Healthy Tamales Recipe
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.
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!
Healthy Tamales Recipe
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 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 cooking.
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.
- 2 ½ cups of corn flour
- 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.
-
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.
-
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 the 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 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.
*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.
Provecho!
Mely,
More recipes:
Black Beans and Pork Cracklings Tamales.
How to Make Sweet Tamales
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Mely,, I'm thinking of spreading the masa, adding the meat and making the tamales today and then refrigerating and cooking on Thursday, will that be okay? Merry Xmas to you and your family.
Hello Gloria,
I guess, it will be better to freezer the already prepared or assembled tamales, and then defrost the day you want to cook them. I had done that before, and know that some people freeze them, but I had never just refrigerate them for some days and them cook. The flavor will not be the same.
Let me know how they turn out for you.
Happy holidays!
Hello Gloria,
I guess, it will be better to freezer the already prepared or assembled tamales, and then defrost the day you want to cook them. I had done that before, and know that some people freeze them, but I had never just refrigerate them for some days and them cook. The flavor will not be the same.
Let me know how they turn out for you.
Happy holidays!
We love tamales. I haven't tried any like this, I've got to try these! Happy holidays to you and your family!
Hi Mely! I just discovered you on Pinterest and my mother & I tried this healthy tamale recipe and they turned out delicious! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us. Christmas is so much better with tamales. We look forward to trying out more of your recipes.
Hello Erica,
Yes, Christmas is so much better with tamales! 🙂 I'm glad you and your mother enjoyed the recipe.
Happy cooking!
Thanks for posting this.
Hello Mely 🙂 Do you think this recipe would work with coconut oil?
Hello, Melissa
Some of my readers mentioned on Facebook about it. You can use it but not sure about the flavor, I mean how strong will it be.
I used the coconut oil and it came out amazing! I also used half corn and half coconut flour 🙂
Do you think it would be alright to use olive oil or similar?
Hello Stephen,
Yes, you can use olive oil, but Olive oil has a very strong flavor that will be infused into the dough. You can use other oil that has a neutral flavor to enjoy the whole dish.
3/4 cup of oil or 3/4 TBSP of oil
Hello Linda,
3/4 cup of vegetable oil.
A bit upset with my husband over this recipe. I made these tamales using skinless chicken breast for the filling and extra virgin olive oil for the dough. This was the fist time I have ever made them and was eagerly awaiting trying one, but my husband snuck into the kitchen and was snatching them every time I turned around. Lets just say there were not many for the family. I suggest at least doubling this recipe if you have a husband like mine.
Hello Joy,
I’m sorry about the few tamales this recipe renders. (Smile) Next time you better double the recipe!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and for coming back to let us know your results using olive oil and chicken breast.
Provecho!
Hi! This recipe sounds great! I’m wondering though, if I use olive oil, will it be the light one?
And, is it possible to use “masa para tortillas” instead and preparing that way? (That’s what my mom uses but uses lard)
Gracias!
Hello Jessica,
Yes, you can use “masa para tortillas”, and light olive oil is a good choice too. I think someone else mentioned using olive oil in the previous comments.
This looks incredibly delicious. Yum!
How many per serving?
Hello Richard,
2 tamales per person.
Hola Mely!
Tengo una pregunta. Los Tamales que sobran, los ya hechos, los puedo guardar en el refigerador por cuantos días? O tengo que congelarlos para comerlos en una semana? Si es así, como los descongelo?
Muchas gracias por tu blog, vivo en Holanda y es una maravilla poder hacer las recetas de mi mamá y mi abuelita.
Un saludo
Martha
Hola Martha,
Los puedes congelar, ponlos en una bolsa de las especiales para congelar. Para recalentarlos, ponlos en una ollita con poquita agua y al vapor hasta que esten calientes de nuevo. Si tienes micro ondas, solo pon los tamales en el micro por 1 minuto por cada tamal. Saludos!