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The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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499 | Calories |
36g | Fat |
39g | Carbs |
10g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 15 to 20 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 499 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 36g | 46% |
Saturated Fat 13g | 66% |
Cholesterol 41mg | 14% |
Sodium 393mg | 17% |
Total Carbohydrate 39g | 14% |
Dietary Fiber 6g | 23% |
Total Sugars 4g | |
Protein 10g | |
Vitamin C 20mg | 98% |
Calcium 206mg | 16% |
Iron 4mg | 23% |
Potassium 481mg | 10% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Tamales come in all shapes and sizes, and with all sorts of fillings. Eaten throughout Latin America in endless varieties, they're a great option for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. These flavorful tamales are made with sweet corn, cream cheese, and spicy chile peppers. Although most tamales you might find in stores have meat in them (pork, chicken, or a combination of beef, chicken, and pork), this recipe offers a vegetarian option if you replace lard with vegetable shortening, and use water instead of chicken broth.
Even though making tamales is somewhat time consuming, it isn't difficult. It may take you a little while to get the hang of assembling the first few, but after you catch on, you'll have a whole batch ready in no time.
This recipe makes a lot of tamales, so you can freeze some in individual resealable bags once cold, and steam when ready to eat, or you can cut the recipe in half. Either way, you'll need masa—find it in the baking aisle, online, or in Latin markets.
“A wonderfully tasty vegetarian style meal if you’re willing to put in the hours to complete it! Honestly, as intimidating as the commitment might seem, making the recipe is rather straightforward so don’t get scared by it.” —Noah Velush-Rogers
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Ingredients
For the Cheese Filling:
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16 ounces fresh or frozen corn kernels
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3 ounces fresh green chile peppers, diced
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16 ounces queso fresco, shredded
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4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
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2 tablespoons chili powder, more to taste
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2 tablespoons ground cumin, divided
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1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
For the Tamales:
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40 dried corn husks
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6 cups masa harina, more as needed
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5 cups warm water, or low-sodium chicken broth, more as needed
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1 teaspoon ground chile pepper
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3 tablespoons onion powder
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2 cups lard, preferably pork
For Serving:
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Pico de gallo, to taste
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Avocado slices, to taste
Steps to Make It
Make the Filling
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Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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In a large bowl, place the corn kernels and the diced chile peppers.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Add the queso fresco cheese, cream cheese, chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Mix the ingredients thoroughly with a large spoon.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to use.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Prepare the Corn Husks
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Go through the corn husks, removing any debris. Separate the larger usable pieces from the smaller bits and pieces.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Place all the usable husks (whole leaves, without tears) into a large bowl. Cover with warm water. Place a heavy plate on top of the husks to keep them submerged.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Soak the husks until they have rehydrated and become pliable, about 1 hour or more.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Remove the husks from the water and pat dry.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Place them into a covered dish or a large plastic bag to prevent them from drying out. Use only the larger and medium-sized husks to wrap the tamales; the smaller ones can be used for ties or patches.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Make the Dough
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In a large bowl combine the masa harina and warm water. Stir gently to combine. Let the it sit until the masa softens, about 20 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Vigorously stir the masa mixture with a wooden spoon or with an electric mixer on low speed until a dough forms. You can also use your hands, in the traditional way, to mix well, ensuring that there are no dry bits of corn flour left.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Add the chile pepper and onion powder. Sprinkle the remaining 5 teaspoons of cumin and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt over the dough as you mix it.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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In a separate bowl, whisk the lard with by hand or with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Slowly and patiently add the whipped lard to the dough a bit at a time, mixing well until combined and uniform. The masa should be similar in consistency to peanut butter—dense but malleable—and, most importantly, not sticky. Add more masa harina or liquid as necessary until you can press the dough with your open hand, remove it, and not have any dough remaining in your palm.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Assemble the Tamales
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Lay a large hydrated husk on a flat surface.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of dough onto the husk, depending on the size of the husk.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Using the back of a spoon, spread the dough onto the husk, keeping it at an approximately 1/4-inch thickness. Leave a space of about 4 inches from the narrow end of the husk and a space of about 2 inches from the opposite end. Spread the dough up to the edge of one of the long sides and 2 inches away from the opposite long side.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Spread a couple of spoonfuls of filling down the center of the dough with an offset spatula or butter knife, leaving at least 1-inch border of dough around each side.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Locate the long side with the 2-inch space with no masa. Fold that end over, slightly overlapping the other side so the edges of the dough meet.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Wrap an extra husk around the back. Then fold the broad end over the top and then the longer narrow end over the broad end to enclose the dough and filling, making a sealed package.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Cut or tear long 1/4-inch-wide strips using some of the smaller husks. Tie these strips across the middle of each tamale to hold the flaps down.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Repeat the process until you're out of masa and filling.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Cook and Serve
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Before you start the cooking process, check that all the tamales are tightly tied and that there are no large tears or cuts in the husks. If so, use smaller husks to cover the tears up, like a patch, and tie again.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Meanwhile, prepare a large steamer pot with enough boiled water for steaming. Set tamales upright in the steamer and steam for 90 minutes.
Although there are tamale steamers on the market, you can steam them without one by boiling a small amount of water in a large pot and placing a colander or mesh strainer on top, being sure the tamales are not touching the water. Cover the colander with the unused husks and place the tamales on top. Cover with a lid to steam.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Check the steamer pot occasionally to maintain the water level.
Boil water in a kettle to keep on hand to continue to refresh the bottom of the steamer pot with water as necessary.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Once cooked, let tamales cool while covered in the steamer for 1 hour before serving. This time allows the masa to firm up.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Traditionally, tamales are served with the husk. But if you are new to tamales and find them messy, simply unwrap and serve on a plate.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
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Serve with pico de gallo, and avocado slices.
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Tamales 101
If you are new to tamales, here are some basic tips to achieve the best results:
- Buy good masa: Masa harina is widely used in Hispanic recipes and thus easy to find in Hispanic markets and some supermarkets in the U.S. Good masa harina means good tamales.
- Get dirty: By using your hands, you'll get a better sense of the consistency of the masa and will know if it needs more masa harina or liquid.
- Keep it wet: Maintain a bowl of water next to your assembly station, and always have wet hands when handling the masa if you choose to use your hands for assembly. If things get too messy, rinse your hands thoroughly and start again. If the masa is sticking to your hands, add more corn flour, and remember that if it is sticky, it will be impossible to remove from the husk.
- Be patient: The tamales need to cool off after the cooking time has passed. If you try to open one right away, it will stick to the husk and be impossible to open. If you want to check for doneness, give it at least 5 minutes on a plate before opening.