EspañolStuffed with chicken and mole, these tamales Oaxaqueños or Oaxacan-Style Tamales, come from the State of Oaxaca in Mexico. They are simple to make and absolutely delicious. Learn how to make them step-by-step.
In partnership with Maseca
The most common Oaxacan tamales are stuffed with chicken and mole, but you can find other types with green sauce, vegetables, etc. However, whatever they are stuffed with, they all have one thing in common: they are wrapped in a banana leaf.
Many Mexican tamales are wrapped in corn husks, but the banana leaf gives Oaxaca-style tamales its characteristic look and flavor.
Tamales are versatile and scrumptious and a Mexican favorite, especially on Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas), Day of the Dead, and Christmas time.
You can find street vendors year-round in all Mexican cities from Mexico City to Oaxaca, of course, and towns, in big stores and small stores, open markets and street corners, and even often in the parking lots of large grocery stores where families sell their own homemade tamales.
Most people know about savory tamales, but did you know you can make sweet tamales, too?
Sweet tamales come in a variety of flavors- strawberry, pineapple, coconut and raisin, vanilla, etc. We usually eat them with a sweet, hot, corn-based beverage called atole, lime atole is my favorite.
More Tamal Recipes:
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Where to Buy Banana Leaves
As I mentioned, Oaxacan tamales are wrapped in banana leaves and it is important that you prepare them before you start.
If you live in Mexico or Latin America, you probably can find banana leaves at any market or supermarket.
If you live in the United States, look for them in the produce department in the supermarket where they are usually sold in rolls in plastic bags. If you can't find them, ask the manager, sometimes they are sold frozen.
Another option is to look for them in markets that sell Asian foods, where you usually find them in frozen packages.
Tip: Banana leaves break easily, treat them carefully when cutting and cleaning them. To make them more resistant you need to heat them. Details on how to do that below.
RELATED POST: Pumpkin Atole
Where to Buy Authentic Mexican Mole Sauce
The traditional mole for making these tamales is the black mole or Oaxacan mole, although you can use the mole of your choice.
If you live in Mexico getting mole is very easy, you can find it in any supermarket or mercado, in paste, powder, or already prepared in liquid form.
If you live in the United States, I recommend looking for it in Mexican markets. If you have none nearby, look for the mole already prepared in supermarkets. The most popular is the Mole Doña María.
You can also search for mole on Amazon.
How to Store Them
After you have enjoyed a few, place the remaining tamales on a plate and let them cool down; Then put them in a plastic bag, or silicon reusable bag.
Place them in the refrigerator for up to a week. Or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
If you make your own Oaxacan Style Tamales, be sure to snap a photo and share it with us on social media using the #mamalatinatips hashtag. I’d love to see it and have the chance to share it as well.
Recipe updated on September 6, 2023
How to Make Oaxacan-Style Tamales (Tamales Oaxaqueños)
15 tamales
Ingredients
- 15 – 20 banana leaves cut into 6×5 inches (15×13 cm) rectangles*
- 1 lb (450 gr) cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 cup (250 gr) ready to use mole**
- 1/3 cup (60 gr) lard or vegetable shortening
- 1 cup olive oil
- 4 cups (500 gr) corn flour (for tortillas) also known as masa harina. Check out a special promotion below.
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups chicken broth
* Banana leaves break easily, treat them carefully when cutting them.
** Look for the mole sauce in Mexican groceries or in the Mexican aisle of your grocery store. One famous brand is Doña María. In Mexican markets, you may find mole in a paste, you need to add chicken broth until you get the desired consistency.
Masienda is my favorite masa harina for tamales, and it has a special promotion for Mama Latina Tips readers”. Check it out below: (affiliate link).
Get 10% off any Masienda products during this Hispanic Heritage Month (Sep 17-Oct 17, 2024) by using MAMALATINATIPS10 at checkout. Visit the Masienda store here.
Utensils
- Measuring cups or kitchen scale
- Measuring spoons
- Scissors
- Kitchen towels
- Comal or skillet
- Large bowl
- Medium bowl
- Mixer
- Large steamer or Tamal Pot (tamalera, in Spanish)
- Kitchen twine (optional)
Process
Prepare the Banana Leaves
Once cut to the desired size, place them under running warm water to wash them well. Remember that they break easily, be careful.
Once washed, let them drain and finally dry them with a kitchen towel. When you dry them, do it from side to side following the lines of the leaves (long side of the leaf) to avoid breaking them.
Next, heat a comal or a pan over medium-high heat and warm up the banana leaves. You will see that as they heat up they change to a lighter green color. They will become shiny, flexible, and more resistant to breaking. Put them aside.
Prepare the Filling
Now, mix the cooked and shredded chicken with the mole until well integrated. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
Prepare the Masa for Oaxacan Style Tamales
Beat the lard or shortening until creamy, pour the olive oil and keep stirring until well integrated. This process can be done by hand, but if you prefer you can also do it with a mixer.
