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A person is holding a spoon full of guacamole on a plate while making homemade masa dough.
5 from 10 votes

Basic Masa Recipe for Tamales

Making masa for tamales is easier than you think, just need masa harina, fat, broth and salt. You can create variations at your heart's content.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings: 35 small tamales
Calories: 107kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 cups of masa harina or corn flour approximately 500 gm
  • 3-4 cups of broth or stock of your choice
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder optional
  • 225 gr of fat approximately 1 1/4 cups (recipe with oil below)

Utensilios

  • 2 large bowls
  • Stand mixer (optional but recommended if you want to save time and effort)
  • * Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cups or kitchen scale
  • Kitchen towel

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine masa harina, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.
  • Place the fat in a large bowl and beat at medium-high speed for about 5 minutes or until creamy and fluffy. Add half of the dry ingredients and continue beating on low speed until combined. The mixture will look a little sandy.
  • Add a cup of the broth and continue blending. Add the other half of the flour mixture and another cup of broth. Then, without stopping the beating, add broth until you achieve a soft dough with a spreadable consistency. It will look like soft peanut butter.
  • Taste for salt and adjust if necessary. The dough should be lightly salted to adjust for the salt that is lost during the steaming process.
  • If you want to spread the dough on the corn husks with your hands, leave it a little more solid, but if you want to spread it with a spoon, I recommend that it be a little looser.
  • Cover it with a dry or damp kitchen towel until ready to use to prevent it from drying out. But if you aren’t using it immediately, cover it tightly and put it in the refrigerator.

Video

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Basic Masa Recipe for Tamales
Amount per Serving
Calories
107
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
7
g
11
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
5
g
Cholesterol
 
0.4
mg
0
%
Sodium
 
154
mg
7
%
Potassium
 
39
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
 
10
g
3
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
0.3
g
0
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
 
1
IU
0
%
Calcium
 
26
mg
3
%
Iron
 
0.3
mg
2
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Mexican Classics
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: masa for tamales, winter recipes

Notes

Note: It is important that the ingredients are at room temperature. How to Make
Tamale Dough with Oil
Replace the solid fat with 240 ml of oil (1 cup) of your choice.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, pour the oil and two cups of broth, and let the liquid permeate the flour for about 15 minutes. Start kneading with your hands, a large wooden spoon, or in the mixer while adding more broth until you reach the desired consistency.