Vegan Tamales
Try your hand at making a traditional Mexican antojito with this vegan tamales recipe! It features fluffy, seasoned masa wrapped around a savory filling of your choice, then steamed in corn husks until tender. Serve them hot, garnished with fresh herbs, and your favorite salsa for a satisfying way to curb your hunger.
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Full of flavor: The combination of tender steamed masa and your choice of savory fillings creates a warm, flavor-packed eating experience.
- Customizable: Choose from an endless variety of fillings to suit your personal preferences or dietary requirements.
- Nutritious: Packed with wholesome ingredients and no lard, vegan tamales are an ultra-satisfying and nourishing meal.
- Fun to make: Preparing tamales is a hands-on process that’s fun to do with family and friends, especially during the holidays!
If you love vegan tamales, you should really check out our strawberry tamales or sweet corn tamales, gorditas de piloncillo, or gorditas de nata.
🫔 What are tamales?
Tamales are a traditional Central and South American dish with roots dating back to prehispanic times. Mexican-style tamales were made using three ingredients — corn husk on the outside, a layer of masa, and some mix of meat, cheese, sauce, vegetables, or beans on the inside.
The masa has a soft and fluffy texture, while the fillings add a contrasting savory bite. Some of our favorite savory filling options include plantains with mole, vegan cheese and green chiles, jackfruit carnitas, and adobo and beans.
Once wrapped, the tamales are steamed to lock in all the flavors and create an unbelievably tender texture. To serve them, simply unwrap the corn husks and pair your tamales with toppings like vegan Mexican crema, salsa verde, salsa roja, or salsa taquera.
📜 History of tamales
Tamales have been enjoyed for centuries, dating back to ancient Mesoamerican civilizations as early as 7000 BC. During the Aztec era, they were made with teocintle, which is the predecessor to modern-day corn.
This delicious snack was used by the Aztecs and Mayans for its portability when they had to travel long distances. Over time, the original tamales morphed into the tamales of today. Now, you can find all sorts of fillings — both sweet and savory!
🌱 Are tamales vegan?
Most tamales nowadays are not vegan as they often include lard in the dough and meat or cheese in the filling. However, we’ve made a few tweaks to this recipe to create a plant-based version:
- Refined coconut oil: Used instead of lard to give the dough its rich, tender texture.
- Vegetable broth: Replaces chicken broth typically used to bind the masa.
- Plant-based fillings: We recommend using a filling like sautéed veggies, dairy-free cheese, or vegan meat substitutes.
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Corn husks: Traditionally used for tamales, giving them their characteristic presentation and flavor. Look for dried corn husks at your local Mexican food market or Amazon. If you can’t find dried husks, use fresh ones or parchment paper.
- Masa harina: This special corn flour provides a unique, slightly sweet flavor and fluffy texture. Again, you’ll be able to find masa harina at a Mexican food market or from online stores like Masienda.
- Baking powder: Creates a light, pillowy dough. Don’t substitute baking powder for baking soda in this recipe.
- Salt: Enhances the other ingredients and elevates the taste of the tamales.
- Coconut oil: Replaces lard to keep things vegan but also gives the dough a moist, tender texture. Make sure to use flavorless coconut oil so it doesn’t overpower the flavor of your vegan tamales. Any vegan butter or shortening can also be used.
- Vegetable broth: To bind the dough and add depth of flavor. You can also use plain water or vegan chicken broth for a different flavor profile.
- Filling: You can get creative here! Use anything from sautéed veggies and vegan cheese to vegan meat substitutes, beans, and potatoes.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make vegan tamales
Step 1: Prepare the corn husks
First, remove the husks from their package and separate them. Set any damaged or hole-ridden husks to the side (you’ll need them later). Soak the husks in hot water for at least 30 minutes, or longer if they’re particularly dry, to make them more pliable for assembly.
Step 2: Make the dough
Combine the masa harina, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the room-temperature coconut oil and vegetable broth, mixing with your hands or a spatula until a light, fluffy dough forms.
