Salvadoran Sweet Corn and Cheese Tamales

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Steamed corn dough dumplings filled with sweet corn kernels and cheese, wrapped in banana leaves for a subtle earthy aroma. This Latin American-inspired recipe, ready in about 90 minutes, turns masa harina, baking powder, salt into a satisfying snack for between meals, packed lunches, or game-day spreads — minimal active time and easy to scale up for a crowd. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 6, so it fits into lunchboxes, road trips, or an afternoon-energy gap without derailing the day. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 30 min Cook: 60 min Serves 6 Latin American cuisine 280 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a large bowl, mix 3 cups masa harina, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt.
  2. Step 2: In a separate bowl, beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1/3 cup sugar until creamy. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups whole milk while mixing.
  3. Step 3: Combine the wet ingredients into the dry masa mixture and knead until a soft dough forms, about 4 minutes.
  4. Step 4: Gently fold in 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels and 1 cup shredded cheese into the dough.
  5. Step 5: Cut 6 large banana leaves into 10x10 inch squares and soften by briefly heating over a flame or steaming to make pliable.
  6. Step 6: Spread about 1/2 cup of dough onto the center of each banana leaf square, fold the leaf over to enclose the dough, and tie securely with kitchen twine.
  7. Step 7: Place tamales in a steamer basket and steam over boiling water for 1 hour, checking water level occasionally.
  8. Step 8: Remove tamales carefully from banana leaves and serve warm as a sweet and savory treat.

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