Tamale Meatball Recipe

This Tamale Meatball Recipe was a huge hit in my family and will become a weekly staple in our home. It tasted like a meatball, enchiladas, and tamale rapped up in a little ball. I love tamales but it’s a huge process to make them from scratch.

If you don’t know what a tamale is its a Mexican dish of seasoned meat wrapped in cornmeal dough and steamed or baked in corn husks. This is a tamale hack for when you have a craving but don’t want to make them. This is a healthier alternative as well!

After you have prepared the cornbread mix according the directions, let it cool and crumble it in a bowl.

Shape into 1″ balls after you have combined the crumbled cornbread, egg, enchilada sauce, and other seasonings.

I like to use a cookie scoop to help me shape the meatballs. This will help create even meatballs so they cook evenly.

CHEESE!!!!

So delicious!!!! AND they taste just like a tamale but without all of the work!

Tamale Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. “JIFFY” Corn Muffin Mix
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 cans (10 oz.) enchilada sauce (red or green, whatever you like)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. diced onion
• dash pepper
• 1-1/2 lbs. ground beef (you can use and ground meat you like)
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2-1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used a mix of mozzarella and colby jack)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425º, grease 8″ square pan.
• Blend corn muffin mix, 1 egg and milk until well mixed.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake 15-20 minutes.
• Remove from oven, cool and crumble.
• Reduce oven to 350º.
• Combine crumbled cornbread, 1 egg, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, salt, diced onion, pepper, ground beef and garlic powder, mix well.
• Shape into 1″ balls and place in 13″x9″ baking pan.
• Bake uncovered 35 minutes.
• In a sauce pan, heat remaining enchilada sauce.
• Top cooked meatballs with sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Return to oven until cheese melts.