Sweet Potato and Vegetable Picadillo Tamales
Cooks Without Borders’ resident Mexican cooking expert Olivia Lopez created this recipe for vegan tamales filled with roasted sweet potato and vegetable picadillo for a story we collaborated on for The Dallas Morning News about making tamales for the holidays. They’re a gorgeous expression of late autumn and early winter produce. The vegetable picadillo was inspired by Olivia’s grandma, Margarita.
The recipe makes a little more picadillo and sweet potato purée than you’ll need for the tamales; you can use the leftover in other ways: The picadillo is delicious in a baby kale salad (add some pomegranate seeds!). Or use it — along with the sweet potato purée — to fill tetelas.
If you choose long, slim sweet potatoes, they’ll roast more quickly than fatter ones. For the masa harina, we highly recommend Masienda heirloom masa harina, as it is more flavorful, though any masa harina will work. Feel free to double the recipe.
We love these served with salsa macha — Olivia’s suggestion.
Makes 15 or 16 tamales.
Vegetable picadillo — one of the fillings for Molino Oloyo’s vegan tamales. The picadillo is inspired by chef Olivia Lopez’s grandmother.
Ingredients
For the filling
2 medium sweet potatoes, about 1 ½ pounds / 680 g
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup slivered almonds
1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 pound carrots (about 4 medium carrots / 454 g), peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
1 large or 2 medium poblano or Anaheim peppers, seeds removed and cut into 2-inch-long julienne
¼ cup golden raisins
Spread the masa about 1/8-inch thick, then top with the sweet-potato purée and picadillo, before rolling the tamal tightly.
For the assembly
16 corn husks, plus extras to line the steamer
For the masa
300 g / 10 ½ ounces yellow masa harina (about 2 ½ cups)
1 tablespoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons coconut oil, warmed in the jar in a bowl of hot water so enough of it liquefies to measure
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
1. First make the sweet potato spread for the filling. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment or a baking mat. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, set them on the prepared sheet pan, brush with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Put them in the oven to roast for about 1 hour, or until soft. Remove from oven, let them cool enough to handle, then use a spoon to scoop the meat into a small bowl. Use a fork to mash them to a paste. Set aside.
2. While the sweet potatoes are cooling, toast the almonds: Spread them on a sheet pan and roast for 5 or 10 minutes, until they’re just beginning to color. Remove from oven and set aside in a small bowl.
3. In a large skillet, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, add the onions and garlic, reduce heat to medium-low, and let them cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, carrots, peppers and ½ teaspoon salt, raise the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the almonds and raisins and cook, stirring occasionally for another 4 or 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are just starting to break down and the carrots are tender-crisp. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. While the picadillo is cooking, place the corn husks in a shallow bowl or pan, cover with room temperature water and let soak for 15 minutes or so. Drain. Use two or three husks to tear or cut 48 long strips about ¼-inch wide to use as ties.
5. Now make the masa. Place the masa harina in a large mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon salt and the baking powder; whisk to combine well.
6. Pour 1 1/2 cup of water into a separate medium bowl. Whisk in the liquified coconut oil and the olive oil. Gradually fold the liquid into the masa harina, using a rubber spatula. Once it’s all added, use the spatula to smear the mixture onto the bottom of the bowl to help the dry and wet ingredients combine. Continue folding and smashing until the mixture is completely smooth and uniform, about 10 minutes. When it’s ready, it should be about the texture and thickness of Play-Doh. If you pick up a handful of it, it should hold together without crumbling. If it’s too dry, add a little more water a tablespoonful at a time, mixing it in completely before adding the next addition and assessing texture before adding more. If it’s too wet, sprinkle on a little masa harina a tablespoon at a time, working it in completely and assessing texture before adding more. Once the mixture feels like Play-Doh the masa is ready.
7. To assemble a tamal, place a corn husk on your work surface so the edges curl upward. Measure out a ball of masa about 60 g / 2 ounces, about the size of a ping pong ball. (Note: If you have a ¼ cup measure, it should just about fill it up, or use a 4-ounce ice-cream scoop.) Use your fingers or a small offset spatula to spread the masa in an oval shape in the center of the corn husk about 1/8-inch thick. On top of the masa, place about 15 g / 2 teaspoons of the sweet-potato paste, leaving a masa border of about an inch all around. On top of the sweet-potato paste place about 1 ½ tablespoons of the picadillo.
8. With one of the two long edges of the husk facing you fold the husk in half so the two edges meet, then pull the top edge toward the center, rolling firmly, as if you’re rolling a burrito. The masa should enclose the filling all around, or at least mostly. Use a corn-husk tie to tie each end, and a third to tie around the middle of the tamal. Continue until all the masa is used. You’ll have some leftover picadillo, and perhaps some sweet potato paste, you can save for another use.
9. Set up a steamer, filling the bottom with water and inserting the steamer insert. Use the remaining soaked corn husks to line the steamer insert, also covering the seam between the insert and the side of the steamer (you can have the husk come partway up the sides of the pan). Arrange the tamales on the corn husks — not too tightly together; adding a second or even a third layer, if necessary. Cover the steamer, and bring the water to a rapid boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling (you can open, look and listen), cover again, turn the heat to medium and steam for 90 minutes. Being very careful not to be burned by the steam when you remove the cover, check one tamal for doneness: Open it partway. If it is holding ridges formed by the husk, it is done. If the masa is too soft, you can let them steam another 15 or 20 minutes. Once the tamales are finished steaming, use tongs to transfer them to a platter. Let them sit without opening them for 5 or 10 minutes so they continue to set.
