Craving tamales? This homemade tamale recipe is a labor of love, but it’s well worth the effort.
How to Make Tamales
You'll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let's go over the basics:
What Is a Tamale?
A tamale is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of filled masa dough steamed in a corn husk. Masa is a maize dough made from ground nixtamalized corn.
Learn more: What Is Masa Harina?
What Are Tamales Made Of?
These tamales consist of a seasoned pork filling in a masa harina dough wrapped in dried corn husks. The finished tamales are topped with a homemade chile sauce.
Cook’s Note
The pork can be replaced with either chicken or beef.
How to Cook Tamales
Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this homemade tamale recipe: :
- Cook the pork.
- Make the sauce.
- Mix the pork with ½ of the sauce.
- Soak the husks and make the dough.
- Spread the dough over the dried husks.
- Dollop the filling onto the dough.
- Fold the tamales.
- Steam the tamales.
- Remove the husks.
- Top with the sauce and sour cream (or mix them together for a creamy sauce).
How Long Do Tamales Take to Cook?
All in all, these tamales take about 3 hours and 30 minutes to make: Reserve about 30 minutes for prep, two hours for cooking the pork, and one hour for steaming.
How to Eat Tamales
The corn husks serve a few purposes when it comes to making tamales: They hold them together during cooking, keep the dough from drying out, and ensure the steaming process goes perfectly. However, you shouldn’t eat them. The corn husks should be discarded after eating.
What to Serve with Tamales
Recipe creator SADDIECAT suggests serving the pork tamales with refried beans and a salad. For more delicious inspiration, explore our entire collection of Mexican Side Dish Recipes.
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
How Long Do Tamales Last In the Fridge?
Allow the tamales to cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
How to Reheat Tamales
The best way to reheat tamales is to steam them. You can also reheat them in the oven, in an air fryer, or in the microwave.
Can You Freeze Tamales?
Yes! Tamales freeze well. Freeze them for up to six months and thaw them in the refrigerator overnight.
Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
“Helpful hint: Put a couple pennies in the bottom of the steamer,” says Susan Baer. “When your water level is too low you’ll hear the pennies rattling. Time to add more water.”
“100% worth the time and effort,” raves Cora Van Dyk. “I made double since tamales freeze well for quick lunches.”
“This is my go-to tamale recipe,” according to JENNA B. “I do add spices (cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder, and garlic) to the masa dough and the filling for more flavor.”
Editorial contributions by Corey Williams
Ingredients
Filling:
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1 ¼ pounds pork loin
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1 large onion, halved
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1 clove garlic
Chile Sauce:
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4 dried chile peppers
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2 cups water
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1 ½ teaspoons salt
Husks and Dough:
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1 (8 ounce) package dried corn husks
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⅔ cup lard
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1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth, or as needed
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2 cups masa harina
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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½ teaspoon salt
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1 cup sour cream
Directions
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Gather all ingredients.
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Make the filling: Place pork, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until pork is cooked through, about 2 hours.
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Meanwhile, make chile sauce: Use rubber gloves to remove stems and seeds from chiles. Place chiles in a saucepan with 2 cups water. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
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Transfer chiles and cooking water to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain mixture into a bowl and stir in salt. Set aside.
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Shred cooked pork and mix in 1 cup chile sauce. Reserve remaining sauce for serving.
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Prepare husks and dough: Soak corn husks in a bowl of warm water until softened, about 30 minutes.
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While the husks are soaking, beat lard with 1 tablespoon broth until fluffy.
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Combine masa harina, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl; stir into the lard mixture, adding more broth as needed to form a spongy dough.
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Remove husks from water and pat dry. Spread dough out over husks to 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick.
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Place 1 tablespoon pork filling over center of each. Fold the sides, top, and bottom of each husk in toward the center to enclose dough.
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Arrange tamales in a steamer basket. Place over simmering water and steam for 1 hour.
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Remove tamales from husks. Drizzle with remaining chile sauce and top with sour cream, or mix sour cream into chile sauce first for a creamy sauce.
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Serve with your favorites sides, enjoy!
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 246 | Calories |
| 15g | Fat |
| 16g | Carbs |
| 12g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 16 | |
| Calories 246 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 15g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol 45mg | 15% |
| Sodium 387mg | 17% |
| Total Carbohydrate 16g | 6% |
| Dietary Fiber 2g | 5% |
| Total Sugars 2g | |
| Protein 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin C 1mg | 2% |
| Calcium 61mg | 5% |
| Iron 2mg | 9% |
| Potassium 242mg | 5% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
