Oaxacan tamales: what they are and how they're made

What is it?

Oaxacan tamales are one of the most recognised and emblematic tamales of the Mexican repertoire, distinctive for being wrapped in banana leaves (instead of the maize husks typical of other tamales) and for being filled, generally, with chicken bathed in Oaxacan mole negro, mole rojo or mole coloradito. The banana leaf provides a characteristic smoky, herbal aroma that immediately distinguishes the Oaxacan tamal from other Mexican tamales. The nixtamalised maize masa is prepared with lard, chicken broth and salt, forming a soft, light texture. They are relatively large and flat tamales, not cylindrical like those of central Mexico. They are steamed for 1–2 hours until the masa separates easily from the leaf. It is an emblematic dish of Oaxacan celebrations such as weddings, christenings, mayordomías, the Guelaguetza and the Day of the Dead, as well as a staple of the traditional, ancestral Oaxacan breakfast.

Origin and history

Oaxacan tamales have a pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican origin. The Zapotec and Mixtec cultures prepared tamales wrapped in banana leaf (Musa paradisiaca, introduced by the Spanish but quickly adapted) or in similar leaves such as pozol leaf or dry maize husk before the conquest. Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, in the sixteenth-century Florentine Codex, described multiple variants of tamales in Mesoamerican cuisine. The banana leaf was incorporated into the Oaxacan repertoire after the introduction of the banana by the Spanish and became popular for providing a distinctive aroma superior to other leaves. The filling with mole negro and other Oaxacan moles developed during the colonial period, fusing pre-Hispanic techniques (maize masa, steaming) with baroque ingredients (chocolate, almonds, spices). They appear documented in colonial and nineteenth-century recipe books as a dish of Oaxacan identity. It forms part of Traditional Mexican Cuisine, Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010 with special emphasis on Michoacán but extendable to Oaxaca.

Characteristic ingredients

The traditional preparation begins with the nixtamalisation of the maize (cooking the grain with water and lime) to obtain the masa, which is beaten with fresh lard, chicken broth, salt and sometimes a little royal (baking powder) to make the masa fluffy. The banana leaf is heated over the comal or direct flame to make it more flexible and release its characteristic aroma. A portion of masa is spread over the leaf, shredded chicken bathed in mole negro, rojo or coloradito (traditional Oaxacan mole) is added, the leaf is closed into a flat parcel and it is steamed for 1–2 hours in a large tamal pot. Oaxacan tamales are notably flatter and more rectangular than the tamales of central Mexico, thanks to the banana leaf. Regional variants: in the Central Valleys mole negro is preferred; in the Mixteca they are filled with mole amarillo and hoja santa; in the Sierra Norte with black bean; on the Isthmus sweet regional versions are made with pineapple, raisins and cinnamon.

Cultural significance

Oaxacan tamales are a fundamental dish of Oaxacan gastronomic identity. They appear at weddings, christenings, mayordomías, the Day of the Dead, the Guelaguetza and religious celebrations such as the mañanitas to the Virgin of Juquila. They are also an everyday breakfast: traditional tamaleras sell hot tamales in the markets and street corners of Oaxaca de Juárez, Tlacolula, Mitla and other towns from dawn. SECTUR promotes them as an emblematic cultural tourism product of Oaxaca, and they feature in programmes such as 'Pueblos Mágicos' of Oaxacan communities. Traditional cooks such as Abigail Mendoza, Celia Florián and Pilar Cabrera have brought them to international recognition. It forms part of Traditional Mexican Cuisine, Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010. It economically supports thousands of traditional tamaleras, producers of banana leaf from the Coast and the Sierra, mole producers from the Central Valleys and producers of native landrace maize. On 2 February, Candlemas Day, Oaxacans consume tamales in massive quantities as a cultural tradition.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between an Oaxacan tamal and a tamal from central Mexico?

The main difference is the wrapping leaf: the Oaxacan tamal uses banana leaf, which provides a smoky, herbal aroma and produces a flat, rectangular tamal; the tamal from central Mexico uses dry maize husk, giving a smaller cylindrical tamal. In addition, the Oaxacan ones are usually filled with complex moles (negro, rojo, coloradito), while those from the centre carry simpler rajas, green or red fillings.

Why are Oaxacan tamales wrapped in banana leaf?

Because the banana leaf provides a characteristic smoky, herbal aroma that penetrates the masa during cooking, giving Oaxacan tamales their distinctive profile. The banana leaf is also larger and more flexible than the maize husk, allowing larger, flatter tamales to be wrapped. This tradition became established after the introduction of the banana in Oaxaca during the Spanish colonial period.

What are Oaxacan tamales served with?

They are traditionally accompanied by hot Oaxacan chocolate (with cinnamon and water or milk), masa or chocolate atole, café de olla or regional aguas frescas such as chilacayote water. For breakfast they are served on their own with spicy salsa. At large feasts they are accompanied by rice, beans and other traditional Oaxacan dishes such as additional mole negro, nopal salad or regional entomatadas.

Where do Oaxacan tamales come from?

They originate in the state of Oaxaca, with their main presence in the Central Valleys (Oaxaca de Juárez, Tlacolula, Etla, Ocotlán), the Mixteca, the Sierra Norte, the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and the Coast. Their origin is pre-Hispanic Mesoamerican (Zapotec and Mixtec cuisine), adapted during the colonial period to include the banana leaf and the baroque moles as distinctive identity fillings of Oaxaca.