What to Serve with Tamales: 15 Sides, Sauces & Drinks
What to Serve with Tamales: 15 Perfect Sides, Sauces & Drinks
Tamales are satisfying enough to eat on their own, but the right sides, sauces, and drinks can turn a plate of tamales into a complete meal that feels intentional and cohesive. Whether you're building a weeknight dinner, a holiday spread, or a casual party buffet, the goal is the same: complement the rich, corn-based masa without overwhelming it.
Below you'll find 15 pairings organized by category — traditional New Mexican sides, fresh and light options, sauces and toppings, and drinks — plus three complete menu ideas you can copy directly. Everything is designed to pair with our Hatch Chile tamales, but these combinations work with any style of tamale.
Traditional New Mexican Sides
These are the dishes that have been served alongside tamales in New Mexico for generations. They're hearty, deeply flavored, and built around the same pantry staples — corn, beans, chile, and rice — that define Southwest cuisine.
1. 🍲 Hatch Green Chile Stew (Posole's Cousin)
Traditional Comfort FoodThe quintessential tamale companion in New Mexico. A brothy stew loaded with pork, potatoes, and roasted Hatch Green Chile. The liquid warmth of the stew contrasts with the dense, masa-wrapped tamale in exactly the right way. Our Hatch Green Chile Stew ships frozen alongside our tamales — heat both and dinner is done.
2. 🫘 Refried Beans
Traditional QuickCreamy pinto beans, mashed and fried with a little lard or oil, are the most classic side for tamales across the entire Southwest. The mild, earthy beans balance the chile heat and add protein. Top with crumbled cotija cheese for texture. Canned refried beans work fine for a weeknight; homemade from dried pintos is worth the effort for holiday meals.
3. 🍚 Spanish Rice (Arroz Rojo)
Traditional QuickTomato-tinted rice cooked with onion, garlic, and chicken broth. The mild sweetness and slight acidity of the tomato acts as a palate cleanser between bites of rich, chile-laden tamale. Keep it simple — the tamales are the star.
4. 🥣 Posole
Traditional Comfort FoodA hearty hominy stew made with red or green chile and pork. In New Mexico, posole and tamales are the two cornerstones of the Christmas dinner table — they're almost always served together. Posole takes hours to make from scratch but is worth the effort for holiday gatherings. Top with shredded cabbage, radish slices, oregano, and a squeeze of lime.
Fresh & Light Sides
Tamales are rich by nature — the masa contains lard or oil, and the fillings are seasoned and hearty. A fresh, bright side dish cuts through that richness and keeps the meal from feeling heavy.
5. 🥑 Guacamole
Fresh QuickCool, creamy guacamole is a natural match for the warm, spicy kick of Hatch Chile tamales. The fat from the avocado tames the heat, while the lime and cilantro add brightness. Serve it as a topping spooned directly onto the tamale or as a side with chips for scooping between bites.
6. 🍅 Pico de Gallo
Fresh QuickDiced tomato, white onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. The acidity and crunch of a good pico de gallo is the perfect textural contrast to soft, steamy tamales. Spoon it on top or serve on the side. Either way, the freshness lifts the entire plate.
7. 🥗 Citrus-Dressed Green Salad
FreshA simple green salad with romaine or mixed greens, dressed with a lime or orange vinaigrette. Add sliced radishes, thinly sliced red onion, toasted pepitas, and crumbled queso fresco for a salad that feels like it belongs at the table rather than as an afterthought. The citrus acidity and crisp greens are a welcome counterpoint to the corn-and-chile richness of the tamales.
8. 🌽 Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
Fresh TraditionalGrilled corn on the cob slathered with mayo or crema, dusted with chile powder and cotija cheese, and finished with a squeeze of lime. It's corn-on-corn with tamales, but the flavors and textures are so different that they complement each other beautifully. Esquites (off-the-cob in a cup) is the easier-to-eat party version.
9. 🥒 Quick-Pickled Red Onions & Jalapeños
Fresh QuickThinly sliced red onion and jalapeño rings soaked in lime juice, white vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and salt for 30 minutes. The tangy, slightly sweet crunch acts as a palate reset and pairs especially well with the richer Red Chile Pork Tamales. Takes 5 minutes to prep.
Sauces & Toppings
In New Mexico, tamales are rarely eaten plain. They're smothered, topped, and dressed with layers of sauce, cheese, and garnishes. Here are the most popular ways to finish a tamale.
