Healthy Tamales Recipe

Looking for a healthier way to make Tamales?

This is really an excellent option to make a low-fat version of tamales for those of you that for dietary reasons, or because lard is not sold in your area, or simply is a personal preference not to eat pork or pork products.  My family loves these tamales, and they don’t even notice the difference. Really, it all depends on how good is the chicken broth you use to flavor the dough.

Healthy Tamales

My friend Xochitl shared with me this recipe a long time ago. I met her while I was a member of a cooking forum, and before I had this blog. The original recipe is for a larger quantity of tamales that was shared by another of the members. The funny thing is that a couple of years ago, a reader requested a recipe low in fat, I sent her
this oil version for tamales, and months later she wrote back telling me that she was selling oil tamales. So, give this recipe a try and enjoy!

How to make Healthy Tamales Recipe

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

DIRECTIONS:

• In a large pot, place the cornhusks and cover with hot water to soften them. Leave there for at least 30 minutes. Drain and reserve. (Please check the ingredients list below)
• In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients, and stir in the vegetable oil. Pour the warm chicken broth and mix with a spatula until you form a dough with a creamy texture, similar to soft ice cream. If the dough doesn’t look as creamy as in the picture, add a little more broth, a tablespoon at the time.

• Spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough on the corn husk using a spoon or spatula. Top with 2 tablespoons of the filling. Fold one left side of the husk to the center and then the right side to the center. Finally, fold the end toward the center of the tamal. Place the tamal on a tray while you finish assembling the rest.
• Now, get your steamer ready adding a couple of hot cups of water and line the steamer rack with corn husks. If you don’t have a steamer, place loose pieces of aluminum foil at the bottom of the pot to function as a steamer rack.
• Place the tamales standing up, cover with the rest of the corn husk, a clean dishtowel, and the pot lid.
• Cook for 60 minutes to 75 minutes over medium heat. While cooking, add more hot water to the pot if needed, be careful with the steam while removing the lid. To make sure your tamales are done, remove one and if the corn husk can easily be removed from the dough they are ready.  The tamales will firm up after cooking.

Provecho!

Mely,

More recipes:
Black Beans and Pork Cracklings Tamales.
How to Make Sweet Tamales

📖 Recipe

Healthy Tamales Recipe

Mely Martínez

This is really an excellent option to make a low-fat version of tamales for those of you that for dietary reasons, or because lard is not sold in your area, or simply is a personal preference not to eat pork or pork products. 

4.95 from 52 votes

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

0 minutes mins

Total Time 8 hours hrs 31 minutes mins

Course Antojitos

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 16 Tamales

Calories 226 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 ½ cups of corn masa-harina the one use for tortillas
• ▢ ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt*
• ▢ ¾ Cups Vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 ¾ cup of warm chicken broth
• ▢ 2 cups of Picadillo or the filling of your choice see notes.
• ▢ 16 Large corn husks plus more for the steaming pot.

Instructions

 

• In a large pot, place the cornhusks and cover with hot water to soften them. Leave there for at least 30 minutes. Drain and reserve.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients (corn masa-harina, baking powder and salt) , and stir in the vegetable oil. Pour the warm chicken broth and mix with a spatula until you form the dough into a creamy texture, similar to soft ice cream. If the dough doesn’t look as creamy as in the picture, add a little more broth, a tablespoon at the time.
• Spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough on the already soft corn husk using a spoon or spatula. Top with 2 tablespoons of the filling. Fold one left side of the husk to the center and then the right side to the center. Finally, fold the end toward the center of the tamal. Place the tamal on a tray while you finish assembling the rest.
• Now, get your steamer ready adding a couple of hot cups of water and line the steamer rack with corn husks. If you don’t have a steamer, place loose pieces of aluminum foil at the bottom of the pot to function as a steamer rack.
• Place the tamales standing up, cover with the rest of the corn husk, a clean dishtowel, and the pot lid.
• Cook for 60 minutes to 75 minutes over a medium heat. While cooking, add more hot water to the pot if needed, be careful with the steam while removing the lid. To make sure your tamales are done, remove one and if the corn husk can easily be removed from the dough they are ready. The tamales will firm up after cooked.

Notes

*Before adding the salt, make sure your chicken broth is not too salty, if you are unsure about it, then first add the broth, mix the dough and then taste to see if it needs salt. Try to use a homemade chicken broth if possible to enhance the flavors of the dough. Some cooks in Mexico use powdered chicken bullion to add more flavor to the dough. If you want to use that option do not add salt.

**In this recipe, I’m using picadillo, but you can use shredded chicken with green salsa, or pork in red salsa, poblano peppers with cheese. Even refried beans taste delicious in tamales.

Nutrition

Serving: 1TamalCalories: 226kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 7gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 259mgPotassium: 156mgFiber: 1gVitamin A: 39IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!