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Plant Based Instant Pot

December 16, 2019 · 18 Comments

No Oil Vegan Instant Pot Tamales

Fall· Mains· Recipes· Recipes by Course· Recipes By Seasons· Spring· Summer· Vegetable Recipes· Winter

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These Pumpkin Instant Pot Tamales are perfect to cook in your electric pressure cooker. Many tamales are full of oil, but these keep their moisture by using pumpkin puree, and it makes them oil-free too.

You can double this recipe or even stuff them with beans or veggies if you want. They freeze great!

Vegan Instant Pot Tamales Made with Pumpkin Puree Instead of Oil

What Are Tamales Made of?

Tamales use a base of masa, which is a corn flour treated with lime, plus an added oil.

Vegans tamale recipes often use coconut oil, but traditionally lard was used. The oil keeps them moist and helps the dough stay together.

Can You Make Tamales Without Oil?

In my recipe we make Instant Pot tamales without any oil at all. In its place we’re going to use pumpkin puree. It’s thick and helps the tamales hold together and keeps them moist too. The pumpkin flavor isn’t strong at all and won’t clash with the fillings you decide to use.

Are Vegan Tamales Hard to Make?

Tamales aren’t hard to make, but you do need to set aside an hour or 2 to make them start to finish. They take time, but I find them relaxing to make.

There is a little bit of a learning curve, but that’s more about the part where you roll them up in the corn husks. I cover that later in detail to make it easier for you.

When you make the pumpkin tamale dough you’re just mixing the masa, spices and herbs, pumpkin puree, either by hand or in a mixer if you have one.

Vegan Instant Pot Tamales Made with Pumpkin Puree Instead of Oil

How Do You Roll Tamales?

Here’s the step by step method I use and includes instructions for adding in a filling too.

  1. Set up a workstation with a cutting board, the tamale batter and the corn husks.
  2. Put ⅓ cup tamale batter in the top half of the corn husk and spread into a thin rectangle that goes to the top (or wide part) of the husk. I do this with a spatula scraping the dough into the shape I want.
  3. In the middle of the rectangle, add a tablespoon of your filling choice.
  4. Roll the entire tamale over while pressing it firmly together, similar to how you would roll a burrito.
  5. As you roll the tamale the top part of the husk will go slightly underneath the other edge as you complete the roll.
  6. Pull the husk back to make sure the corn dough enveloped the filling.
  7. Fold the pointy end of the corn husk up and place with the open side up in the steamer.
  8. Repeat with each tamale until all the batter is used.
step-by-step-tamale-rolling

Can You Cook Tamales in an Electric Pressure Cooker?

I bet you already guessed that the answer to this one is yes. They are so easy to cook in the Instant Pot.

In the summer it doesn’t heat up your house and if you’re making them over the holidays you get to free up a burner on your stove. It’s a win-win.

How Do I Cook Instant Pot Tamales?

To cook tamales in your Instant Pot you’ll need to have at least 1 cup of water in the insert so it can reach pressure.

Remember to never use the pressure cooker setting with out enough liquid or it will never come up to pressure.

In my recipes we cook the tamales on high pressure for a cooking time of 20 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.

If you’re in a hurry cook then 25 minutes and carefully release the pressure naturally.

See, it’s easy peasy!

What Can You Fill Vegan Tamales With?

You can make plain tamales with no fillings at all, but they are great filled too! I recommend measuring out about 1 tablespoon of filling for each tamale.

Here are some easy filling ideas:

  • refried (or not fried) beans
  • mashed potatoes mixed with green chilies
  • vegan chorizo (or cauliflower rice mixed with a chorizo spice blend)
  • corn kernels tossed with lime and chile powder
  • Instant Pot Orange Lime Chile Jackfruit
  • Plant Based Instant Pot White Beans with Tomatillos and Poblanos
  • vegan cheese (try Julie and Kittee’s homemade recipe without oil)

Can You Freeze Tamales?

Yes, you can freeze tamales. In fact, I think it’s the best way to make them.

Just make a double batch, because it’s just as easy to make them and freeze the ones you aren’t going to eat in a few days, and cook the rest.

Vegan Instant Pot Tamales Made with Pumpkin Puree Instead of Oil
Instant Pot Tamales Made with Pumpkin Puree Instead of Oil

Pumpkin Instant Pot Tamales with No Oil Added

Kathy Hester
I’ve been in love with Mexican food for a long time and have been cooking more and more of it these days. I knew that tamales would be perfect for the Instant Pot. Many tamales are full of oil, but these keep their moisture by using pumpkin, and it gives them a great flavor, too. You can easily double this recipe if you want.
4.56 from 25 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Additional Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 12 tamales
Calories 82 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 LB Bag ALL NATURAL PREMIUM Corn Husks for Tamales Wrappers,Super Fresh
  • Gold Mine Organic Masa Harina Corn Flour, Yellow, 2 Pound
  • Frozen Banana Leaves (Hojas de Platano) by La FE – 1 Lb Pack (Count of 2)