10. 🌶️ Hatch Chile Sauce (Red, Green, or "Christmas")
TraditionalUnwrap your tamales, plate them, and ladle Hatch chile sauce over the top. Red chile sauce on the pork tamales, green chile sauce on the chicken tamales, or go "Christmas" and pour both. This is the most authentic New Mexican way to serve tamales and the one you'll see in every restaurant from Las Cruces to Santa Fe.
11. 🧀 Melted Cheese & Crema
Comfort Food QuickAfter smothering with sauce, top with shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a blend and broil until bubbly. Finish with a drizzle of Mexican crema or a dollop of sour cream. The Green Chile Cheese Tamales are especially good this way — cheese inside and cheese on top.
12. 🫒 Simple Garnishes
Quick FreshSometimes a tamale just needs a few finishing touches: sliced avocado, a sprinkle of chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime, crumbled cotija cheese, and your favorite hot sauce. These quick garnishes add color, freshness, and a hit of acidity without competing with the chile flavor.
Drinks That Pair with Tamales
13. 🍺 Mexican Lager or Amber Ale
DrinkA cold, crisp Mexican lager (Modelo Especial, Pacifico, Negra Modelo) is the go-to beer pairing. The light body and carbonation cut through the richness of the masa without competing with the chile heat. For craft beer drinkers, an amber ale or Vienna lager hits similar notes with a little more malt character.
14. 🍷 Dry Rosé or Tempranillo
DrinkWine with tamales works better than most people expect. A dry rosé matches the green chile chicken and cheese tamales beautifully — the fruit and acidity play well with the roasted green chile. For the red chile pork tamales, try a medium-bodied Tempranillo or Garnacha whose earthy, slightly spicy notes mirror the dried chile flavors.
15. ☕ Champurrado, Atole, or Mexican Hot Chocolate
Drink TraditionalThe most traditional tamale pairing — especially during the holidays — is a warm, thick corn-based drink. Champurrado is a chocolate-flavored atole made with masa harina, piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), cinnamon, and Mexican chocolate. It sounds unusual if you haven't tried it, but the warm, slightly grainy sweetness pairs with tamales the same way hot chocolate pairs with toast. For a simpler option, Mexican hot chocolate (with cinnamon and a touch of chile) or café de olla (piloncillo-sweetened coffee with cinnamon) works just as well.
3 Complete Tamale Menu Ideas
Frequently Asked Questions
Do tamales need sauce?
They don't need sauce, but most New Mexicans would say they're better with it. Our tamales are well-seasoned and flavorful on their own, but smothering them in Hatch chile sauce — red, green, or both — is the traditional way they're served in restaurants and homes across the state. At minimum, have some hot sauce or salsa on the table.
What's the best side dish for a tamale dinner?
Refried beans and Spanish rice is the most popular and traditional combination. If you want something lighter, a citrus-dressed green salad or guacamole works well. For holidays, Hatch Green Chile Stew or posole alongside tamales is the gold standard in New Mexico.
What goes well with tamales for breakfast?
Leftover tamales reheated on a comal or skillet (for charred, crispy edges) are a popular breakfast in New Mexico. Serve alongside scrambled eggs, refried beans, and a cup of coffee. You can also unwrap a tamale onto a plate, top with a fried egg and red or green chile sauce for a New Mexican breakfast plate.
What vegetables go with tamales?
Corn (elote or esquites), roasted calabacitas (zucchini with corn and green chile), a green salad, or quick-pickled vegetables all pair well. Tamales are corn-based, so vegetables that are bright, acidic, or crunchy tend to create the best contrast — think tomatoes, radishes, lime-dressed cabbage, and pickled onions.
Can I make a tamale dinner ahead of time?
Yes — tamales are one of the best make-ahead meals. Our frozen tamales keep for months in the freezer. Refried beans, rice, and chile sauce can all be made a day ahead and reheated. Pico de gallo can be prepped the same day and refrigerated until serving. For holiday dinners, this prep-ahead approach means you're heating, not cooking, on the day of the event.
Build Your Tamale Dinner
Start with our handmade Hatch Chile tamales, add our green chile stew, pick up some salsas — and dinner is done. All frozen, all shipped on dry ice.
Shop Hatch Chile Tamales →