Tamales throughout Oaxaca and Southern Mexico are wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks. Learn how to make this banana leaf tamales recipe stuffed with delicate masa and tender chicken in a lightly-spiced red chile salsa.
Today we’re giving corn husks a rest and making a sublime banana leaf tamales recipe. While I generally opt for corn husks when making Mexican tamales (they’re simply easier to make), banana-wrapped tamales are definitely in a category of their own. So it’s high time I showed you how to make them!
Tamales are a must during the holidays; from our house in the United States to around Mexico, Central and South America, and I’m guessing your house too. Some of the most popular recipes on my site are tamales recipes. From traditional red mole pork tamales to sweet strawberry ones but until now they’ve all been wrapped in dried corn husks.
In Oaxaca and Southern Mexico however, banana leaves are the more common wrapper. If you love tamales, I think you should add these your holiday cooking this year. The banana leaves take a few more steps to prepare, but I’ll walk you through step-by-step on how to get them ready to fill and how to wrap.
As with any tamales recipe, I encourage you to make it a party! Tamales are labor intensive and to make them is an involved process so it’s way more fun to throw a Tamalada with friends. Everyone ends up with tamales to take home and I promise you’ll have a good time.
Why Use Banana Leaves For Tamales?
The main reason people use banana leaves for tamales is simply a matter of availability. In Southern Mexico, Central America and South America, banana leaves are more prevalent than the corn husks that are widely available in Northern Mexico. Aside from that they impart a sultry, slightly sweet flavor to the tamales.
You can find them in most Latin grocery stores or Mexican markets either in the produce section sold in packages of whole fresh banana leaves or frozen next to the frozen fruits and vegetables.
Keep reading for instructions on how to prep them to make the tamales. Just a note, if you don’t have a gas stove you can also blanch them briefly in boiling water instead of warming them over an open flame.
Ingredients
- Banana leaves thawed if frozen
- Whole chicken
- White onion
- Ripe tomatoes either plum tomatoes or Roma tomatoes will work
- Canela aka Ceylon cinnamon stick. These are softer, more aromatic cinnamon sticks.
- Kosher salt
- Black peppercorns
- Dried New Mexico chiles or dried Guajillo chiles
- Garlic
- Dried oregano
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh masa quebrada at room temperature. This is fresh masa, not masa harina which is corn flour.
- Fat such as pork lard, butter, vegetable oil or olive oil
- Baking powder to make the masa extra fluffy
How To Make This Recipe
step one
Cook the chicken. Combine the chicken, onion, tomatoes, cinnamon stick, salt and black pepper in a large pot. Cover with water by 3 inches. Set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so it is barely simmering and let cook until the chicken is fall apart tender.
step two
Toast the chiles and garlic. Heat a comal or dry cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, place chiles and garlic cloves on the comal and toast until fragrant and golden, but not burnt. Transfer the chiles to the chicken stock and set the garlic cloves aside to cool. Peel the garlic and place in a blender.
step three
Shred chicken. Once the chicken is cooked. Remove it to a baking sheet and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, remove any skin and bones and shred into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large bowl.
step four
Strain stock. Pour the chicken stock through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof container large enough to hold the chicken broth. Save the strained vegetables and set the stock aside to use for the masa dough and the sauce.
step five
Make the salsa. Transfer the strained vegetables and the cinnamon stick to the blender with the garlic. Add the oregano, salt, cilantro, and 2 cups of the reserved chicken stock. Blend until smooth and set aside 1 1/2 cups of salsa for serving.
step six
Combine chicken and salsa. Finish the filling by mixing together the shredded chicken and the salsa with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Stir until the chicken is well coated. Taste and add more salt if needed.
step seven
Clean and trim banana leaves. Cut the central stem off the banana leaves and rinse under cold water to remove any dirt or debris. Cut into 12-inch squares and dry with paper towels. Save any scraps for lining the tamalera (large steamer).
