Choose tamales that are fully cooked and ready to eat (steamed or packaged).
If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight or steam longer until heated through.
Steam tamales: place in a steamer over simmering water and steam 15–25 minutes (longer if frozen) until hot throughout.
Microwave tamales: wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave 1–2 minutes per tamale, flipping if needed, until hot throughout.
Remove the husk: hold the tamale by the ends and peel back the corn husk or banana leaf.
Serve with toppings such as salsa, mole, crema, queso fresco, chopped onions, cilantro, or hot sauce.
Eat tamales by pulling off small bites from the masa and pairing with toppings.
Discard the husk/leaf after removing the tamale.
Store leftovers refrigerated up to 3–4 days or frozen up to 2–3 months.
Reheat leftovers by steaming 8–15 minutes or microwaving wrapped in a damp paper towel until hot throughout.