This Masa for Tamales recipe is a keeper! Be sure to print it.
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We have used this recipe for years in my family, and it has never done us wrong. It’s a basic and very easy recipe that’s perfect for making delicious tamales.
Keep reading! I provide several Pro Tips to ensure success in your kitchen.
Table of Contents
- 1 Ingredients Needed
- 2 🌽 More Masa Harina Recipes
- 3 🥣 Instructions
- 4 How Long Do Tamales Last?
- 5 How to tell if the masa is ready
- 6 👩🏼🍳 Advice for the newbie tamale maker
- 7 🫔 Authentic Mexican Tamales Recipes
- 8 🔥 How to reheat tamales
- 9 😋 Hungry for More?
- 10 How to Make Masa for Tamales
- 11 How much masa do I need?
- 12 Ingredients Notes:
- 13 How Long Do Tamales Last:
Ingredients Needed
- Masa Harina – In a nutshell, this is a special type of corn flour. Maseca is a popular brand.
- Warm Water – Good substitutes are chicken stock and vegetable broth.
- Baking Powder
- Shortening – or Lard
- Salt
Nowadays, most stores will carry all the ingredients you need to make flavorful tamales.
Or, if you are lucky enough to live by a Mexican grocery store, they will carry prepared masa or fresh masa. Just know that if you buy prepared masa dough it will most likely include LARD.
Another thing you can do is ask your local Mexican restaurant if they sell prepared masa.
🌽 More Masa Harina Recipes
🥣 Instructions
- Start by whipping the vegetable shortening in KitchenAid or hand mixer.
- You can also use pork lard.
Traditionally, masa is made with lard. It is used for both sweet and savory tamales – think pie crusts made with lard.
Not a fan of lard or shortening? Try masa with oil. 100% vegan and “better-for-you” than the traditional type.
- After the shortening is whipped, set it aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together.
Notice how there are no spices mentioned in the recipe. This is a basic recipe.
Spices you can add for savory tamales:
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Spices to add for sweet tamales:
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground anise
- Add some of the dry mixture to the whipped shortening.
- Little by little on low speed using the paddle attachment then gradually move up to medium speed.
- You want the texture to be light, creamy, and fluffy. Think cookie dough.
By the way, the tamales that you purchase at the store are supposed to be big. Sometimes, the corn husks come small or ripped. It’s ok to make smaller tamales.
How Long Do Tamales Last?
- Tamales last 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Tamales last 6 months in the freezer.
For leftover masa, make champurrado. It goes perfectly with tamales. Or make breakfast tamales.
- Add water (or chicken broth) and the masa harina mixture, little by little.
- Mix slowly on the stand mixer. Scrape down the sides from time to time.
- Take turns adding the broth and masa harina mixture until it forms a soft consistency, almost like cake batter.
If you are making savory tamales, use chicken broth, pork broth, beef broth, or vegetable stock.
Some people will add the liquid from the cooked meat to the masa mixture. The cooking liquid will give your tamale dough very good FLAVOR.
How to tell if the masa is ready
The float test! (Note: This is not waterboarding. Masa never talks) 🤣
- Take a spoonful of masa and drop it in a cup of water.
- If the masa floats, it’s ready!!
- If it doesn’t float, beat it some more. There’s NO such thing as over-mixing here.
- Mix until it floats. It might just need more shortening.
- After that, you’re ready to spread, fill with your favorite filling, wrap tamales, and load up your steamer pot.
Making tamales is not hard. It’s just time consuming.
That’s why you must try Instant Pot Pork Tamales and Instant Pot Chicken Tamales. They cook in nearly half the time!
👩🏼🍳 Advice for the newbie tamale maker
- Grab a couple of friends and have a tamalada, or tamale party. It will go quicker with friends.
- If your masa for tamales is grainy, add more liquid and more fat (shortening or lard, whatever it is you are using).
- Grainy also means it’s the wrong masa harina. Make sure the masa harina is FOR TAMALES.
- If the masa is too stiff, add more liquid (whatever broth or water you are using).
- If you run out of broth, use water but adjust the salt by adding more.
- If you run out of shortening or lard, you can add oil. Be careful what type of oil you add. Olive oil will change the flavor.
- Have your filling and masa for tamales ready to go.
- Soak the corn husks the night before.
- Make as many tamales as you can and freeze them.
- Invest in a good steamer.
