Vegan Tamale Pie

Food and tradition are tied so tightly bound that they are the hardest areas for people to change when they are transitioning to a vegan diet.  Creativity in creating a new version of your old favorites is key and sometimes finding a totally new favorite.  Although, we typically promote whole foods for health reasons, eating fun and delicious foods that bring us a sense of nostalgia and joy are worth the decadence.   Ann Henning shared with us a vegan tamale pie recipe that her grandmother used to make for her.  It left us stumped for awhile but we had fun creating a fresh and inspired, new, version of Grandma Anna Heinemann Henning's recipe.  Check it out and tell us what you think.Grandma’s VEGAN Tamale Loaf (adapted by Jennifer)From the kitchen of Anna Heinemann Henning:  Anna = German grandmother of Ann Henning

  • 1 Large pot
  • 1 Saucepan
  • Oblong casserole pan (such as a PYREX at least 9” x 13”

Tamale Filling:

  • 1 can black beans, rinsed, smashed
  • 1/2 red onion, diced, sauteed until translucent
  • Fresh Cilantro, minced

Tamale:

  • 2 cups masa
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 2-3 T olive oil
  • Corn husks, soak four
  • Twine

Tamale Pie sauce

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 cans (or more) Ortega mild green chilies, 4oz
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Salt* and Pepper*
  • 1 package beyond meat, beef style
  • 1 T VEgan Chicken Boullion (I used better than boullion - make sure it is the vegan version)
  • 1 1/2 T ketchup
  • 1/2 Cup + 4T water
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1-4 oz. can chopped black olives
  • 1- 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
  • 1 small can of cream style corn
  • dash of chili powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 12 oz. package of Tinkyada, brown rice Fettucine Pasta, cooked
  • 10-12 Shiitakes, thinly sliced,

Parmesan

  • 1/2 cup almonds
  • pinch of garlic salt
  • 1/2 Cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp seasame seeds

 Tamale Filling: 1.  Add red onion to a pan in 2 T olive oil and cook until transluscent about 2-3 minutes.2. Add rinsed black beans and smash them with the onions.3. Stir in the fresh cilantro and set aside. Tamale:4.  In a bowl mix 2 cups of masa, garlic salt, water and olive oil.  Hand knead it until it becomes a ball. Break into 4 equal parts.5.  Spread the tamale mixture thinly on the corn husk.  Add about 1-2 T of the filling into the center.6.  Fold the Tamale up using the husks to seal all of the sides.  I used twine to tie the tamale shut. Here is a great link sharing how to fold a tamale by SUNSET magazine.7.  Bring a pot of water to boil.  (usually you steam tamales but because we are simulating canned tamales, I boiled them right in the water. )  Cook for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Sauce:8.  Add 2 T olive oil to a sauce pan and heat.  Add green onion and yellow onion and cook until translucent.  About 2-3 minutes.  Stirring frequently.9.  Add a clove of garlic and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.10.  Add our beyond meat and cook until thawed.10.  Add your  mild green chilies, vegan Chicken Boullion, 1 1/2 T ketchup, 1/2 Cup + 4T water, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1-4 oz. can chopped black olives, 1- 8 oz. can of tomato sauce, 1 small can of cream style corn, dash of chili powder, salt and pepper to taste.  Stir frequently.11.  take your tamales out of the wrapper and chop them up into bite sized pieces.  Add your tamales and sauce and any left over tamale filling into the pot of pasta.  Stir well.12.  Put your pasta mixture into the casserole pan. Putting it together:13. On a sheet pan, place your shiitake slices add a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.  Cook until browned on both sides.14.  Place the parmasean ingredients into a food processor and pulse until rough chopped.  Add to the top of the pasta mixture.15.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until hot through.  Pull out and top with shiitake bacon. Enjoy!Do you have a recipe that you would like veganized?Tamale Pie________________________________________________________________________________________________________The original Recipe:Grandma’s Tamale LoafFrom the kitchen of Anna Heinemann Henning  Anna = German grandmother of Ann Henning*Optional or to suit your taste

  • Fry pan, at least 12” in diameter, 2” tall
  • Oblong casserole pan (such as a PYREX at least 9” x 13”)
  • Olive oil for frying
  • 2 green bell peppers
  • 2 cans (or more) Ortega Original Fire-Roasted Chiles (Whole Green Chiles, 4 oz.) (optional)
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Salt* and Pepper*
  • 2 or 3 cans of tamales (Hormel Tamales-Beef in Chili Sauce works and I find two cans to be sufficient.)
  • 1-4 oz. can chopped black olives (I actually prefer whole olives. You could add the whole olives just prior to baking on top of the casserole for color. If olives are on sale, buy 2 tall cans of the whole ones.)
  • 1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce (50 cents on sale)
  • 1 small can of cream style corn (I actually used a 14-3/4 oz. can.-$1.19 on sale)
  • Grandma’s Chili Powder*
  • 1 12 oz. package of egg noodles (Safeway Enriched Extra Wide works)
  • Bacon*
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese

Chop yellow onion and green bell peppers. Fry in olive oil in a large fry pan (This makes a big batch.). Add garlic, salt and pepper to taste.Open canned tamales and remove them individual from the can and unwrap them and discard the paper. Leave the chili sauce in the can until you are ready to mix it. Chop (or slice in small pieces) the canned tamales and add the tamales and their sauce to the onion and bell pepper mixture with olives, tomato sauce, and cream style corn. Let simmer slowly or it will burn!Cook noodles. Drain, and combine with the above mixture. Put in a 2-quart oblong casserole dish. Top with bacon* and grated parmesan cheese. Bake at 350o for 30 minutes or until hot.

Vegan lifestyleJennifer Jones-HortonVegan Tamale PieComment