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.

Cornmeal is coarsely ground hominy often used as a breading, in cornbread, and more. Masa harina is made from hominy that is treated with a lye solution and ground very fine, more like flour. It is used to make tortillas, tamale dough, and the soup dumplings chochoyotes.

Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish made with a corn based dough mixture that is filled with various meats or beans and cheese. Tamales are wrapped and cooked in corn husks or banana leaves, but they are removed from the husks before eating. Try them served with pico de gallo on top and a side of guacamole and rice.

Tamales are a dish of corn masa that is sometimes filled, then wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and steamed. Tamales are primarily associated with Mexican cuisine, but they have been incorporated into the culinary traditions of many Central and South American communities.

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.

Smooth-ground masa is used for tortillas and practically all other dishes, except certain tamales, for which coarse-ground masa is preferred. STORING: Smooth-ground masa makes the best tortillas when freshly ground, kept at room temperature, well covered, and used within 12 hours.

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.

Fresh masa is dough made from freshly ground corn, and instant masa dough is made by adding water to masa harina flour. Not many people have time to go through all the steps required to make fresh masa dough, so purchasing masa harina flour saves time and allows anyone to make fresh corn tortillas.

Vegetable shortening is a meat-free and dairy-free substitute for lard, allowing you to serve tamales to meat eaters and vegans alike. That said, there are other substitutes for lard that will work well in tamale recipes as well, like refined coconut oil, butter, and avocado oil.

What does the olive in a tamale mean? ›

To traditional Christian believers, each tamale can be considered a metaphor or symbol for the Holy Virgin. After all, every real Mexican tamale must have an olive in it. On one level, that olive represents the Christ child waiting to be born -- as he is every year at Christmas.

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.

Chips, Salsa, and Guacamole

For an easy pico de gallo, combine chopped tomatoes and onions with minced jalapenos, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. This salsa is the perfect fresh complement to rich and hearty tamales. Most Mexican side dishes wouldn't be complete without some creamy and cool guacamole.

Enchilada sauce is typically smoother and thinner in consistency, made with a base of tomatoes, chili peppers, and various spices. On the other hand, tamale sauce, also known as salsa roja, tends to be thicker and chunkier, often made with roasted tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, garlic, and herbs.

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.

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.

Using fresh, nixtamalized corn flour makes a difference.

Not only is the masa more flavorful — it tastes like corn! — it's also moist, and you don't have to drown your flour in chicken stock or more lard to make up for the difference.