This cheese and jalapeno tamales recipe wraps fiery charred jalapeño chile and melted cheese in a fluffy masa dough. You could serve them as is, with red or green salsa (or both), but I like it best with homemade salsa ranchera and a shower of tangy cotija.
While there is so much to love about the holidays—family, parties, cozy drinks—obviously the best part about this time of year is the TAMALES.
Today’s cheese and jalapeno tamales recipe is a new one to add to your list of must-try tamales. I know that list is probably quite long… but trust me, this one is worthy of a place on it!
Why You’ll Love This Cheese and Jalapeno Tamales Recipe
- Soft, fluffy masa
- Spicy, smoky charred jalapeños
- Melty cheese helps mellow out the heat
- A simple two-ingredient filling
- Vegetarian tamales recipe
- Easily a vegan tamales recipe, like my kale and potato tamales, by subbing vegan cheese
- Makes a small batch (2 dozen). Not sure how many tamales you need? Here’s my guide on how many tamales to make for any party.
A Few Notes About The Ingredients:
- Corn husks: Look for dried corn husks at your local Latin market or buy them online. Look for large husks, the larger the husk the bigger the tamales.
- Cheese: For these jalapeño cheese tamales you want to use a good melting cheese like we did with our black bean and cheese tamales. Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Oaxaca cheese, Chihuahua cheese all work. You can also use queso fresco but it won’t be melty and stringy.
- Masa harina: The masa for these tamales is made with masa harina, baking powder, salt, vegetable shortening, and vegetable broth. Cornmeal is not the same as masa harina. If your local Latin market sells fresh masa for tamales definitely use that. Read more about how to make masa for tamales with fresh masa.
- Fresh jalapenos. Charred fresh jalapeños add smoky flavor and spice to these tamales. You can also use pickled jalapenos if you prefer or poblano peppers if you’d like them to be less spicy.
- Vegetable shortening: If you don’t care that these are vegetarian, use fresh lard for the most authentic flavor, you can also use coconut oil.
5 Success Tips For Making The Best Tamales
I’ve made hundreds (maybe thousands) of tamales and have learned some key success tips over the years. Here are my top 5:
- Soak the corn husks in boiling water. Save tons of time by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the dried corn husks. Push them under the water with kitchen tongs. The hot water will rehydrate them much faster than just warm water from the tap. Plus the boiling hot water will easily remove any dirt or debris on the husks.
- Rehydrate the masa harina. Before making the masa dough, rehydrate the masa harina with hot vegetable broth in a large bowl before adding the other ingredients. Masa harina is dried, dehydrated corn, it needs time to rehydrate before making the final dough.
- Use an electric mixer. For the fluffiest tamale dough use an electric mixer (like a Kitchen Aid) to beat the fat into the rehydrated masa harina.
- Don’t overcook them. The tamales continue to cook after they are removed from the steamer. To prevent overcooking them remove the tamales when the center of dough is still a tiny bit mushy in the middle. Place them on a tray and cover with a clean kitchen towel to rest and finish cooking for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Fresh Jalapeño and Cheese Filling
This is one of the easiest tamales filling to make. No slowly simmered meat like braised beef tamales, no complicated mole sauce like red mole pork tamales. All you need are a pound of jalapeños and your favorite melty cheese.
Broil the jalapeños on a baking sheet until nicely charred on all sides then remove the stem and seeds and cut into 1/2 inch strips.
Shred the cheese, and you’re ready to go!
Assembling Cheese Tamales
Making tamales is a long process but is much easier with the help of friend and family. Host a Tamalada or tamales-making party! It’s way more fun than doing it by yourself.
Soak corn husks, make the masa (see this post for step-by-step instructions), prepare the filling, then you are ready to assemble.
Drain corn husks, pat dry and wipe clean with paper towels. With the wide end pointing towards you, spread the masa in a thin layer with the back of a spoon leaving about 1/2 inch border along the long sides and the bottom of the husk.
Place a few jalapeño slices and a heaping tablespoon of cheese in the middle. Fold the sides of the husk together, then holding one of the long edges, roll the masa around the filling, and fold the pointy edge down to close.
Place tamales in a steamer pot filled with water and place over medium-high heat to steam. If it is steaming too vigorously, reduce to medium heat. Tamales take anywhere from 30-45 minutes to cook. If you don’t have a steamer pot, here’s instructions on how to steam tamales in everything from a Dutch oven to an Instant Pot.
Serve the cheese and jalapeno tamales recipe immediately with salsa. Cool any leftovers then place in freezer bags and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 6 months. Read this post for 8 ways to reheat tamales.