Step 3: Assemble the tamales
Dry the soaked husks with a tea towel. Lay a husk flat with the smooth side up, then spread a thin layer of dough onto it, leaving room for the filling.
Add your chosen filling, fold the sides and bottom of the husk to enclose the filling, and secure it with a strip of husk or string.
Step 4: Steam the tamales
Prepare a steamer pot with an inch or so of water at the very bottom and a layer of corn husks on the bottom of the basket. Place the assembled tamales upright in the steamer and cover them with another layer of husks followed by a tea towel.
Let them steam for 40-45 minutes until the masa is fully cooked and tender. Remove them from the pot and let them rest for about 10 minutes to allow the dough to firm up. Serve the tamales while still warm on their own or with toppings. Happy eating!
🌶️ What to serve with vegan tamales
For the most flavorful snack, serve your vegan tamales with toppings and sides like these:
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Salsa fresca
- Roasted chili corn salsa
- Hot sauce
- Vegan sour cream
- Vegan queso fresco or cotija cheese
🌡️ Storage & reheating
Tamales are perfect for making ahead of time since they store well in the fridge or freezer:
- Fridge: Store cooked tamales in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Wrap the tamales individually in plastic wrap or foil and freeze them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Keep them in the corn husks for optimal freshness.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat tamales is by re-steaming them until warm. You can also microwave or heat in the oven until warmed through.
- Prep ahead: You can make your tamales in advance and store them covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before steaming.
♻️ Filling ideas
These tamal flavor variations are inspired by the delicious ones we enjoy on a weekly basis in Mexico:
- Plantain with mole: Soft plantains covered in mole poblano creates a sweet, savory, and indulgent combination.
- Corn, mushroom, and salsa verde: Sweet corn, hearty mushrooms, and spicy green salsa might be our favorite combination.
- Lentils and broccoli: Try high-protein lentils mixed with nutrient-packed broccoli and zesty tomato sauce for a healthy combination.
- Cilantro: You can’t beat an herbaceous blend of diced cilantro tamales.
- Pulled jackfruit: Use our jackfruit carnitas for a “meaty” version.
- Pineapple: To make a sweet version, omit the vegetable broth and mix in fresh pineapple chunks and raisins.
Some other filling ideas include refried beans, salsa roja, soy curls or textured vegan protein, black beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes in adobo sauce, cream cheese, pickled jalapeño, and strawberries and cream.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- Use the right husks: Choose corn husks without holes or damage to prevent the tamal dough from bursting through when steaming.
- Soak the husks: Soak your corn husks for at least 30 minutes, or overnight if they’re very dry. This makes wrapping the tamales much easier on the day of.
- Dough consistency: Your dough should be fluffy but not too sticky. Remember the “palm trick” to check its consistency.
- Filling quantity: Don’t overfill the tamales or they might burst during cooking.
- Watch the water: Make sure the water in the pot doesn’t dry up. If need be, top it up throughout the steaming process.
- Resting time: Let your vegan tamales rest a few minutes after cooking before unwrapping. This helps prevent any unnecessary sticking to the corn husks.
- Batch cooking: If you’re going through the lengthy process of making tamales, we suggest making a large batch to freeze for easy future snacks and meals.
💬 FAQ
Yes, you can use vegetable shortening or even olive oil, but the texture may vary slightly. Vegetable shortening helps imitate the texture of lard really well, so we suggest trying that if you don’t have or want to use coconut oil.
Yes, tamales are naturally gluten-free. They’re made with a base of masa harina, which is a corn-based flour.
Although corn husks are traditional, you can also use banana leaves or even parchment paper as an alternative.
After 40 minutes of steaming, remove one tamal and let it rest for 2-3 minutes. If it separates easily from the husk, they’re ready to eat. If not, steam the tamales for an additional 5-10 minutes.
If the dough is too dry, add more vegetable broth or water, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.
Yes, you can create a makeshift steamer using a colander and a large pot with a lid. Place the colander over the pot filled with water and follow the steaming instructions.
