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A tamal sits partially unwrapped on a corn husk, revealing a savory filling of vegetables reminiscent of tamales de rajas con queso. A fork rests beside it on a colorful plate, garnished with fresh cilantro.
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Tamales de Rajas con Queso

Corn masa tamales filled with roasted poblano peppers cooked in a simple tomato salsa, plus your choice of melty cheese. A vegetarian tamal that's easy to make vegan too.
Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 28 servings
Calories: 195kcal
Author: Nancy Lopez & MexicanMadeMeatless.com

Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

  • 9 large poblano peppers
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 large white onion halved and thinly sliced
  • 4 large garlic cloves minced
  • 4 medium roma tomatoes chopped
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt divided
  • 28 matchstick pieces cheese about 3 inches long (optional)

Masa Ingredients

Instructions

Soak your corn husks

  • Sort and soak your dried corn husks until soft and pliable in warm water. Drain and pat dry once ready to use. For step-by-step help, see my corn husks guide.
    Corn husks soaking in water inside a clean sink, prepared for making tamales. The husks appear soft and pliable, showing the results of soaking corn husks for tamales, and are ready for use in cooking.

Prepare Poblano Pepper Filling

  • Char the poblanos: Roast the 9 large poblano peppers over a stove burner or under the broiler until charred all over.
    A four-panel image illustrates how to roast poblano peppers step by step. Top left: charred peppers on a pan. Top right: covered with plastic wrap. Bottom left: freshly peeled peppers. Bottom right: a stack of perfectly roasted and peeled peppers, ready for your favorite poblano pepper recipes.
  • Steam and peel: Place the charred poblanos in a bowl, cover loosely, and let sit for 10 minutes. Use a butter knife to scrape away the charred skin, then slice open, deseed, and cut into thin, even strips. Set aside.
    How to Roast Poblano Peppers Over an Open Flame | #poblanopeppers #howtocook #chilies
  • Cook the onion: Heat the oil in a very large pan. Once warm, add the sliced white onion, and sprinkle with half the 1.5 teaspoons salt. Sauté until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.
    A frying pan on a stove filled with thinly sliced white onions, topped with a sprinkle of salt, as someone adds more salt from a small container.
  • Add garlic: Add the minced garlic cloves, and sauté for 1 minute.
    Sliced onions sautéing in a frying pan with minced garlic added to the center, on a stove. A hand is holding a small bowl above the pan, about to add more ingredients.
  • Add poblanos and tomato: Stir in the poblano strips and chopped tomatoes, mix well. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and stir until everything is well combined.
    A skillet on a stove contains sautéed onions, chopped tomatoes, and a large pile of sliced roasted poblano peppers.
  • Simmer the filling: Taste and adjust salt if needed, keeping in mind the cheese will add its own saltiness. Cook until the tomato has softened, about 10 minutes.
    Sliced onions, tomatoes, and poblano peppers are being sautéed in a large frying pan on a stove, stirred with a wooden spoon to use as a filling for tamales de rajas.
  • Cool before using: Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before assembling your tamales, or refrigerate overnight to use the next day.
  • Prep the cheese: Cut the cheese into the matchsticks then place back in the fridge until ready to use.

Prepare The Masa

  • Whip the shortening until fluffy, add the baking powder and salt and whip another 2 minutes. Gradually add the masa harina and broth until you have a masa that's airy and spreads easily. For the full method, see my masa for tamales guide.
    A person mixes masa dough for tamales in a glass bowl with a hand mixer on a wooden table, surrounded by flour and kitchen utensils. A colorful embroidered cloth is visible in the foreground.
  • Fill a small glass with water and drop a dollop of the masa into it. If it floats it's ready to use, if not whip for another 5 minutes.
    A glass bowl filled with masa sits on a blue and white tiled surface, surrounded by clay dishes and a glass of water in the foreground performing the traditional masa float test.

Assemble and Steam The Tamales

  • Spread masa on a hydrated corn husk, add a couple tablespoons of the cooled poblano filling, tuck in a piece of cheese (optional) if using, then fold.
    A corn husk on a wooden board with masa, poblano pepper filling, and a cheese strip, surrounded by more cheese, vegetable mix, masa, and tiled blue-and-white patterned surface.
  • Steam for 1 hour or until the masa pulls away from the husk easily.
    A hand uses a fork to cut into a tamale on a decorative plate, with cilantro garnish. More tamales are in a bowl nearby, all set on a blue and white tiled surface.

Notes

Dairy cheese is used for a vegetarian version. In our family we use Chihuahua or Manchego, or Monterey Jack in a pinch.
For a vegan tamal, use a firm plant-based melting cheese or leave off completely. 
*Please notice that final nutritional and calorie information will be based on the type of cheese you use.*

Nutrition

Serving: 28servings | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 511mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 378IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg
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