Few dishes capture the spirit and tradition of Mexican cuisine quite like tamales. Wrapped in corn husks and steamed to perfection, tamales are more than just a meal—they’re a celebration of heritage, family, and flavor. With ancient roots tracing back to Mesoamerican civilizations, tamales have remained a central dish in Mexican homes for generations, often reserved for holidays, celebrations, and large family gatherings.
Making tamales at home may seem intimidating at first glance, but once you understand the process, it becomes a deeply rewarding (and even fun) culinary ritual. From preparing the masa (corn dough) to filling and wrapping each tamal with care, this dish invites you to slow down and savor both the process and the results. While fillings vary—from shredded chicken in red chile to sweet tamales with raisins and cinnamon—the heart of the dish remains the same: warmth, comfort, and flavor in every bite.
In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to make classic Mexican tamales from scratch. Whether you’re cooking for a holiday, a potluck, or just to honor the rich flavors of Mexican cuisine, this recipe will walk you through every step, making it approachable for beginners and satisfying for experienced cooks alike.
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Best Time to Eat & What to Serve with Tamales
Tamales are traditionally enjoyed during breakfast or lunch, especially around Christmas, Día de los Muertos, Las Posadas, or family celebrations. However, they make a comforting and hearty dish any time of day. They reheat beautifully, making them a favorite for leftovers and next-day snacks.
For a full meal experience, pair tamales with Mexican hot chocolate or atole (a warm corn-based drink), especially during colder months. For savory versions, serve them with refried beans, fresh salsa, guacamole, or a simple side salad with lime dressing. Sweet tamales go wonderfully with café de olla (Mexican spiced coffee) or even a glass of horchata.
Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply bringing a piece of Mexico into your kitchen, homemade tamales offer a delicious, comforting reminder of the power of tradition—and the joy of food made with love.
In many mainstream recipes, tamales get watered down—both literally and culturally. Quick versions often skip vital steps, like whipping the masa for fluffiness or using fresh corn husks. Some even recommend canned fillings or instant dough, stripping away the depth and texture that make tamales authentic. Speed has replaced soul.
Even worse, mass-market food companies and restaurant chains have turned tamales into a “Mexican flavor” gimmick—ignoring regional differences and erasing Indigenous and local influences. In reality, tamales vary wildly across Mexico: from sweet pineapple versions in the Yucatán to banana-leaf wrapped Oaxacan tamales, each style tells a different story. But you’d never know that from the commercialized, one-size-fits-all versions out there.
Respecting tamales means more than just cooking them. It means recognizing where they come from—and who’s been left out of the conversation. To truly appreciate this dish, we have to look beyond convenience and reconnect with its cultural roots. That’s where the real flavor lives.
How to Make Tamales
Tamales Recipe Ingredients
For the Dough (Masa):
2 cups masa (corn dough flour for tamales)
2 cups warm chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup lard or vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
For the Filling:
2 cups cooked, shredded pork, beef, or chicken (can be seasoned with chili sauce or salsa for extra flavor)
Red or green salsa to taste
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Step By Step How to Make Tamales
Step 1 – Prepare Corn Husks
Submerge dried corn husks in warm water for about an hour until they are soft and pliable. This makes them easier to fold and prevents tearing.
Step 2 – Make the Masa
In a large bowl, combine masa flour, baking powder and salt. Add the lard or shortening and mix with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually pour in warm broth, continuing to mix until the dough is homogenous and soft. The texture should be similar to soft cookie dough; if it’s too dry, add more broth.
Step 3 – Prepare the Filling
Cook or Reheat Filling: Use pre-cooked meat. You can mix it with red or green salsa to keep it moist and flavorful.
Step 4 – Assemble Tamales
Take a corn husk, pat it dry, and spread about 2-3 tablespoons of masa evenly across the wider end, leaving some space at the edges. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of your filling into the center of the masa.
Fold one side of the husk to the center over the filling, then fold the other side over the first (like folding a letter), and finally fold up the bottom. You can tie the tamale with a strip of corn husk to secure it if you like.
Step 5 – Cook the Tamales
Stand the tamales upright (open end up) in a steamer basket. Fill the bottom of the steamer with water, making sure it doesn’t touch the tamales. Cover the top with more corn husks, and then cover the steamer.
Steam for About 1 to 1.5 Hours: Check occasionally to make sure the water hasn’t evaporated. Add more water if necessary. Tamales are done when the masa separates easily from the husks.
Step 6 – Serving
Let the tamales rest a few minutes after steaming. Serve warm with additional salsa, guacamole or crema.
Tips To Make Tamales
It’s crucial that the masa is the right consistency, neither too dry nor too sticky. It might take a few tries to get the amount of filling and masa just right in each tamale. Tamales are labor-intensive, so they are typically made in large batches and are perfect for freezing for later consumption.
