Tamale: calories, recipe and nutrition facts
One serving of tamale (1 tamale, 127 g) has 241 kcal. Per 100 g: 190 kcal.
Tamale is in the family World dishes. Per 100 g it provides 9.5 g protein, 17.8 g carbohydrates (1.6 g fiber) and 8.9 g fat: about 42% of its calories come from fat.
What tamale provides most
- High in vitamin B3 (niacin): 5.7 mg per 100 g, 36 % of the Daily Value.
- High in vitamin B1 (thiamin): 0.35 mg per 100 g, 30 % of the Daily Value.
- Source of protein: 9.5 g per 100 g, 19 % of the Daily Value.
- Source of folate (vitamin B9): 75.7 µg per 100 g, 19 % of the Daily Value.
- Source of vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 0.23 mg per 100 g, 18 % of the Daily Value.
- Source of selenium: 9.1 µg per 100 g, 17 % of the Daily Value.
Worth knowing, per 100 g: sodium: 221 mg.
Tamale per serving
The serving is 1 tamale, 127 g (the reference recipe below).
| Nutrient | 100 g | 1 tamale |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 190 kcal | 241 kcal |
| Protein | 9.5 g | 12.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 17.8 g | 22.6 g |
| Fiber | 1.6 g | 2.1 g |
| Sugars | 0.92 g | 1.2 g |
| Fat | 8.9 g | 11.3 g |
| Sodium | 221 mg | 281 mg |
The reference recipe, ingredient by ingredient
| Ingredient | g | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Masa harina | 28 | 102 |
| Chicken broth | 45 | 3 |
| Lard | 9 | 81 |
| Shredded chicken | 30 | 50 |
| Green salsa | 15 | 6 |
| Total | 127 | 241 |
We add up each ingredient, already cooked, with USDA SR28 data. The grams come from a typical home recipe: yours may use more or less of each, which changes the total.
Masa made with broth and lard, home style.
For comparison, USDA has a record of the ready-made dish («Restaurant, Latino, tamale, pork», NDB 36412) with 174 kcal per 100 g; this recipe gives 190.
Tamale nutrition facts (per 100 g)
Macronutrients
| Nutrient | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 190 kcal | — |
| Protein | 9.5 g | 19 % |
| Total fat | 8.9 g | 11 % |
| Saturated fat | 3.1 g | 16 % |
| Monounsaturated fat | 3.7 g | — |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 1.4 g | — |
| Cholesterol | 27.5 mg | 9 % |
| Carbohydrates | 17.8 g | 6 % |
| Dietary fiber | 1.6 g | 6 % |
| Total sugars | 0.92 g | — |
Vitamins
| Nutrient | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 2.7 µg | 0 % |
| Vitamin C | 1.5 mg | 2 % |
| Vitamin D | 0.2 µg | 1 % |
| Vitamin E | 0.2 mg | 1 % |
| Vitamin K | 1.7 µg | 1 % |
| B1 · Thiamin | 0.35 mg | 30 % |
| B2 · Riboflavin | 0.23 mg | 18 % |
| B3 · Niacin | 5.7 mg | 36 % |
| B6 | 0.26 mg | 15 % |
| B9 · Folate | 75.7 µg | 19 % |
| B12 | 0.09 µg | 4 % |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 36.4 mg | 3 % |
| Iron | 2.2 mg | 12 % |
| Magnesium | 30 mg | 7 % |
| Phosphorus | 111 mg | 9 % |
| Potassium | 155 mg | 3 % |
| Sodium | 221 mg | 10 % |
| Zinc | 0.69 mg | 6 % |
| Selenium | 9.1 µg | 17 % |
Fatty acids & more
| Nutrient | Amount | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Omega-3 · ALA | 0.09 g | — |
| Omega-3 · EPA | 0 g | — |
| Omega-3 · DHA | 0.01 g | — |
% DV: FDA Daily Values (2020), 2,000-calorie adult diet; «—» where none is set. Not a personal recommendation.
Compared with other dishes
Of 76 dishes on Micela, tamale ranks 31st for calories per 100 g. See the full table.
