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One of the most favorite packed meals in South America. Imagine unwrapping a steaming banana leaf to reveal a tender bundle of corn masa soaked in rich broth, filled with juicy pork, soft chicken, colourful vegetables, and the kind of aroma that hits you before you even take a bite.
I really struggled to find a good tasting tamale recipe during my journey. I tried many recipes and found that the flavor was always a bit dull. So, I decided to bring in the expert… my Colombian mom, Ana. We decided to add some real Latina love into this dish and spice things up with a robust marinade and fresh herbs.
Table of Contents
The Best Tamales and what are they?
My mum and I have worked hard to make this recipe special. We add more ingredients than standard recipes to ensure they taste better than any other. A difference you will taste in every single bite! OMG they are SO GOOD.
Originally, Tamales were made in parts of South-America as a cost effective packed lunch using banana leaves as the packaging, the byproduct of this was the leaves (when boiled) infused their flavour into the Tamales.
When Tamales are wrapped and boiled, the banana leaves seal them water tight, by the way there’s a technique to this, and it’s difficult!. So to save us the headache of trying and potentially failing to make them water tight, my solution is to steam them instead, infusing the flavour of the leaves but taking away the most difficult step.
I use pork and chicken in mine, that’s the Colombian way and how my Colombian Mom taught me!
What Is In Tamales?
We don’t skimp on the filling. That’s the Colombian way and how my Mom taught me!
- Pork Fillet the most popular and widely protein used.
- Boneless Chicken Thigh Traditionally bone-in chicken is used, but for ease of eating, I go for boneless and skinless the same cut I use for my Crispy Cilantro Lime Chicken to keep things juicy!).
- Banana Leaves Depending on which part of the world you live in, you might find fresh or frozen varieties. This is the number one question I get and the simple answer is frozen. This is an important topic so I have written it’s own section below.
- Smoked Bacon not traditional, but also not unheard of in Colombian Tamales, I love using smoked bacon because I feel it compliments the flavour
- Corn Masa ok, this part is important, don’t make the mistake of buying cornmeal which is used for cornbread. The texture will be completely wrong and will ruin the meal as it will taste like gritty sandy mess!. I use pre-cooked corn meal which is known as Masarepa. I use the yellow bag P.A.N brand. You can find the white bag, but the yellow gives the tamales that beautiful, appetizing golden color without needing tons of food coloring. Don’t buy the Maseca (Masa Harina) as this is a lime treated corn meant for tortillas.
Note: Find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the Recipe Card.
Fresh vs. Frozen Banana Leaves and what you have to know.
This is the number one question I get! The Short Answer is look for Frozen Banana Leaves. While fresh leaves look beautiful, they are often stiff and brittle. In the US, frozen banana leaves are found in the freezer section of Asian or Latin grocery stores they are actually better for beginners. My mom found some from an Asian store here in Australia. By freezing the banana leaves it softens the fibers, making them more pliable and easier to fold without tearing.
To get them ready for wrapping simply thaw them on the counter for 30 minutes, wipe them down with a damp cloth, and they are ready to go. Once thawed you may need to cut them down to size if you are given full sized leaves, aim for roughly 9 x 12 inch rectangles.
If You Buy Fresh Leaves you cannot use them raw! If you try to fold a fresh leaf, it will snap. You must cure the leaf first to release the natural oils and make it flexible. Follow the steps below to ensure a perfect taste and fold.
- Turn on a gas burner or heat a skillet.
- Slowly pass the leaf over the heat.
- You will see the leaf instantly change color from a matte, light green to a glossy, dark olive green.
- Once it’s glossy, it’s pliable and ready to wrap!
My folding tips – Banana leaves have a grain fibers running in one direction. Always fold with the grain initially to prevent splitting. If you get a tear, don’t panic! Just use a scrap piece of leaf as a patch under the hole. Watch my video here to see how to fold as this may be intimidating to some people.
How To Make Tamales
In order for you to nail this recipe, I have given a detailed overview so you can impress your friends with this recipe!
The Marinade
- Remove the seeds from the red and green bell peppers and cut them into large chunks.
- Roughly chop the scallions and red onions.
- Place these into a blender along with all the other marinade ingredients (garlic, cumin, saffron, spices, stock, etc.)
- Blend on high speed for about 1 minute until you have a completely smooth, vibrant orange sauce. Set aside.
Prepare the Meat
- Thinly slice the pork tenderloin and the smoked bacon. Cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized chunks. It’s important to remove the skin to prevent rubbery textures, but keep the dark meat for juiciness!
