Instant Pot tamales
Cheese and green chile tamales steamed in the Instant Pot, soft and corn-sweet with a melted stripe of jack down the middle.
- 105 min total
- 45 min hands-on
- A little more hands-on
- Serves 4
- About $1.97 a serving
- 690 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 2 cups masa harina
- 2 cups vegetable broth, warm
- 8 oz Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 12 sticks
- 2 cans diced green chiles, 4 oz cans, drained
- ½ cup salsa, for serving
- ½ cup sour cream, for serving (optional)
From your pantry
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1½ cups water
Each serving has about 690 calories, 20 g protein, 50 g carbs and 47 g fat, and costs about $1.97 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No salsa? Pico de gallo works.
- No sour cream? Plain Greek yogurt works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Cut 12 squares of , about 7 inches each.
Parchment paper. Parchment paper is a nonstick, oven-safe paper for lining pans. Food lifts right off and cleanup is easy, but don’t swap in wax paper or put parchment under the broiler.
How you’ll know: It lies flat in the pan, and the food slides off when you lift it.
Dolly’s tip: No corn husks needed. Parchment holds the masa the same way and peels off clean.Stir the masa harina, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, add the oil and warm broth, and knead with your hand about 2 minutes, until smooth.
Dolly’s tip: It should spread like soft peanut butter. If it feels stiff, work in more broth or water a tablespoon at a time.Spread 3 tablespoons of masa in the middle of a sheet into a 3½-inch square about ¼ inch thick, leaving a wide border of paper.
Heaping. Heaping means a rounded mound piled above the rim of the spoon or cup, not leveled off. It’s a little more than the measure, on purpose.
How you’ll know: The pile sits above the edge of the spoon, and you leave it there instead of scraping it flat.
Dolly’s tip: Use the back of a wet spoon. Thin and even cooks through; thick spots stay gummy.Lay a stick of cheese and a spoonful of green chiles down the middle.
Lift one side of the paper so the masa folds over the filling to meet the other edge, roll it up in the paper, and fold the bottom 1½ inches up tight. Leave the top open.
Dolly’s tip: Let the paper do the work: lift it and the masa follows. If a seam gapes, press it closed through the paper.Set the trivet in the Instant Pot, pour in the water, and stand the tamales on it open end up, packed snugly so they hold each other upright.
Dolly’s tip: If there’s room left, tuck in a ball of foil so they can’t tip over. Trim any paper that sticks up past the rim so the lid closes.Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and pressure cook on high 25 minutes.
Timer: 25 min
Dolly’s tip: It takes about 10 minutes to come up to pressure before the countdown starts. That’s normal.Let the pressure come down on its own for 15 minutes, then turn the valve to venting to release the rest.
Timer: 15 min
Lift one out and unwrap it: the masa should pull away from the paper cleanly. Let them 10 minutes; they firm up as they cool.
Rest. Resting means letting cooked meat sit for a few minutes before you cut it. It keeps cooking gently, and more of the juice stays in the meat instead of running onto the board.
How you’ll know: Loosely covered with foil, it stays hot, and very little juice runs out when you slice it.
Timer: 10 min
Serve in their paper with salsa and sour cream.
Dolly’s tip: Freeze cooled tamales in a bag for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen on the trivet with 1 cup water, 5 minutes on high pressure.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