Add the Maseca flour, salt, and baking powder and stir. Pour half of the chicken broth and mix. Add more chicken broth as needed until you get a dough that feels moist but not runny and it peels off your hand easily.
Assemble the Tamales
There is not a universal right size for a tamal Oaxaqueño. However, for regular tamales, I recommend dividing the fresh masa dough into 15-16 equal balls so that all the tamales are more or less the same size.
Take a third of a cup of masa and form a ball of approx 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Repeat.
Take one of the banana leaves and place it on a surface with the paler green side up (this is the side where the filling goes) and with the lines horizontally.
Take one of the masa balls and place it in the center of the leaf, leaving approximately a 2-inch border. Spread it with your fingers or your hand to the desired thickness.
Place 1-2 teaspoons of the chicken mole in the center of the masa. Fold the top sheet so that it covers half of the filling, repeat folding the bottom.
You will have a rectangular shape tamal that will look like this:
Now, wrap the tamal in the banana leaf, and fold the two ends down. If you wish, you can tie the tamales with kitchen string or twine.
Set it aside in a large container and repeat. Keep the tamales at room temperature until it's time to steam them.
Cook the Tamales
Next, pour 3-4 cups of water into the bottom of a steamer or tamalera. Ensure the water level is high enough so the water won't evaporate while simmering for an hour.
Place the rack or the metal basket (if you are using a steamer) and cover it with banana leaves.
Put the tamales horizontally in the steamer and cover with the remaining banana leaves, cover with the lid and wait until the water starts to boil.
Lastly, when it comes to a boil, lower the heat to keep the water simmering. Steam the tamales for an hour.
After steaming, turn off the heat and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. The tamales are ready when they come off the banana leaf easily.
Serving
Serve them with more mole sauce, tomatillo sauce or other salsa of your choice. They are also delicious with a little bit of sour cream on top.
Enjoy with your atole of choice.
Are you ready for a tamal party? I hope this recipe inspires you to have one this year.
Print the Oaxacan Style Tamales Recipe
Tamales Oaxaqueños (Oaxacan-Style Tamales)
Ingredients
- 16-18 banana leaves cut into 6×5 inches 15×13 cm rectangles*
- 1 lb cooked, shredded chicken (450 gr)
- 1 cup ready to use mole** (250 gr )
- 1/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening (60 gr)
- 1 cup olive oil
- 4 cups Maseca corn flour (for tortillas) (500 gr)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups chicken broth
Utensilios
- Measuring cups or kitchen scale
- * Measuring spoons
- Scissors
- Kitchen towels
- Comal or skillet
- Large bowl
- Medium bowl
- Mixer
- Large steamer or tamalera
Instructions
Prepare the Banana Leaves
- Once cut to the desired size, place them under running water to wash them well. Remember that they break easily, be careful.
- Once washed, let them drain and finally dry them with a kitchen towel. When you dry them, do it from side to side following the lines of the leaves to avoid breaking them.
- Heat a comal or a pan over medium-high heat and warm up the banana leaves. You will see that as they heat up they change to a lighter green color. They will become shiny, flexible and more resistant. Put them aside.
Prepare the Filling
- Mix the cooked and shredded chicken with the mole until well integrated. Cover and set aside until ready to use.
Prepare the Masa for Oaxacan Tamales
- Beat the lard or shortening until creamy, pour the olive oil and keep stirring until well integrated. This process can be done by hand, but if you prefer you can also do it with a blender.
- Add the Maseca flour, salt, and baking powder and stir. Pour half of the chicken broth and mix. Add more chicken broth as needed until you get a dough that feels moist but not runny and it peels off your hand easily.
Assemble the Tamales
- I recommend dividing the dough into 15-16 equal balls so that all the tamales are more or less the same size. Take a 1/3 measuring cup, fill it with the dough, take it out and form a ball of approx 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Repeat.
- Take one of the banana leaves and place it on a surface with the paler green side up (this is the side where the filling goes) and with the lines horizontally.
- Take one of the masa balls and place it in the center of the leaf. Spread it with your fingers or your hand to the desired thickness.
- Place 1-2 teaspoons of the chicken mole in the center of the masa. Fold the top sheet so that it covers half of the filling, repeat folding the bottom.
- Now wrap the tamal in the banana leaf, and fold the two ends down. If you wish, you can tie the tamales with kitchen twine.
- Pour 3-4 cups of water into the bottom of a steamer or tamalera. Place a rack and cover it with some of the banana leaves that were leftover.
- Put the tamales horizontally in the steamer and cover with the rest of the banana leaves, cover with the lid and wait until the water starts to boil.
- When it comes to a boil, lower the heat to keep the water simmering. Steam the tamales for an hour.
- Turn off the heat and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. The tamales are ready when they come off the sheet easily.
- Put the tamales horizontally in a tamalera or steamer, cover them with a layer of banana leaves.
- Cover the steamer and let them cook for approximately an hour or until the tamales open cleanly without the masa sticking to the leaves.
Notes
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