TamalesMedium

Chilli and Cheese Tamales

Name: Chilli and Cheese Tamales
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 140 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 200 g Sweetcorn kernels; 1 kg Masa flour for tamales; 40 Dried corn husks; 400 g Lard; 1 tbsp Baking powder; 400 g Oaxaca cheese; 1 tbsp Salt; 400 ml Vegetable stock; 6 Poblano chilli; 0.5 White onion

140 min (50 prep + 90 cook) Medium 20 servings Centro de Mexico

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 10 Mar 2026

Vegetarian tamales filled with roasted poblano chilli strips and melted Oaxaca cheese.

About this recipe

Rajas con queso tamales are the ultimate vegetarian choice in the Mexican tamales repertoire. The fluffy masa dough is filled with strips of roasted poblano chilli and Oaxaca cheese that melts beautifully during steaming, creating an irresistibly creamy, gently spicy filling.

History & Origin

Tamales de rajas con queso represent the perfect fusion of pre-Hispanic and colonial ingredients: the corn dough and the poblano chilli are native to Mexico, whilst the cheese was introduced by the Spanish. The poblano chilli, native to the Valley of Puebla, is one of the most versatile and mildest chillies in Mexican gastronomy. The combination with Oaxaca cheese (also known as "quesillo"), a string cheese created by Dominican nuns in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, produces an irresistibly creamy filling when it melts inside the tamal. They are the quintessential vegetarian option at Mexican tamal-making gatherings and are particularly popular during Lent, when many families abstain from eating meat.

Estimated cost

£21.50

Total cost

£1.08

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

466

Calories

21g

Protein

40g

Carbohydrates

17g

Fat

Fibre

750mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Remoja the hojas de maiz en water hot durante 1 hour. Escurre y reserva.
2
Roast the poblano chillies directly over the stove flame or under the oven grill, turning constantly, for 8-10 minutes until the skin is completely blistered and blackened.
💡 Don't leave any skin uncharred; this will make peeling easier and give a better flavour.
3
Coloca the chillies asados en a bolsa de plastico cerrada durante 10 minutes for that suden. Pela under un chorro de water, retira semillas y venas, y corta en chilli strips (tiras de 1 cm de ancho). Reserva.
4
Cut the onion into thin half-moons. Shred the Oaxaca cheese (mozzarella-style) into long strips. Mix the chilli strips, onion, sweetcorn kernels and cheese in a bowl. Set aside.
5
Beat the lard for 5 minutes until fluffy. Add the maize flour, baking powder, salt and warm vegetable stock. Beat for 3-4 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth.
6
Unta 2 tablespoons de corn dough (masa) en each hoja de maiz. Coloca a porcion generosa de la mezcla de chilli strips with cheese en el centre.
7
Wrap by folding the sides of the husk and the bottom tip upwards. Place upright in the steamer.
8
Steam for 1 hour and a half. Check that the cheese has melted and the dough pulls away from the husk.
💡 Oaxaca cheese is key; its stretchy, melting texture is irreplaceable. In Europe you can use fresh mozzarella as an alternative.
9
Deja reposar 10 minutes before de servir. Estos tamales are especialmente buenos acompanados de salsa verde.