Instant Pot Tamales Recipe
These Instant Pot tamales are super tasty! They're soft and tender, filled with yummy pork and a spicy red sauce for a kick. Making them takes some work, but it's totally worth it! Just make sure the tamales aren't too long, about 4 to 5 inches, so they fit nicely in the pressure cooker with the lid closed. This recipe is really fun, with soft masa and juicy shredded pork. And while these Instant Pot tamales are delicious on their own, you can always add some yummy toppings or sides, like homemade guacamole or yellow rice.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Large bowl
- Instant pot
- Baking sheets
Ingredients
For the Corn Husks:
- 28 Corn husks
- Boiling water
For the Masa:
- 1 ⅓ cups Lard
- 3 cups Chicken broth
- 4 cups Masa harina
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Salt
For the Green Chile Chicken Filling:
- 2 tvsp Olive oil
- ½ cup diced White onion
- 4 Garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup diced Green chiles
- 1 tbsp Masa harina
- 3 cups shredded Chicken rotisserie or cooked
- ½ tsp Chili powder
- ½ tsp Cumin
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
Instructions
- Put the corn husks in a big bowl and cover them with hot water. Let them soak for 30 minutes, covered with foil.
- In another big bowl, mix the lard and 2 tablespoons of broth until fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix masa, baking powder, cumin, and salt. Slowly add the masa mix to the lard and beat until it's all mixed together.
- Add broth a little at a time until you have a soft dough. Beat it on high for 5 minutes until it's smooth like peanut butter. Cover it with a damp towel while you make the filling.
- Heat some oil in a big skillet over medium heat. Cook onions for 5 minutes until they're clear, then add garlic for 30 seconds. Add green chiles and masa harina, cook for 1 minute, then take it off the heat. Mix in chicken, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cheese.
- Take a corn husk, smooth side up, wide end at the top. Put about ¼ cup of masa in the middle, making a 4-inch square. Put 1-2 tablespoons of filling in a line down the center. Fold one side over, then the other, and fold up the bottom. Do this for all the tamales.
- Put 1 ½ cups of water in the Instant Pot, then put in the trivet rack. Lay 4 corn husks flat on the rack. Put the tamales on top, open end up. You should be able to fit 24 tamales.
- Put on the lid, set the valve to "Sealing," and press "Manual" for 35 minutes on high pressure. Let the pressure go down naturally.
- Take off the lid and move the tamales to a baking sheet. Let them sit for 15–30 minutes before you eat them.
Notes
- Test the masa by dropping a small piece into warm water. If it floats, it's ready.
- Grate your own cheese instead of using pre-shredded.
- Use a cookie scoop for even filling.
- Add fresh avocado for some healthy fat.