Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Poblano and Cheese Tamales (Tamales de Rajas con Queso) Recipe
Poblano and cheese tamales showcase authentic tamales de rajas straight from Mexico, stuffed with spicy tomatillo sauce, poblano chiles, and melted cheese for vegetarian satisfaction. This genuine recipe demonstrates proper tamale-making techniques that create restaurant-quality results with flavorful poblano and cheese filling. The spicy tomatillo sauce adds tangy heat while the cheese provides creamy richness, resulting in tamales that honor Mexican traditions.
This tamales de rajas recipe is straight from Mexico. Homemade tamales are stuffed with spicy tomatillo sauce, poblano chiles, and cheese — delicious! In Mexico, Chihuahua or Oaxaca cheese is used, but those cheeses are hard to find here, so you can substitute with Monterey Jack.
Prep Time:
1 hr
Cook Time:
2 hrs
Additional Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
3 hrs 25 mins
Servings:
24
Yield:
24 tamales
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Ingredients
corn husks
10 ounces poblano peppers
1 ¼ pounds fresh tomatillos, husks removed
11 ounces lard, divided
1 onion, chopped
salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 ½ cups masa harina
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ¾ cups chicken broth, or as needed
2 ½ cups sliced Monterey Jack cheese
Directions
Place corn husks in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain, place husks on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
While husks are soaking, line a heavy cast iron grill pan or griddle with aluminum foil and place it over high heat. Arrange poblano peppers in a single layer over foil. Grill until peppers are blackened, turning as necessary, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag and let them steam, 10 to 15 minutes. Peel off skins and remove seeds. Cut into strips and set aside.
Place tomatillos in a medium pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Cook until tomatillos change color, about 5 minutes. Drain, place in a blender, and blend until smooth. Set sauce aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in hot lard until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add blended tomatillos; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until flavors are well combined, about 5 minutes. Add poblano pepper strips and cilantro; cook at a boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
Beat remaining lard in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Season with salt and continue beating for a few minutes. Beat in masa harina and baking powder until well combined. Mix in broth, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough has a smooth and workable consistency that is not too wet, similar to cookie dough. Test if masa mixture is ready by dropping a small ball of masa into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it’s ready; if not, keep working dough a little longer.
Select 1 wide corn husk or 2 small ones. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto corn husk, filling it 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon tomatillo sauce and a Monterey Jack cheese slice in the center of masa mixture. Fold the sides of husk together, one over the other. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam of the 2 folded sides. Repeat with remaining husks.
Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Place tamales, open-side up, into the insert. Cover and steam until filling is heated through and separates from husk, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
When boiling the tomatillos, make sure that they don’t break open. Otherwise, they get very bitter.
You can also cook tamales in a pressure cooker. The cooking time will only be 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 252 | Calories |
| 18g | Fat |
| 19g | Carbs |
| 5g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 24 | |
| Calories 252 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 18g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat 7g | 37% |
| Cholesterol 23mg | 8% |
| Sodium 198mg | 9% |
| Total Carbohydrate 19g | 7% |
| Dietary Fiber 4g | 14% |
| Total Sugars 2g | |
| Protein 5g | 11% |
| Vitamin C 13mg | 14% |
| Calcium 145mg | 11% |
| Iron 2mg | 11% |
| Potassium 175mg | 4% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
