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    Home » Blog » Sides

    What to Serve with Tamales

    Published: Jan 17, 2022 · Modified: Jul 15, 2022 by Karin and Ken · This post may contain affiliate links. Leave a Comment

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    Tamales are one of the most popular Mexican dishes that is eaten during Christmas time. Some like to eat them with mole sauce, while others prefer salsa verde. What do you enjoy eating tamales with? This blog post will provide an exhaustive list of what to serve with tamales so that your friends and family have many options!

    Overhead shot of tamales

    WHAT ARE TAMALES?

    Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish that is made of corn dough and is usually filled with meat or cheese. Steamed, surrounded by corn husks or banana leaves that are often used as a plate before being discarded.

    My favorite tamale recipe by far is this one and I urge you to try it. Doesn’t their picture look amazing??!! That’s where you’ll find the tamale recipe we always use and below are the sides we ALWAYS serve with our tamales. They can be eaten with different sauces, depending on what region of Mexico you are from.

    MOLES VS SALSA VERDE

    If you are looking for a sauce to go with your tamales, you have two main options: mole sauce or salsa verde. Mole sauce is a dark, chocolate-based sauce that is popular in central Mexico. Salsa Verde, on the other hand, is a green tomatillo-based sauce that is popular in the south of Mexico.

    If you are not sure which sauce to choose, ask your friends and family what their favorite is!

    To make your Mexican meal a full and complete meal, you should serve some sort of side with it. Mexican dishes are all about the delicious sides that accompany them. There are so many choices to choose from.

    WHY YOU SHOULD SERVE SIDES WITH TAMALES

    When you serve sides with your tamales, it gives your guests more options and allows them to customize their meal. It also makes the meal more filling and satisfying.

    Some popular sides to serve with tamales are:

    • Refried beans
    • Rice
    • Chips and guacamole
    • Pico de gallo
    • Salsa
    • Jalapeno peppers

    WHAT TO SERVE WITH TAMALES

    Now that you know what to serve with tamales, the next question is: what do you want to eat? Here are some of our favorite combinations:

    Tamales + refried beans = a classic Mexican combination

    Tamales + rice = a simple but delicious pairing

    Tamales + chips and guacamole = perfect for snacking

    Our family loves Mexican food, especially tamales. We have a lot of side dish recommendations for when you are serving tamales. When you are trying to decide what to serve with tamales, try one of these delicious recipes.

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    Slow Cooker Mexican Street Corn Casserole
    Mexican street corn casserole is so tasty and is a breeze to make. A convenient way of making Elote corn casserole or slow cooker corn casserole, this Mexican corn with cream cheese is perfect all by itself, or as a side to any main. 
    Check out this recipe

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    Homemade Easy Cream Cheese Hot Mexican Corn Dip Recipe
    Homemade Easy Cream Cheese Hot Mexican Corn Dip Recipe is luscious, spicy and loaded with flavor. Thanks to the Jalapeno peppers, this dip fires up the taste buds and brings everyone together!
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    The best corn muffin recipe is a classic with the addition of jalapenos and bacon. A delight for breakfast or as an afternoon snack!

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    A quick scalloped corn casserole will always be a good option. This dish can easily fit into any meal, making it perfect for when you want something light but delicious.

    Scalloped Corn Casserole
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    Check out this recipe

    The most amazing and delicious comfort food is what Cheesy Mexican Corn Casserole will give you. The warm creamy texture, with just enough heat from serrano chiles, make this dish a must-have for anyone who loves their food spicy!

    Cheesy Mexican Corn Casserole
    This Mexican Corn Casserole has all the bright flavors of Mexican street corn, right off the cob! It is easy-to-make and incredibly delicious. Of all the Mexican street corn recipes out there, I am confident this will be your favorite.
    Check out this recipe

    Easy Cheesy Sweet Corn Casserole is the best-creamed corn casserole, full of flavor and absolutely guaranteed to be delicious with or without a Jiffy mix. It’s also a snap to make in your oven as well on those busy weeknights!

    Creamy Sweet Corn Casserole with Jiffy Mix
    Cheesy Sweet Corn Casserole with Jiffy Mix is a quick and easy side dish. The sweet, custardy, and creamy corn casserole is made with Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix.
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    This Copycat Taco Bell Salsa Verde is the easiest way to make your own tacos and bring out a delicious, zesty flavor without all of those preservatives.

    Copycat Taco Bell Salsa Verde
    Copycat Taco Bell Salsa Verde is easy to make and brings a delicious flavor to your homemade tacos.
    Check out this recipe

    This copycat Taco Bell Diablo sauce is just as full of flavor and hot as the original. This diablo slammer packs a punch!

