How to cook tamales in a Ninja Foodi

Meats, Pork

Learn how to cook tamales in a Ninja Foodi, or pressure cooker, with these step by step instructions.

A stack of pork tamales, that have been cooked in a pressure cooker, sitting on a wooden platter.

How to cook tamales in a Ninja Foodi

I absolutely LOVE a good pork tamale. This recipe takes a delicious pork roast and transforms it into a fantastic Mexican meal that the whole family will love.

The best part of this technique is that I can use the pressure cooker setting on my new Ninja Foodi. It’s my favorite new kitchen gadget, so anytime I get to use it I get excited.

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Cooking tamales in a pressure cooker

If you’re currently standing in line at the grocery store trying to decide what to cook for dinner, don’t stress! Pin this to your favorite recipe board and it will be ready when you are!

Image with 2 pictures. Top picture shows a step in the tamale making process. Bottom picture shows finished pork tamales. Text in middle says "instant pot pork tamales family dinner"

How to make instant pot tamales

There are lots of steps to this recipe, but nothing is super hard. Check out the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

Place the corn husks in a large pot with warm water. They need to soak for at least one hour.

Using the saute setting on your pressure cooker, sear your salted pork in some oil. You want all sides to be browned, so about 5 minutes on each side.

Once the roast is nice and brown, add the garlic, chile pods, oregano, and water.

Make sure the seal is set and pressure cook for 60 minutes.

Do a natural release and then move the cooked roast to a large bowl.

Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, making sure to really push down on those chiles and garlic.

Set the liquid and meat to the side to cool a bit.

While you’re waiting, start making the masa filling!

Use an electric mixer, with a paddle attachment, to combine the masa flour, baking powder, and salt.

Once combined, add the chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups of the liquid from the pork roast, and 1/2 cup of oil to the flour mixture.

Whip it on medium-high for about 10 minutes. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides halfway through.

While the flour is mixing, you can shred the pork.

Add the salsa to the pork.

Now it’s time to assemble the tamales. You’ll want to grab a small bowl of warm water for your workspace.

Shred some long pieces of extra husk to tie the folded tamales together.

How to assemble the tamales

Hold one corn husk with the pointed end facing you.

Scoop a portion of the masa onto the husk, then wet your fingers and spread the masa into a large square.

Add a scoop of pork on top of the masa. It’s easier to wrap the tamales if the pork is in a straight line on the mesa.

Roll one side of the husk towards the middle, then bring the other side up. Make sure that the mesa is touching in the middle.

Place the husk, seam down and fold the bottom tip under towards the seam.

Wrap a piece of the shredded husk to tie the tamales together, holding the folded tip in place.

Repeat with each of the husks.

Place the steamer rack into the pressure cooker and add at least one cup of water to fill the base of the cooker. You want the water to come up to the bottom of the rack.

Carefully place the tamales vertically into the pressure cooker, open side up.

Set the seal and pressure cook for 20 minutes.

Square image of pork tamales that have been cooked in an instant pot.

Pork Tamales

Yield: 14
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Use your Ninja Foodi or pressure cooker to make these delicious pork tamales.

Ingredients

Pork Filling

  • 1 TBSP oil
  • 1 TBSP kosher salt
  • 2 1/2 lbs. pork shoulder roast
  • 6 garlic cloves (smashed)
  • 2 dried ancho chile pods (remove stem and seeds)
  • 2 dried New Mexico chile pods (remove stem and seeds)
  • 1 tsp oregano (Mexican)
  • 1 C water
  • 1 C Salsa (Select a salsa with as little liquid as possible)

Masa Dough

  • 4 C masa harina
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 C chicken broth ( chicken broth and pork roast juice should equal 3 1.2 cups)
  • 1/2 C oil

Additional Ingredients

  • 14-18 corn husks (Mexican food section)
  • Warm water (for assembling tamales)

Instructions

  1. Place the corn husks in a large pot with warm water. Let them soak for at least one hour.
  2. Set your pressure cooker on saute mode. Add oil and let it heat up.
  3. Add salt to both sides of the pork roast and place it into the pressure cooker.
  4. Sear the roast on both sides until they are browned. (about 5 minutes on each side)
  5. Add garlic, chile pods, oregano, and water.
  6. Seal the lid and set to high pressure for 60 minutes.
  7. Allow the pressure to naturally release, then removed the roast to a large bowl.
  8. Transfer any liquid from the pressure cooker into a liquid measuring cup.
  9. Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Press down on the chiles and garlic to make sure that you get out as much liquid as possible.
  10. Set the liquid and meat aside until they are cool enough to handle.
  11. While everything is cooling, begin making the masa filling.
  12. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine masa flour, baking powder, and salt.
  13. Add chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups of the retained liquid, and the 1/2 cup of oil to the masa flour.
  14. Whip the mixture on medium-high speed for about 10 minutes. (scraping the sides about halfway through)
  15. While this is mixing, you can shred the pork.
  16. Add the salsa to the pork.
  17. Set a small bowl of warm water in your work area.
  18. Shred long pieces of extra husk to tie the folded tamales together.
  19. Hold one corn husk with the pointed end facing you.
  20. Scoop a portion of the masa onto the husk.
  21. Wet your fingers and spread the masa into a large square.
  22. Add a scoop of pork on top of the masa. It's easier to wrap if the pork is in a straight line on the mesa.
  23. Roll one side of the husk towards the middle, then bring the other side up. Make sure that the mesa is touching in the middle.
  24. Place the husk, seam down and fold the bottom tip under towards the seam.
  25. Wrap a piece of the shredded husk to tie the tamales together, holding the folded tip in place.
  26. Repeat with each of the husks.
  27. Place the steamer rack into the pressure cooker.
  28. Add at least one cup of water to fill the base of the cooker. You want the water to come up to the bottom of the rack.
  29. Carefully place the tamales vertically into the pressure cooker, open side up.
  30. Close the seal on your pressure cooker.
  31. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.
  32. Serve immediately. Garnish with salsa, chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and sour cream.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 580Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 1029mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 6gSugar: 8gProtein: 27g
© What To Make
Cuisine: Mexican / Category: Pork

Pressure cooker tamales

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Image of several pork tamales stacked on a wood plate. Text on image says "Ninja Foodi Pork Tamales"

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