Savory pumpkin masa dough is filled with spicy pork chorizo. Pumpkin Chorizo Tamales with Pumpkin Mole is a flavor-plosion in your mouth! If that’s not enough, they’re topped with rich pumpkin mole and creamy queso blanco. This post is sponsored in conjunction with PumpkinWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the PumpkinWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.
I have no idea why #PumpkinWeek made me think of tamales. I guess I’ve been craving tamales. Like really GOOD tamales. Not those fluffy ones that are more water than masa and stuffed with what I equate to be chicken pot pie filling. No. Not that. I think I had a zucchini in my chicken tamale once. Not what one would expect in a tamale.
For me, a tamale is light but also slightly dense in texture. It’s not super soft and doesn’t fall apart when you cut it with your fork. It holds it shape. You could pick it up without it falling apart. I mean, that’s what they were intended originally; portable food.
Did you know that these little gems go back as far as 100AD? I’m serious! There’s pictorial references of this delicious take-out food in Guatemala. They were used as portable food to take on hunting trips and to travel long distances. However, with the ones I’ve been getting today at restaurants, there’s no way they could do that.
Yes, I have high standards for my tamales!
It goes WAY back to a trip we took to San Antonio. Actually, it was San Antonio and then it was Corpus Christi. Well, since we’re THAT close to Mexico, we hopped across the border at Matamoras and had THE BEST tamales and margaritas ever. Ever since then I’ve held all other tamales to that standard.
Fast forward MANY years. My mother, and I can’t remember why, told me about Tuscan Tamale Company. She might chime in with a comment as to how she came across these delightful tamales, but she did. And she called me one day and wanted to know if she could send us some for Christmas. Of, I’m ALL about the tamales. The hubs, not so much. That’s fine. More for me!!
She sent me a range of tamales based on what she thought I would like and asked if I would like. I think she sent me the chile relleno, green chile and cheese, I want to say there was a chicken pot pie one and I think the chocolate cheery ones. They held up to my standards. Even the sweet ones! They were tender and firm at the same time. I devoured them all! And had no regrets.
And I just might do the same thing with these.
In fact, I brought one for a snack between my wicked early breakfast and the late lunch I’m forced to take while on training. It’s a perfect little bite of delicious to tide me over until my Caesar salad for lunch.
This is the first time I’ve made tamales on my own. We used to make them sometimes growing up. Dad loved to make them. Heck, he just loved to eat them. He would get the canned ones and be happy. I was tempted one day to do that, but I resisted the urge. I just bought the masa needed to make them in the hopes that one day I would be inspired to make them at home.
And, well, I was when #PumpkinWeek was announced!
Yeah, not sure how I got to tamales from pumpkin. But, it’s a natural combination. The oldest seeds they found for a pumpkin type squash was around 7K to 5500BC in Mexico. They’ve been using squash in food for centuries! Don’t you just love the history lesson I’m giving you with this post? I think we should all know a little more about the food we make and eat. But then again, I’m always interested in historical and traditional recipes all over the globe.
This is not one of those traditional recipes. It uses chorizo which is historically a Spanish sausage made with minced pork and paprika. That’s where it gets its red color from. Then how does it get to Mexico, you ask? Well, legend has it that Hernan Cortes brought pigs from Spain to Mexico and started making sausages with them; chorizo. Whether that’s true or not, Spaniards did bring pork and chorizo to Mexico when they sailed across the Atlantic to South America.
So, I guess technically it COULD be a traditional recipe.
Either way, it’s a delicious recipe. The rich pumpkin flavor throughout the masa dough adds a slightly sweet flavor while the chorizo makes for a hearty and spicy filling for the tamales. It’s a subtly sweet and boldly spicy combination that packs a flavor punch you’re going to love!
I mean, just look at that color! You know it’s going to have ah-mazing flavor. And I haven’t even started talking about the mole sauce, yet. Oh yeah, this is a double whammy of a recipe. There’s pumpkin in the tamales and pumpkin in the mole. You should make both and surprise your Thanksgiving guests with an interesting and delicious appetizer.
Have recipes cards handy. I’m sure they’re going to want to know all about this appetizer you’ve served up they can’t seem to get enough of before the main course. However, this could mean you’ll have LOTS of turkey left over because everyone will fill up on the tamales. Just warning ya! You’re welcome!
The mole sauce is rich and creamy with a kick of spice. It would be perfect on grilled meats. I’m thinking of using some of the left over in a chili later on for game day eats. I’ve put mole sauce in chili before. It adds a richness that I love.
Now, before this is the longest post ever, I’m going to remind you to enter the giveaway and make sure to check out what the rest of the bloggers are serving up today. Good luck on your entries! I hope you win!
For the tamales: For the mole sauce: To serve:Pumpkin Chorizo Tamales with Pumpkin Mole
Ingredients
For Tamales:
For Pumpkin Mole:
Remaining Ingredients:
Instructions
Here are today’s #PumpkinWeek Recipes:
Beverages:
- Pumpkin Juice- Harry Potter Style from Jonesin’ For Taste
- Pumpkin Pie Bourbon Cocktail from Love and Confections
Savory:
- Creamy Pumpkin Fiesta Chicken Soup from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
- One Pot Creamy Pumpkin Bacon Pasta from 4 Sons ‘R’ Us
- Pumpkin Chili from It Bakes Me Happy
- Pumpkin Chorizo Tamales with Pumpkin Mole from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Pumpkin Grilled Cheese Paninis from Eat Move Make
- Pumpkin Hummus from Sweet Beginnings
- Pumpkin Mac and Cheese from Everyday Eileen
- Pumpkin Pizza from Platter Talk
- Savory Loaded Pumpkin Cornbread from Who Needs A Cape?
- Savory Pumpkin & Pepper Goat Cheese Tart from Hardly A Goddess
Baked Goods & Desserts:
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread from House of Nash Eats
- Fluffy Pumpkin Buttermilk Pancakes from The Redhead Baker
- Fluffy Pumpkin Pie Dip from The Beard and The Baker
- Mom’s Classic Pumpkin Pie with Vanilla Whipped Cream from Family Around the Table
- No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake from Cooking with Carlee
- Pumpkin Banana Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Pumpkin Cake Roll from Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
- Pumpkin Cheddar Skillet Corn Bread from Tip Garden
- Pumpkin Creme Brulee from Cookaholic Wife
- Pumpkin Ginger Donuts from Daily Dish Recipes
- Pumpkin Kolaches from The Spiffy Cookie
- Pumpkin Maple Bark from Seduction In The Kitchen
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins from The Bitter Side of Sweet
- Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes with Caramel Syrup from The Chef Next Door
- Pumpkin Pie Crescents from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Pumpkin Pie with Marshmallow Meringue from The Crumby Kitchen
- Pumpkin Snickerdoodles from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Pumpkin Souffle from Caroline’s Cooking
- Pumpkin Spice Cake Roll with Maple Bourbon Cream from Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Pumpkin Spice Dessert Hummus from For the Love of Food
- Pumpkin Spiced Cookies from April Golightly
Disclaimer: Thank you PumpkinWeek Sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Cabot Cheese, and Eggland’s Best for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for PumpkinWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The PumpkinWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Three (3) winners will be selected.
The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The PumpkinWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the PumpkinWeek posts or entry.
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