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A tamale, filled with tender jackfruit and topped with salsa verde, rests on a corn husk, garnished with cilantro and a green chili pepper.
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Jackfruit Tamales Verdes

A vegan take on tamales verdes made with a jackfruit and oyster mushroom filling in tangy salsa verde, wrapped in masa and steamed the traditional way.
Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours
Course: Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican, Vegan Mexican Recipe
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 25 servings
Calories: 202kcal
Author: Nancy Lopez & MexicanMadeMeatless.com

Ingredients

Masa Ingredients

  • 7 oz shortening at room temp this is 1 cup
  • 1.1 lbs masa harina for tamales I use Maseca brand
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 3 to 5 cups low sodium vegetable broth at room temp

Salsa Verde Ingredients

  • 1.5 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1.5 lbs. tomatillos husked and rinsed
  • 2 fresh jalapenos stem removed
  • 2 fresh serrano peppers stem removed
  • ½ medium onion quartered
  • 4 whole garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon powder optional but adds great taste
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro
  • ¾ cups water

Filling Ingredients

  • 1 lb. oyster mushrooms pulled apart
  • 30 oz jackfruit in water (this was 2 small cans)
  • 1 small white onion
  • 3 whole garlic cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions

Prepare The Corn Husks

  • Sort through them and remove any debris or badly damaged husks. Soak with warm water in the sink or in a very large pot. Right before making the masa, drain them and place in a colander or pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. 
    A woman's hand submerges corn husks in water inside a kitchen sink, illustrating how to prepare corn husks for tamales. The husks are soaking as part of the cooking preparation process.

Salsa Verde Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large frying pan then add the chiles, onion, and garlic cloves and cook until everything has softened and browned a bit. Turning occasionally.
    Fried Salsa Verde
  • Place the cooked veggies in a blender cup (or food processor) with the water, salt, and vegetable bouillon powder and blend until perfectly smooth. Lastly add the cilantro and blend for 3 -4 minutes or until well incorporated. Taste for salt.
    A blender blending jalapeno salsa verde ingredients.

Jackfruit Filling Instructions

  • In a large sauté pan, cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to release their liquid. Stir now and then. Mix in the shredded jackfruit pieces and sprinkle in the salt. Cook for about 8 minutes.
    A wooden plate filled with shredded jackfruit and shredded oyster mushrooms sits on a granite countertop.
  • Pour in 2 cups of the salsa verde and cook for 10 minutes or until salsa thickens. Taste for salt and adjust if desired.
    A bowl filled with savory jackfruit filling for tamales.

Masa Instructions

  • Drain the corn husks and pat dry to remove excess water. Set aside. Use a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer for this step. 
    Soaked corn husks draining inside a white colander.
  • In a large bowl and on medium speed, whip the shortening until creamy. Add half the masa harina, baking powder, and salt and whip until well combined. Gradually begin adding broth and remaining masa corn flour until you have a creamy, smooth and airy masa dough. You'll need to increase to high speed to properly whip everything together. 
    Five images show hands mixing dough in a glass bowl with flour, shortening, and other baking ingredients on a wooden table, alongside a colorful embroidered cloth and measuring utensils—demonstrating the process of making tamale masa without lard.
  • Do the masa float test by placing a small piece of masa into a glass with water. It should float back to the top. If not keep whipping until it does.
    Masa floating in a cup of water after testing it for making tamales.

Assemble The Tamales

  • Take a drained corn husk and place it on your work surface. The shiny smooth side should be face up and the wide end should be on top and skinny tip down, like a reverse triangle.
    One hydrated corn husk in the palm of hand, showing the correct side of the corn husk to spread masa for tamales on.
  • Now spread some corn masa on the corn husk. Don't go all the way to the side edges and make sure it's an even thin layer across. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling in the center.
    Hands demonstrating how to spread masa onto a corn husk with a spoon on a wooden board, surrounded by more corn husks, a bowl of masa, and a decorative cloth—a helpful guide for anyone learning how to spread masa for tamales.
  • Grab one side of the husk and fold it towards the center, repeat with other side to bring both sides of the husks to the center, then fold up the long pointy bottom of the husk up towards the center. For a step-by-step guide you can watch this video. 
    A woman's hand is preparing jackfruit tamales verdes on a wooden surface. They place a green filling mixture onto masa spread on a corn husk. Nearby are more husks, a bowl of filling, and a mixing bowl with masa. A cloth with a floral pattern is also visible.
  • Keep making the tamales until all of the filling and masa has been used up. If you'd like you can rip some corn husk strips to wrap and hold together the tamales. 
    How to Make Tamales Verdes

Cook The Tamales

  • Add water to the tamalera up to the fill line, place the steaming rack inside, and line the bottom with a layer of corn husks. Arrange tamales open-end up, leaving space between them to expand."
    A pot filled with wrapped vegan tamales verdes sits on a wooden table next to a brown clay bowl, a clear glass, and a patterned napkin with colorful embroidery.
  • Cover the pot with aluminum foil, make a whole in the center of the foil then cover the pot with the lid. (You could also use another layer of corn husks instead of the aluminum foil.)
    Covering a tamale steamer to cook tamales on the stove.
  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower to low and steam 60 minutes. Check doneness by removing one tamale and letting it rest 10 minutes, the masa should peel cleanly from the husk.
    A tamale, filled with tender jackfruit and topped with salsa verde, rests on a corn husk, garnished with cilantro and a green chili pepper.
  • Add more hot water to the steamer pot if needed to finish cooking the tamales. Pour it into the side of the pot and try to avoid getting the tamales wet. 
  • Serve and enjoy!
    A tamale, filled with tender jackfruit and topped with salsa verde, rests on a corn husk, garnished with cilantro and a green chili pepper. A fork cuts into it, revealing the flavorful filling inside.

Instant Pot Option

  • Skip the tamalera and place a steamer basket in your Instant Pot with 1.5 cups water. Arrange tamales open-end up (a 6-quart pot fits 16 to 18). Pressure Cook on High for 35 minutes, then let pressure release naturally for 15 to 20 minutes.

Notes

This recipe makes 25 to 30 small tamales.
If you want to split the work in 2 days you can make the salsa and filling the first day then the next day soak the husks, make the masa and assemble and steam the tamales the next day. You could also make the tamales and steam the next day if desired. 
You can make the tamales masa dough with oil instead, check out my recipe.
If you don't own a tamalera pot to steam your tamales in, go read this article with other ways you can cook your tamales. How to Steam Tamales Without a Steamer.

Nutrition

Serving: 25servings | Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 304mg | Potassium: 364mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 133IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
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