As a little girl, I dreaded this time of the year. If I dared to cross the kitchen, I was handed a knife and a corn husk. Smear. Fill. Wrap. Repeat.
One day, I saw my cousin going through the front room, completely avoiding the kitchen. She returned with tamales from the neighbor, thereby making herself the hero of our family because ours were still cooking.
A few years later, my cousin was sitting at the table … smearing, filling, wrapping… when, this time, I walked in with the neighbor’s Jalapeño and Cheese Tamales.
It felt great to be the tamale hero for a change!
Here’s a tried and true tamales recipe that’s delicious, yummy, and one of the most classic Mexican dishes.
It’s not the recipe for tamales. It’s the work involved that makes them hard.
Truth be told. That’s actually why we have big Mexican families: to wrap tamales. Totally joking!
More Tamales Recipe:
Chicken Mole Tamales
Red Pork Tamales
Beef Tamales
- Soak the corn husks in warm water. At least 20-30 minutes, until pliable.
- Overnight is best.
Pro Tamale Making Tip:
Put them in large pot and cover with a lid from a smaller pot. Corn husks float, and they need to be completely submerged in water.
If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where they sell prepared masa, BUY IT. You won’t regret saving yourself this step.
Or, you can make homemade masa for tamales. You can also use a healthier masa with oil that does not use lard.
The filling for Rajas con Queso Tamales:
- pickled jalapenos
- Monterey Jack cheese slices
Lost in Translation: “Rajas” are slices. You might find “tamales de rajas con queso” with slices of roasted poblano peppers instead of pickled jalapenos.
However, it’s 100 times easier to use pickled jalapenos instead.
Traditionally, these tamales are made with Oaxaca cheese. Monterey Jack is easier to find and makes a good substitute.
How to Assemble Tamales
- Get a corn husk and apply a thin layer of masa.
- Add your filling.
- Fold each side inward.
- Fold the corner end in and set aside.
Word to the Wise: While you’re assembling tamales, make sure the ones that are already assembled are standing up, not lying down. The open top should be upward.
The filling will fall out otherwise.
More Vegetarian Tamales:
Northern Style Bean Tamales
Tamales Dulces
Tamales de Cajeta
When you buy a bag of corn husks, you will always find some that are NOT good. Maybe they are too small, or they just look weird.
Add those to the bottom of a large steamer. They also serve to place on top of the steaming tamales.
You might also like:
Chicken Salsa Verde Tamales
Champurrado
Buñuelos
- Add water to the steamer.
- Add tamales open side up.
- Steam for 1 /2 to 2 hours, or until the masa removes easily from the corn husk.
Make tamales in half the time with an instant pot. Check out these: Instant Pot Red Pork Tamales and Instant Pot Chicken Tamales.
How long do Tamales last?
- Fresh tamales last up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Frozen tamales last up to 4 months.
These insanely delicious Tamales de Rajas con Queso will be a family favorite. They’re perfect for any special occasion. iProvecho!
Jalapeño and Cheese Tamales
Ingredients
- 1 bag corn husks about 30 husks
- Water (for steamer)
- Prepared Masa
- 1 12- ounce can pickled Jalapeño slices
- ½ lb shredded Oaxaca cheese or Monterrey Jack, ¾-inch slices
Instructions
- Soak corn husks in hot water for 30 minutes. Overnight is best.
- Drain and shake off any excess water from the corn husks.
- Apply a thin layer of masa.
- Add your a slice of Jalapeño pepper.
- Add a slice of cheese.
- Use your best judgement. If using a larger corn husks, add more cheese.
- Fold the corn husks sides inward.
- Fold the corner top in to the center and set aside.
- Place already assembled tamales standing upward, with the open-side up.
- Fill the bottom of a large steamer with water.
- You will always have corn husks that are NOT good. Add those to the bottom of steamer, above the steamer insert.
- Add tamales open side up to the bottom of the pot.
- Steam for 1 /2 to 2 hours, or until the masa removes easily from the corn husk.
Video
Notes
- Buy prepared masa.
- Invite friends to help.
- If making homemade masa, make it days ahead of time.
- Fresh tamales last up to 5 days in the fridge.
- Frozen tamales last up to 4 months.
Hello thank you for sharing the tamales recipe, I’m going to try to make these for the first time, when your ready to cook them you put them standing up can you stack more on top of the first roll and if so will they cook evenly?
I wouldn’t stack more on top, or they might not cook properly. However, I have done it before. I made one too many, and I stuck it on top. It cooked thoroughly, but it was also a small tamal. If I had a lot of tamales that needed steaming, I would put them in another pot or freeze them until I was ready to cook them.
These are ahhh-mazing! I kept holding out for “why are tamales such a “thing” if they are dry, crumbly, & tasteless like the ones I’ve always tries at local restaurants”? There is some secret I’m missing. On Tuesday, we ordered from a restaurant near my work and along with a taco, I ordered one Jalapeno & Cheese tamale. I was mad that I hadn’t ordered just tamales. It was so delicious and got me to thinking, so I searched tamale recipes, bought the right ingredients, and using chicken stock instead of water for extra flavor, made this recipe this evening. It is so so so good. Highly recommend!!
That’s a great story! These Jalapeno and Cheese Tamales are one of my personal favorites. Mainly because the filling is so easy. Thank you for your comment!
I have a question. I know some people who buy prepared masa but still doctor it up by adding more lard, baking powder, and broth. Is that a good thing, or does it make a difference in your opinion? Thank you for the recipe I plan to make some.
If it’s prepared masa, I would only add spices like cumin, oregano, paprika, etc. Unprepared masa you add lard, baking powder, brother, etc. Look at the label when you get the masa. It will tell you if it’s prepared or unprepared masa.
Hola Maggie! have some fresh mozzarella that I would like to use for these tamales. Do you think that would be ok, or is there too much moisture in fresh mozzarella? Thank you.
I’ve never tried it with fresh mozzarella. You might be right there. It might be too moist.
We make pork and red chili tamales every Christmas but this was our first time making the cheese and jalapeño tamales. They came out great and taste delicious. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
My first time making tamales and i used this recipe! Came out good and really yummy. Cooked for 2 hours and for some reason a few were pretty soggy unsure why
Hi. Soggy tells me there was something wrong with the masa. Or, the other thing you might need to do is leave them in the pot with the heat off. It lets them rest and will help bring the masa together.
They are on the stove for our Christmas Lunch at my work tomorrow. Hope they come out good. I used mozzarella cheese because I didn’t have the other.
That’s awesome! Hope they turned out ok.
I tried yesterday to make some fidnt work out so im using your recipe snd tryi g todsy fingers crossed
Hope it turned out ok!