| # | Food | kcal / 100 g | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🍩 Buñuelos | 462 | 8 g |
| 2 | 🥧 Pecan pie | 412 | 4.9 g |
| 3 | 🍬 Turron | 398 | 3.3 g |
| 4 | 🧆 Falafel | 372 | 13.9 g |
| 5 | 🧀 Quesadilla | 368 | 15.9 g |
| 6 | 🍞 Pan de muerto | 367 | 9.4 g |
| 7 | 🧀 Nachos | 343 | 4.3 g |
| 8 | 🥟 Empanada | 335 | 11.3 g |
| 9 | 🍰 Fruitcake | 324 | 2.9 g |
| 10 | 🍟 French fries | 312 | 3.4 g |
| 11 | 🍌 Tostones | 309 | 1.5 g |
| 12 | 🫕 Fondue | 301 | 17.2 g |
| 13 | 🍖 Roast pork leg | 273 | 26.8 g |
| 14 | 🫔 Enchiladas | 273 | 11.2 g |
| 15 | 🫓 Pupusa | 256 | 11.7 g |
| 16 | 🍕 Pizza | 254 | 10.7 g |
| 17 | 🥩 Breaded steak (milanesa) | 247 | 24.4 g |
| 18 | 🥖 Molletes | 241 | 9.8 g |
| 19 | 🥟 Dumpling | 238 | 13.9 g |
| 20 | 🍌 Fried sweet plantains | 236 | 1.4 g |
| 21 | 🥪 Sandwich | 236 | 10.6 g |
| 22 | 🌭 Hot dog | 235 | 8.1 g |
| 23 | 🍤 Tempura | 232 | 20.7 g |
| 24 | 🫓 Arepa | 219 | 5.5 g |
| 25 | 🍔 Hamburger | 209 | 14.6 g |
| 26 | 🥧 Pumpkin pie | 204 | 4.5 g |
| 27 | 🫔 Chilaquiles | 198 | 4 g |
| 28 | 🍳 Fried egg | 196 | 13.6 g |
| 29 | 🥖 Stuffing | 195 | 2.7 g |
| 30 | 🌯 Burrito | 193 | 10 g |
| 31 | 🫔 Tamale | 190 | 9.5 g |
| 32 | 🦃 Roast turkey | 189 | 28.6 g |
| 33 | 🍚 Mexican rice | 185 | 3.3 g |
| 34 | 🍚 Rice with pigeon peas | 182 | 3.5 g |
| 35 | 🌮 Taco | 180 | 11.3 g |
| 36 | 🍚 Chicken and rice | 174 | 12 g |
| 37 | 🍚 Fried rice | 174 | 4 g |
| 38 | 🍠 Candied sweet potatoes | 164 | 0.89 g |
| 39 | 🥙 Shawarma | 159 | 13.1 g |
| 40 | 🫙 Cranberry sauce | 159 | 0.9 g |
| 41 | 🍣 Sushi | 157 | 8.1 g |
| 42 | 🫘 Refried beans | 156 | 6.9 g |
| 43 | 🍝 Spaghetti bolognese | 153 | 8 g |
| 44 | 🥚 Spanish omelette | 152 | 4.8 g |
| 45 | 🍚 Rice and black beans | 151 | 4.6 g |
| 46 | 🍳 Scrambled eggs | 149 | 10 g |
| 47 | 🍎 Christmas apple salad | 149 | 2 g |
| 48 | 🥘 Paella | 147 | 10.4 g |
| 49 | 🍛 Curry | 146 | 9.1 g |
| 50 | 🍮 Rice pudding | 146 | 3.2 g |
| 51 | 🥔 Potato salad | 143 | 2.7 g |
| 52 | 🍙 Rice ball | 137 | 5.2 g |
| 53 | 🍝 Lasagna | 135 | 7.3 g |
| 54 | 🍱 Bento | 128 | 8.8 g |
| 55 | 🥑 Guacamole | 121 | 1.7 g |
| 56 | 🥣 Oatmeal with milk | 114 | 4.8 g |
| 57 | 🥔 Mashed potatoes | 114 | 1.9 g |
| 58 | 🥡 Chop suey | 114 | 9.8 g |
| 59 | 🥣 Black bean soup | 103 | 5.1 g |
| 60 | 🐟 Basque-style salt cod | 103 | 8.5 g |
| 61 | 🍥 Fish cake | 99 | 15.2 g |
| 62 | 🍲 Stew | 98 | 7.8 g |
| 63 | 🎃 Candied pumpkin | 97 | 0.61 g |
| 64 | ☕ Champurrado | 94 | 1.9 g |
| 65 | 🍫 Mexican hot chocolate | 89 | 3.2 g |
| 66 | 🥛 Eggnog | 88 | 4.5 g |
| 67 | 🍲 Pozole | 82 | 6.3 g |
| 68 | 🥛 Atole | 79 | 2.3 g |
| 69 | 🍲 Tripe soup | 74 | 8.6 g |
| 70 | 🐟 Ceviche | 74 | 9.4 g |
| 71 | 🥤 Banana smoothie | 70 | 2.5 g |
| 72 | 🍢 Oden | 68 | 6.4 g |
| 73 | 🍜 Ramen | 65 | 4.4 g |
| 74 | 🥗 Salad | 59 | 0.92 g |
| 75 | 🍹 Mexican Christmas punch | 51 | 0.38 g |
| 76 | 🥣 Turkey gravy | 51 | 2.6 g |
Where it comes from
Mesoamerica, thousands of years ago.
Approximate origin, under review.
On holidays
🕯️ Tamale is part of the Day of the Dead table, November 1 and 2. Calories in Day of the Dead food
🎄 Tamale is part of the Christmas table, Christmas Eve, December 24, and December 25. Calories in Christmas food
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in a tamale?
A reference serving (1 tamale, 127 g) has 241 kcal: 190 kcal per 100 g. It depends on how much of each ingredient it has.
What is in a tamale?
In the reference recipe: masa harina (28 g), chicken broth (45 g), lard (9 g), shredded chicken (30 g), green salsa (15 g).
How much protein does tamale have?
9.5 g per 100 g; 12.1 g in 1 tamale.
How many carbs does tamale have?
17.8 g of carbohydrates per 100 g, of which 1.6 g is fiber and 0.92 g sugars.
What vitamins and minerals does tamale have?
The ones it provides most per 100 g, by Daily Value: vitamin B3 (niacin), 36 %; vitamin B1 (thiamin), 30 %; protein, 19 %; folate (vitamin B9), 19 %.
Where does tamale come from?
Mesoamerica, thousands of years ago. This is an approximate origin, under review.
Source
Receta de referencia Micela · ingredientes USDA SR28 · records: Corn flour, masa, enriched, white (NDB 20017) · Soup, chicken broth, ready-to-serve (NDB 6194) · Lard (NDB 4002) · Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted (NDB 5064) · Sauce, salsa, verde, ready-to-serve (NDB 27047)
One serving (1 tamale) is about 12% of a 2,000-calorie diet. Work out how many calories you need · How we calculate these numbers