Tamales: The Definitive Guide to Mexican Regional Varieties

A world of tamales beyond the ones you know

When we talk about tamales, most people picture a rectangle of corn masa filled with mole or rajas with cheese, wrapped in a corn husk. But that image represents only a fraction of the incredible diversity of tamales that exist in Mexico. There are an estimated more than 500 varieties of tamale across the country, each region with its own versions, wrappers, fillings and techniques.

Tamales are one of the oldest foods in Mesoamerica, with archaeological evidence dating back to 8000 BC. The Aztecs prepared them for ceremonies, to feed warriors on campaign and as an offering to the gods. Today they remain the ceremonial dish par excellence: there is no christening, wedding, posada or Candlemas without tamales.

In this guide we travel through Mexico from north to south to discover the most emblematic tamale varieties of each region, their characteristic ingredients and how you can recreate them in your kitchen in Spain.

Tamales of the centre: the tamale heartland

Mole poblano tamales

Mole tamales are perhaps the best known outside Mexico. They are made with corn masa beaten with lard, filled with chicken or turkey bathed in mole poblano, and wrapped in dried corn husks. The masa should be fluffy, almost airy, and the mole should penetrate slightly without soaking through.

To make them in Spain, you will need nixtamalised corn flour (Maseca or similar), Iberian pork lard (which works perfectly) and mole paste, which you can find in Latin American shops. The secret is to beat the masa with the chicken broth until a little ball floats in water.

Rajas with cheese tamales

The most popular vegetarian version: strips of poblano chilli (rajas) with Oaxaca cheese or quesillo. In Spain, substitute the poblano with roasted Italian green pepper and the quesillo with fresh mozzarella. The result is surprisingly close to the original.

Sweet tamales

With masa dyed pink, purple or green, filled with raisins, walnuts, grated coconut or pineapple. They are children's favourites and recognisable by their vibrant colour. The masa contains sugar and sometimes a touch of cinnamon. To dye them use natural food colouring or beetroot powder.

Oaxacan tamales: the giants of the south

Oaxacan tamales are a category apart. They are wrapped in banana leaf instead of corn husk, which gives them a completely different flavour: moister, more aromatic, with vegetal notes reminiscent of the tropical jungle.

Mole negro tamales

The most ceremonial tamale of Oaxaca. Filled with chicken or turkey in mole negro - a sauce with more than 30 ingredients, including chilhuacle chilli, chocolate, plantain and aromatic herbs. It is a dish for special occasions that can take two days to prepare.

Chepil tamales

Chepil (or chipilín) is a wild herb with a flavour between spinach and watercress that grows in the Oaxacan valleys. Chepil tamales have this herb mixed directly into the masa, creating an intensely green tamale with a unique flavour. In Spain it is practically impossible to find fresh chepil, but you can experiment with baby spinach and a little watercress to approximate the flavour.

Northern tamales: robust and generous

Dried beef (machaca) tamales

In northern Mexico - Sonora, Chihuahua, Nuevo León - tamales are made larger, with more meat and more direct flavours. The machaca ones (shredded dried beef) are emblematic: the meat is rehydrated and stewed with chile colorado, tomato and onion before filling the masa.

Corn (elote) tamales

Northern elote tamales are made with fresh ground corn instead of nixtamalised masa. The result is sweeter, creamier, with a texture reminiscent of a corn pudding. They are wrapped in the husks of the fresh cob itself. They are perfect for the Spanish summer when sweetcorn is in season.

Asado tamales

Typical of Nuevo León, filled with pork in chile colorado sauce. The meat is cooked slowly until it shreds, and the sauce is powerful, with toasted ancho and guajillo chillies. They are the tamales served at northern weddings.

Tamales of the south-east: Mayan influence

Mucbipollo (pib)

The mucbipollo or Yucatecan pib is the king of the south-eastern tamales. It is not an individual tamale but a giant one, the size of a casserole, cooked buried in a pit with firewood and hot stones. The masa contains achiote and is filled with chicken and pork stewed with the spices of the region. It is traditionally prepared for the Day of the Dead.

Vaporcitos

Vaporcitos are small, delicate tamales typical of Chiapas. They are wrapped in banana leaf and filled with chicken in tomato sauce with olives, capers and raisins - a legacy of Spanish colonial cooking. They are a perfect example of Mexican culinary fusion.

Special and rare tamales

Ash tamales (corundas)

Corundas are triangular tamales from Michoacán, made with masa mixed with wood ash (which acts as a natural raising agent) and wrapped in the leaves of the green corn plant. They are served bathed in green or red salsa and cream. Their triangular shape makes them unmistakable.

Zacahuil

The zacahuil of the Huasteca (San Luis Potosí, Veracruz, Tamaulipas) is the largest tamale there is: it can measure up to 3 metres and weigh more than 50 kilos. It is made in banana leaves inside a wood-fired oven and shared among entire families. The masa is thicker and more rustic, with dried chillies and pork or turkey.

Chipilín tamales with prawn

From Tabasco and Chiapas, they combine the chipilín herb with dried prawn, creating a flavour between sea and land that is unique in Mexican gastronomy.

How to make tamales in Spain: a practical guide

The good news is that making tamales in Spain is entirely possible. Here are the essentials:

• Masa: Nixtamalised corn flour (Maseca) is found in Mexican shops. For 30 tamales you need 1kg of flour.
• Lard: Iberian pork lard works perfectly and gives an exceptional flavour. Allow 300 to 400g per kilo of masa.
• Wrappers: Dried corn husks are sold in Latin American shops. Frozen banana leaves are found in Asian shops.
• Steamer: If you do not have a tamale steamer, use a large pot with a raised colander or rack. The steam is what matters.
• Cooking time: 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. The tamale is ready when the masa comes cleanly away from the wrapper.

"The secret of a good tamale is not the filling, it is the masa. If the masa is well beaten and has the right proportion of lard, any filling will shine." - Mexican folk wisdom

Where to find tamales in Spain

Some Mexican restaurants in Spain offer tamales, especially during the Candlemas season (2 February) and Day of the Dead (1 to 2 November). In Madrid, look in Lavapiés and Malasaña. In Barcelona, in the Raval. There are also Mexican cooks who sell them to order - look in Facebook groups for Mexicans in your city.

Tamales are much more than food: they are history wrapped in corn husks, tradition steamed, and love shared in every bite. Explore our Mexican recipes for more inspiration and find the ingredients you need in our directory of Mexican shops in Spain.