    Copycat Taco Bell Diablo Sauce
    This copycat Taco Bell diablo sauce is just as full of flavor and just as hot as the original. This diablo sauce packs a punch!
    Check out this recipe

    This Copycat Taco Bell Chicken Chalupa Supreme is a game changer! I love that you can make this at home and not only will it taste better than the original, but your friends won’t believe how authentic they are.

    Taco Bell Copycat Chicken Chalupa Supreme
    This Copycat Taco Bell Chicken Chalupa Supreme tastes authentic and in my opinion, is even better than the original. Tuck this chicken chalupa recipe in your back pocket. Come Taco party time, you'll be glad you did!
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    Corn on the cob is a common side dish for many summer grilling recipes. The simplest way to cook it? Throw those kernels in an air fryer!

    Air Fryer Corn on the Cob
    Air fried corn on the cob is a simple and fast way to cook this summer favorite. So tasty, this great side dish is ideal for grill nights or any night of the week
    Check out this recipe

    You love Taco Bell, and you want to make a copycat version of their cheesy gordita crunch. This recipe has all the delicious flavors that people know from the original but even better!

    Cheesy Gordita Crunch Copycat
    Follow this copycat Taco Bell cheesy Gordita crunch recipe for a version that's better than Taco Bell's. Like the original, it's loaded with beef, cheese, and seasonings and has an outside that packs a crunch; only it's homemade!
    Check out this recipe

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    Homemade Taco Bell Nacho Fries Air Fryer
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    Cheesy Mexican Hash Brown Casserole
    Easy Cheesy Mexican Hash Brown Casserole uses potatoes or frozen hash browns, in oven, slow cooker or grill, breakfast, dinner with hamburger, ham and more!
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    Cheesy Mexican Hashbrown Casserole

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    Simple Mexican Chicken Casserole with Doritos
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    Check out this recipe

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    Check out this recipe
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    Our recipe for The Ultimate Guacamole is a big hit around here. We serve it regularly as a snack or appetizer. Avocado, tomato, lime, cilantro and more!
    Check out this recipe
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    This authentic chocolate Caliente uses real ingredients and no syrup. It’s better than Starbucks Mexican Hot Chocolate, so you’ll want to try it!

    Chocolate Caliente – Starbucks Copycat
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    Pork and Bean Burritos or Mexican Pork Wraps are fast or slow cooked, with ground pork, pork chops or leftovers, freeze great, and an easy dinner or snack!
    Check out this recipe
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    Slow-Cooker Pork Carnitas (Mexican Tacos)
    One of my favorite Mexican dishes in the whole wide world is this Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas or Mexican Tacos. With these wonderful ingredients, pork never tasted so good. There's no ifs, ands or buts about it, these tacos are divine!
    Check out this recipe
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    The perfect addition to any summer gathering, this spicy and crunchy Jalapeno Coleslaw will be the hit of your next cook-out. Made with cheap ingredients you probably already have in stock!

    Jalapeno Coleslaw
    This Jalapeno Coleslaw recipe is easy to follow and simple to make. Spicy and crunchy, it's the ideal summer dish for potlucks and outdoor family gatherings. . 
    Check out this recipe

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    BBQ Mac and Cheese
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    Jalapeno Ranch Macaroni and Cheese
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    Check out this recipe
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    TAKE TAMALES TO THE NEXT LEVEL

    If you really want to take your tamales to the next level, we recommend trying one of these recipes:

    Sopes with refried beans and avocado salsa = a Mexican version of pizza!

    Tamale pie = an American dish that makes use of what you have on hand. Perfect for using leftover ingredients from your dinner party or family gathering.

    Tamale pie with cheesy jalapeno breadcrumbs = what’s not to love about this dish? Jalapenos are what make everything better!

    We hope you find this post helpful in planning your tamale dinner. In case you were wondering, we recommend serving a variety of dishes to accompany the main course, such as rice and beans; guacamole; salsa; tortillas; sliced avocados with lime juice and salt or hot sauce (if desired); corn on the cob with butter (optional); shredded lettuce for topping tacos-style tamales. If someone is allergic to gluten, corn products can be substituted with wheat flour when making masa dough. Happy eating!

    Closeup overhead shot of tamales
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    Welcome!

    Ken and Karin

    We are the kitchen divas: Karin and my partner in life Ken.

    We have been attached at the heart and hip since the first day we met, and we love to create new dishes to keep things interesting. Variety is definitely the spice of life!

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