water), polenta, cumin, chilis, olives, salt & pepper. Cook 10 minutes on top of stove, stirring constantly so mixture does not burn on bottom.
  • 3
    Transfer pan to oven and bake at 350° for 45 minutes uncovered. Let sit 10-15 minutes before serving.

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