10 Ways to Make Tamales With Pork, Chicken, Mushrooms, and More
Nothing beats a homemade tamal.
Tamales are a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa or dough, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. Making homemade tamales can be time-consuming, but the reward is well worth the effort. Fill yours with pork, roasted vegetables, shrimp, or even something sweet for dessert or breakfast. This versatile dish is enjoyed all year round but making tamales is especially popular at Christmastime because of corn’s importance as a substance of life for many cultures. Here are 10 types of tamales, from traditional Mexican tamales to American variations.
Oyster Mushroom Tamales with Mole Encacahuatado
Roasting oyster mushrooms concentrates their flavor for a hearty vegetarian tamal filling. Paired with velvety, intensely aromatic, and deeply savory peanut mole, these tamales satisfy everyone at the table.
Red Shrimp Snacking Tamales
Each two-bite, egg-shaped tamal cradles a shrimp encased in masa seasoned with chiles, garlic, and dried shrimp. You can make these ahead of holiday tamal-making parties to snack on while making main-course tamales with friends.
Banana Leaf-Wrapped Lamb Shank Tamales with Morita Chile Salsa
These smoky braised-lamb tamales get a pop of freshness from bright cilantro-onion relish, while a wrapper of banana leaves perfumes the masa with a softly sweet aroma as they steam.
Coconut Arroz con Leche Tamales
Lightly sweetened coconut rice pudding provides a custardy contrast to the tender masa in these dreamy dessert tamales that also make a festive holiday breakfast.
Chicken Tamales with Tomatillo-Cilantro Salsa
Anna Zepaltas learned to prepare these light and fluffy tamales from her Mexican-born mother. The uncooked tamales can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
Steamed Pork Tamales
New York chef Alex Stupak prepares steamed banana-leaf-wrapped tamales with two variations: fried until crisp (a great trick for reviving leftover steamed ones) and baked as a large pie. This recipe makes enough braised pork filling for both the steamed tamales and one 10-inch tamal pie.
Tamales de Elote
These simple, lightly sweet tamales should be served with a drizzle of crema, a sprinkle of queso fresco, and lime wedges.
Pulled Pork Tamales
Michael Lomonaco's tamales are filled with boneless pork shoulder roast. Grilling experts Cheryl and Bill Jamison add espresso to give the barbecue sauce a deeply rich, complex flavor. It's delicious with smoked or grilled pork, beef, lamb, or duck.
Fried Pork Tamales
Chef Alex Stupak first steams his pork tamales, then dusts them with flour and fries them until they are golden, crispy, and incredible.
Quick Chicken-and-Cheese Tamales
Grace Parisi mixes store-bought rotisserie chicken and cheddar cheese into a quick dough, then she wraps the tamales in plastic before steaming them.
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