Vegetarian Tamale Recipe | Step by Step Instructions

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Tamale are a popular dish from South & Central America and the Caribbean. This is a vegetarian tamale recipe with steamed cornmeal dough stuffed with spinach, corn and bean filling. They are portable and so tasty.

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Tamale is the name that is typically used for a wide group of foods made with masa harina. They are made wrapped in a corn husk or banana leaf and are either steamed or boiled.

These are widely made in South, Central Americas and the Caribbean. They have many different names and are made differently in these countries.

Basically tamale are softly steamed cornmeal (masa) wrapped around a delicious filling. They are portable and are sold as street food in some countries. They are also made as part of a festive meal and served with side dishes.

Recipe is from “Viva Vegan” cookbook. I have changed it a little to make it suitable for my family.

First and foremost thing to know about tamale is that they are time consuming to make. They are a labor of love and will take about 1.5~2 hours minimum to make them.

So make sure you give yourself enough time to make them. Do not start cooking just before lunch or dinner time. Also get somebody to help you and the whole process will be done in a breeze.

I have tried to break down the recipe, so it is easy to follow. Also I have included some advance planning tips below which makes it easier and faster.

Ingredients

There are some specific ingredients that you need to make this recipe.

To make the dough for the crust:

Mexican-style Masa Harina – a traditional flour that is used to make corn tortillas and other Mexican dishes. It is made from a dough made specially from treated corn. Read this ‘what is masa harina?‘ article from How Stuff works? for more information.

So in the supermarket, look for instant masa harina. MASECA is a common brand found in the US. When in doubt, check to see if it is made in Mexico or Central America and you are good to go.

Vegan Shortening & Vegan Margarine – Traditionally, masa dough is made with lard. But this recipe uses vegan alternates making it 100%Vegan but equally delicious.

You also need: Vegetable broth, garlic powder, salt and baking powder

Corn Husks – these are available in most well-stocked grocery stores. Buy the largest, cleanest looking husks packed in neat bundles.

For the Filling – I used frozen spinach, onion, peppers, frozen black beans & corn. Flavored it with garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Feel free to add cheese as well.

Instructions

Prep the Corn Husks: Dried corn husks need to be soaked in warm water prior to using to make them soft & pliable. Fill a deep pan with warm water and soak the dried husks for 15~20 minutes.

Once the husks are ready, then drain and keep them ready.

Start by making the filling: Saute the veggies in a little bit of oil until cooked through.

Make the dough: Beat shortening and margarine with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the masa harina, flavorings and baking powder.

Pour warm vegetable broth and beat until the liquid is absorbed and the dough is fluffy. Dough should be moist like mashed potatoes and should be easily spreadable.

Make Tamale – Method 1: Take a soaked corn husk and spread a ¼ cup of dough down the center about 5″ long and 3″ wide and ½” thick. Spoon a generous 2 tablespoons of filling along the center of the dough.

Next grab the edges of the corn husk and bring the dough edges together. Push the sides of the masa dough together to encase the filling. Gently press to form a firm, solid tube shape. Twist the ends using a piece of corn husk strip.

Method 2: Instead of spreading the dough in the center, spread in the top half of the corn husk. Place the filling and push the sides of the masa dough together to encase the filling. Fold the corn husk into a tube and turn the bottom part over.

Steam: Once all the vegetarian tamale are filled and ready to go, it is time to steam them. You can use a steamer or an instant pot to do that. Instructions for steamer are in the recipe card.

Making Tamale in Instant Pot

Instant Pot definitely makes steaming tamale faster and more efficient. I used my 6 quart instant pot. You might have to steam them in batches.

Add about 1 cup of water in the instant pot container. Place the prepared tamale in a steamer basket. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Let the pressure reduce naturally.

How do you know when Tamale is ready?

Fully cooked tamale dough should be tender but solid and not wet. Peel the corn husk back to check.

How to Serve & Store Tamale?

These vegetarian tamale are best served hot with salsa or chile sauce with beans, rice or salad on the side. You can either serve them with the corn husk or unwrap them before serving.

Tamale freeze perfectly. Make sure to completely cool them in their husks. Wrap them in foil or plastic wrap individually. Then store them in a plastic bag until ready to serve.

Warm them briefly in the microwave before serving.

Vegetarian Tamale filling ideas

Here are some ideas for the fillings:

• Black beans & roasted sweet potato
• Black beans & Cheese
• Spinach & mushrooms

Tips

• Never, ever start making tamale just before meal time. These require some preparation and cooking time, so make sure you give yourself enough time to make them.
• Look for MASECA brand instant masa harina. When in doubt, check where it is made or imported from – it should be from Mexico (or Central America). Do not buy masarepa from Colombia or Venezuela.
• Set up an assembly line, so it is easy and stress-free to make this recipe.
• Soak more husks than you need for the recipe because there might be rips and tears. Also you need a few extra to line the steamer basket and tie the tamale.
• Dough should be cooked as soon as it is made.
• Cooked tamale can be frozen for up to 3~4 months. Simply microwave until heated through before serving.

