Make traditional Costa Rican tamales at home! This step-by-step pork tamal recipe uses banana leaves, arroz arreglado, and is perfect for the holidays.

Just imagine a bustling hot open-air kitchen- preferably in the cloud forest- full of people talking and laughing. There definitely has to be some Latin music and a band of kids running in circles and yelling.

As each person arrives, they place on the table their offering- might be Maseca, might be vegetables, freshly cooked rice, or braised pork, maybe even coffee, homemade juice, and empanadas for the long wait.

Everyone puts on their aprons, washes their hands, and starts to give their opinion on how to proceed. There is tons of noise, laughing, and banter as the tamaleada begins…

In this post, I’ll tell you exactly how to make traditional Costa Rican tamales- step by step! I’ve even got an easy video for you to follow–  even if you are making them for the first time, in cold weather, and all by yourself (like I usually do!)

We spent a day making Costa Rican tamales with our Uncle William in Costa Rica. The girls learned a timeless food tradition, and we made delicious food to sell.

William sells tamales year-round to small business employees in San Ramón, Costa Rica. He’s an expert cook, and he does everything traditionally. Check out our day learning to make tamales, and the step-by-step Costa Rican tamal recipe- modified to make in the United States.

About Costa Rican Tamales

Tamales are an absolute labor of love, and no two people make them in the same way. A tamal is a bit of cooked masa, which is a gluten-free corn-based dough that is steamed in either corn husks or banana leaves. Inside the masa are fillings that range by country of origin and chef preference, but generally include rice, meat, and vegetables.

Tamales are also called allacas, (Venezuela) nacatamales (Nicaragua) bollos (Colombia) or pasteles (Puerto Rico) depending on the country.  The outer wrapping is never eaten but is used as a plate or discarded.

Costa Rican tamales are never made in corn husks, however, that is more of a Mexican tradition that gives the tamales a different flavor.

While in English we call them tamales, Costa Ricans refer to tamales in the singular- tamal. So we will say that we are eating a Christmas tamal (tamal navideño).

Traditional Costa Rican Tamales Recipe

Ingredients:

Cooking supplies:
Large stockpot 20 qt or larger
Stirring spoon
Plantain or banana leaves cut into 8″ squares
String or twine cut into 14–18″ pieces
Scissors

For the masa (dough):
1 packet Maseca tamal mix, cornflour mix
2 cups cold water
2–4 cups pork broth; can substitute with chicken broth
1 stick margarine or pork fat, or shortening
1 packet Maggi chicken bouillon (consomé de pollo)
Salt to taste, optional, up to 2 Tbsp

For the filling:
Costa Rican arroz arreglado prepared (not dry rice)
2–3 lb cooked pork shoulder can substitute for shredded chicken
Carrots sliced
Red bell pepper sliced

Instructions:

The tamales are easiest when you make the rice and pork ahead of time. You can also make the rice while the tamale masa is cooking for the first round, but I prefer just to make the pork and rice the day before. 

Start with your very large stockpot. Add your entire packet of Maseca or a similar tamal base to the pot. Next, add 2 cups of cold water and begin to mix this with your hands. The cold water will help so that the Maseca doesn’t form little balls when you add the other ingredients.

Add 2-4 cups of pork broth, chilled to room temperature, to the masa mixture. Stir until well mixed. (If you don’t have pork broth, chicken, or beef from a box will do).

Next, add margarine, shortening, or pork fat and your packet of chicken bouillon (consomé de pollo). Keep mixing everything until you have a base masa that is the consistency of a watery cream of wheat. 

Place ingredients on a hot stove and begin to heat, stirring occasionally to mix all the ingredients. Traditional Costa Rican cooking style calls for completing this step over an open fire or on a wood-burning stove, but I just do it on my regular old stove. 

You will heat and stir until the mixture boils and the consistency is that of cream of wheat. If you like your tamales a bit saltier, you can taste this as you go and add up to an additional 2 tablespoons of salt. Some people add a bit of black pepper here, but I never do.

While the mixture is cooking, someone usually sets up the plantain leaves and string to begin preparing for the next step: assembling the tamales. 

In Costa Rica, plantain leaves are huge and a dime a dozen, but in the States, you may have to buy banana leaves instead. I recommend double-wrapping the tamales either way. This means placing two plantain leaves on top of each other.

