Tamales Recipes anyone can make! | How to make tamales EASY

Today, I will show you four easy ways to achieve tender savory tamales. Making tamales is always a labor of love. There are many steps and it takes hours of time, but bringing the family together is worth it. Some make tamales to share and celebrate the holidays with family and friends. Some sell tamales to support their livelihood. With that said, these recipes can be doubled, tripled, and quadrupled should you need to make a large amount. I am more than sure there are hundreds of ways to make tamales and everyone has a family recipe. These are just simple ways to make them. I tried to simplify it for the beginner cook or those who want to easily make tamales at home.

Welcome to the Simply Mamá Cooks YouTube Channel! I am a Mom to a blended Korean / Mexican American family who loves to share what I cook in my home. I am still learning and enjoying the process of making home-cooked food.


🔴 My COOKBOOK is available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and Walmart

*PORK TAMALES*
🔴PRINTABLE RECIPE HERE

*TURKEY TAMALES*
4 1/2 to 5 cups (1 L to 1.2 L ) broth or water
2 1/2 lbs (1.13 kg) shredded or chopped cooked turkey meat
1/2 small onion
3 to 4 cloves garlic
8 dried guajillo chiles (stems and seeds removed)
2 dried Pasilla chiles (stems and seeds removed)
2 dried ancho chiles (stems and seeds removed)
2 cloves garlic
4 cups (475 g) instant corn flour (I used Maseca brand)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup (250 g) lard or shortening
salt to taste
2 Tbsp oil (to simmer puree)
40 to 50 corn husks
16-quart steamer pot

TURKEY PREP
10 lbs Turkey (completely thawed)
1 Tbsp seasoning salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp lemon pepper
2 to 3 cups water or chicken broth to the bottom of the pan

*BEEF TAMALES*
4 1/2 to 5 cups (1 L to 1.2 L ) beef broth or water
4 lbs (1.81 kg) boneless chuck roast beef
1 small onion
3 to 4 cloves garlic
1 beef bouillon cube (or 2 tsp salt)
1 dried bay leaf
8 dried guajillo chiles (stems and seeds removed)
2 dried Pasilla chiles (stems and seeds removed)
2 dried ancho chiles (stems and seeds removed)
2 cloves garlic
4 cups (475 g) instant corn flour (I used Maseca brand)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup (275 g) lard or shortening
salt to taste
2 Tbsp oil (to simmer puree)
35 to 40 corn husks
12 to 16-quart steamer pot

*BEAN & CHEESE TAMALES*
50 presoaked corn husks
16-quart steamer pot
*MASA*
4 cups (475 g) instant corn flour (I used Maseca brand)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (200 g) to 1 1/4 cups (275 g) lard or shortening
3 1/2 cup (828 ml) warm chicken broth
*FILLING*
5 to 5 1/2 cups (1.12 kg) cooked beans (drained)
1 1/2 to 2 cups (354 to 473 ml) bean broth
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 lb (680 g) cheese of your choice
*I used pepper jack cheese
pickled jalapenos (optional)

*NOTE* Keep extra warm water or broth on the side just in case the masa dough starts to dry out

TAMAL ASSEMBLY
- Take your softened presoaked corn husk and spread from the center 3 to 4 Tbsp of masa dough on the corn husk leaving a one-inch space from the top of the husk
- Next, add meat filling and enclose the tamal
- Now fold the bottom part of the husk up and continue the process

COOK TAMALES
- In a 16 quart steamer pot add 2 1/4 liters of water to the pot then place the steamer plate in
- Place a small heat-proof ceramic or stone bowl upside down in the center and start stacking all of your tamales around the bowl
*NOTE* The cooking time will vary depending on how tightly you pack the pot
- Now place extra corn husks on top to cover tamales, a cloth and cover with the lid
- Bring the water to a boil first, lower the heat to medium heat, and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour and a half or once a tamal comes out easily from the corn husk
- Remove all the tamales from the pot and allow to set for at least 20 minutes then serve

How To Make the best tamales ever!
The beginners guide to making tamales EASY

[kimbibbs]

Angelica, your name describes you to a Tee!! You are just Precious!! Thank you for such a wonderful video!! I learned so much, and it was so fun to watch and it made me hungry!! And I especially love hearing your stories of your Grandmothers cooking and how it influenced you. They would be very proud of you!! Keep up the wonderful videos you make for us, and always include a story about family and cooking. It makes it so special!!❤❤❤

[yolandadenny]

Excellent instructions. I am 77 years old and have made tamales since I was 12 years old. This is an excellent instructional video for new cooks. I really appreciate your tips on checking to see when they are cooked. I learned by grinding our own corn. I can't do that now so you taught me how to make them using masa harina. Thank you. Bien hecho.

