I’m excited to partner with Reynolds Wrap® for this recipe. Tamales are one of my favorite foods, but they take a long time to prepare. Luckily, my easy turkey tamale pie is a breeze to make. The combination of masa dough and a filling is one of the ways a tamale stands out in the culinary world. Tamales can be either sweet or savory with a wide variety of fillings to pair with the masa. As much as I love tamales, I’m not a fan of the time it takes to make them or the mess that ensues by preparing them. That is why I love making my easy turkey tamale pie using Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil for easy clean-up and quick cooking. The new blue box with the same great foil is easy to find at Walmart.
What is a tamale pie?
Traditional tamales consist of a masa dough normally made from corn flour or harina and a yummy filling wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaves, our family normally wraps the prepared tamales in Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil and uses steam to cook them. Making the masa dough and filling the tamales can be a little tricky, messy, and can take hours. The traditional tamale production process can take up a good part of the day and while it is an amazing family team-building exercise for the holidays, sometimes we need a quick, easy way to get the same delicious results; this is where my Turkey Tamale Pie recipe comes in.
My easy turkey tamale pie recipe is a time saver and gives you the same great taste in a fraction of the time with a lot less mess thanks to the use of Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil. In place of traditional masa dough, I use cornbread which gives the tamale pie a similar taste and appearance. The moisture created inside the packet by the salsa & turkey help to soften the cornbread and infuse it with great flavors. The strength of Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil holds up perfectly and helps the cooking process. Using Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil for this recipe is essential because it makes cleanup a breeze and gives me more time to spend with my family.
What other fillings can I use in my tamale pie?
I love using turkey for this recipe but you can easily substitute the turkey with ground beef, chicken, pork, or sausage. Making the tamale pie is a great way to use up holiday leftovers by adding leftover veggies and shredded turkey or ham. The great thing about this recipe is that like a traditional tamale it can be customized to your family’s preferences. Whether we’re making the traditional tamale or taking a shortcut for these turkey tamale pies, we love using Reynolds Wrap®. I normally pick up all my ingredients at Walmart, and now when I’m buying my Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil it’s even easier to find thanks to the new color-coded blue packaging!
Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil Tips & Tricks
- When making your turkey tamale pie packets make sure you tear off a large enough sheet of Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil. Using a sheet that is about 16” should work out perfectly.
- When building the tamale pie keep all the ingredients in the center of the foil.
- Bring up the long sides of the foil, so the ends meet over the food.
- Double fold the ends, leaving room for heat to circulate inside.
- Double fold the two short ends to seal the packet.
Turkey Tamale Pie Packets
Ingredients
- Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty Foil
- 2 lbs ground turkey
- 2 cups corn bread cooked & crumbled
- 1 cup bell peppers diced
- 1 cup queso fresco crumbled
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 tbsp sea salt
Instructions
- Place 4 ounces of ground turkey on a sheet of Reynolds Wrap® Heavy Duty foil. It should be about 16 inches long. Using a fork, mash down the meat gently so it is uniform and about half an inch thick.
- Top the meat with 1/4 cup corn bread, 2 tbsp of salsa, 2 tbsp queso fresco, 2 tbsp bell peppers, and a pinch of sea salt.
- Tightly fold the sides of the foil packet so that the seam is on top and the liquid will not leak out.
- Repeat the process until you’ve used all the ingredients to create more turkey tamale foil packets.
- Place the packets directly in a preheated 350 degree oven or on a preheated grill that has been heated to medium-high (approximately 350 degrees). Cook for about 20 minutes or until the meat is thoroughly cooked.
- Remove the foil packets from the heat and let cool slightly.
- Carefully open and serve hot.
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