Vegan Tamales Verdes with Mushrooms and Beans

Vegan Tamales Verdes with Mushrooms and Beans

These vegan salsa verde tamales are spicy, tender, packets of corn filled with a hearty sauteed mushroom and bean filling in simmered in a tomatillo salsa.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Diet Vegan

Total Time 2

Servings tamales

Calories 226kcal

Author Dora S.

Ingredients

Salsa verde

1 lb 2 oz. Tomatillos husks removed
½ White onion chopped
3 Garlic cloves
2-3 Serrano Peppers
¼ cup Cilantro roughly chopped
30 Corn Husks

Filling:

1 tbsp. Vegetable oil
2 lb oyster mushrooms pulled into strips
2 cups cooked pinto beans drained

Masa:

1 cup 8 oz. refined coconut oil
4 ¼ cups 1 lb. 2 oz. masa harina
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp salt
4 cups vegetable broth warm

Instructions

Soak the corn husks in hot water in a large pot or in your kitchen sink or a large pot for 1 hour.

To Make the Salsa Verde

Place the tomatillos and serrano peppers in a medium saucepot. Cover with water and bring up to a simmer over medium heat. Let cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the tomatillos are cooked but not mushy. Transfer the tomatillos and chiles to the blender. Add the onion, garlic cloves, and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

To Make the Filling

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until they begin to brown. Add the beans and pour in the salsa verde and reduce heat to low-medium. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in the cilantro, and let cool.

To Make the Masa

Beat the coconut oil on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until it has doubled in size and is fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the baking powder and salt. Beat for 1 minute to incorporate into oil. Add half of the masa harina and beat until it is completely incorporated. Pour in half of the vegetable broth and beat. After it is completely incorporated, add the other half of masa harina and vegetable broth. Beat at low speed until thoroughly mixed. It should have the consistency of a thick cake batter.

Setup the Steamer

Fill the bottom of the steamer with water, making sure the water does not touch the steamer rack. Line the rack and sides of the steamer pot with the corn husks.

Assemble the Tamales

To wrap the tamales, take a husk and dry off the excess water with a paper towel. Place the husk in your hand with the tapered side away from you and the smooth side up. Use a spoon to spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of the dough onto the corn husk. Fold over the sides of the husk, then fold it once more. Fold down the tapered section of the corn husk. This will leave one side of the tamales open.

Cook the Tamales

Place each tamales vertically in the steamer, leaning against the side of the pot, with the open end on top. Cover them with a layer of corn husks, cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 40 minutes.
Check the tamales. When they separate easily from the corn husk, it means they are done. If they are not done, steam them for 10 more minutes and check again. Remove the steamer from the heat and let the tamales sit uncovered for 10 minutes to cool.

Notes

The masa needs to be the consistency of a thick cake batter, and you should be able to easily pass a spatula through it. If your masa is too thick, add warm water in 1/2 cup portions until you reach the right consistency.

If you would like to make these with fresh masa, replace the masa harina with 2 lbs. of fresh masa and use only 1 cup of almond milk.

To make tamales without oil substitute with 8 oz of cooked, unsweetened pumpkin puree.

To make them in the instant pot, add the steamer basket, and 1 cup of water, and cook them at high pressure for 25 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.

Nutrition