10. Serve immediately, with Salsa Macha if desired. Or store in the refrigerator in a sealed bag (up to 4 days) until ready to serve. Reheat them by steaming again for about 15 minutes. They may also be frozen up to 3 months.
If you like this recipe, you may like:
READ: Olivia Lopez’s Tips for Brilliant Tamales
READ: How to make tetelas — the tasty, triangular masa packets that are about to become super trendy
Sweet Potato and Vegetable Picadillo Tamales
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, about 1 ½ pounds / 680 g
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 pound carrots (about 4 medium carrots / 454 g), peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
- 1 large or 2 medium poblano or Anaheim peppers, seeds removed and cut into 2-inch-long julienne
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- 16 corn husks, plus extras to line the steamer
- 300 g / 10 ½ ounces yellow masa harina (about 2 ½ cups)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil, warmed in the jar in a bowl of hot water so enough of it liquefies to measure
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- First make the sweet potato spread for the filling. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment or a baking mat. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise, set them on the prepared sheet pan, brush with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Put them in the oven to roast for about 1 hour, or until soft. Remove from oven, let them cool enough to handle, then use a spoon to scoop the meat into a small bowl. Use a fork to mash them to a paste. Set aside.
- While the sweet potatoes are cooling, toast the almonds: Spread them on a sheet pan and roast for 5 or 10 minutes, until they’re just beginning to color. Remove from oven and set aside in a small bowl.
- In a large skillet, warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, add the onions and garlic, reduce heat to medium-low, and let them cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, carrots, peppers and ½ teaspoon salt, raise the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the almonds and raisins and cook, stirring occasionally for another 4 or 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are just starting to break down and the carrots are tender-crisp. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Remove from heat and set aside.
- While the picadillo is cooking, place the corn husks in a shallow bowl or pan, cover with room temperature water and let soak for 15 minutes or so. Drain. Use two or three husks to tear or cut 48 long strips about ¼-inch wide to use as ties.
- Now make the masa. Place the masa harina in a large mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon salt and the baking powder; whisk to combine well.
- Pour 1 1/2 cup of water into a separate medium bowl. Whisk in the liquified coconut oil and the olive oil. Gradually fold the liquid into the masa harina, using a rubber spatula. Once it’s all added, use the spatula to smear the mixture onto the bottom of the bowl to help the dry and wet ingredients combine. Continue folding and smashing until the mixture is completely smooth and uniform, about 10 minutes. When it’s ready, it should be about the texture and thickness of Play-Doh. If you pick up a handful of it, it should hold together without crumbling. If it’s too dry, add a little more water a tablespoonful at a time, mixing it in completely before adding the next addition and assessing texture before adding more. If it’s too wet, sprinkle on a little masa harina a tablespoon at a time, working it in completely and assessing texture before adding more. Once the mixture feels like Play-Doh the masa is ready.
- To assemble a tamal, place a corn husk on your work surface so the edges curl upward. Measure out a ball of masa about 60 g / 2 ounces, about the size of a ping pong ball. (Note: If you have a ¼ cup measure, it should just about fill it up, or use a 4-ounce ice-cream scoop.) Use your fingers or a small offset spatula to spread the masa in an oval shape in the center of the corn husk about 1/8-inch thick. On top of the masa, place about 15 g / 2 teaspoons of the sweet-potato paste, leaving a masa border of about an inch all around. On top of the sweet-potato paste place about 1 ½ tablespoons of the picadillo.
- With one of the two long edges of the husk facing you fold the husk in half so the two edges meet, then pull the top edge toward the center, rolling firmly, as if you’re rolling a burrito. The masa should enclose the filling all around, or at least mostly. Use a corn-husk tie to tie each end, and a third to tie around the middle of the tamal. Continue until all the masa is used. You’ll have some leftover picadillo, and perhaps some sweet potato paste, you can save for another use.
- Set up a steamer, filling the bottom with water and inserting the steamer insert. Use the remaining soaked corn husks to line the steamer insert, also covering the seam between the insert and the side of the steamer (you can have the husk come partway up the sides of the pan). Arrange the tamales on the corn husks — not too tightly together; adding a second or even a third layer, if necessary. Cover the steamer, and bring the water to a rapid boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling (you can open, look and listen), cover again, turn the heat to medium and steam for 90 minutes. Being very careful not to be burned by the steam when you remove the cover, check one tamal for doneness: Open it partway. If it is holding ridges formed by the husk, it is done. If the masa is too soft, you can let them steam another 15 or 20 minutes. Once the tamals are finished steaming, use tongs to transfer them to a platter. Let them sit without opening them for 5 or 10 minutes so they continue to set.
- Serve immediately, with Salsa Macha if desired. Or store in the refrigerator in a sealed bag (up to 4 days) until ready to serve. Reheat them by steaming again for about 15 minutes. They may also be frozen up to 3 months.