Tamales With Red Chili and Chicken Filling

A combo of guajillo, ancho, and arbol chiles gives this red chili sauce its earthy, smoky, and spicy complexity. It's folded into an airy and flavorful tamale dough, then steamed in corn husks until light and tender.

Southern Foodways' Mississippi Delta Hot Tamales

Among the more curious dishes in The Southern Foodways Alliance Community Cookbook are these Mississippi Delta Hot Tamales. There are many takes on the story, but they all have something to do with Mexican laborers migrating north from Texas to pick cotton.

Brazo de Reina From 'Yucatán'

Brazo de reina is a large tamal filled with hardboiled eggs and served in generous slices. The name translates to "Queen's arm," which does little to describe the delightful complexity of the dish. David Sterling's recipe may be time-consuming, but what emerges at the end of the process is a glorious representation of the flavors of the Yucatán.

Tamales de Queso (Cheese Tamales) From Ceviche: Peruvian Kitchen

These tamales, from Martin Morales's cookbook, Ceviche: Peruvian Kitchen, are much different from their Mexican brethren. Instead of using a dough made from masa and lard, they're made with pureed fresh corn, cooked down with butter, garlic, chili paste, and a touch of sugar.

Tamales With Green Chili and Pork

A green chili made of roasted poblanos, tomatillos, and cilantro provides a bright and fruity base for the rich pork carnitas in these light and tender tamales.

Quick and Easy Vegetarian Tamale Pie With Brown Butter Cornbread Crust

Essentially a chili baked underneath a cornbread crust, tamale pie is one of the all-in-one comfort classics that never fails to bring big smiles and full bellies in its wake. This 100% vegetarian version is no different.

Chilaquiles With Pepitas, Charred Corn, and Black Beans

Chilaquiles are a classic Mexican breakfast dish that can be pretty aptly described as a fried tortilla casserole. Crisp chips are soaked in salsa (in this case a bright and tangy salsa verde made from tomatillos—charred to add some bitter,...

Chiles Rellenos (Mexican-Style Cheese-Stuffed Chiles)

Chiles rellenos—Mexican-style stuffed and fried peppers in a roasted-tomato salsa—was one of the first dishes I learned how to cook, using my dad's method. It mostly involved cans. Both my recipe and my technique have improved since those early days: I've experimented with various chile-roasting methods and dozens of batter recipes and techniques, and I've finally nailed that salsa. Here's what I've learned.

Chiles Rellenos (Recipe with Step-by-Step Photos!) - The Woks of Life

A step-by-step recipe for Chiles Rellenos, a delicious Mexican dish of stuffed poblano peppers with rice, meat, and cheese, served with a fresh salsa.

Baked Chile Rellenos with Corn and Crema

The smoky charred chiles were the perfect vessel for the filling, adding just enough spice to make your lips tingle. Instead of heavy and fatty, the corn adds natural sweetness to balance out the dairy. All told, if you're looking for an intro chile relleno recipe, this is an excellent place to start.