More Mexican dishes to try

• Grilled Corn Salad
• Vegan Mexican Quinoa bowl
• Torta
• Spicy Mexican Home Fries

Vegetarian Tamales with Spinach, Corn and Cheese Filling

Pavani

Recipe to make vegan tamale with steamed cornmeal dough stuffed with spinach, corn and bean filling. They are portable and so tasty.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hr

Cook Time 1 hr 30 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 24 Tamale

Calories 104 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 24~30 Corn Husks

For the Filling:

• 1 tablespoon Oil
• 1 Small Onion, chopped
• 2~3 Garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 cup Frozen Spinach, thawed
• 1 cup Corn kernels, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup Cooked Black Beans
• 1 Small Green Pepper, chopped
• ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
• ½ teaspoon Chili powder
• To taste Salt & Pepper

For the Vegan Masa Dough:

• 1¾ cups Mexican masa harina
• ¼ cup Non-hydrogenated Vegetable Shortening
• ¼ cup Non-hydrogenated vegan Margarine
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• 1½ cups Vegetable stock

Instructions

 

Prepare the Corn Husks.

• Dried corn husks need to be soaked in warm water prior to using to make them soft & pliable. Fill a deep pan with warm water and soak the dried husks for 15~20 minutes.
• Soak more husks than you need for the recipe because there might be rips and tears and also you need a few extra to line the steamer basket and tie the tamales. Once the husks are ready, then drain and keep them ready.

Prepare the Filling:

• Heat oil in a saute pan on medium heat, add the onions and cook till they translucent. Stir in the garlic cloves and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
• Add green pepper, corn and spinach. Cook covered till the veggies are tender, about 3~5 minutes.
• Stir in cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Mix well and turn off the heat.

Prepare the steaming equipment:

• Set up the steaming basket. Fill the pot with 2~3″ of water, or whatever level will stay below the steamer basket. Line the steamer basket with a few corn husks and keep ready.

Prepare the Masa dough:

• In a large mixing bowl, with a handheld mixer or in a stand mixer, cream together the shortening and margarine until creamy and light.
• Sift in the masa harina, baking powder, garlic powder and salt, then continue to beat for about 3 minutes, until a sandy looking mixture forms.
• Pour the vegetable stock into the masa mixture and continue to beat until all the liquid is absorbed and a fluffy dough forms, about 5 minutes.
• The tamale dough should have a moist — almost like mashed potato consistency – and should be easily spread with a rubber spatula. If the mixture seems too wet, then sprinkle in another tablespoon or two of masa harina. If too dry, then drizzle a tablespoon of vegetable stock until the desired consistency is reached. Use this dough right away for making tamales.

Assemble the Tamales:

• Once Step 1~4 are done, get ready to make the tamales.
• For each tamale, spread a generous ¼cup of dough down the center of a pliable soaked corn husk, leaving at least 1½” on either end. This will form a oblong of 4~5″ wide and ⅜~½” thick. Spoon 1 generous tablespoon of filling down the center of the tamale dough, then top with a little of the grated cheese.
• Grab both the edges of the corn husk that are not covered with dough. Bring the edges toward each other and push the sides of the masa dough together to encase the filling. Gently press the tamale to form a firm, solid tube shape. Tightly twist each end of the tamale wrapper and tightly tie each end with a soaked corn husk strip. You can even use kitchen twine to tie the tamales.
• About half way through the tamale making, turn the steam basket on and get the water going. So that the steamer will be ready for you when the tamales are done.

Steaming in a Steamer:

• Fill a large saucepan with 2~3" water. Line the steamer basket with a few soaked corn husks. Set the tamales upright in the basket, starting from the sides of the basket and working inward. Top with any leftover corn husks.
• Place the steamer basket in the pot, cover and steam for at least 45~55 minutes. Halfway through cooking, make sure to see if the water in the steamer has all evaporated. If it is, then pour water.
• Check one to see if they are done, if not steam for an additional 5~10 minutes.

Steaming in Instant Pot:

• Add about 2 cups of water in the instant pot container. Place the prepared tamale in a steamer basket. Close the lid and put the vent to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Let the pressure reduce naturally.

Notes

• Never, ever start making tamale just before meal time. These require some preparation and cooking time, so make sure you give yourself enough time to make them.
• Look for MASECA brand instant masa harina. When in doubt, check where it is made or imported from – it should be from Mexico (or Central America). Do not buy masarepa from Colombia or Venezuela.
• Set up an assembly line, so it is easy and stress-free to make this recipe.
• Soak more husks than you need for the recipe because there might be rips and tears. Also you need a few extra to line the steamer basket and tie the tamale.
• Dough should be cooked as soon as it is made.
• Cooked tamale can be frozen for up to 3~4 months. Simply microwave until heated through before serving.