🍴 More Mexican snacks
If you enjoyed these vegan tamales, you’re going to love these other flavor-packed snacks:
- Sopes: Crispy corn cakes topped with beans and other fresh garnishes.
- Garnachas: Another popular antojito topped with spicy red salsa and jackfruit.
- Vegan empanadas: Traditional Mexican empanadas made from corn dough.
- Picaditas: Sweet, tender corn cakes topped with green or red salsa, fresh onion, and creamy vegan queso.
Easy Vegan Tamales (Step by Step)
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Steamer pot
Ingredients
Husks
- ~25 dried corn husks
Dough
- 3 cups masa harina
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- 9 tablespoons refined coconut oil
- 3 cups vegetable broth
Filling
- 2 cups filling of choice
Instructions
Corn husks
- Unpack your corn husks and sort through them, setting aside any that are damaged or have holes.
- Place the husks in your sink or a large bowl filled with hot water and leave them to soak for 30 minutes. If they are extra dry, let them soak for a few hours or even overnight so they’re pliable and easy to handle.
Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the masa harina, salt, and baking powder. You can use either your hands or a whisk for this step.
- Add room-temperature coconut oil and vegetable broth to the mixture and mix everything with your hands.
- Knead and mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined and the dough reaches a light and fluffy consistency. This should take about 4-5 minutes.
- Check if your dough is sticky. If the dough sticks to your palm when slapped, gradually add more oil, one to two tablespoons at a time, until the desired consistency is achieved.
Assembly
- Dry off the husks, using a tea towel to remove excess water. Lay one flat on your counter with the smooth side facing up and the wider end closer to you.
- Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of dough onto the middle of the husk. Using a spatula, butter knife, or plaster knife, spread the dough into a thin layer (around ¼-inch thick) towards the wider end. Add 1-2 tablespoons of your chosen filling (in our case, potatoes & beans tossed in adobo sauce).
- Fold the husk sides towards the center to envelope the filling. Tuck one side of the husk underneath and fold the other side over the top.
- Fold the bottom part upward and secure the tamal with a string made from leftover husk. Repeat this process until all dough, filling, and husks are used up.
Cooking
- Add ~3 cups of warm water to the bottom of a steamer pot, then place a steamer rack inside and cover it with a layer of the leftover/damaged corn husks.
- Position the tamales around the steamer, standing upright. Continue to arrange them in a circular pattern, moving inward until the pot is filled.
- Cover the tamales with another layer of corn husks and a tea towel. Place the lid on your pot, bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, letting the tamales steam for 40-45 minutes.
- To check for doneness, remove one tamal after 40 minutes. Let it cool for 2-3 minutes, then try to open the husk. If it separates from the husk without sticking, they’re ready. If the dough sticks to the husk, reseal it and steam the tamales for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Once cooked, remove the tamales from the pot and let them rest for about 10 minutes to allow the dough to firm up. Serve while still warm with your favorite toppings. Happy eating!
Video
Notes
- Use the right husks: Choose corn husks without holes or damage to prevent the tamal dough from bursting through when steaming.
- Soak the husks: Soak your corn husks for at least 30 minutes, or overnight if they’re very dry. This makes wrapping the tamales much easier on the day of.
- Dough consistency: Your dough should be fluffy but not too sticky. Remember the “palm trick” to check its consistency.
- Filling quantity: Don’t overfill the tamales or they might burst during cooking.
- Watch the water: Make sure the water in the pot doesn’t dry up. If need be, top it up throughout the steaming process.
- Resting time: Let your vegan tamales rest a few minutes after cooking before unwrapping. This helps prevent any unnecessary sticking to the corn husks.
- Batch cooking: If you’re going through the lengthy process of making tamales, we suggest making a large batch to freeze for easy future snacks and meals.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
Justine Drosdovech is a food writer, photographer, and one of the founders of Broke Bank Vegan. She is a self-taught plant-based chef but uses her healthcare background to craft dishes that are both delicious and nourishing.