These breakfast tamales are the perfect way to transform your extra tamales into a hearty, mouthwatering meal. With crispy tamales, creamy refried beans, sunny side-up eggs, and all your favorite toppings, this dish will make you look forward to mornings.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s had a few extra tamales hanging around after a big dinner. When you’ve had a meal full of tamales, you know the next day’s breakfast just has to be something special.
Fried breakfast tamales are a staple in many Mexican households, including mine. They’re also a popular treat at food stalls in the tianguis, where you can find them alongside other street food favorites.
Here’s how to make them at home and enjoy their satisfying and comforting flavors we love!
How To Make Breakfast Tamales
Start by heating a little bit of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Once the pan is nice and hot, grab your leftover tamales (the ones you’ve been holding onto, I know they’re delicious!) and peel off the husks.
Add them to the pan, laying them flat. Let them sizzle away until the outside gets a little crispy and golden-brown while the inside heats up.
You want that perfect crispy outer layer, so give them a few minutes on each side—just enough to make them warm all the way through. The crispy bits add so much flavor, trust me!
While your tamales are crisping up, it’s time to cook the eggs! I love sunny side-up eggs for this dish, but if you prefer your eggs another way, go for it!
Heat a separate pan over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Crack the eggs gently into the pan and cook them until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny (unless you’re more of a scrambled egg person—no judgment!).
TOP TIP: If you want to get a little fancy, you can spoon a bit of the hot oil from the tamale’s pan over the eggs to give them a little extra flavor.
Next, grab your refried beans and give them a quick reheat. You can do this in the microwave or on the stove, depending on your vibe.
I like to add a small splash of water to the beans to make them extra creamy while they heat.
Also, if you want to keep things extra simple, you can just leave the salsa at room temperature while you prep everything else, or you can warm it up for a bit of extra comfort.
Once everything is nice and hot, grab two tamales and place them on a plate. You want to make sure they’re looking all crispy and golden from the pan—yum!
Spoon some of those creamy, reheated refried beans onto the plate as well. I love to spread them out, so there’s a little bit of everything in each bite!
Now comes the fun part—topping everything! Drizzle a generous amount of salsa over the tamales. If you like a little kick, don’t be shy!
Place two of your perfectly fried eggs right on top of the tamales, letting the yolks sit pretty on the warm, crispy layers below.
Sprinkle crumbled queso fresco all over everything—there’s no such thing as too much queso fresco in my book!
Finish it all off with a nice dollop (or more, if you’re feeling indulgent) of Mexican crema or sour cream. I love how it adds that creamy, tangy finish that makes the whole dish sing.
Serve these bad boys hot and fresh, right out of the pan with a cup of cafe de olla.
There’s nothing better than digging into a plate full of crispy tamales, creamy beans, eggs, and all the toppings.
Perfect for breakfast, or really anytime you’re craving comfort food with a little extra zing.
Prep Ahead
If you want to make these breakfast tamales ahead of time, it’s totally doable and can make your mornings even easier.
Tamales, especially leftover ones, freeze beautifully! So, when you’re ready to use them, just take them out the night before and let them thaw in the fridge, the next morning they’ll be ready to pan-fry.
As for the salsa, it’s another thing you can prepare ahead. The salsa flavors really marry and deepen as they sit, so don’t be afraid to make it a day or two ahead.
It’s nice to have these little shortcuts in your back pocket, so when you’re ready to serve your breakfast tamales, all you have to do is heat, fry the eggs, and assemble. It’s the perfect way to enjoy this dish with minimal stress, but still with all the comfort and love!
More Breakfast Recipes
Did you enjoy my breakfast tamales recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out! You can also subscribe to my newsletter and follow this blog on Pinterest.
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Breakfast Tamales
Ingredients
- 4 savory tamales (use leftovers —chicken, beef, pork, vegetarian, etc.)
- 4 medium eggs
- 1 cup refried beans
- salsa (read notes)
- queso fresco (as much as you want)
- Mexican crema or sour cream (as much as you want)
- olive oil (as needed)
Instructions
- Heat a bit of oil in a pan over medium heat. Add tamales without the husks and heat until slightly crispy on the outside and heated through on the inside.
- While the tamales are reheating, make your sunny side-up eggs and reheat the refried beans. You can also heat a bit the salsa or leave it at room temperature if you prefer.
- Place a tamal on each plate with a side of refried beans.
- Drizzle generously with the salsa and place a fried egg on top.
- Finish with queso fresco and crema as toppings and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use any type of leftover tamales such as chicken tamales, ground beef tamales, or even vegetarian tamales.
- If you prefer a different egg style, feel free to scramble them instead of frying sunny side up.
- Refried beans can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a week.
- I used this roasted salsa recipe, but feel free to use your favorite type of salsa.
I bought canned tamales in Costco some days ago and didn’t know what to do with them. I tried your recipe and loved it. They’re fulfilling for sure because I served two tamale and it was a bit too much for me but my husband devoured them.