- Place all the meats in a large bowl. Pour in 1 ½ cups of the marinade.
- Mix well to coat every piece, and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 mins to absorb those flavors while you prep the rest.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat to prepare for cooking the vegetables.
The Vegetables
- In a bowl, mix the chopped onions, diced potatoes, peas, carrots, and corn
- Add the veggie mixture along with the garlic paste, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes—just enough to wake up the flavors. Stir in the diced tomato and tomato paste. Cook for another minute, then turn off the heat.
- Transfer to a bowl and let cool in the fridge.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the precooked corn meal (Masarepa), spices, herbs, chicken stock, milk, and 1 cup of the reserved marinade.
- Check the Consistency. You are looking for a texture similar to soft cookie dough or thick hummus. It should be spreadable with a spoon but thick enough that it holds its shape and doesn’t run.
If too dry add a splash more milk.
If too wet, let it sit for 5 mins to absorb the liquid.
- Prepare your steamer pot. Fill the bottom with water, ensuring it doesn’t touch the rack. Line the steamer rack with leftover banana leaf scraps. This protects the tamales from direct heat and adds extra aroma!
Assemble!
- Prepare the banana leaves by removing the central rib and wiping them clean, if they are too tough to handle, you can soften them by dipping in simmering water before cutting and assembling. Cut them into rectangles around 9 x 12 inches. Lay a prepared banana leaf flat on your counter. Spread about ⅓ cup of the corn masa in the center of the leaf, flattening it into a rough 4 inch circle.
- Place a generous portion of the marinated meat mixture in the center, but don’t place too much and keep a small ring of corn masa untouched on the outside of the ring.
- Top with a spoonful of the vegetable mixture. Make sure to cover the meat
- Add a small spoonful of corn masa on top of the filling this helps glue it all together.
Fold like a Pro!
- Lift the long side of the leaf closest to you and fold it over the filling.
- Bring the opposite long side up and overlap it over the first fold by about ½ inch (1 cm), creating a tight tube. Gently press the masa from the outside to ensure the filling is sealed.
- Fold the empty left and right ends of the leaf underneath the packet. You should end up with a neat, rectangular brick. Flip the tamale over so the folded seams are underneath as the weight of the tamale keeps it sealed.
- Place the tamales into the steamer. You can stack them in layers, but leave small gaps for steam to circulate. Cover the tamales with extra leaves or a damp tea towel, then place the lid on tight. Steam on medium-high heat (approx 194°F / 90°C) for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Keep a kettle of hot water nearby. Check the pot every 20–30 minutes to make sure the water hasn’t boiled dry!
- Once the time is up, carefully remove the tamales from the steamer. Let them rest on the counter for 15–20 minutes. Resting allows it to firm up so it pulls away cleanly from the banana leaf when you open it, if you eat it right out of the steamer the masa is very soft.
What should I serve with Tamales
Personally I serve Tamales with Smokey Mexican Beef Wedges, but you can also try them with Slow Cooker Carnitas, Queso and Fried Tortilla Chips or Mexican Street Corn Shrimp.
Recipe FAQ’s
Use frozen banana leaves sold in most Asian or Latin grocery stores. Thaw them and briefly warm them over a flame or hot pan until pliable this prevents tearing when folding.
Pork is the main flavour driver. You can adjust the amounts of chicken or bacon, but keeping pork in the mix gives you the best texture and juiciness.
Resting 15–20 minutes helps the masa set. If you open them immediately, the masa may still stick to the leaf and fall apart.
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The Best Authentic Colombian Tamales
Equipment
- 1 Steamer pot or basket Or bamboo steamer
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 medium green bell pepper
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 4 scallions
- 1 medium red onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 tbsp ground cumin
- ½ tbsp saffron powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- ¼ cup pickled jalapeños
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp dry oregano
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper ground
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the Meat
- 10 oz pork fillet pork tenderloin
- 7 oz smoked bacon hardwood smoked, naturally smoked or applewood smoked
- 10 oz chicken thigh boneless and skinless
For the Veggies
- 2 medium potatoes diced Red Potatoes or Yukon Gold
- 1 cup green pea
- 1 cup carrot diced
- ½ cup sweet corn
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 medium tomato diced
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 pinch Salt and pepper to taste
For the corn masa
- 16 oz precooked corn meal
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
- ½ tbsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 3½ cup chicken stock
- 1 cup milk
For Assembly
- 16 oz banana leaves
Instructions
The Marinade
- Remove the seeds from the bell peppers and cut them into large pieces.
