24 Ways to Make Tamales

Tamales traditionally have various fillings, wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf and steamed to perfection. Let's change it up by turning it into a casserole for a potluck, a crispy cake for a brunch staple or stuffed peppers for a weeknight meal.

Traditional Pork Tamales

"These are so good and well worth the time they take to prepare. Next time I'm going to make an extra cup of the red chili sauce to top each tamale. These were so good.”

-Charlotte J

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

“I just made this in tiny muffin cups and it turned out great! I ended up making extra as my family ate the entire first batch.”

-XYSunhine

Tamale Skillet Pie

Tamales made one-pot simple? Sounds like a weeknight win!

Tamales With Turkey in Black Chile Sauce

“A classic Mexican dish with a complex, dark and smoky sauce.”

-Rick M.

Tamale Peppers

"I'm kind of obsessed with these. My husband helped me pull them together. Some chips and salsa on the side and we were fat and happy!”

-Karen S.

Tamale Hash

“This is my husband’s all-time favorite breakfast. I made it two weekends in a row — it’s that good! An A+ breakfast for spicy food lovers.”

-LeAnna Quartuccio

Chicken Tamale Casserole

“This is a great recipe! So easy to make — there’s really no way to mess it up. My entire family, from my carb-watching husband to my incredibly picky son, loved it.”

-Clarissa B.

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes

"I made this for a church gathering and had so many people complimenting me on this dish! I will for sure be making this again.”

-kelemalia

Tamale Bites

“I made these for Halloween and they were amazing! My husband, the Tamale lover, was thrilled.”

-ThatGirl

Quick Tamale Casserole

“I made this for supper tonight and it’s super delicious, very east and quick. My husband said to rate it five stars!”

-pressurecooker

Hot Tamale Balls

"I made these last week and they were hit with the crowd! They were great right out of the oven without the sauce, and even better with the sauce. I made a double batch and froze half for the holidays.”

-Paka1931

Hot Tamale Casserole

“This was very, very good. It was a little bit more work, but is very much worth it.”

-VALERIE LOOK

Sweet Tamales With Yams & Pecans

“I wish I could give this more stars. This was such a cool idea. I made these for our Thanksgiving leftovers to go with turkey tacos.”

-Mysterygirl

Traditional Corn Husk Tamales

“I’d never had Mexican hot tamales before. The flavor of the masa was very good, and the meat filling was spicy and warm in the mouth. Delicious!”

-threeovens

Louisiana-Style Hot Tamales

“These take a bit of time, but the end result is well worth the effort! This recipe makes a lot by design, and they freeze wonderfully.”

-Random Rachel

Tamale Dip

“I made this for the family. A very nice, cheesy dip. I love the addition of tamales and so did my husband.”

-Milkmans Daughter

Beef Tamale Casserole

“This recipe reminded me of a long lost recipe I used to have. It was so good, and we really think it’s a keeper.”

-Miss Annie

Tamale Soup

“I was cleaning out my freezer and came across some old tamales that needed to be eaten. I found this recipe and decided to try it. It’s awesome!”

-RancherRon

Tilapia Tamales

“These were delicious and fairly easy! I’d never made tamales before and heard they can be tricky. The filling was perfectly moist and delicious. Even my seven year-old thought they were yummy! We love fish and were delighted to have a different way to prepare it.”

-nraggio

Vegetarian Tex-Mex Tamales

"These were great, especially because we have two vegetarians in the family. This was a tasty way to satisfy all! I would recommend for all.”

-dapper456

Sweet Apple Dessert Tamales

"I loved the flavor and presentation. It was a lovely apple pie effect with the nuts. I had them for an after-dinner treat and then microwaved and ate them again for breakfast!”

-SharleneW

Vegetarian Tamale Pizza

"Easy and delicious! The flavors were great. It was nice and filling."

-Starrynews

"Hot Tamale" Burgers

"Spicy hot! Dare to serve these to anyone who says veggie burgers are boring. I used several chopped chipotles and topped it with pepper jack.”

-FLKeysJen

Turkey Tamale Casserole

"This was amazing! I’ll never make another tamale again. I followed the recipe exactly and would not change a thing! This will be a staple at my house forever."

-Nizz6822

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