Christmastime in Texas means tamales.

From sunrise to sunset, the air is thick with the smell of masa wafting from open windows. Slowly but surely, the bundles stack up, two dozen, three dozen at a time, before plunging into the steamer or freezer to await their fates. Wrapped with care in corn husks and banana leaves, rather than paper and tinsel, each parcel truly is a gift to receive.

Tamale Traditions

Tamales aren’t just for Christmas, of course. Ancient Mesoamerican civilizations, including the Aztecs and Mayans, enjoyed tamales as a portable and convenient food source for sustenance during long journeys and battles. Anything and everything was fair game in terms of fillings, from meats and vegetables to sweets like fruits and honey.

When Spanish conquistadors arrived in the Americas in the 16th century, their mission to spread Christianity ensnared the humble tamale as a celebratory food. Already a staple of Mexican and Latin American cuisine, tamales have a unique way of symbolizing the spirit of togetherness and unity that defines the holiday season.

Crafting tamales is a labor of love, a communal affair that brings family and friends together. As generations gather in the kitchen, sharing stories and laughter while assembling each bundle one by one, much of their importance is about the actual assembly, rather than the end product alone.

Come For The Craft, Stay For The Feast

Naturally, we wouldn’t be here talking about tamales if it was just a fun arts and craft project. Eye-catching green masa makes a more festive impression than typical yellow cornmeal, especially when offset by equally vibrant salsa roja on top and a red meatless stuffing hidden inside. While I love a simple veggie tamale, often made with zucchini, corn, and all sorts of peppers, I wanted to bring a more substantial offering, that eats like a whole meal, to this dinner party.

Who needs meat when you have tender red beans adding ample amounts of plant-protein, infused with the crimson color of red beets, and amplified by the naturally meaty richness of Sugimoto shiitake mushrooms?

Roughly chopped caps and stems create the compelling illusion of ground beef, deeply umami and toothsome in a way that defies written descriptions. Somehow juicy, chewy, tender, and springy all at once, the thicker Koshin variety are unparalleled in their quality. If you splurge on just one thing this holiday season, make it the mushrooms.

Corn Husks vs. Banana Leaves

Corn husk-wrapped tamales are more commonly seen across Texas, as an easily accessible, affordable ingredient, also owing to their Mexican heritage. Banana leaves, on the other hand, are favored in some Central and South American regions. I’m not going to say that one is better than the other, but after finally finding frozen banana leaves at H-Mart, I can’t go back.

Ready to use right out of the package rather than waiting for them to soak, they’re quicker and easier to work with, large and accommodating for any amount of filling, flexible and less likely to tear, and most importantly, incredibly fragrant. Subtly floral, slightly fruity, and even reminiscent of freshly cut grass, it reminds me of pandan, if it was spoken at a whisper.

That said, the flavor imparted by banana leaves is quite gentle and won’t overwhelm the flavors of the dish. Instead, it complements and enhances the food, adding a touch of tropical freshness and a subtle layer of complexity. Banana leaves also retain more moisture, yielding the most succulent tamales I’ve ever had.

Cooking Options

Once you’ve decided on your wrapper, you have more choices left to make: What’s the best way to cook tamales?

• Steaming is recommended, as a time-honored method that never fails. There’s more than one way to steam, however, which brings me to my favorite approach…
• Pressure cooking gives you the same results as stove-top steaming, in a fraction of the time. Plus, it helps keep the kitchen cooler; an important consideration for balmy Texas weather.
• Grilling is a great alternative, taking the party outside, and imparting a wonderful smoky flavor to the food.
• Baking in the oven can work, in a pinch, but does create a firmer, drier texture. For best results, place the tamales in a baking dish alongside a ramekin of water, and wrap the whole thing tightly with foil to keep the steam inside.

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

To ease the holiday hustle and bustle, you can make these tamales ahead of time. After they have cooled completely, store them in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days. Alternatively, freeze them for longer storage, making sure to wrap each tamale individually before placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Reheat tamales by steaming or microwaving until heated through.

