Tender chunks of butternut squash cooked in a bright, aromatic adobo sauce create the filling for these mouthwatering tamales. Wrap in corn husks and steam to tender perfection for a plant-based take on a Mexican classic.
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 2 hr 30 min |
| Prep: | 1 hr 30 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 12 tamales |
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced butternut squash
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup chopped scallion, (white and green) 1 bunch or 6 scallions
- 1 tablespoon canned chipotle en adobo sauce (chiles for filling)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 cups masa harina, preferably Colombian such as Pan Harina
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small bunch scallions, (white and green) finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, sliced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup Spanish olives with pimentos, chopped
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup capers
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 scant teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- About 16 corn husks or 22 corn husks for smaller tamales (soaked in water until soft)
- Hot sauce for serving, optional
Instructions
- For dough: Put butternut squash in a medium pot with broth, scallion, adobo sauce, garlic, salt, and cumin. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Remove the squash with a slotted spoon, and reserve the broth. Set aside half of the squash for the filling, then mash the remaining squash is a large bowl. Mix in the masa with a fork. Slowly pour the seasoned broth over the filling, mixing with a fork (or hands) until smooth. Slowly stir in oils, a little at a time until dough is soft and moist. Cover with plastic wrap, set aside.
- For filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions, garlic, chiles, cumin and salt and cook until soft, about 1 minute,. Add reserved squash, olives, raisins, capers, and cook, stirring gently, until well combined, about 1 minute longer. Add broth and orange zest and cook, stirring occasionally until broth is slightly absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro, remove from heat.
- To assemble: Cut 2 husks into 24-inch lengths about 1/2-inch wide. Place other soaked corn husks on cutting board, open side up. Place about a 1/4 cup dough in the center of each husk, leaving enough corn husk free to enclose tamale. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons filling on top. Then cover filling with about 2 to 3 tablespoons more of dough. Wrap the husks around the filling and twist and tie ends with reserved strips to make party favor shaped tamales.
- Set up a 10-inch steamer basket. Lay tamales in steamer, cover and cook until the husks get slightly translucent, about 50 minutes. Remove tamales from steamer, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving with additional hot sauce if desired.
- Halloween 2008 Web
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 484 |
| Total Fat | 28 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 58 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Protein | 8 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 774 mg |
Reviews
the best tamales ever! my whole family loves them.
Wow!!! I have not found a person yes you did not think these are the best tamales they ever had. I agree with the previous review you make these now.
MAKE THESE NOW!!! Tons of flavor, not difficult, a fantastic option for a meatless monday meal. I loved the way the spice of the chipotle played off the mild sweetness of the masa and the briny, saltiness of the olives and capers. Get a helper if you want to cut the prep time down and make assembly easier.
Excellent Tamales! I had just roasted some butternut squash and wanted to do something different. I followed the recipe fairly closely. I even used the capers (of which I am not a fan. I made a double batch and I think I made about 30+ tamales. I shared these with many friends and everyone said they were the best tamales they have ever had! WOW, what a compliment. I took my time preparing this and enjoyed the process. Froze a few, then thawed and re-steamed them and they were perfect. I paired this with a homemade salsa and a simple black bean soup one night then a southwest chopped salad another night.
Fantastic!!! Look forward to making them again.
Fantastic!!! Look forward to making them again.
Deliciously different tamales. The squash keeps the masa very moist. Easy if you do it in steps. Doubled the recipe and froze half. The rest are going to a potluck at work. Thanks for a great recipe.
When i first read the recips i didn’t notice the save the butternut squash from the outer to the filling (cause i made the filling the day before and it was too liquidy so i added a mashed sweet potato. Which worked well and i added the chopped butternut squash the next day. The dought was smooth and perfect. What a great way to get more squash for the holidays :
My family loved these tamales. I love the flavor and all that they are meatless.
EXCELLENT!! Time consuming but worth it! I made a double batch so I could freeze some and have them at a later date.
the masa for these tamales are great! These are pretty spicy tamales even for my taste and I am hispanic! The lavors were good, loved the raisins ! I still felt as if something was missing. I think I will try using the same flavors and slow cooking them with beef next time.
I made these tamales for a vegetarian friend and they are THE BEST we have both ever had. Absolutely worth the time and ingredients. The Masa is the most flavorful masa anyone has tried. Rave reviews each time I’ve served them. Since, I’ve made them several times, always in double batches that I freeze!