step eight
Heat the leaves. Turn on the flame of your gas stove and run the banana leaves about 4 inches above the open flame until the color changes and they become more pliable. Hold the leaves with tongs so you don’t burn your hands. This makes them more flexible and less likely to crack.
step nine
Make the masa. Combine the masa and 1/2 cup of the reserved chicken stock in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until not crumbly. While beating on medium speed, slowly drizzle in remaining stock and then add the lard. Keep beating until masa is the consistency of cake batter, about 10 minutes total.
step ten
Start assembling the tamales. Place a heaping 1/4 cup of the masa mixture into the middle of each banana leaf square. Make an indentation into the middle of the masa with the back of a spoon.
step eleven
Add the filling. Add about 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the indentation.
step twelve
Wrap the tamales. Fold the top of the leaf down to enclose the filling. Fold the bottom third up to cover the top piece. Flip the tamal over so it is seam-side down and keeping the filling securely in the middle, fold the last two flaps over the make a square package. Flip it back over again so it stays sealed. You can tie a piece of kitchen string around them to make sure they don’t open but it is not necessary. Repeat with the remaining tamales.
step thirteen
Prepare the tamalera. Fill a tamalera {aka tamales steamer} with water up to the insert level. Set the steam plate of the tamale pot inside the tamalera and line the bottom of the steamer with banana leaf scraps.
step fourteen
Steam the tamales. Place the tamales in the tamalera, seam-side down in concentric circles. For the second layer, instead of placing the tamales directly on top of each other place them in gaps to fill any spaces. Place over medium heat and steam for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.
step fifteen
Let sit, then dig in! Check to see if they are ready by removing a tamal and opening it. The banana leaf shouldn’t stick to the masa, if it does give it 15 more minutes. Once they are ready, remove to a platter, cover with a clean towel or foil and let rest for 30 minutes. Then serve with reserved salsa.
Banana Leaf Tamales FAQ’s
Can I make this with masa harina instead of the fresh masa? Yes! You will need 8 cups masa harina. Use the instructions in this post for making the tamale masa.
Are plantain leaves and banana leaves the same? They have different shapes but can both be used to wrap tamales.
What are some options for vegetarian filling for this banana leaf tamales recipe? You can do rajas, fresh corn, bean and cheese, or even sautéed mushrooms.
Top 5 Most Popular Tamales Recipes
- Pork Tamales with Salsa Verde
- Strawberry Tamales with Horchata Sauce
- Black Bean and Cheese Vegetarian Tamales
- Pork Tamales with Mole Coloradito
- Mexican Chocolate Tamales with Hot Honey
Ready To Make This Banana Leaf Tamales Recipe?
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Red Chicken Tamales Wrapped In Banana Leaves
Tamales throughout Oaxaca and Southern Mexico are wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks. Learn how to make this banana leaf tamales recipe stuffed with delicate masa and tender chicken in a lightly-spiced red chile salsa.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Filling
- 1 (5-6 pound) whole chicken
- 2 white onions, quartered
- 6 medium tomatoes (about 20 ounces)
- 2 sticks Ceylon cinnamon sticks
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more for seasoning
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 20 dried New Mexico chiles, stemmed, seeded, and rinsed
- 20 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
- 2 cups chicken cooking liquid
For the Tamales
- 4 pounds banana leaves, thawed (if frozen)
- 2 pounds fresh masa (masa quebrada), at room temperature
- 1 cup chicken cooking liquid
- 1 cup fat such as lard, vegetable oil, coconut oil, or butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
For the Chicken Filling:
- Cook chicken. Combine chicken, onion, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, the 2 tablespoons of salt and black peppercorns in a large stock pot. Cover with water by 3 inches. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until chicken is fall-apart tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Toast chiles and garlic. Meanwhile, heat a comal over medium heat. Char chiles and garlic on a comal, turning until they are darkened, but not black, about 5 minutes for the chiles and 15 minutes for the garlic. Place garlic in a bowl to cool.
