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tamales on a mexican plate.

Vegan Tamales

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5 from 11 reviews

  • Author: Anna Rios
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 18-22 1x
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This is the best vegan tamales recipe, an authentic and flavorful recipe passed down by my grandmother for you to enjoy! They are very popular during the holidays but make them for any celebration year-round. For video recipe click here.

Ingredients

Units Scale
Filling ingredients:
  • 6 Guajillo Chiles, dried
  • 1/4 piece of corn tortilla
  • 1/4 slice of whole wheat bread
  • 2–3 garlic cloves
  • 2 small peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon of guajillo chili seeds
  • 1 1/2 cup of water
  • 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 2 cups of shredded king oyster mushrooms,
  • 2 cups of shredded tofu
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Dough ingredients:
  • 3/4 cup avocado oil
  • 4 cups tamales Maseca (454 grams, or 1 lb)
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 2–4 cups vegetable broth (depending on your masa)
  • 1/2–3/4 cup filling sauce (optional)
  • 18–22 corn husks

Instructions

  1. Soak the corn husks in hot water for at least an hour. Place a plate on them to make sure they are all submerged in the water. I use my sink to do this.
  2. Remove the stems and seeds from the dried guajillo peppers.
  3. Turn a skillet over medium heat and add about 1 tablespoon of oil. Fry the tortilla, bread, and garlic cloves until golden brown. Set aside in a large bowl.
  4. Add more oil to the skillet and fry the dried guajillo chiles for about 30 seconds on each side. As soon as they puff up and turn slightly red, flip them over and make sure you don’t overcook or burn them. Place them in the bowl with the bread, tortilla, and garlic.
  5. Lightly toast the peppercorns in the same way and add them to the large bowl with all the other ingredients. Turn the pan off and finally, toast the guajillo pepper seeds so they don’t burn. At this point, ALL the sauce ingredients should be in this bowl.
  6. Add 1 1/2 cup hot water to cover all the ingredients in the bowl and let soak for at least 10 minutes.
  7. Add all the soaked ingredients to a blender along with the water and blend until smooth.
  8. Strain the sauce and add it to the pan with the shredded king oyster and tofu meat. Heat through.
  9. Start making the dough by adding avocado oil to the Maseca flour. Use your hands to combine the oil with the masa.
  10. Next, add baking powder, vegetable broth, and salt. Add the broth in slowly while mixing with your hands until you reach the desired texture, you might not need all of it or you might need a bit more water. Optional: slowly add leftover sauce to part of the masa from the filling to make a reddish masa.
  11. The dough should be sticky, not too wet but not dry. The amount of oil/broth can vary – add it slowly and continue until you achieve a dough texture like the one shown in the video.
  12. Take about 1/4 cup of masa and spread it on a corn husk with a spoon.
  13. Take 1-2 tablespoons of filling and place it right in the middle of the dough.
  14. Fold the corn husk on one side and then the other. Now take the part that sticks out in the middle and fold it inward. Place on a tray and repeat until all the dough and filling are used.
  15. Steam the tamales for 1.5 hours, depending on how many at a time. My pot is small, so I cook 20 at a time.
  16. Once the corn husks can be easily peeled, they are done! Sometimes they may not seem ready. Test by squeezing the tamale and check if it is firm instead of soft. Once it cools, it will harden even more.
  17. Let cool for at least 30 minutes, unwrap, and enjoy.

Notes

Best way to reheat: Steamer (best texture): Steam refrigerated tamales for 10–12 minutes, frozen for 20–25 minutes.

Microwave: Keep husk on and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat 1–2 minutes (refrigerated) or 3–4 minutes (frozen).

Store cooked tamales (still wrapped) in an airtight container. They keep well for 4–5 days.

Freeze individually wrapped tamales in freezer-safe bags or containers. They last 4–6 months without loss of quality.

  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 90
  • Category: mains
  • Method: Stove
  • Cuisine: Mexican

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Find it online: https://healthysimpleyum.com/vegan-tamales-recipe/