These easy and delicious Thanksgiving Tamales are made with leftover turkey, and they've quickly become one of my favorite post-holiday traditions. They're soft, savory, and packed with tender turkey in every bite.
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I look forward to making them every year. There's something cozy and rewarding about turning my dining table into a little tamale assembly line after the feast.
The process feels like part of the celebration, and the payoff is always worth it: fluffy, flavorful masa wrapped around a hearty, comforting filling.
I enjoy taking my Dry Brined Turkey and turning it into several meals following Thanksgiving but my favorite "after feast" meals are Creamy Turkey Wild Rice Soup, Turkey Dumpling Soup, and these Thanksgiving Tamales.
For more leftover turkey recipes, be sure to check out my Leftover Turkey Lasagna, Leftover Turkey Jambalaya, and Leftover Turkey Enchiladas.
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💛 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Great for using up leftovers. These Thanksgiving Tamales are incredibly versatile and pretty great for a budget-friendly meal too! See How to Reuse Leftover Food for more great ideas.
- Fluffy and easy to make. Making tamales is a time consuming event, but the steps and prep work are all very simple and repetitive.
- You can swap out the turkey for chicken. Don't have enough holiday meat left over? That's okay! You can just use some shredded chicken instead.
🛒 Ingredients
Masa Harina- You can buy a big bag of this for fairly cheap in the baking aisle or the international aisle in your local grocery store.
Lard- Traditionally, lard is used, but we can get the same results from using regular shortening.
Corn Husks- You will need to prep some corn husks in warm water before using them. This will make them much easier to fold and fill.
Taco Seasoning Mix- You can DIY taco seasoning to use or buy taco seasoning packets from the store.
See the recipe card below for full ingredients and instructions.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
Chicken Broth. No broth on hand? Use water. The flavor is slightly milder, but the tamales still turn out great.
Lard. Skip buying lard if you do not usually use it. Plain shortening (like Crisco) works just as well for the masa.
Cooked Turkey. Short on turkey? Use cooked shredded chicken. Just remove any skin or bones before mixing.
💰 Budget-Friendly Tips
Use what you have on hand. These Thanksgiving tamales are designed to stretch leftovers. Use shredded turkey or chicken, and if you are running low, bulk it up with beans or a little cooked rice to reduce the amount of meat needed.
Choose shortening instead of lard. Shortening is cheaper, shelf-stable, and usually already in the pantry. It gives the masa the same texture without buying a specialty ingredient.
Broth not required. If you do not have broth, water works. Add a pinch of extra taco seasoning for flavor and keep the grocery list simple.
Buy masa in bulk. Masa harina is inexpensive, lasts a long time, and can be used for future meals like tortillas or pupusas, making it a cost-effective pantry staple.
🥄 Instructions for Thanksgiving Tamales
Prep
Step 1: Soak corn husks in a bowl of warm water until softened, 20 min; drain.
Dough
Step 2: Mix masa and taco seasoning together in a bowl. Stir in crisco or lard into masa mixture.
Step 3: Add in the broth or water, 1 cup at a time, to the masa mixture until dough is smooth and the consistency of thick peanut butter. You may not need it all.
Turkey Filling
Step 4: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; saute onion and garlic until softened and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes.
Step 5: Remove skillet from heat and add turkey, taco seasoning packet. Stir reserved ½ cup broth into the filling until moistened.
Step 6: Return to heat and stir until the seasoning looks dissolved and there is no water running around on the pan.
Assembly
Step 7: Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the dough into the center of each corn husk.
Step 8: Top filling with 1 heaping tablespoon filling.
Step 9: Roll husk around dough and filling, tucking bottom of husk into tamale.
Step 10: Tie a corn husk strip or string around each tamale to secure. Making these ties is actually optional, I just think it looks pretty. If you want to omit this step, just fold the bottom over and make sure to have enough in the basket to keep the tamales upright.
Cook
Step 11: Place a steamer basket insert into a large pot and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer.
Step 12: Bring water to a boil. Stand tamales upright in the steamer, cover, and steam until cooked through, about 1 hour. Add more water as needed to keep the pan from running dry.
Step 13: Serve with warmed enchilada sauce, mole, or sauce of choosing.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
Check the Masa Texture. Aim for a thick peanut butter consistency. Too dry and it cracks, too wet and it oozes. Adjust with a splash of broth or a little more masa.
Keep Thanksgiving Tamales Upright While Steaming. If they start tipping over, tuck small aluminum foil balls around them to help hold them upright in the steamer.
