Tamales Costarricenses with Pork, Rice and Vegetables

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-10-10 · Updated 2026-10-10

Holiday-style Costa Rican tamales: soft, well-seasoned masa filled with achiote pork, rice, carrot, sweet pepper and peas, then tied in banana leaves and steamed. This Costa Rican-inspired quick recipe, ready in about 100 minutes, pairs masa harina, warm pork or chicken broth, lard or vegetable shortening, melted for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 560 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. 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.

Ingredients

• 3 cups masa harina
• 3 1/2 cups warm pork or chicken broth
• 1/2 cup lard or vegetable shortening, melted
• 1 cup mashed cooked potato
• 1 tsp achiote paste
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 lb cooked pork shoulder, cut in small pieces
• 1 cup cooked white rice
• 1 carrot, cut in thin sticks
• 1 red bell pepper, cut in strips
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 12 green olives (optional)
• 12 banana leaves, cut into 12x12-inch squares
• as needed kitchen twine

Instructions

1. Step 1: Warm the banana leaves over a flame or in hot water for a few seconds until pliable, then wipe them clean.
2. Step 2: Dissolve the achiote in the warm broth. Mix the masa harina, mashed potato, salt, melted lard and broth into a soft, smooth dough about as thick as thick mashed potatoes.
3. Step 3: In the center of each leaf, spread about 1/3 cup of masa into a rectangle. Top with a spoonful of rice, a few pieces of pork, a carrot stick, a pepper strip, a few peas and an olive.
4. Step 4: Fold the leaf over the filling into a rectangular packet. Tie two packets together face to face with twine (a 'piña').
5. Step 5: Stand the tamales in a large steamer or pot over 2 inches of simmering water. Cover and steam 1 hour, adding water as needed. They're done when the masa is firm and pulls cleanly from the leaf.
6. Step 6: Rest 10 minutes, then serve with black coffee, as is traditional.