- Invite friends to help…. I might have already said that, but I can’t stress this enough.
🫔 Authentic Mexican Tamales Recipes
- Chicken Salsa Verde Tamales
- Northern Style Bean Tamales
- Vegetable Tamales
- Turkey Pibil Tamales
- Red Pork Tamales
- Tamales Dulces
- Pickled Jalapeño and Cheese Tamales
- Beef Tamales
- Tamales de Elote
- Red Chicken Tamales
🔥 How to reheat tamales
- For thawed tamales, add water to a steamer pot. Steam for 20 minutes.
- For frozen tamales, add water to a steamer pot. Steam for 25-30 minutes. Check after 25 minutes.
- Oven reheat method: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Wrap in foil paper and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes if thawed and 25-30 minutes if frozen.
- In the microwave, reheat thawed tamales for 2 ½ – 3 minutes.
You’re going to LOVE this masa for tamales recipe. From my family to yours, hope you enjoy!
😋 Hungry for More?
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Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!
How to Make Masa for Tamales
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup lard (or shortening)
- 2 cups masa harina 20 ounces (for tamales)
- 1 ½ tspn salt
- 1 tspn baking powder
- 1 ¾ cups hot water (or chicken broth)
Instructions
- Beat the lard with your mixer until smooth. About 2 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the masa, salt, and baking powder.
- Add the dry ingredients in small batches to the mixer.
- Alternate with the water until completely mixed.
- Beat until smooth, and scrape down each time.
- Knead until you form a smooth dough.
- The masa should look like wet sand.
Video
Notes
How much masa do I need?
This recipe only makes 1 dozen (12 tamales). To make 50 tamales: 8 cups masa harina, 7 cups broth, 5 teaspoon salt, 4 teaspoon baking powder, 2 ½ cups shortening. To make 100 tamales: 16 ½ cups masa harina, 14 cups broth, 10 teaspoon salt, 8 teaspoon baking powder, 5 cups shortening. Please note: if you are using broth, taste for salt before adding as the broth might already have salt in it.Ingredients Notes:
You can use all water and omit the chicken broth. You can also use the broth from the cooked meat filling. If you run out of shortening or lard, you can also use oil. Be careful on what type of oil. Some oils such as olive oil will change the flavor of the masa and the tamales. This is a basic masa recipe. Add spices to flavor the masa. See post for suggestions. The Float Test: Drop a small ball of masa into water. If it floats, the masa is ready.How Long Do Tamales Last:
- Tamales last 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Tamales last 6 months in the freezer.
Just finish making Chicken Tamales and fist time making masa, would usually buy at Vallarta Market. Thought it was a lot of work to make until now. They came out so tasty. My husband said they were the best tamales that I ever made and I have been making them for yrs. Thank You so much for your easy and tasty masa recipe, will not buying at the store anymore. I’ll be making it myself.
Your comment just made my day! It’s not hard to make masa AT ALL. What I love is that you control what to put in it. If you want to add less salt, you can. My brother is a vegan. So, I don’t use lard, I’ll use shortening or olive oil. My friend only eats organic food. You can make the masa from only organic ingredients. etc. etc.
Do you have a recipe for a ground beef filling for tamales? Today was my first time ever to make tamales! The filling was pretty good, but ughhh the Masa, dry they just broke apart, was heavy not good at all. Since I was experimenting I only made 12. Another question. How do u spread you’re Masa? I will be using you’re Masa recipient w/ lard next time
Definitely go with the lard. Although, I think that’s shortening in the video. lol.
I’ve been asked about the spreading many, many times. Check out the video in this post: https://inmamamaggieskitchen.com/red-pork-tamales/ You’ll se the spreading there.
Each time I have made tamales, the masa sticks to the corn husk. Any idea what I am doing wrong?
This looks great, but I’m wondering about the spices. You don’t mention any spice. As I remember from watching my Mom and tias growing up, there were definitely spices along with the broth from the pork used for the filling.
This is your basic Masa recipe. Some people can add spices for savory tamales. Or, add sugar and fruits for sweet tamales. Sounds like your mom and tias were making savory tamales.
Fabulous recipe and great instructions. I make tamales often but I needed to kick it up a notch. I read though so many recipes but yours stuck out. Glad I stumbled over your post. Thank you, their better than my recipe. I have to say that if you can, use lard! It’s so worth it. You’ll notice the oil n water separate in your steaming vessel. I just tell myself that all the lard steamed out into the water. Wala! No guilt.