Soak Corn Husks Fully. Warm water softens the husks so they bend and fold without tearing.
Fix Dry Filling Fast. If the turkey mixture looks dry, stir in a splash of broth before assembling.
❄️ Storage, Reheating & Make Ahead
Storage. Store cooked Thanksgiving Tamales in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 7 days. Keep them husked or unhusked based on preference; either works.
Reheating. Steam for 10 to 12 minutes for best texture. For quick reheating, microwave for 3 to 5 minutes until warmed through. Oven reheating works too: 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes wrapped in foil.
Make Ahead. Assemble tamales one to two days before steaming. Keep covered in the fridge. When ready, steam as directed. You can also steam fully and freeze for later meals.
🥗 Side Dishes or Pairing Ideas
Thanksgiving Tamales pair well with easy sides like Mexican rice, cilantro lime rice, black beans, or refried beans for a classic plate. You can also serve them with tortilla chips, salsa, or guacamole for a simple spread. For heartier meals, add chili, Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuits, or a small salad to round things out. Finish with enchilada sauce, mole, ranchero sauce, or sour cream for serving.
- Air Fryer Tortilla ChipsRecipe $0.90 / Serving $0.23
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- Tomato Jalapeno SalsaRecipe $3.67 / Serving $0.61
❓ Thanksgiving Tamales FAQs
Traditionally, tamales are served with just rice and beans because they are considered easy on-the-go street foods, but for a sit-down meal you can serve them up with anything from Easy Salsa Rice to Air Fryer Tortilla Chips, Jiffy Jalapeno Cornbread, and cilantro lime rice, or black beans.
As far as condiments go, you can top your tamales with ranchero sauce, mole, guacamole without cilantro, sour cream, salsa, red chili sauce (or my personal favorite) enchilada sauce.
To reheat your tamales in the oven, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Wrap each tamale with foil so that no air can escape. Place them on a baking sheet in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping them over halfway through the cooking process.
You can choose to do it with or without. I always remove the husk because I can fit more tamales on a plate and it saves me effort later. But you can leave the husk on if desired.
Place the Thanksgiving Tamales on a plate and leave space between each so that they are not touching. Microwave for about 3-5 minutes depending on how many you're reheating and the strength of your microwave.
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🐝 If you tried these Thanksgiving Tamales, please leave a ⭐️ star rating and share your buzz in the 💬 comments below. I'd truly appreciate it!
📖 Recipe
Thanksgiving Tamales
Ingredients
- 1 package (7 ounces) corn husks - ($7.97)
Dough
- 3 cups masa harina - ($0.52)
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix - ($0.54)
- 1 cup Crisco or lard - ($0.76)
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth, added gradually - ($0.62)
Turkey Filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil - ($0.14)
- 1 cup onion, chopped - ($0.91)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced - ($0.10)
- 3 ½ cups cooked turkey, finely chopped - ($3.64)
- 1 packet taco seasoning mix - ($0.54)
- ½ cup chicken broth - ($0.13)
Instructions
- Prep. Place corn husks in a large bowl and cover with warm water. Soak for about 20 minutes until softened, then drain and set aside.
- Make dough. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the masa harina and taco seasoning. Work in the Crisco or lard until crumbly. Add the chicken broth about 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the dough is smooth and the consistency of thick peanut butter. You may not need all of the broth.
- Cook filling. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Remove from heat and add the turkey, taco seasoning, and chicken broth. Return to heat and cook, stirring, until the seasoning is dissolved and the mixture is moist but not watery.
- Assemble. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of dough into the center of each corn husk and spread slightly. Top with 1 heaping tablespoon of turkey filling. Fold the sides of the husk over the filling, then fold the bottom up. Tie with a strip of corn husk if desired, or rely on upright placement during steaming.
- Steam. Place a steamer basket in a large pot and add water just below the basket. Bring to a boil. Stand tamales upright in the basket, cover, and steam for about 1 hour, adding more water as needed to prevent the pot from drying out.
- Serve. Remove from heat and serve warm with enchilada sauce, mole, or your favorite topping.
Notes
- Storage. Store cooked tamales in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 7 days.
- Reheating. Oven. Wrap tamales tightly in foil and bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, flipping halfway. Microwave. Heat on a plate for 3 to 5 minutes, adjusting for quantity and microwave strength.
- Assembly tip. Tying tamales is optional. Folding the bottom and packing them snugly upright works just as well.
Nutritional Information
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