How to reheat tamales so they taste fresh again

The best way to reheat tamales is steam: 15 to 20 minutes over simmering water, still in the husk, and they come back tasting like they just left my kitchen. The oven works well for a crowd, the air fryer gives you crisp edges, and even the microwave is fine if you use a damp towel. Below is exactly how I do each one, with times, and the two mistakes that turn a great tamal into a dry one.

The short answer: the best way to reheat tamales is steam, 15 to 20 minutes over simmering water with the husk on. For a crowd, bake them covered at 325°F with a splash of water for 20 to 25 minutes. In a microwave, wrap one in a damp paper towel for about two minutes. From frozen, steam 30 to 35 minutes. Never reheat a tamal dry and unwrapped.

I get this question more than any other. Someone orders a dozen for the office, takes four home, and calls the next morning: “How do I heat these without wrecking them?” Good news. A tamal is one of the most forgiving foods to reheat, as long as you remember what it is made of.

Why steam brings a tamal back to life

A tamal is masa, which is corn dough, wrapped around a filling and cooked inside a corn husk. Masa is mostly starch and fat. When it cools, the starch tightens up and the tamal turns firm and a little dry. Add gentle, moist heat and the starch relaxes again, the fat softens, and the whole thing goes back to tender.

Dry heat with nothing to protect the masa does the opposite. It pulls water out of the dough and leaves the edges tough. That is why every method below has one thing in common: moisture, and something wrapped around the tamal to hold it in.

The husk is your friend here. Leave it on. It steams the tamal from the outside and keeps the masa from touching a hot pan directly. If a tamal has already been unwrapped, a wet paper towel or a piece of foil does the same job.

Steamer: the method I use at home

You do not need a proper tamalera. A pot with a steamer basket, a metal colander set over an inch of water, or even a heatproof plate on top of three balled-up pieces of foil will all work.

1. Put about an inch of water in the pot and bring it to a simmer. The tamales must sit above the water, not in it.
2. Stand the tamales upright in the basket, open end up, or lay them flat if that is easier. Do not pack them so tight that steam cannot move between them.
3. Cover with a tight lid. If the lid is loose, lay a clean kitchen towel over the pot first, then the lid, and keep the towel corners away from the flame.
4. Steam 15 to 20 minutes for refrigerated tamales. Ours are big, so give them the full 20.
5. Lift one out, let it rest two minutes, and open it. The masa should pull cleanly from the husk and be steaming hot in the center.

Check the water level once if you are doing a large batch. A pot that boils dry will scorch the bottom tamales and fill your kitchen with a smell you will not forget.

Oven: the easiest way to reheat for a crowd

When I reheat two or three dozen at once for a family gathering, the oven wins on convenience. It holds a lot, it does not need babysitting, and it keeps tamales warm after they are ready.

1. Heat the oven to 325°F.
2. Lay the tamales in a baking dish in a single layer, husks on.
3. Splash two or three tablespoons of water into the dish. This is the step people skip, and it is the whole trick.
4. Cover tightly with foil. Crimp the edges so the steam stays in.
5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes for refrigerated tamales, 35 to 45 from frozen. A full dish stacked two deep needs the longer end.

Once they are hot, drop the oven to its lowest setting and they will hold nicely for an hour with the foil on. That is exactly how I keep tamales warm during setup for birthday and backyard party catering when the food has to sit while guests arrive.

Microwave: fine, if you do these two things

I will not pretend the microwave is my favorite. But at 12:30 on a Tuesday with a leftover tamal from office tamale day, it is what most people have, and it works if you protect the masa.

First, keep the husk on and wrap the tamal in a paper towel you have run under the tap and wrung out. Second, do not blast it. Heat on high for one minute, turn it over, then go 30 seconds at a time until the center is hot. One of our big tamales usually takes about two minutes total.

Let it sit for a minute before you unwrap it. The heat keeps moving inward, the masa settles, and you avoid a scalded thumb. If you have no paper towel, put the tamal in a bowl with a tablespoon of water and cover the bowl with a plate.

What not to do: unwrap the tamal, set it naked on a plate, and hit three minutes. The edges turn to rubber and the middle is still cold. I have seen it in more break rooms than I care to admit.

Air fryer: for people who like crisp edges

An air fryer is a small convection oven, so it does what a regular oven does but faster and drier. That dryness is a risk and an opportunity. Wrapped, it reheats the tamal gently. Unwrapped for the last couple of minutes, it browns the masa and gives you a slightly crunchy shell, which some people in my house now insist on.

