Tamales are made of cornmeal dough and other fillings like vegetables and meats, steamed in the leaf of a banana/plantain or a corn husk. They are originally from Central America and indigenous communities have been eating tamales for thousands of years now. Tamales are a popular dish throughout Central and South America and the Carribean. In this post, I share a recipe for a vegan tamal, made with cornmeal dough, rice, vegetables, and legumes. They make an abundant, delicious, and festive breakfast.
Jump to RecipeHaz clic en Tamales Colombianos Veganos para la receta en español.
What are Colombian Tamales?
In Colombia every region has one to several different types of tamales. The exact ingredients differ, but the majority consists of a condimented masa (corn dough) with some vegetables like carrot, peas, and/or potato. Most important, however, is the type of meat/chicken/fish. They are often wrapped in a banana- or plantain leaf and steamed until cooked.
The wrapping of the tamal depends on the region. In Tolima they wrap them in a ball shape, in other parts the tamal is square-shaped. You typically eat these steamed treats for breakfast, although you can also eat them for lunch or dinner.
How to prepare vegan tamales
Making tamales at home is not as complicated as you would think. You will only need banana/plantain leaf, different fillings, and a way to steam this delicious dish.
Elements of a vegan tamal
- A condimented cornmeal dough (yellow precooked cornmeal)
- A mixture of rice, green peas and hogao (tomato onion sauce)
- Vegetables: carrot, potato and chickpeas
Although only in certain regions they add rice to their tamales (like Tolima), I like it because it adds some body.
Vegetarian tamales
If you are vegetarian and you eat eggs, slices of a hard-boiled egg are a perfect addition.
Plantain leaves
The leaves you need for wrapping come from the banana- or plantain tree. Plantain leaves are used most often and those I also use for this recipe. I buy leaves on the market that are already softened, so I only have to cut them in the right size (about 35-40 cm).
Outside of Colombia you can buy frozen leaves online and in some supermarkets. If you have fresh leaves, you will notice that they are not flexible. Therefore you need to soften them, by placing the leaf shortly over an open fire. Also it is important to cut the big middle vein out because it won’t bend enough when folding. You always have to clean the leaves using a paper towel and some water.
Tips and recommendations
- Make sure you have enough leaves. Sometimes they have many tears, and you will need 2-3 sheets of 35-40 cm to make sure no water will come in when steaming
- About the masa: cornmeal soaks up a lot of water. You might need to add some additional water (2-3 spoons) just before using the masa. The mix can’t be dry and crumbly, but also you need to make sure it is not so wet that it won’t keep shape when spreading it later on the leaf
- You can replace the spice mix by adding turmeric, cumin powder, onion and garlic powder
- To steam I use a steel/aluminum rack that I can place inside my biggest pot, allowing me to add a couple of centimeters of water to create steam
- Helping thought when you struggle with folding and tying: they are not supposed to look pretty…
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preparing tamales is not complicated, but step-by-step instructions can be helpful!
Prepare
1.Start by preparing your leaves. Cut them into sheets of about 35-40 cm long. Make sure they are flexible, if not place them shortly over an open fire (stovetop). Assure that the big middle vein is out. Clean with water and a paper towel. You will need 2 sheets per tamal, so make sure you have at least 8. Cut the cooking (butcher’s) twine.
2.Make the hogao (tomato-onion sauce) according to the instructions. Cook white rice. Prepare the masa (cornmeal dough) by mixing the cornmeal with spices and salt. Add water and oil and mix well. Set aside. Clean, peel and slice the potato and the carrot. Set aside the cooked chickpeas. Mix the cooked white rice with 2 tablespoons of hogao and the peas. Now you will have all ingredients ready to start assembling the tamales.
Assemble
3. Place leaves on a countertop/table, where you have enough space, together with the other ingredients. Place two sheets on top of each other, one with the little veins horizontally and one with the veins vertically. The side with the veins needs to face up.
4. Divide masa into 4 equal parts and spread 1/4 in the center of the leaf (about 2-3 tablespoons).
5. Spread out one tablespoon of hogao on top of the masa, and add 2 tablespoons of the rice/pea mixture.
6. Add sliced carrot and potato by sticking them into the masa and rice mixture. Top with some chickpeas.
Wrap
7. You will start folding now. Make sure you have a long piece of cooking twine ready. First, fold the leaf lengthwise.
8. Fold over the short sides.
9. Tie together with cooking twine. I like to do it as in the picture, but you could also make one cross instead of a double one. Repeat process for the other 3 tamales.
