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Varieties of Guatemalan Tamales

There are hundreds of varieties of tamales throughout Guatemala that vary based on the ingredients used in the masa or dough, the filling, and wrapping. Tamales in Guatemala are typically wrapped in maxan or plantain leaves rather than corn husks and use cooked masa prepared through a time-consuming process. Common varieties include tamales colorados filled with tomato sauce, peppers, and meat; tamales negros containing chocolate, raisins, and almonds; and tamales de elote made with sweet corn.

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121 views1 page

Varieties of Guatemalan Tamales

There are hundreds of varieties of tamales throughout Guatemala that vary based on the ingredients used in the masa or dough, the filling, and wrapping. Tamales in Guatemala are typically wrapped in maxan or plantain leaves rather than corn husks and use cooked masa prepared through a time-consuming process. Common varieties include tamales colorados filled with tomato sauce, peppers, and meat; tamales negros containing chocolate, raisins, and almonds; and tamales de elote made with sweet corn.

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Met Technicians
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© © All Rights Reserved
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There are reportedly hundreds of varieties of tamales throughout Guatemala.

The key variations


include the ingredients in the masa or dough (corn, potatoes, rice), in the filling (meat, fruits, nuts),
and what it is wrapped with (leaves, husks). Tamales in Guatemala tend to be wrapped in green
'maxan' leaves (Calathea lutea), while Chuchitos — which resemble Mexican tamales — are
wrapped in corn husks.
The masa is made out of corn that is not sweet, such as what is known as feed corn in the United
States. In Guatemala, this non-sweet corn is called maize and the corn that Americans are used to
eating on the cob (sweet corn), Guatemalans call elote. Tamales in Guatemala are more typically
wrapped in plantain or banana leaves and maxan leaves than corn husks. Additionally Guatemalan
tamales use cooked masa, which is prepared in a time-consuming process that requires a significant
amount of work.

 Tamales colorados ("red tamales") owe their name to the tomato and achiote (annatto seed) that
give them their color, wrapped with corn masa and are stuffed with tomato recado (a flavorful
thick sauce), roasted red bell pepper strips, capers, green olives, and chicken, beef or pork.
 Tamales negros ("black tamales") are darker and sweeter than their red counterparts due to the
chocolate, raisins, prunes and almonds which are added to them. Other black tamales are not
sweet but are simply made out of blue/black corn.
 Tamales de elote ("sweet corn tamales") do not use the typical masa but instead are made out
of sweet corn. These may contain whole kernels of corn in the masa and do not generally
contain meat.
 Chuchitos ("small dogs") are a very typical kind of Guatemalan tamale made using the same
corn masa as a regular tamale but they are smaller, have a much firmer consistency and are
wrapped in a tuzas (dried corn husks) instead of plantain leaves. Chuchitos are often
accompanied by a simple tomato salsa and sprinkled with a hard, salty white cheese traditional
from the Zacapa region. Chuchitos are a very common and are commonly served at luncheons,
dinners and celebrations. The masa can be mixed with tomato recado or with a meat broth.
 Tamalitos de masa ("small dough tamales") are smaller than the typical tamales because they
are usually plain in taste, with no filling and are used to dip in other foods such as soup, salsa or
beans, rather than eaten alone. These tamales are a staple of western Guatemalan cuisine
which are favored over the typical tortilla.
 Tamalitos de chipilín and tamales de loroco are other variants of the aforementioned tamalitos
de masa, that have said ingredients added to the mix.
 Paches are a kind of tamale made from potatoes or rice instead of corn.

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