- Soften the chiles. As chiles are ready, place them in the pot with the chicken and let simmer. Peel garlic and place in the a blender.
- Strain stock. Once chicken is cooked, remove with tongs to a baking sheet and let cool. Strain broth into a heat proof container large enough to hold all the liquid. Set the chicken stock aside for making the masa and salsa and reserve the vegetable to make the salsa.
- Finish salsa. Place chiles, cinnamon sticks, tomatoes, and onions in the blender along with the oregano, cilantro, the 2 teaspoons of salt, and 2 cups of the reserved chicken stock. Blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the salsa for serving.
- Combine filling. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it removing any skin and bones. Place shredded chicken in a bowl. Add remaining salsa and stir to combine.
For the Tamales
- Prepare the banana leaves. With scissors cut off the main rib that runs down each banana leaf. Cut the banana leaves into 12-inch squares. Save any scraps for lining the tamalera (steamer pot). Rinse each square and dry. Run banana leaves over an open flame about 4 inches from the flame until they turn a brighter green.
- Start the masa. Add the masa to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved chicken stock. Beat over low speed until the masa starts to come together and is not crumbly. With the mixer running, keep adding the remaining chicken stock in a thin stream until the masa reaches the consistency of hummus. This can take anywhere from 3-5 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the fat. Return the mixer to medium speed and start adding the fat, a little bit at a time. Keep beating for another 3 minutes or until the masa is the consistency of cake batter and is bright and shiny.
- Finish the masa. Beat in the salt and baking powder. Beat 1 minute more.
- Start assembling. Line up the banana leaves on a work surface with the matte side of the leaves facing up. Spoon about 1/4 cup of masa in the middle of each leaf. Make a wide indentation in the center of the masa with the back of the spoon.
- Fill. Add about 3 tablespoons of chicken filling to each indentation.
- Fold. Fold the top third of the banana leaf over the filling. Fold the bottom third over the top. Keep the masa tightly in the middle, holding the non-folded sides down with both hands.
- Seal. Flip it over so the seam side is down. Being careful to keep the masa in the middle, fold the two leftover sides into the middle then flip over again so it stays closed and repeat with the remaining tamales.
- Prep tamalera. Fill tamalera with water up until it reaches the steam insert. Place the insert in the pot and line the tamalera with the banana leaf scraps. Place tamales in the pot, seam side down in a circle. Place the second layer over the open spaces in a circle instead of directly on top of a tamal.
- Steam. Cover the pot and place over high heat. Bring to a boil until it is giving off lots of steam and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Steam the tamales for 1-1 1/2 hours. Check the pot every once in a while to make sure there is still water. Add more boiling water if necessary.
- Check for doneness. Check to see if the tamales are ready by removing one and unwrapping it. The masa shouldn't stick to the leaf.
- Let rest. When they are ready, remove from the pot to a serving platter and cover with foil or a clean dish cloth. Let sit for 30 minutes to rest. If you try to eat them right away they will still be too doughy in the middle. Don't worry they will stay warm.
- Serve. Serve with remaining salsa and enjoy!
Notes
- Banana Leaves. Banana leaves can be found in most Latin grocery stores, either fresh in the produce section or frozen next to the frozen fruits and vegetables.
- Masa Quebrada. Also labled "Masa Para Tamales" is fresh masa that can be found at your local Latin market especially if they make thier own tortillas. If you don't see it, ask! If they don't have it, use masa harina and follow the instructions in this recipe to make the masa.
- Make ahead. Tamales can be made up to 5 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Freezing. Cooled tamales can be stored in an airtight container and frozen for up to 6 months.
- Reheating. Reheat from frozen or refrigerated by steaming in a steamer basket or placing in a frying pan with a small amount of water and simmer, covered, until heated through.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 596Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 428mgCarbohydrates: 64gFiber: 7gSugar: 1gProtein: 18g
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