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    Home / Appetizer / Tamalitos de Chipilín

    Tamalitos de Chipilín

    A traditional Guatemalan dish — Tamalitos de Chipilín are small, tender tamales perfumed with chipilín, a wild green that grows throughout Central America and tastes faintly of spinach with a hint of watercress.

    ⏱ 30 minPrep time
    🔥 60 minCook time
    🍽 8Servings
    🏷 AppetizerCategory
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    Tamalitos de Chipilín - Guatémaltèque recipe

    A traditional Guatemalan dish — Tamalitos de Chipilín are small, tender tamales perfumed with chipilín, a wild green that grows throughout Central America and tastes faintly of spinach with a hint of watercress. The chopped leaves are folded right into the corn masa, wrapped in corn husks, and steamed until soft and fragrant. Served with crema, they are a beloved snack of the highlands.

    Guatemalan recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Whip the lard until fluffy, then beat in the masa harina alternately with the warm broth, adding the baking powder and salt.
    2. Fold in the chopped chipilín leaves until evenly distributed through the dough.
    3. Spread a spoonful of masa on the wide end of a corn husk, fold the husk over, and tuck in the sides to make a neat packet; tie with a strip of husk.
    4. Stand the tamalitos upright in a steamer, cover, and steam for 1 hour, until the masa is firm and pulls cleanly from the husk.
    5. Serve warm, unwrapped, topped with a spoonful of crema.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Chipilín is sold fresh in Central American markets and freezes well; if you cannot find it, baby spinach with a pinch of epazote comes closest. Keep the tamalitos small — they are meant to be snacks.

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    Recipe details

    Prep30 min
    Cook60 min
    Servings8
    CategoryAppetizer
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    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 →

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