Once you have laid out all of the leaves, start by placing a good spoonful of masa in the middle of each leaf. I would say this is just over 1/2 cup of masa. 

Next, place a bit of rice in the middle of the masa. From here, add a couple of carrot slices, a few red pepper slices, and some pork. Some people add peas, hard-boiled eggs, raisins, garbanzo beans, mashed potatoes, onion, green sweet pepper, green beans, etc. Our family doesn’t.

Now you will fold the tamal. Pull up each of the long ends and roll them down as if you were folding a bag of chips or a paper lunch sack. Flatten this down on top of the tamal, then fold the short ends over. Place one tamal on top of the other and wrap them tightly with twine. (see video for instructions)

When you wrap these, it’s just like wrapping the ribbon around a Christmas present- except you do it twice, once on each side. 

Place all of the tamales back into a large pot (or just wash the one you were just using) and cover them with water. Cover and bring to a rolling boil. 

Boil the packets for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool in the boiling water for at least 30 more minutes. Remove, dry, and enjoy. In true Costa Rican style, you can slather the tamales with Salsa Lizano, and eat with hot coffee and good company. 

Other Costa Rican Holiday Food Traditions

Tamales are a Costa Rican Christmas tradition. Here’s a list of other Costa Rican holiday foods:

• Melcochas de natilla, homemade candies (December)
• Arroz con Pollo chicken and rice (Every holiday under the sun)
• Tamal de masa dessert (Easter)
• Empanadas de chiverre (Easter)
• Costa Rican Egg Nog – Rompope (Christmas)

Making Tamales- What To Know

One of my favorite Costa Rican tamal traditions is the exchange of tamales at Christmas time. Starting in November, people make loads of tamales and gift them to friends and neighbors. Not only is it a generous tradition, but it is also a great way to show off your tamal-making skills and gain a reputation for the best tamales around. A few tamale rules:

• Rule #1- you don’t ever make tamales alone. They are labor-intensive and also a cultural tradition. You can join a tamaleada, which is a tamal-making party, where everyone brings an ingredient, helps in the preparation of the tamal, and splits the booty. 
• Rule #2- Patience. Making tamales is an all-day affair. Plan to have snacks on hand (empanadas anyone?), lots of coffee, and a good soundtrack.
• Rule #3– Christmas tamales have no calories! :) Enjoy them as such, in the true pura vida spirit.

What To Serve With Costa Rican Tamal

Tamales are eaten at almost any time of the day. Many people heat them for breakfast and enjoy them with either aguadulce (sweet water) or coffee.

You might eat them with rice and beans for lunch, or in the evening, enjoy them with a nice cold Imperial. Anytime is a good time to enjoy a Christmas tamal!

Many Costa Ricans will put a nice slather of Salsa Lizano on their tamales after heating them.

How To Reheat Tamales

Costa Rican tamales can be eaten at room temperature, but they are so much more delicious warm!

To reheat, you can either zap them in the microwave with their plantain leaves on or just boil them again in hot water (again, keeping the leaves on).

You can also place them in a frying pan and cover them, adding about 1/4 cup of water and heating on medium until the desired temperature.

Where To Buy Tamales In Costa Rica

If you are visiting Costa Rica, you can get tamales any time of the year. Don’t be fooled, though, you’ll never see them on a menu.

Many bakeries sell them, or you can just ask local restaurants if they have any or know where to buy them.

Be prepared, as Costa Ricans don’t expect tourists to want to eat tamales, and they may be reluctant to tell you where to get them!

Also, don’t be surprised if someone just brings tamales out of the back of the restaurant or shop and gifts them to you, refusing to let you pay. In that case, a heavy dose of muchas gracias is in order.

Finally, many street food vendors sell them as well. Expect to pay between $1-$3 (500-1,500 colones) for a piña de tamal.

In the States, if you know a Costa Rican, then you might ask if they are making tamales and would give or sell you some.

Otherwise, we live in an area with a lot of Salvadorans, and their tamales are generally very similar to Costa Rican tamales. At least enough so that we purchase them and slather tons of Lizano on them, and they taste like home.

Printable Costa Rican Tamales Recipe

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