How Many Calories Have Tamales
The masa for one tamale can contain about 150-200 calories. Pork Filling is about 150-200 calories and ingredients such as cheese, salsas, or other fillings will increase the calorie count.
A typical pork tamale would be 300 to 400 calories.
Origin and History
Tamales trace their roots back thousands of years to ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, where they served as portable meals for hunters, travelers, and warriors. The Maya, Aztecs, and Olmecs all prepared early versions of tamales, using corn masa wrapped in leaves and steamed to create a nourishing, transportable dish. Tamales were more than food—they were symbols of community, survival, and agricultural abundance.
As corn became central to Indigenous culture and spirituality, tamales took on ceremonial significance. They were offered in religious rituals, prepared for harvest celebrations, and shared during community gatherings. The fillings varied widely—everything from turkey to beans to squash—depending on region, season, and social status. This diversity laid the foundation for the countless tamale traditions that exist today.
When Spanish colonizers arrived, they introduced new ingredients like pork, lard, and spices, which blended with Indigenous techniques. Over centuries, tamales evolved into the dish we recognize now: a celebration of Mexico’s layered history. Today, they remain a cornerstone of Mexican food culture, prepared with intention and shared during holidays, family events, and everyday meals.
One of the biggest misunderstandings about tamales is that they are quick or simple to prepare. Outside Mexico, many recipes oversimplify the process, skipping essential steps like properly whipping the masa or seasoning the dough. Traditional cooks argue that shortcuts undermine the texture, moisture, and flavor that define a truly great tamal.
Another ongoing debate concerns fillings. Many Americanized versions use overly cheesy mixtures or trendy ingredients that stray far from regional traditions. While creativity isn’t wrong, purists argue that tamales have deep cultural meaning, and turning them into novelty dishes dilutes their heritage. The tension lies between preservation and innovation, and both sides feel strongly about what qualifies as “real” tamales.
There’s also controversy about who gets to represent tamale culture. As the dish becomes more globally popular, some chefs profit from modern interpretations without acknowledging its Indigenous origins. For many Mexicans, tamales are more than a recipe—they’re the product of family history, collective memory, and centuries of tradition. This makes respectful representation essential.
How Long You Take to Prepare
Preparing tamales is a labor of love, and the process typically takes several hours. Making the masa alone can take 30 to 45 minutes, especially if you’re whipping it by hand until it becomes light, airy, and fluffy—an essential step many recipes skip. Proper masa should feel soft and elastic, not dense or crumbly.
The filling preparation adds another one to two hours, depending on what you’re making. Slow-cooked pork, chicken in red or green salsa, or vegetarian fillings like beans or chiles all require time to develop deep flavor. Meanwhile, the husks or banana leaves must be soaked, cleaned, and prepared for wrapping.
Assembling and steaming the tamales takes the longest. Filling, folding, and arranging them in a steamer can take over an hour, especially for beginners. Steaming usually requires at least 90 minutes, sometimes two hours. Altogether, from start to finish, a proper tamale-making session can take half a day—but the communal process is just as important as the final dish.
Serving Suggestions
Tamales are traditionally served with simple sides that highlight their rich flavors. A spoonful of salsa roja or salsa verde adds brightness and acidity, balancing the richness of the masa. Many families also serve them with crema, pickled onions, or sliced avocado for added freshness.
For celebrations, tamales are often paired with atole or champurrado, warm corn-based drinks flavored with cinnamon or chocolate. These comforting beverages complement the tamales and reflect centuries-old culinary traditions. This combination is especially popular during Christmas, Día de la Candelaria, and other festive gatherings.
If you want a more modern serving style, tamales pair nicely with fresh salads or roasted vegetables to lighten the meal. You can also offer a variety of salsas—smoky, spicy, tangy—to let guests personalize their tamale experience. No matter how you serve them, the key is to respect the tamal as the centerpiece.
Final Thoughts
Tamales endure because they represent more than food they embody family, tradition, and cultural memory. Every step, from preparing the masa to wrapping the husks, carries meaning and connects generations. When you eat a tamal, you’re tasting history, craftsmanship, and community all in one bite.
Many recipes outside Mexico lose sight of this heritage, treating tamales like a trendy street food rather than a deeply rooted tradition. Reconnecting with authentic techniques not only improves flavor; it honors the people who preserved this dish through centuries of change. Authenticity isn’t about perfection it’s about intention.
If you’ve only tried quick or simplified versions, making tamales the right way will change your understanding of Mexican cuisine. The process is long, but the reward is profound. Once you taste a properly made tamal fluffy masa, rich filling, perfect balance you’ll understand why tamales truly are the soul of Mexican food.
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues sharing his travel experiences with his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.