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups pumpkin purée
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground chipotle pepper
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt optional
  • 2 cups corn masa
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 12 corn husks soaked in warm water for at least 2 hours then drained

Instructions
 

  • Add the pumpkin, oregano, cumin, chipotle, baking powder and salt to your mixer (or mixing bowl). Mix until everything is incorporated.
  • Put the masa in a medium-size mixing bowl, add the water and mix well. 
  • Add the masa mixture to the pumpkin mixture in golf-ball-sized balls while the mixer is running. This will create a fluffier mixture and the texture should be like a soft play dough.
  • Add 1½ cups water to the bottom of your Instant Pot and put a steamer or mesh insert in next.
  • Set up a workstation with a cutting board, the tamale batter and the soaked corn husks.
  • Put ⅓ cup (80 g) tamale batter in the top half of the corn husk and spread into a thick rectangle that goes to the top (or wide part) of the husk. I do this with a spatula so that I can scrape the dough into the shape I want.
  • Fold the pointed end up to the top, fold one side over the other and tightly roll it into a flat tube.
  •  Place with the open side up in the steamer and repeat until all the batter is used.
  • Add at least 1 cup of water to the bottom of your Instant Pot insert. (You may need to use more water if you are using an 8 quart or larger electric pressure cooker)
  • Put the steamer of tamales into your Instant Pot insert. 
  • Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes and let the pressure release naturally.
  • Serve topped with your favorite salsa and other toppings.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1tamaleCalories: 82kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 201mgPotassium: 159mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 4865IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 2mg
Keyword instant pot tamales, no oil tamales, pumpkin tamales, sos tamales
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Vegan Instant Pot Tamales Made with Pumpkin Puree Instead of Oil
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New Year’s Instant Pot Black Eyed Peas »

Comments

  1. Dana says

    July 8, 2018 at 7:59 pm

    Hi! This is about another of your recipes. I am new to IP and have purchased your cookbook. (Even though I am not vegan, you got great reviews!) I thought I would start with your Southern-Style Pinto Beans but have a question: Is the 45 minutes pressure cooking time right? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      July 8, 2018 at 8:01 pm

      It is they get extra creamy from the long cooking time.

      Reply
      • Dana says

        July 8, 2018 at 9:44 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
  2. Samantha says

    August 30, 2018 at 8:52 pm

    5 stars
    Just made these – great recipe! But the salt definitely should not be optional ha ha I left it out and my family all agreed that it is essential!!

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      September 2, 2018 at 9:41 pm

      It’s optional for people avoiding salt, but if you’re not I’d add it for sure!

      Reply
      • Friend says

        December 23, 2019 at 6:43 pm

        The recipe looks amazing! Here is a tip for the author of this amazing recipe: the singular form of the word tamales is TAMAL… there is no “e.”

        Reply
  3. Mary says

    September 27, 2018 at 1:31 am

    Recipe looks great. Do you know if fresh butternut squash would work?

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      September 27, 2018 at 1:37 am

      I haven’t tried it, but you will probably need to squeeze out some of the liquid either using cheesecloth or maybe putting it in a fine mesh strainer and pressing on it with a spoon.

      Reply
      • Mary says

        October 1, 2018 at 11:53 pm

        Thanks so much. That makes sense.

        Reply
  4. Mary says

    October 1, 2018 at 12:42 am

    This looks wonderful. Do you think fresh butternut squash would work?

    Thank you,
    Mary

    Reply
  5. Katrina says

    December 29, 2018 at 8:12 pm

    Thanks for this recipe! We make tamales for Christmas and my family recently went whole food plant based. This no oil version is amazing! We used jackfruit cooked in Cuban mojo to make a tamale that would satisfy our roated pork that is typical for a Noche Buena meal. The dough tasted great and worked well so I am eager to try these and incorporate regularly!

    Reply
  6. SHELLEY says

    September 29, 2019 at 2:22 am

    Are these cooked in the pot that comes with the IP, or is a special type of insert required? TY

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      September 29, 2019 at 2:30 am

      I use a steamer basket inside the stainless steel liner that comes with your Instant Pot.

      Reply
  7. Cc says

    December 18, 2019 at 1:11 pm

    Is there a way to make tamales without corn husks? Can you form the dough and just steam it alone?

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      December 23, 2019 at 9:56 pm

      You can use banana leaves, in a pinch you might be able to use foil. You need something to help them retain their shape.

      Reply
    • Kat says

      May 1, 2020 at 4:28 pm

      I have used parchment paper when I didn’t have corn husks. It works great!K

      Reply
  8. Chris says

    January 12, 2020 at 10:07 pm

    I just made this recipe and it is a keeper. Thanks so much! How do you reheat them if you freeze a batch?

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      January 17, 2020 at 1:33 am

      I would steam them, but you can heat them up in an air fryer or the oven in a pinch.

      Reply

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