[flordelotomj]

WOW! Thanks for sharing this treasure recipe! It's exactly the way my Abue and my Tias would prepare their tamales, it was a tradition every Christmas Eve they would get together to do Tamales for the neighbors, friends and the Family... Nostalgic(They R.I.P)🩷😢🙏

[mikemike]

I listen to a lot of different people explain it, but no one explains it nicer than you thank you.

[maryjemisonMaryjay]

My Daddy loved Tamales 🫔 I miss him so much ❤❤

[mmondragon]

Just wanted to tell i bought your cookbook and im so proud of you! Im 67 and never really made tamales just helped turn the molino, or come and help place meat in tamales, later i was allowed to spread the masa. So im grateful for your you tube channel. Our tamales were small, delicate and melt in your mouth. Thank you!

[pamelacrandell]

I absolutely love your cookbook. My husband is Mexican and I am the only White girl in his large family. I really impressed my Father in-law with the homemade enchilada sauce. Now instead of him making for me so I can have it on hand in my freezer, I make mine with your help for him. I can't wait to make these tamales.🎉🎉❤

[belindagalle]

Family is EVERY THING! Add food and it's perfect! Thank you 😊

[facemymusic]

I love how simple you make everything seem, also love how you jump right in & focus on the food, simple filming, not a lot of production, feels like a Tia showing me how to cook Mexican food the way I grew up with it in south Texas!

[mflournoy]

A coworker/friend would make tamales and bring to work to sell on Fridays. Boyyyy. I miss them days. Right now, the idea of me making them myself is quite intimidating although you're the most thorough chef on YouTube who does a wonderful job teaching. I appreciate that. When I grow up, I wanna be like you! . . . . 😇😃💙

[rgortega]

Tamales take is so cool. My late mother-in-law and her husband always made tamales each week. I enjoyed the tamales that they made and occasionly purchase (when I have spare funds) at least a dozen from street people. Those are some of the best tamales and I never get sick. Bravo for those who take the time to make tamales, and of course in certain restaurants I'll add tamales as long as they are not canned. It is easy to know what is authenticate and what is canned. The canned is not as great as traditional hand made but they taste so, so. Still "BRAVO" for those that take the time for it takes time, regardless! The cost can be high but the taste is like no one can believe, yum.

[rosemaryvyslouzil]

I love tamales and this one of your tamale recipes are right on point I like this version 🙏🏼😇👍👌💯spot on💯

[baudeliazamora]

You make them close to my mother's recipe. Was looking for something like this. An they came out so delicious. Best recipe. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[elizasmusic]

Thank you for these recipes especially the beef tamale when I grew up as a child I always ate beef tamales and never knew how to make them.

[IsabellaQH]

This is by far the easiest way to make tamales. We usually set up an assembly line. One person applies the masa, another adds the meat and then another person rolls them and puts them in the pot. It makes for a good day with familia but the mess is something else. Your video and voice is so relaxing, I think I can make them on my own. Gracias.

[almaandrews]

Hi Angelica. I’ve been using your tamales recipe a couple of years. My family was totally blown away when I first made them at Christmas. Now my daughter & granddaughter join me in making them. My family request them every Christmas 🎄. I also use your chicken tamales recipe for making those. So Thank you for revisiting your earlier ones.

[JeanetteHill-jmfn]

When growing up, we had neighbors that gave us tamales. My favorite was the desert, I remember seeing fruit lightly sweet, thinking also they used raisins. Yum! Tamales desert style.

[angelafisher]

My oldest daughter bought me your cookbook last year for Christmas and I love it

[ralphaelalfaro]

That breakfast really brought back memories at my moms table, especially her cafecito.
I've had to be content to have tamales at my sisters house(s), over the last few years since my moms passing and my divorce(15yrs for both). I've been living alone since my kids have grown (single dad) and gone on their own. I have'nt had homemade tamales for 3yrs now, but am a very good cook and look forward to trying out your methods as they are as close to my moms as I've ever seen. Wish me luck.

[CarelessWhisper-kp]

My mama passed 5 yrs ago, i no longer have her to ask how to make them. Every time we got out of work my mom was already wotking on them, so we never got to see the process started😢, all we did was help putting them together, thank you for your video ❤❤