I keep telling my husband we need to try and make tamales.. He says you need a army of people to make them? Can they be made with only 2 people.. Any tips..
I have made tamales with just my husband before. Here are some pointers: Make the filling beforehand. Have the masa ready to go. Make less. If it’s just the two of you, you don’t need to make 3 dozen unless you want to freeze some. Hope you two enjoy!
I HAVE MADE MAY TAMALES AND USUALLY AT CHRISTMAS TIME. I HAVE EVERYONE ONE (INCLUDING MY GROWN KIDS) SAYING I WILL HELP AND THE TIME COMES AND THEY ARE READY TO PUT TOGETHER EVERYONE IS BUSY! IT TOOK ME 3 DAYS BY MYSELF TO MAKE 3 DIFFERENT KINDS OF TAMALES. I FILLED UP 3 OF THE LARGEST TAMALE POTS 3 TIMES. EXHAUSTING TO SAY THE LEAST. I WILL NOT EVER MAKE THOSE AGAIN WITHOUT HELP BUT IT CAN BE DONE. NOTE YOU CAN FREEZE THESE AND EVERYONE LOVES THEM. I GIVE SO MANY AWAY AND PEOPLE KEEP ASKING ME FOR MORE. GOOD LUCK!
It sounds like my family during tamale season, but I make a deal with them. I will make the masa for tamales and all the fillings, they just help wrapping. I’ll take any help I can get!
I find it better to use the liquid from when you cooked your pork. I also add a chili paste to give the tamales more flavor and color
Yes! That’s good too. 🙂
I have a vegan daughter and i never though about making bean tamales. I will have to try making them. I will usually make her de verdura con salsa verde. I will try the bean ones this weekend! Thank you!
Your daughter will love these tamales. 🙂
This was such an easy recipe for the masa! That has always been my problem. The filling is a breeze but that darn masa always gave me problems! Well NO MORE! THANK YOU, THANK YOU THANK YOU! You rock!!
You just made my day. That makes me so happy!
Great recipe. It is nearly the same as my family recipe. Inadd chili powder to masa. And YES to lard! I even render fat from my pork and add to masa! Thank you.
That’s awesome!
Can you over stir masa?
No. If it gets too stiff, you might need to add more liquid.
I have tried several recipes the Masa dough seems to always be grainy are heavy I would try it your way because you make it seem so easy thanks so much for the recipe Margaret in Texas.
So glad you enjoyed this!
I have tried several recipes the Masa dough seems to always be grainy are heavy I would try it your way because you make it seem so easy thanks so much for the recipe Margaret in Texas
Hi Margaret. Glad I could help. Thanks!
I have tyed other recipes and my masa comes out grainy and heavy I’m going to try it your way because you said I can’t overmix the Masa dough thanks so much I will try it and let you know
So glad you enjoyed this!
Do you have a recipe for sweet dessert tamales?
I don’t at the moment. It’s on my list of recipes to post. Stay tuned… 🙂
I don’t have an exact one but my mom mixed in cinnamon and sugar with the masa. Then added pineapple, raisins, coconut shavings, nuts. Comes out really good.
How many tamales does this make?
This makes 3 1/2 cups.
How many tamales does 3 1/2 cups make
Im going to try it…it’ll be my first time…
Making masa is easy. Remember to do the water trick. Good luck!
Where the Chile poder and garlic and Cummins to gave it look and hood taste
Yes! That’s good to add if you are making savory tamales. If you are making sweet, you can add sugar and cinnamon. Thank you for your comment!
Im going to try your recipe. .
Hope you do! It’s not as hard as everyone says.
Thank you !!!!!!!!!! I will make them this weekend !!!
Happy Tamale Making!
This tamale recipe looks really good. I’ve never been good at making tamales but will have to give your recipe a try! Thank you for sharing!
Hope you do! Yummy and fun. Great combo! 🙂
A friend of the family would make tamales all the time, and it was a huge deal. So, for some reason I thought making them was a complicated thing! YOU’VE SHOWN ME THE LIGHT! It’s so easy I’m going to try it and make bean tamales. Yay!
I hope you do. It’s really not that hard. Just time consuming. So grab a few friends and you’ll be done in no time. 🙂
Well this is my very first time making tamales.It really don’t seem like it hard to make.I’ll let you know how they came out.until then.
How’d they turn out? (crossing fingers)