How to Make Masa for Vegan Tamales (using Maseca)

Last Updated on June 21, 2025 by Catrina

If you love tamales, but are following a vegan or vegetarian diet, this masa for vegan tamales is especially for you! It has the same light, fluffy texture as traditional tamales, but without the lard or chicken broth. Plus, this version uses Maseca brand masa harina for those who can’t find fresh masa where they live.

Tamales are usually special occasion food down here in Mexico. You can find them at birthdays, baptisms, and weddings as well as during the holiday season, on Christmas Eve, or for traditional celebrations like Día de los Muertos.

Homemade tamales make these special occasions even more special because of the care and time needed to make them. 

But, most traditional homemade tamales are made with lard, which makes them a no-go for people following a vegan diet or who don’t consume pork products. 

This recipe changes that! This fluffy masa dough is just like traditional tamales, but without the lard or chicken broth—making this base recipe perfect for both vegans and vegetarians!

And, tamales are naturally gluten-free too!

You can use this basic vegan tamal dough for whatever filling you dream up! 

Ready to make vegan tamal dough? You don’t need a special occasion to enjoy this delicious meal.

You only need a few basic ingredients to get started. 

What’s in vegan masa for tamales?

• Masa harina (sometimes called corn flour)
• Water
• Vegetable oil
• Vegetable stock or broth
• Baking powder
• Salt

Check the recipe card for complete quantities and instructions. 

Substitutions

Masa harina

Masa harina (literally “dough flour” in Spanish) is the name for the specific type of corn flour used to make Mexican foods like tamales, tortillas, sopes, and gorditas. Maseca is a common brand of masa harina and is available in most large supermarkets in the US.

But there are other brands that can be substituted for Maseca if you wish. Just be sure that you buy corn flour that specifically states “masa harina” since this is corn flour that has been prepared specifically for tamales or tortillas. Need more information on masa harina vs. cornmeal vs. corn flour? Check out the FAQ section at the end of this article.

Vegetable oil

I have only tested this recipe with canola oil, because it is mild-flavored, heart-healthy, economical, and what I typically have on-hand. If you wanted to use a different type of oil like coconut oil, avocado oil, corn oil, or olive oil, those should work just fine substituting for the same amounts here. 

Just note that oils with stronger tastes will come through in the final flavor of the tamales. 

I haven’t tested this recipe with vegetable shortening either, but suspect it would work as well!

Broth

Vegetable broth or vegetable stock, either will work here. ​

Step-by-Step Instructions

This tamal masa recipe is easy-peasy to put together. 

Start by rehydrating your masa harina

Masa harina is dehydrated masa that is ground into a flour. To make tamal dough (or masa), you will need to rehydrate the flour first. Add the masa harina to a large bowl and add the warm water. You can use a wooden spoon to stir the water and masa harina together, but I prefer to get in there with my hands. Once you have a cohesive dough, you can start making the masa for your tamales. 

Make the tamal masa

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddel attachment, add the dough, oil, broth or stock, salt, and baking powder to the bowl of the mixer. Mix the ingredients on medium speed for about 15 minutes. This will allow the dough to become airy and fluffy. The dough should have the consistency of buttercream frosting when it is ready. Scrape the dough down into the bowl while you are mixing if needed. 

Use your masa immediately in corn husk tamales and fill with your favorite ingredients.  

FAQs

​Why use masa harina instead of fresh ground masa?

While I love using fresh ground masa to make tamales here in Mexico, not everyone in the US has access to a local Mexican grocery store that carries fresh masa. That’s one of the benefits of using a masa harina like Maseca. You can easily find it in large grocery chains in the US or you can order masa harina online. And, because it is dried, it will keep in your pantry longer than fresh masa will keep in your fridge. 

What is nixtamalization?

Nixtamalization is the process of cooking and softening the grains of corn before they are ground into masa. Dried corn kernels cook in a water and food-grade lime (calcium hydroxide, slaked lime, or cal) solution. The corn soaks overnight, is rinsed the next day, and finally ground into masa for tortillas or tamales.

This process not only gives corn tortillas and tamales their unique taste. The cal actually helps improve the corn’s nutritional value by allowing the proteins found in the grain to be digested.

Mexicans have been using this process to make masa since pre-Hispanic times. In fact, the word nixtamal is from the náhuatl language and is a combination of the words tenextli (cal or food-grade lime) and tamalli (tamal).

Cornmeal vs. corn flour vs. masa harina—what’s the difference?

Masa harina is made from dent corn that has been cooked in a slaked lime solution. This process is called nixtamalization in English and is the same process used to make hominy. The treated corn is then ground into a dough, dehydrated, then ground into a fine flour.

Because the dried corn is cooked in a calcium hydroxide solution, it has that distinct flavor that we associate with tortillas or tamales. Nixtamalized corn also has a higher nutritional value because the cooking process helps break down the proteins in the corn and make it more digestible. 

Cornmeal is simply dried corn that has been coarsely ground. It is not nixtamalized and it can’t be made into a dough. 

Corn flour is dried corn that has been finely ground into a flour consistency. Corn flour can be used in gluten-free baking applications, just like alternate flours like almond, or rice flour.

Maseca brand masa harina is a type of corn flour that has been nixtamalized. But some corn flours aren’t nixtamlalized and wouldn’t be good for making tamales or tortillas. For tamales, use masa harina (nixtamalized corn flour). 

Note: I am using US terminology in the above explanations. The UK word for cornflour would be the equivalent in the US to corn starch, which is not what we are talking about here. 

What can you use for filling vegan tamales?

There are so many fillings that you can use in your vegan tamales! Make vegan refried beans, black beans, or pinto beans and use those for a hearty filling. Oyster mushrooms are another great filling for vegan tamales and make a great meat substitute. The filling for these oyster mushroom quesadillas could be used as a filling for vegan tamales.

Roasted poblano peppers, Anaheim peppers, or green chiles and vegan cheese can be used to make a vegan version of rajas con queso. Or fill the tamales with a simple salsa verde or calabacitas a la mexicana (without the cheese). 

And of course, if you aren’t following a vegan diet and want vegetarian tamales instead, you can substitute regular cheese for vegan cheese. 

Related recipes

 Looking for other vegan recipes? These vegan Mexican recipes are sure to please!

Did you enjoy making these tamales? Leave a comment and a star-rating below!