1. Set the air fryer to 350°F.
2. Leave the husk on and wrap each tamal loosely in foil. Add a few drops of water inside the foil.
3. Cook 8 to 10 minutes. Two or three fit in most baskets.
4. Want the crispy version? Open the foil, peel back the husk, and give it 2 more minutes uncovered.

Do not try this straight from frozen. The outside dries out long before the center thaws. Move frozen tamales to the fridge the night before, or steam them instead.

Skillet: the pan-fried leftover

This one is not really reheating so much as a second meal. Unwrap a cold tamal, cut it in half lengthwise, and lay it cut side down in a lightly oiled skillet over medium-low heat. Cover the pan. In six to eight minutes the bottom is golden and the inside is hot. Flip for a minute if you like both sides browned.

Top it with a fried egg and a spoon of the salsa that came with the order and you have breakfast. If you are choosing between our two salsas for a group, I wrote a whole piece on red salsa pork versus green salsa chicken.

How to reheat tamales from frozen

Tamales freeze beautifully, which is why so many families order a few dozen at the holidays and stretch them well into winter. The rule for frozen tamales is simple: moist heat, and more time.

Steaming from frozen takes 30 to 35 minutes. The oven, covered with that splash of water, takes 35 to 45. Do not thaw them on the counter, and do not microwave them from solid unless you are willing to defrost them first on a low setting.

If you have the time, the best results come from moving them to the fridge the night before and then steaming as usual. I go into wrapping, freezer life and thawing in detail in how to freeze and store tamales.

How to tell when a tamal is done

Three signs. The husk peels away cleanly instead of sticking to the masa. The masa is soft and slightly glossy, not chalky. And the center is hot enough that steam comes off the filling when you open it. If you have a thermometer, 165°F in the middle is the number to aim for, and it is the same number we use in the kitchen before anything goes out the door.

Undercooked in the middle? Wrap it back up and give it five more minutes. A tamal does not mind being reheated a little longer nearly as much as it minds being reheated dry.

Keeping reheated tamales warm for guests

If you are hosting, reheat everything, then hold it. A covered baking dish in a 170°F oven holds an hour. A slow cooker on “warm” with a quarter cup of water in the bottom and the tamales stacked husks-on holds two or three hours, and that is my favorite trick for a tamalada or a game-day crowd.

Keep them in the husk until people are ready to eat. An opened tamal starts drying out in minutes; a wrapped one waits patiently. Set out the salsas, some crema, chopped cilantro and lime, and let everyone unwrap their own.

For anything bigger than your dining table, remember that we deliver hot. A catering order arrives ready to serve, and the only reheating you will do is the leftovers the next day. Our FAQ page covers delivery areas and dietary questions if you are planning one.

Frequently asked questions

How long do you reheat tamales in a steamer?

Refrigerated tamales take 15 to 20 minutes in a covered steamer over simmering water, husks on. Ours are large, so I give them the full 20. From frozen, plan on 30 to 35 minutes. Check one by opening it: the husk should release cleanly and the center should be steaming hot all the way through.

Can you reheat tamales in the microwave?

Yes. Keep the husk on, wrap the tamal in a damp paper towel, and heat on high for one minute. Turn it over and continue in 30-second bursts until the center is hot, usually about two minutes total for one of ours. Let it rest a minute before unwrapping. Never microwave a tamal unwrapped and dry, because the edges toughen fast.

Do you reheat tamales with the husk on or off?

On, always. The husk traps steam, protects the masa from direct heat, and keeps the tamal from drying out. Remove it only at the table. If a tamal has already been unwrapped, wrap it in a damp paper towel for the microwave, or in foil with a few drops of water for the oven or air fryer, to replace what the husk was doing.

Can you reheat tamales in an air fryer?

Yes, and it is quick. Set the air fryer to 350°F, leave the husk on, wrap each tamal loosely in foil with a few drops of water, and cook 8 to 10 minutes. For crisp edges, open the foil and husk for the last two minutes. Thaw frozen tamales first; the air fryer dries the outside before a frozen center can heat through.

How many times can you reheat tamales?

For safety, reheat only the tamales you plan to eat and do it once. Cooked tamales keep in the refrigerator for about four days, so store the rest cold and reheat portions as you need them. If you have more than you can eat in that window, freeze them within a day or two of delivery, and they will hold their quality for months.