Beef, Poblano & Cheese Tamales
⏲ ~20 min total · prep 14 · cook 6 · 4 servings
Lunch⏱ 50 min total🔥 3.0g net carbs⚡ ≈552 kcal/serving~6% of calories from carbs
By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor
Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026
Ingredients
- 12 dried corn husks
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1 poblano pepper, roasted over a flame or under the broiler until blackened, then peeled, seeded, and diced
- 1 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, and 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 8 oz shredded whole-milk mozzarella
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 3/4 cup superfine almond flour
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking powder, 1 large egg, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Submerge the corn husks in a bowl of just-boiled water with a smaller bowl on top to hold them under; soak 20 minutes while you make the filling and dough.
- Brown the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high, breaking it into small crumbles, 5-6 minutes until no pink remains; stir in the chili powder, cumin, and garlic for 30 seconds, then fold in the diced poblano and the Monterey Jack off the heat — residual heat melts it into the filling.
- Microwave the mozzarella and cream cheese together for 60-90 seconds, stirring once halfway, until fully melted and stretchy.
- Work the melted cheese with the almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, egg, and salt until a smooth, pliable dough forms — knead it like playdough while warm; if it stiffens, 15 seconds in the microwave revives it.
- Blot a husk dry, lay it narrow end away from you, and press a golf-ball-sized round of dough (about 2 tbsp) into a 4x3-inch oval on the wide half, leaving a 1-inch border along the top edge.
- Spoon a heaping tablespoon of beef filling down the center of the dough, fold both long sides over to seal it in, then fold the narrow tip up.
- Stand the tamales open-end-up in a steamer basket set over 1 inch of simmering water in a stockpot or wok, packing them snugly so they hold each other closed.
- Steam covered over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the dough pulls cleanly from the husk and springs back when pressed; rest 5 minutes before unwrapping.
Why this recipe works
- Melted cheese as the dough Mozzarella and cream cheese melted together, then kneaded with almond and coconut flour, make a pliable dough with none of the corn masa carbs. Worked warm, it behaves like playdough and seals without cracking.
- Filling cooked dry The beef browns hard, the spices bloom for 30 seconds, and the Monterey Jack folds in off the heat. A wet filling is what makes tamales leak and stick to the husk.
- Snug packing holds them shut Standing open-end-up and snug against each other, the tamales press on their own folds and stay closed. No string, no second husk, no toothpicks.
Tips for making this recipe well
Soak husks fully
The upside-down bowl trick keeps every husk under the hot water for the full 20 minutes. A husk that floats dry at the edges cracks when you fold it.
Revive stiff dough
Cheese dough stiffens as it cools, and 15 seconds in the microwave brings it back. Work with a portion at a time and keep the rest warm.
Blot each husk
Press a husk dry with a towel before the dough goes on. Wet spots make the dough slide and the 4x3-inch oval goes crooked.
The pull-away test
Done dough separates from the husk cleanly and springs back when pressed. If it clings, steam a few minutes more and test a second tamale before believing the first.
Char the poblano properly
The recipe wants the skin blackened, then peeled and seeded. The charred skin slides off under running water and leaves the smoky flesh behind.
Serving suggestions
Unwrap them at the table, because peeling the husk back is part of the meal. Two tamales make a lunch at 3.0 net carbs per serving, and a fried egg on top turns the pair into breakfast without much added. The batch makes 12, so one steamer session covers several meals, and they reheat the same whether in the husk or out. Something acid cuts the richness, so pickled onions or a sharp slaw earn their place on the plate.
Storage and meal prep
Cool the tamales completely, then refrigerate them in their husks for 3 to 4 days; the husk keeps the dough from drying out. Re-steam to bring them back, or split them and pan-fry the dough side until golden, which might be the best way to eat a leftover. They freeze well for 2 to 3 months wrapped individually, thawed overnight and re-steamed straight from the fridge.
Variations worth trying
- Chicken filling Shredded cooked chicken with the same chili powder, cumin, and garlic works; keep it dry and fold the cheese in off the heat.
- Cheese-only Double the Monterey Jack and poblano and skip the beef for a vegetarian batch.
- Smokier Leave some seeds in the poblano or fold a minced canned chipotle into the beef.
- Smaller tamales A tablespoon of dough and a scant spoon of filling stretches the batch toward 16.
Frequently asked questions
Can I skip the corn husks?
Parchment squares work in a pinch, wrapped the same way. Husks are worth keeping when you have them; they peel cleanly and they smell like a tamaleria while they steam.
Why microwave the cheese instead of a double boiler?
Speed, mostly. Sixty to 90 seconds with one stir halfway reaches the same fully melted, stretchy state with a single bowl to wash.
My dough cracked while folding. Now what?
It cooled too far. Press the crack closed with a warm finger and keep the remaining dough warm; 15 seconds in the microwave revives it.
How do I know they are done?
The dough pulls away from the husk cleanly and springs back when pressed, which takes about 15 minutes of steaming. Undercooked dough clings and looks wet.
Do I need a real steamer?
Any setup that holds the tamales open-end-up above an inch of simmering water works, including a rack or foil balls in a stockpot. Watch for the pull-away test rather than trusting the clock alone.
Related keto recipes
As an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner, Keto Food Ideas earns from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Nutritional values are estimates. Recipes are developed with AI assistance and reviewed by our editors before publishing.
← More Lunch recipes · Home
