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You are here: Home » Recipes » Tamales

Healthy Tamales Recipe

Published: Dec 17, 2015 · Updated: Aug 12, 2019 by Mely Martínez

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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

Healthy Tamales Recipe | Mexican Recipes

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

Healthy Tamales Recipe | Ingredients

DIRECTIONS:

Tamales Recipe | step by step 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. (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.
Tamales Recipe | step by step
  • 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.
Healthy Tamales Recipe | Authentic Mexican Food Recipes

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 53 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
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
  

  • 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!

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  1. Ann

    December 23, 2022 at 5:20 pm

    5 stars
    I made these today using a chicken and cheese filling and they turned out amazing! Mine made 23 tamales so I am guessing I probably uses less of the dough and more filling, but I am very happy with the dough to filling ratio. I will be blogging my version sometime soon and will link back to your post. Thanks again for a healthier tamale recipe.

    Reply
  2. L Dona

    December 19, 2021 at 10:06 pm

    5 stars
    I have hesitated making tamales for years thinking that they had to be made of lard or shortening. I tried this recipe tonight and made a batch (chicken in red sauce and poblano with jack cheese). They were wonderful. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  3. Dee

    December 14, 2021 at 3:01 pm

    Hi Mely I have a question. I'm not a big fan of pork made tamales, but I've seen when the big Mex. stores have prepared masa? the lady told me it's plain? How do I prepare that? can I follow your oil recipe, or can I also add Veg. shortening? not sure what to do? I would buy a 5lb bag. so how much oil or vegie shortening would I add? would I still use the broth, since it's already so soft in the bag? help please/ thank U.

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      December 16, 2021 at 3:22 pm

      Hello Dee,
      I will use about 2 cups of oil for that bad of masa.

      Reply
  4. Diana Park

    November 26, 2021 at 8:12 pm

    This was sooo delicious. Just as delicious of a texture as masa made with lard and tastes just as great. Thank you for this healthier alternative.

    Reply
  5. Deb Giragosian

    May 05, 2021 at 3:19 pm

    5 stars
    I have come to love tamales after spending several months a year in Ecuador. I had not been able to find a good commercial tamale and wanted to have healthy ingredients so I tried this recipe.
    Both the process and the end resuts were terrific! The masa dough was easy to work with. I made corn and cheese and some chicken with green chiles.
    The instructions and hints were petfect. Thank you so much!

    Reply
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About me

Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.
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