Making tamales to celebrate events big and small is a way of preserving Latin American and Mexican heritage, which has now become a Texan and overall American tradition, too. Though dressed up in the red and green trappings of Christmas, these tamales are for everyone. Full of warmth, love, and the gift of good taste, it doesn’t even matter that they happen to be vegan and gluten-free, too.

When you unwrap a tamale during your own holiday celebrations, whatever they may be, the experience is universal. Pass the tamales; share the joy.

Continue to Content

Yield: Makes 24 - 30 Tamales

Christmas Tamales

Print

Dress up your tamales in red and green for Christmas! This easy vegan recipe uses rich shiitake mushrooms to make a remarkable meatless meal.

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Green Masa:

• 4 Cups Masa Harina
• 10 Ounces Frozen Chopped Spinach, Thawed
• 1 Cup Fresh Cilantro
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 3 Cups Vegetable Stock
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Filling:

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Small Yellow Onion, Diced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 Medium Red Bell Pepper, Seeded and Diced
• 2 Chipotle Peppers Canned in Adobo, Minced
• 1/2 Cup Sliced (Canned) Red Beets, Roughly Chopped
• 1 (2.47-Ounce) Package Sugimoto Shiitake, Soaked for 12 Hours and Drained
• 1 (14-Ounce) Can Red Beans or Kidney Beans, Drained
• 2 Tablespoons Lime Juice
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Smoked Paprika
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

To Assemble and Serve:

• 1 Pound Frozen Banana Leaves, Thawed OR 3 Ounces Dried Corn Husks, Soaked in Hot Water for 1 Hour
• Salsa Roja
• Hot Sauce
• Fresh Lime Wedges

Instructions

1. For the green masa, place the thawed spinach, fresh cilantro, olive oil, 2 cups of vegetable stock, and salt in a blender or food processor. Thoroughly puree until you have a smooth, vibrant green liquid.
   
   
2. In a large mixing bowl, place the masa harina and gradually pour in the spinach mixture while stirring continuously. Add the remaining cup of vegetable stock and continue mixing until you have a smooth dough. Cover and set aside.
   
   
3. To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent; about 3 - 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another 1 - 2 minutes until fragrant.
   
   
4. Add the diced red bell pepper, minced chipotle peppers, and red beets. Sauté for 3 - 4 minutes until the peppers soften. Chop the soaked and drained Shiitake mushrooms into small pieces and add them to the skillet. Cook for another 5 - 6 minutes until the mushrooms start to brown.
   
   
5. Stir in the drained red beans, lime juice, smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for an additional 2 - 3 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Remove the filling from heat and set aside.
   
   
6. To assemble the tamales, take one banana leaf or corn husk at a time and place about 3 tablespoons of the green spinach masa onto the center. Flatten the masa into a square shape, leaving some space at the edges. Spoon a generous 1 - 2 tablespoons of the red filling onto the masa.
   
   
7. Carefully fold the sides of the banana leaf or corn husk over the masa and filling, then fold up the bottom, creating a neat package. Secure with kitchen twine if needed.
   
   
8. When you're ready to cook, arrange the tamales vertically in a steamer, standing them upright. For a traditional stove top steamer, steam the tamales over boiling water for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the masa is firm and the tamales easily pull away from the wrapper. If steaming in a pressure cooker, set it to high for 10 minutes, and allow for a natural release.
   
   
9. Serve your tamales hot, with salsa, hot sauce, and fresh lime wedges as desired.

Notes

To freeze tamales, let cooked tamales cool completely before wrapping in plastic or placing in zip top bags. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, wrap the frozen tamales in a damp paper towel and microwave for 1 - 2 minutes until warmed through.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

• 
  Forest-grown Japanese Shiitake Powder 40g, Natural Umami Booster
• 
  Japanese Dried Shiitake DONKO, 25-42mm, 70g
• 
  Japanese Dried Shiitake KOSHIN, 42-75mm, 70g

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

30

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 143Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 181mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 4g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.