How to Reheat Tamales

Last Updated: March 4, 2022 References Approved

Mexican in origin, tamales are made with a corn-based dough and is filled with beef, chili, beans, and vegetables.^{[1]
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Research source} If you have leftover tamales or purchase pre-cooked frozen tamales, there are various ways that you can reheat them. If you follow the right steps, you can reheat tamales with a steamer, a stove, in the oven, with a microwave, or by using a deep fryer.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Using a Stove

1
Reheat with a stove to get crispy tamales. Using the stove and a pan will give you crispy tamales without the additional fat and calories from a deep fryer. Use this method if you have the time to watch the tamales as they get reheated.^{[2]
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2
Remove the husks from the tamales. Peel the husks from the tamale and discard them in the trash. When cooking the tamales on the stovetop, you cannot cook them with the husks on.

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3
Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a pan. Pour a teaspoon of olive oil into the pan and heat it up for two to three minutes on medium heat. When the oil is hot enough, it will start to smoke slightly.
4
Place the tamales in the pan and cover it with a lid. Carefully place the tamales in the pan so that the oil doesn't splatter. Cover the tamales with a lid to help them cook faster.
5
Flip the tamales every 2-3 minutes. Continue cooking the tamales and flip them over every 2-3 minutes.^{[3]
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Continue to cook the tamales until they are crispy. The tamales are finished when the exterior is browned and crispy. Total cooking time for the tamales should be somewhere between 5-10 minutes.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Heating the Tamales in the Oven

1
Use the oven to get evenly reheated tamales.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Randall Chambers
Personal Chef
Expert Interview. 1 March 2022.} The oven will most evenly cook your tamales but takes longer than other methods. Using this method also brings out the flavor inside of the tamales.^{[6]
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2
Preheat the oven for 425°F (218.3°C). Turn the oven to 425°F (218.3°C) and allow your oven to heat up before you cook your tamales. This will ensure an even cook throughout the dish. Heating tamales in the oven takes the most time out of all the methods.
3
Wrap the tamales in tin foil. Wrap each of their tamales with foil three to four times. Squeeze the bundles to push any air that may be in them out.
- You can also try a double boiler-style method. Set the tamales in a small pan, which you place in a larger pan filled with water. Then, put foil over the stacked pans.^{[7]
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  Expert Source
  
  Randall Chambers
  Personal Chef
  Expert Interview. 1 March 2022.}
4
Place the tamales on an oven-safe dish or tray. Place the wrapped tamales into the bottom of a tray or dish. Space out the tamales one to two inches (2.54 to 5.08cm) apart from one another.^{[8]
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5
Cook the tamales for 20 minutes. Flip the tamales after 10 minutes. This will help heat the tamale evenly.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Utilizing the Microwave

1
Use the microwave for a quick and easy option.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Randall Chambers
Personal Chef
Expert Interview. 1 March 2022.} Heating the tamales in the microwave is the easiest and quickest option, but won't give them a crispy brown coating. Use this method if you're short on time and need to reheat them quickly.^{[10]
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2
Defrost the tamales. Keep the tamales in the refrigerator for one day if they are frozen. This will defrost them and get them ready for the microwave.^{[11]
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Research source} Do not try to microwave frozen tamales because the center of the tamale will remain cold.
3
Wrap the tamales in a damp paper towel. Wet down a piece of paper towel under your kitchen faucet and wrap it around the tamale. This will prevent it from drying out while it cooks.^{[12]
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Research source}^{[13]
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Expert Source

Randall Chambers
Personal Chef
Expert Interview. 1 March 2022.}
4
Cook the tamales for 15 seconds. Put the tamales in the microwave and cook them on high heat for 15 seconds. Once the microwave stops, pull the tamale out and unwrap the paper towel.
- When heating tamales in the microwave, don’t heat more than two at a time.
5
Wrap the tamale in another wet paper towel and flip it over. The paper towel should be dry when you remove the tamale from the microwave. Get another paper towel, wet it, and wrap the tamale again. Then flip the tamale over so and put it back into your microwave.^{[14]
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Cook the tamales for another 15 seconds. Once you’re finished cooking the tamales, pull them out and remove the outer husk. Feel over the surface and make sure it’s been heated evenly. If it’s still not hot enough, you can rewrap it with a wet paper towel and cook it for another 15 seconds.^{[15]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Heating Tamales With a Steamer or Pot

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Heat the tamales with a steamer or pot for ease. The easiest part of reheating your tamales with a steamer or a pot is that you don't need to monitor them while they heat up. Use this option if you have time to cook them, but can't watch them.
2
Fill your steamer ¼ of the way with water. Fill your steamer up with water ¼ of the way. If you don’t have a steamer, you can use a pot with a steaming rack. You'll need a rack to keep your tamales suspended over the water.^{[16]
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Set the heat to medium. Set the heat on your steamer or stovetop to medium. Leave the heat on medium for ten minutes and let the water heat up.
4
Arrange the tamales onto the rack. Place the tamales on top of the rack, making sure that they aren’t submerged in the water. Position the tamales so that the end of the tamales are facing towards the bottom of the pot.
5
Steam the tamales. Heat the tamales 15-20 minutes if they are chilled and for 20-30 minutes if they are frozen. Cover the pot or steamer and heat the tamales. You can use a cooking thermometer to check if the tamales are warm enough. The internal temperature of the tamales should be 165°F.^{[17]
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Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Using a Deep Fryer for Crispy but Greasy Tamales

1
Use a deep fryer for the crispiest tamales. Deep frying the tamales will give it the thickest and crispiest exterior coating but will also add additional fat and calories to the dish. Use this method if you want the crispiest possible tamales and don't mind the extra calories.^{[18]
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Defrost the tamales. Leave the tamales in the refrigerator for a day and make sure they are no longer frozen. Frozen tamales will cause the deep fryer oil to bubble and pop. Deep frying tamales will give them a crispy brown coating but also contain more calories and fat.^{[19]
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Set the deep fryer to medium. Set the fryer to medium heat and let it completely preheat before moving onto the next step. Cold oil will make your tamales limp and soggy.^{[20]
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4
Remove the husk and pat down the tamale with a paper towel. Patting down the tamales will remove any excess moisture which could cause the oil to pop and bubble.^{[21]
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5
Lower the tamales slowly into the deep fryer. Use metal tongs to slowly submerge the tamales into the deep fryer oil. Do not drop the tamales into the deep fryer or the oil will splash back and could burn you. Be careful not to touch the hot deep fryer or oil.^{[22]
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Cook the tamales for two to three minutes. Let the tamales fry in the deep fryer for 2-3 minutes. At the end of the cook, the tamales should be golden brown with a nice fried coating.^{[23]
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Remove the tamales from the oil and let them cool. Carefully remove the tamales from the deep fryer with metal tongs. Place the tamales on a plate with a paper towel and allow them to cool before serving them.

Community Q&A

Question

Can tamales be heated in a crock pot?

Community Answer

Yes. You can also use a stovetop steamer or an electric steamer to re-heat tamales.
Question

How long can you keep tamales in the refrigerator?

Community Answer

You can keep tamales in the fridge for up to 1 week. They will last a lot longer in the freezer, however; up to 4 months!
Question

Can I heat store-bought tamales in an air fryer?

Community Answer

I do. I place them on top of aluminum foil before cooking.