- Roughly chop the green onions and the red onions then place garlic cloves, cumin, saffron powder, salt, chicken stock, jalapenos, tomato paste, ground coriander, dry oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and olive oil into a blender.
- Blend on high speed for about 1 min until you get a smooth marinade. Reserve.
The Meat
- Thinly slice the pork filet and bacon and cut chicken into small pieces.
- Place pork fillet, smoked bacon, chicken and 1½ cups of your already made marinade, mix and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 mins.
For the Veggies
- In a bowl stir the chopped onions with diced potatoes, peas, carrots and corn.
- Heat a pan with olive oil, then add the veggies.
- Add garlic paste, salt and pepper, mix well and cook for 2min.
- Then add the diced tomato and tomato paste, stir, turn off the heat and transfer the veggies to a bowl.
- Let them cool in the fridge.
Corn Masa
- In a bowl, whisk corn meal, ground cumin, smoked paprika, parsley, coriander, onion powder, salt, tomato paste, garlic paste, chicken stock and milk. Pour 1 cup of your already made marinade whisk until you get a batter that holds together slightly. Reserve.
Assembly
- Prepare the banana leaves by removing the central rib and wiping them clean, if they are too tough to handle, you can soften them by dipping in simmering water before cutting and assembling. Cut them into rectangles around 9 x 12 inches.
- Take a banana leaf and spread about ⅓ cup corn masa in the center. Make a rough 4 inch circle.
- Add some meat filling in the middle so it covers ¾ of the corn masa, then place a bit of vegetables on top to cover the meat. Don't cram in too much filling as it will be harder to wrap and too much to eat.
- Finish with a spoonful of corn masa over the filling.
Folding instructions
- Lift the long side of the leaf closest to you and fold it over the filling. For a full video of this process just watch it here.
- Bring the opposite long side up and overlap it over the first fold by about ½ inch (1 cm), creating a tight tube.
- Gently press the masa from the outside to ensure the filling is sealed.
- Fold the empty left and right ends of the leaf underneath the packet. You should end up with a neat, rectangular brick
- Flip the tamale over so the folded seams are underneath (the weight of the tamale keeps it sealed).
Cooking
- Prepare your steamer pot. Fill the bottom with water, ensuring it doesn't touch the rack. Line the steamer rack with leftover banana leaf scraps. This protects the tamales from direct heat and adds extra aroma!
- Place the tamales into the steamer. You can stack them in layers, but leave small gaps for steam to circulate. Cover the tamales with extra leaves or a damp tea towel, then place the lid on tight.
- Steam at approx approx 194°F / 90°C for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Keep a kettle of hot water nearby. Check the pot every 20–30 minutes to make sure the water hasn't boiled dry!
- Once the tamales are cooked let them rest for about 15–20 min to cool slightly. This allows the masa to firm up and stop sticking to the banana leaf before serving.
- You can open the banana leaves and eat.
Video
Notes
- Use Pre-cooked Corn Meal (known as Masarepa). The most common brand in the US is P.A.N. (yellow or white package). Do not use standard American cornmeal (gritty), cornstarch, or fresh masa dough meant for tortillas, as the texture will not work.
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The Banana Leaves If your leaves are tearing easily, you may not have warmed them enough. pass them over a gas flame for a few seconds or dip them in hot water until they turn a glossy dark green and feel like fabric.
- Emergency Fix: If a leaf tears while folding, patch it with a scrap piece of leaf, or wrap the whole tamale in a layer of aluminum foil over the leaf to hold the shape.
- If the tamales are soft or squishy when you first remove from the steamer, this is normal. Do not try to unwrap them immediately. They need 15–20 minutes of resting time to firm up and set.
- Make Ahead & Freezing Cooked tamales keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you need longer place cooked and cooled tamales in a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in a steamer or microwave.
- Reheating best method is to steam for 15–20 minutes until hot through. Microwave is the fastest option just wrap the tamale (still in the leaf) in a damp paper towel and microwave for 2 minutes. The damp towel creates steam and prevents the masa from drying out.
- Don’t use Chicken with Skin on, I recommend using boneless, skinless thighs. Chicken skin becomes rubbery when steamed and can make the masa slimy. The marinade provides enough fat to keep the meat juicy without the skin.
- Want a fresh kick? Drizzle these with Authentic Chimichurri a classic from Uruguay & Argentina) for an incredible herb flavor that cuts through the rich masa.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
