How to Fold Tamales

Here’s exactly how to fold tamales wrapped in corn husks so the filling stays put and nothing spills out while steaming.

What Are Tamales: A Quick Rundown

Tamales are a traditional dish from Mexico made with fresh masa or masa harina which is a corn-based flour. It’s whipped with a fat, broth, salt and baking powder to create a creamy masa flour.

Sometimes the dough also has red chile sauce added to it. These are common of Northern Mexican style tamales.

Corn husks are hydrated and the masa dough is then spread on the corn husks, then it’s filled with variety of fillings. It can be traditional meat-based ones like chicken tamales, pork or beef,

There are also lots of authentic tamales stuffed with vegan and vegetarian fillings, for example like the rajas ones and yes there’s even ones with refried beans added to them!

But it’s not just savory fillings, there are lots of traditional tamale recipes with fillings to make sweet tamales. One of my favorites are the pineapple ones, so delicious!

Once the tamales have been filled, and wrapped they are ready placed in a large pot called a tamalera. The pot has warm water added to it then extra corn husks are placed on the steamer rack and the wrapped tamales are placed on it and steamed.

If a tamalera isn’t available then a large pot with a vegetable steamer basket, or an instant pot can be used for steaming the tamales

• Cheese and Jalapeño Tamales Recipe | Tamales de Rajas
• Sweet Pineapple Tamales Recipe
• Birria Tamales

I really think you all should try making homemade tamales…even if at least once. It’s not difficult, it just needs some time dedicated to it. But trust me amigos all the effort is very much worth for this traditional Mexican dish!

Before You Begin

Before you begin with this step make sure to read through the other steps in my tamales making series.

• How to Prepare Corn Husks for Tamales
• Masa For Tamales | No Lard Recipe
• The Masa Float Test for Tamales
• How to Spread Masa on Corn Husks for Tamales

How to Fold Tamales

Once you’ve soaked corn husks, made the fillings, made the masa dough and it’s passed the float test then you can spread the masa on the corn husks.

Next comes adding the filling and folding the tamales so you can get them ready for steaming.

This procedure is the same whether you’re using sweet or savory fillings for your homemade tamales.

But please notice these instructions are for corn husk tamales, ones made with banana leaves are folded differently.

Begin with a corn husk that has had the masa spread on it.

Add a small amount of the filling, about a couple of tablespoons should do, and place it in the center of the masa.

The exact amount of the filling will depend on the size of the corn husk. Large wider ones you’ll be able to add more and of course, more narrow ones will require less filling.

A common mistake is to add too much filling to the center of the dough.

For best results, don’t over stuff the tamales. Notice in the photo below that I didn’t add the filling all the way to edge nor the top or bottom sides of the masa.

Now you’re going to use both of your hands and grab either sides of the filled tamal.

Grab the right side of the corn husk and fold toward the center.

Now you’re going to repeat for the left side by grabbing that part of the corn husk and bringing it to the center of the tamal. It should overlap the bottom or right side previously folded in.

Use your fingers to smooth out the folded or sealed tamale and if you need to wrap the excess corn husk around the side.

Next grab and fold up the narrow end or bottom of the tamal up towards the wide end or top of the husks. Be careful and try not to squeeze it too hard so that neither the tamale dough or filling spill out.

That’s it, your tamal is folded and ready to be stacked in the tamalera or tamale steamer, steamer pot or the pressure cooker for cooking.

If you want to add an extra touch keep reading.

Pro Tip

The best tip I can give you when making tamales is to get some help — specially if you’re making a lot of them. You can have a tamalada or tamale making party.

Be it if you’re getting help or going it alone, the best pro tip I can give you is to create a sort of assembly line. Assign everyone to a specific tasks or if it’s just you, have everything in a work station setup to make the work flow faster.

How to Wrap Tamales

Some people like to go the extra mile and create elaborate wrappings for the tamales.

There are a few different ways to wrap the tamales, some are more decorative than others. The more decorative ones can be just to make them look pretty or to help you distinguish one tamale flavor from another.

Perhaps the most common way is to simply fold them and leave them as is. This is also the easiest way to fold tamales.

If this is your first time making tamales then I suggest you leave them like this. No need to complicate things and add an extra step.

As you can see in the photo above, I’ve wrapped a small bow around the folded tamale. This is one by taking a thin strip of hydrated corn husk and wrapping it around.

It can be tricky if you have medium to large tamales. The reason is that if the strips aren’t long enough they can rip easily when tying the bow.

Some people will use different color threads or kitchen twine to easily be able to tell the tamales apart. You can dedicate one specific color to a particular filling, this is specially helpful if making lots of different flavors of tamales. But it’s all completely optional too.

FAQ

How much filling should I put in a tamale?

About 2 tablespoons for a standard-size corn husk, more for wider husks, less for narrow ones. Overfilling is the most common mistake, it keeps the tamale from sealing properly and can cause the filling to spill out during steaming.

Can I fold tamales wrapped in banana leaves the same way?

No. Banana leaf tamales are folded differently than corn husk tamales, usually wrapped into a rectangular packet rather than the folded cone shape used for corn husks, you can see how it’s done in my banana leaf tamales recipe. This guide covers corn husk folding specifically.

What do I do if my tamale won’t stay folded?

This usually means there’s too much filling, or the masa wasn’t spread thick enough to hold its shape. Smooth out the seam with your fingers and, if needed, wrap a thin strip of hydrated corn husk around it to hold it closed while steaming.

Do tamales need to be tied or wrapped with a strip of husk?

No, it’s optional. Simply folding and tucking the ends closed is enough for steaming. Tying with a strip of husk or kitchen twine is mainly decorative or used to tell different fillings apart.

More Tamales Making Tips

Make sure you read through all of the helpful tamales making tips in my series. If I haven’t answered one of your questions don’t hesitate to reach out.

• How to Prepare Corn Husks for Tamales
• Masa For Tamales | No Lard Recipe
• The Masa Float Test for Tamales
• How to Spread Masa on Corn Husks for Tamales
• How to Steam Tamales without a Steamer
• How Long Does It Take to Cook Tamales on the Stove?
• How to Reheat Tamales
• How to Cook Frozen Tamales
• How Long do Tamales Last
• How to Store Tamales
• What to Eat with Tamales | 24 Tamales Side Dishes