Exploring Oaxaca’s Essential Tamales

My passion for tamales runs deep, rooted in personal experiences. Growing up as a Chicano in California’s Central Valley, my holiday feasts always featured my grandmother’s perfectly moist, spicy tamales, which set a standard for my culinary writing on Latin America. From pamonhas in Brazil to diverse tamales across Mexico's 32 regions, and even ketchup on tamales cubanos in Havana, I’ve savored them all, including breakfast paches in Quetzaltenango.

My intrigue, sparked by my grandmother’s vaporera, has grown with my frequent visits to Oaxaca. If Oaxaca were its own country, its vast variety of tamales would make other regions envious. At Doña Bonfilia’s home in Collantes, an afromexicano town, I was delighted by a tamal de mole wrapped in banana leaves, combining the moist masa of southern tamales with a spicy mole reminiscent of those I cherish from northern Mexico. This unexpected treat crystallized my appreciation for tamales as edible histories, crafted by culinary queens.

Tamales are the original masa dish of Mesoamerica, holding significant cultural importance for Mexicans. Made from nixtamalized or fresh corn and filled with meats, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and even insects, these delicacies are often flavored with local chiles and wrapped in various leaves—banana, dried corn husk, green corn stalks, and more—then steamed. There are 370 registered tamales in Mexico, according to Conaculta, with estimates over 500. Oaxaca showcases this diversity, influenced by its 16 indigenous groups and vibrant afromexicano community.

In Oaxaca, tamales are enjoyed during weddings, calendas, Dia de Los Muertos, religious and indigenous holidays, Christmas, and in daily life. They're sold at street carts and homes throughout the pueblos. The famed tamal de mole negro, often announced by bicycle horns in CDMX, draws eager chilangos out for a taste of Oaxaca. This only scratches the surface of Mexico’s diverse tamal regions, where each reflects unique cultures preserving their heritage in moist, flavorful packages. Here are eight versions of this iconic dish to celebrate the many flavors of Oaxaca.

Costa

Afromexicanos harvest mussels, known as tichindas, from the mangrove roots in the lagoons of Chacahua and Manialtepec to cook in moles with bean powder, which they then use to fill their beloved tamales de tichinda, steamed in dried corn husks. Available in the Mercado Benito Juárez in Puerto Escondido and in coastal afromexicano towns like Collantes, Rio Grande, and Chacahua, these indulgent seafood tamales are created by mixing masa with a spicy adobo, then incorporating the mussels in their shells. As they steam, the mussels open up, infusing the soft, flaky tamal with flavor. They’re a true delight for seafood enthusiasts. Tamales de tichinda represent the essence of afromexicano cuisine, and visiting Costa Chica without devouring a dozen of these is a missed experience.

Sierra Norte

In this region of Oaxaca, the Zapotecos are referred to as “la gente de las nubes,” or the people of the clouds, a name derived from the fog that envelops their mountainous towns. Here, the traditional flat, rectangular tamales de frijol (bean tamales) are used as utensils to enjoy caldo seco de res, a regional beef jerky soup made with premium rib-eye steak. A popular technique involves covering a medium-sized table with plastic, spreading a thin layer of masa topped with black bean paste flavored with avocado leaves. This setup allows for rolling the tamal, creating multiple layers of beans and masa, which are then sliced into tamales with a string. Each tamal is stamped with a whole avocado leaf and steamed in banana leaves, serving as a delightful accompaniment for Zapoteco cultural celebrations. Pieces of the tamal are broken off to scoop up the soup or dipped into the broth before savoring.

Valles Centrales

Oaxaca’s most popular tamales can be found in its most tourist-heavy region, including salsa verde de pollo, which consists of chicken in a vibrant sauce made from serrano chiles and tomatillos, infused with aromatic epazote; and mole coloradito, enriched with sweet plantains. However, the most renowned is undoubtedly the celebrated mole negro, recognized globally as the quintessential tamal oaxaqueño. You can find tamales de mole negro at local markets, sold by street vendors from baskets draped in towels or in beverage coolers on cargo bikes. This tamal is crafted using various chiles, including chilhuacle negro, chilhuacle rojo, chile pasilla, and chile mulato, combined with nearly 30 fried and toasted ingredients — fruits, seeds, herbs, spices, and more — creating a complex, labor-intensive mole with chicken enveloped in tender masa that is nothing short of divine.

Papaloapan

In the Mazateco region of Papaloapan, yucca is a vital ingredient for making tortillas de yuca, fried yucca, yuca al mojo (prepared in a garlicky marinade brought by Cuban workers in the tobacco fields), and tamales de yuca, all of which are essential dishes during Semana Santa. For the tamales, raw yucca is grated, strained, and milled to eliminate fiber, creating a sticky, dense masa. This masa is then stuffed with pork simmered in a red salsa made from tomatoes, guajillo chiles, and other dried red chiles, along with spearmint, spices, and a whole acuyo leaf (Mexican pepperleaf). Yucca is also featured in a sweet tamal de yuca, enhanced with honey, and both varieties are steamed in hojas de papatla.

Sierra Sur

Sweet tamales are a cherished tradition in Mexico during Christmas, and for the Zapotecos in the Sierra Sur, the most popular variant is tamales de támala, a delightful sweet tamal made from squash, bean puree, and sugar. The local calabaza támala, a cylindrical squash with white skin and orange flesh, is steamed, strained, and processed with nixtamalized corn, then sweetened with sugar. The vibrant orange masa is filled with black bean puree and steamed in totomoxtle for the holidays; their taste evokes the beloved Mexican candied squash found in markets, bakeries, and convenience stores throughout the country.

La Cañada

In towns like Santa María Puxmetacán, traditional Mixe cooks captivate with their unique method for crafting tamales de pescado (fish tamales): They start by flattening fresh masa like a tortilla, then fold and crimp it into an empanada shape, filling it with barbecued river fish and amarillo (a thick yellow chile sauce), before wrapping the sealed masa in hojas de tamal, a local leaf. The thin masa allows the rich, smoky flavor of the barbecued fish stew in fruity chile guajillo sauce to shine through. The recipes and techniques for tamal de pescado are traditionally passed down through generations, and their preparation is reserved for special occasions in Mixe culture.

Istmo

You can experience tamal de iguana, made by Zapotecos in Juchitán during Semana Santa (Holy Week), when about five thousand black and green iguanas are harvested for these unique tamales. This event is monitored by the local government to ensure the sustainable practice of this ancestral tradition (iguanas are a protected species in Mexico). The pre-cooked iguana meat, which has a gamey flavor, is placed on a circle of masa generously topped with earthy green pumpkin seed mole infused with fragrant epazote, or dried red chiles brightened with achiote paste — sometimes accompanied by iguana eggs. Regardless of the mole used, it’s all steamed in banana leaves.

Mixteca

In Huajuapan de León, the Mixtecos have their own take on rice flour tamales, known as tamales canarios. These tamales are significant for the indigenous community’s celebration of Día de La Candelaria, a Catholic holiday where tamales are offered to esteemed guests. The individual who discovers a figurine of a baby in their Rosca de Reyes (King's Day bread) during Día de Los Reyes Magos is tasked with hosting this gathering. The sweet yellow masa is made from a delightful mixture of rice flour, butter, egg custard, egg yolks, nuts, and sugar, all steamed in dried corn husks, and is cherished as a decadent dessert during this festive occasion.

Bill Esparza is a James Beard Award-winning writer and the author of LA Mexicano, focusing on Latino food and culture.