Easy Recipe for Tamale Pie (2024)

FAQs

What is tamale pie made of? ›

Tamale pie is prepared with a cornmeal crust and typical tamale fillings arranged in several layers. Beef is traditionally used, but it can also be prepared using other meats such as chicken and turkey meat, and can also be prepared as a meatless dish.

Most tamales have elaborate slow-cooked seasoned meat fillings (usually chicken or pork), sometimes with vegetables (potatoes, corn, peppers, or carrots), cheeses, dried fruits, and olives.

It's a Time-honored Tradition

Their origins can be traced back to Mesoamerica and they were eaten during the times of the Aztecs, Mayans and Olmecs. Since tamales were portable food, they were often used to feed men when they were away for battle or on hunting trips.

The key ingredient in the Mexican dish "tamales" is masa harina, which is a type of corn flour made from dried corn kernels that have been soaked in lime water (a process called nixtamalization) and then ground into a dough. Masa harina is the primary component used to make the dough or masa for tamales.

Pieces of parchment paper can step up to the task and keep your mixture of fillings and masa dough tightly bound as the ingredients steam and solidify into shape. Like corn husks, parchment paper offers a thin, malleable material that can keep seasoned contents inside the folded envelope.

A: Yes, you can steam tamales made with parchment paper instead of corn husks, but make sure to face the opening up and use a large piece of paper.

As others have said, parchment paper, heat-resistant plastic wrap, and aluminum foil will all serve as stop-gaps. If you have enough of it, sheets of cooking-grade silicone could also do. The primary function of the wrap is to hold the masa together around the filling until the steam firms it up.

Homemade tamales are stuffed with spicy tomatillo sauce, poblano chiles, and cheese — delicious! In Mexico, Chihuahua or Oaxaca cheese is used, but those cheeses are hard to find here, so you can substitute with Monterey Jack.

A tamale is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of filled masa dough steamed in a corn husk. Masa is a maize dough made from ground nixtamalized corn.

Are homemade tamales healthy? ›

Tamales are full of nutrition thanks to their high fiber content, well-rounded macronutrient composition, and micronutrients. Filled varieties in particular make great meals since they're higher in protein. Therefore, they're wonderful foods to incorporate to promote your health.

Estimate how many guests will come to your party and for the main meal, calculate between 2 and 3 tamales per person if you're serving them by themselves except for a frothy hot chocolate, champurrado or an agua fresca. For dessert, consider 1 or 2 per person.

Red Chili Sauce (To Be Used With Traditional Tamales)

Enchilada sauce is thinner and used to coat tortillas in enchiladas, while tamale sauce is thicker and used as a filling or topping for tamales.

WATER, BEEF, TOMATOES (WATER, TOMATO PASTE), CORN MEAL, CORN FLOUR, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF MODIFIED CORNSTARCH (CONTAINS ERYTHORBIC ACID), MASA FLOUR (GROUND YELLOW CORN, TRACE OF LIME), SALT, CHILI POWDER (CHILI PEPPERS, FLAVORING), PAPRIKA, SPICE.

What Are Tamales Made Of? These tamales consist of a seasoned pork filling in a masa harina dough wrapped in dried corn husks.

Tamale pie is thought to have originated in Texas sometime in the 1900s and became popular in high school cafeterias to feed students. Variations may include beef, pork, chicken, chorizo, beans, and cheese with vegetables, cornbread, and/or creamed corn.

Colombian tamales are usually filled with two main components: meat, this can be beef, pork, or chicken, and corn mash called “la masa”. Depending on the region you may include sliced potatoes, peas, chickpeas, sliced carrots, rice, hard-boiled eggs, and the like.