: cornmeal dough rolled with ground meat or beans seasoned usually with chili, wrapped usually in corn husks, and steamed
Examples of tamale in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Using a technique borrowed from Indigenous people, the dumplings are wrapped in banana leaves and boiled in water for a dish with a similar texture to a tamale.
—
The Arizona Republic, 28 Mar. 2024
Layer with chicken tamale mix, cilantro, sour cream, and cheese.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2024
One-time-only events include tamale maker La Patrona popping up at Mount Pleasant taco purveyor La Tejana for a special breakfast menu on March 2 and a Women in Wine and Cheese pairing class at Cork Market on March 30.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024
The free event features live music, Santa Claus, a gift market, a tamale contest and crafts for the kids along with tractor rides.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Dec. 2023
Family dinners featuring housemade tamales and chicken fajitas are a common affair at this East Sacramento restaurant, opened in 2021 by Maria Estela Munoz Martinez.
5100 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento; (916) 662-7099.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 9 Apr. 2024
There will even be a window where guests can watch the staff flip and press freshly homemade corn tortillas and tamales.
—Lily O'Neill, The Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Originally from Texas, Martindale came bearing homemade pico plus tamales like the ones his step-grandma made for holidays.
—Julie Seabaugh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Customers have been known to drive 40 minutes to claim their spot in the busy dining room and indulge in the dry-aged brisket tamales, Flintstones-size beef ribs, and generous helpings of luscious creamed corn and potato salad.
—Kayla Stewart, Bon Appétit, 23 Feb. 2024
The Arizona Republic, 28 Mar. 2024
Layer with chicken tamale mix, cilantro, sour cream, and cheese.
—Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2024
One-time-only events include tamale maker La Patrona popping up at Mount Pleasant taco purveyor La Tejana for a special breakfast menu on March 2 and a Women in Wine and Cheese pairing class at Cork Market on March 30.
—Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024
The free event features live music, Santa Claus, a gift market, a tamale contest and crafts for the kids along with tractor rides.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Dec. 2023
Family dinners featuring housemade tamales and chicken fajitas are a common affair at this East Sacramento restaurant, opened in 2021 by Maria Estela Munoz Martinez.
5100 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento; (916) 662-7099.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 9 Apr. 2024
There will even be a window where guests can watch the staff flip and press freshly homemade corn tortillas and tamales.
—Lily O'Neill, The Denver Post, 2 Apr. 2024
Originally from Texas, Martindale came bearing homemade pico plus tamales like the ones his step-grandma made for holidays.
—Julie Seabaugh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Customers have been known to drive 40 minutes to claim their spot in the busy dining room and indulge in the dry-aged brisket tamales, Flintstones-size beef ribs, and generous helpings of luscious creamed corn and potato salad.
—Kayla Stewart, Bon Appétit, 23 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tamale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Tamale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tamale. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tamale
noun
ta·ma·le
tə-ˈmäl-ē 
: cornmeal dough rolled with ground meat or beans seasoned usually with chili, wrapped in corn husks, and steamed
Geographical Definition
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