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.

Like corn husks, parchment paper offers a thin, malleable material that can keep seasoned contents inside the folded envelope. Although parchment-paper-wrapped tamales may not offer the subtle flavor corn husks impart, the glossy paper can get a tamale-making task done.

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.

Tamales have been a staple in Mexican culture for centuries. 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.

Cornmeal vs Masa

The process of nixtamalization gives masa harina a savory flavor that you won't find with cornmeal. You can use cornmeal to make cornbread or pancakes, but stick with masa harina to make tortillas and tamales, otherwise they won't have the signature toasted corn flavor you expect.

The prices for the most popular protein fillings of chicken and pork and even spices for tamale-making are up. “The majority of the spices we use to give the flavor to [tamales] come from Mexico,” said Cruz. “Exporting them here has a higher price.

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.

Tamales are a nutritious food, providing fiber, resistant starch, and important nutrients like Vitamin B3. There are many varieties of tamales out there, and choosing a tamal with a meat or vegetable filling can help you build a balanced, nourishing meal.

Tamale pie has it's origins in Texas as a traditional Tex-Mex dish that combines ground beef and vegetables in a thick chili and topped with a cornbread batter and baked.

What are Hormel tamales made of? ›

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 owes its inspiration to the popularity of the authentic Mexican delicacy, but it's a Tex-Med reinvention that has its own cultural history going back decades, and certainly inspires nostalgia and a lot of variations around and beyond the Southwest.

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.