Cook
10. Place tamales in your biggest pot, with a steam rack and some water. Steam for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. To make sure they all cook evenly, I move the upper ones down and the other way around after about 35 minutes. Make sure your pot has enough water, when drying up, add some boiling water to keep the steam going.
11. Unwrap and enjoy your vegan homemade tamales!
Do you love Colombian vegetarian food? Click here for more recipes for Colombian vegetarian food!
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You might also like:
Arroz Blanco (White Rice) (to make the filling for the tamales)
Hogao (Colombian Tomato Onion Sauce) (the tomato-scallion sauce that goes into the tamales)
Vegetables Wrapped in Banana Leaf (another idea if you would like to cook with plantain leaves)
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Vegan Colombian Tamales – Frequently Asked Questions
What are Colombian tamales? Tamales are made of cornmeal dough and other fillings like vegetables and animal protein, steamed in the leaf of a banana or a plantain. They are traditionally eaten for breakfast.
What are vegan tamales? This recipe uses traditional ingredients such as cornmeal dough, rice, peas, potato and carrot. Instead of animal protein these tamales contain a source of vegetable protein: chickpeas.
Is it difficult to make homemade tamales? It’s not difficult but you do need some stuff you might not have in your kitchen, such as plantain leaves, a steam rack and butcher’s twine. With the pictures in this post you sure are going to succeed!
I’m a vegetarian. What could I add or change in this recipe? You can add some slices of boiled egg to the tamal.
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Do you love this recipe? Give it a 5-star rating below and leave me a comment! Or tag @vecinavegetariana on Instagram. You can also pin this recipe now and make it later.
Vegan Colombian Tamales
Equipment
- banana or plantain leaves, enough to make 8 40cm sheets (frozen or fresh, see text in blogpost)
- cooking/butcher's twine
- rack to use for steaming
- a big boiling pot
Ingredients
Masa/cornmeal dough
- 1 cup precooked yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoon complete seasoning (condimento completo) (substitute: turmeric, cumin, garlic and onion powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1,5 cup water
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- vegetable bouillon powder (optional)
Rice and green pea mixture
- 120 gram cooked white rice
- 1 big handful of green peas (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tablespoon hogao (see link for recipe in blogpost (plus more for the filling, see below))
Rest of filling
- 4 tbsp hogao (see link for recipe in blogpost)
- 12 slices peeled and cleaned carrot
- 12 slices peeled and cleaned white potato, halved
- 100 g cooked chickpeas
Instructions
- Plantain leavesCut them in sheets about 35-40 cm long. Make sure they are flexible, if not place shortly over an open fire (stovetop). Check that the big vein in the middle is out. Clean with water and a paper towel. You will need 8 sheets
- Masa/cornmeal doughPlace cornmeal in a mixing bowl, add spices and salt and mix. Start by adding 1 cup of water and the vegetable oil. Mix well. If the dough is too dry, add up to 1/2 cup of water. Mix in vegetable bouillon, if using
- Fillings (The hogao (tomato-onion sauce) and rice need to be ready to use)1. Mix rice, 2 tbsp of hogao and peas together. Set aside2. Clean, peel and slice the potato (thinly) and the carrot. Set aside3. Place cooked chickpeas in a bowl4. Check masa and add water if necessary (see tips in blogpost)
- PreparePlace ready-to-use sheets and cooking string on a countertop or table, together with the masa and the filling
- Fill and wrap the tamalesSee pictures in blogpost. 1. Place two leaves on top of each other, one with the little veins horizontally and one with the veins vertically. The side with the veins needs to face up2. Divide masa in 4 equal parts and spread 1/4 in the center of the leaf (about 2-3 tablespoons)3. Spread out one tablespoon of hogao on top of the masa, and add 2 tablespoons of the rice/pea mixture4. Add sliced carrot and potato by sticking them into the masa and rice mixture. Top with some chickpeas5. You will start folding now. Make sure you have a long piece of cooking twine ready. First fold the leaf lengthwise (long side)6. Fold over the short sides7. Tie together with cooking twine. I like to do it as in the picture, but you could also make one cross instead of a double one. Repeat for the other 3 tamales
- Cook the tamalesPlace tamales in your biggest pot, on a steam rack with water underneath. Steam for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. To make sure they all cook evenly, move the upper ones down and the other way around after about 35 minutes. Make sure your pot has enough water, when drying up, add some boiling water to keep the steam going
- Unwrap and enjoy!
