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Tamales Bolivianos

Name: Tamales Bolivianos
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 60 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 3 cups masa harina (corn flour); 3 cups warm chicken broth; 1/2 cup lard or butter, softened; 2 tbsp aji amarillo paste; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 1/2 lb chicken thighs, cooked and shredded; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 2 medium tomatoes, chopped; 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced; 1/2 cup pitted green olives; 16 corn husks, soaked in warm water

Steamed corn-masa packets stuffed with ají-spiced chicken, a slice of egg, and an olive — Bolivia’s festive morning parcels.

⏱ 40 minPrep time

🔥 1 hrCook time

🍽 8Servings

🏷 Bolivian KitchenCategory

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Bolivian tamales are a weekend and fiesta tradition, especially in La Paz, where vendors sell them still-steaming in their corn husks. The masa is soft and moist, tinted yellow with ají and lard, hiding a savory chicken filling.

Parcels of Soft Corn Masa

The masa is the star — tender, almost cake-like, with the gentle warmth of ají amarillo and the richness of lard. Inside wait shreds of chicken, a wedge of hard-boiled egg, and an olive; unwrapping each husk is a small ceremony.

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Step by stepInstructions

Sauté the onion until soft, add the tomatoes, half the aji paste, cumin, and salt, and cook for 5 minutes; stir in the shredded chicken and let cool.
Beat the lard until fluffy, then beat in the masa harina alternately with the warm broth and the remaining aji paste, beating for 5 minutes until the masa is light and soft, like thick cake batter.
Spoon 1/3 cup of masa onto the center of a soaked husk, top with chicken, an egg slice, and an olive, then fold and tie.
Stand the tamales upright in a steamer and steam for 50 to 60 minutes, adding water as needed, until the masa is firm and pulls cleanly from the husk.
Let rest for 10 minutes and serve warm in the husks.

💡 Chef tips & storage

The masa should be quite soft — a dry masa makes dense tamales. Leftover tamales keep 3 days refrigerated (re-steam 15 minutes) or 3 months frozen.

Recipe details

Prep40 min

Cook1 hr

Servings8

CategoryBolivian Kitchen

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Tamales Bolivianos

Parcels of Soft Corn Masa

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💡 Chef tips & storage

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Tamales Bolivianos

Parcels of Soft Corn Masa

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

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Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

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