Variation
If the idea of jalapeños in your tamales seems too spicy, swap them for poblano peppers. Poblanos are mostly mild (occasionally you’ll get a spicy one) and you can char them just like we do with the jalapeños here. Or you can use rajas con crema as a filling.
Spicy Roasted Jalapeño and Cheese Tamales
This cheese and jalapeño tamales recipe wraps fiery charred jalapeño Chile and melted cheese in a fluffy masa dough. You could serve them as is, with red or green salsa (or both), but I like it best with homemade salsa ranchera and a shower of tangy cotija.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound dried corn husks
For the Filling
- 1 pound jalapeños
- 1 pound shredded Mozzarella cheese (could also use Oaxaca cheese or Monterey Jack)
For the Masa
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 6 cups Masa harina (1 2.2 pound bag)
- 1 cup vegetable shortening, coconut oil, or butter
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
For Serving
- Salsa Ranchera
- crumbled Cotija cheese
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add corn husks. Submerge them under the water with kitchen tongs. Set aside.
- Make the filling: Heat broiler to high. Place jalapeños on a baking sheet. Char under the broiler, turning frequently until blackend on all sides. Set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, cut off the stem and remove the seeds. Slice into 1/2-inch thick slices.
- Make the masa: Bring the 8 cups of vegetable broth to a boil. Place the 6 cups of masa harina in a large heat-proof bowl and pour 6 cups of the broth over the masa harina. Stir until masa is evenly moist. If it is still really dry add another cup of broth. Save the final cup for adding later.
- Place 1 cup of vegetable shortening (or which ever fat you are using) in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on high until light and fluffy, about a minute.
- Add the 2 tablespoons baking powder and 1 tablespoon salt and continue beating until light and fluffy, about a minute more. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Turn mixer back on a put on medium speed. Start adding the rehydrated masa a handful at a time, letting it whip in before adding the next. You want to really beat the dough and incorporate a lot of air. Keep adding the masa until all the dough is added.
- Stop the mixer and feel the dough, it should be light and fluffy like whipped mashed potatoes, maybe even a bit wetter than that. If it is still too dry, add more broth, 1/2 cup at a time until it is almost soupy. It will dry as it sits so it is better to be on the wet side.
- Prepare steamer. Fill a tamales steamer with water just until it reaches the rack where the tamales will sit. Use a few of the small or ripped soaked corn husks to line the rack. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, turn heat to medium and keep covered.
- Spread masa. Dry a soaked corn husk with a clean kitchen towel. Hold the corn husk with the wide end toward you. Using a large spoon, evenly spread about 1/2 cup masa from the middle of the husk down leaving about 1/2-inch border on the sides.
- Fill. Place about 2-3 strips of jalapeños and a heaping tablespoon of shredded cheese down the middle.
- Fold and roll. Fold one side of masa over the filling until the two edges of the corn husk meet, and holding onto one side of corn husk, pull the other side toward the middle to press the two edges of masa together. Fold the pointy end of the corn husk up over the large end, and place on a clean baking sheet. Repeat with remaining corn husks, masa, and filling.
- Steam tamales. Place tamales vertically, open-side up in the tamale steamer, keeping them snug in the pot so they don’t unravel during cooking. Make sure water is at a steady simmer and producing lots of steam. Cover tightly and steam until masa is cooked through and just a tiny bit doughy in the middle, about 30-45 minutes. Check occasionally and add more water if the pot looks dry.
- Keep warm. Remove from the pot to a platter and let sit, covered, 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Tamales can also be left in the pot (off the heat), covered with a clean towel (and then covered with the steamer lid) for up to an hour before serving. They will stay warm and soft if you want to make them in advance.
- Serve! Serve with salsa ranchera and crumbled cotija cheese.
Notes
- Masa Consistency: The masa dough should be light and fluffy, almost like whipped mashed potatoes. If it's too dry, add more broth, 1/2 cup at a time. If it's too wet, add a little more masa harina. Read more masa success tips and watch a video here.
- Make Ahead: Tamales can be made ahead of time and reheated. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Read all about reheating them here.
- Jalapeño Heat: Adjust the amount of jalapeños to your preferred spice level. Remove the seeds and membranes for a milder flavor. For extra heat, leave some or all of the seeds in.
- Keeping Warm: Steamed tamales can be kept warm for about an hour if left off the heat in the steamer covered with a clean towel and the lid.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 536Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 1300mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 5gSugar: 5gProtein: 15g
How can you make the masa if you’re stand mixer doesn’t have a paddle attachment?
You can mix the masa by hand. It won’t be as light and fluffy but it will still work. You can also beat the fat with an electric hand mixer then add the masa little by little into the bowl.