Vegetarian Tamales

[SNDP]

Where could I find freshly prepared home style vegetarian tamales (cheese, vegetables, peppers) in the East Bay to serve and to freeze for later? Thanks in advance.

[rahir]

I like both Primavera and Donna's Tamales. Some Whole Foods stores carry Primavera tamales (try near the pre-packaged deli slices aisle).

Also, Flacos at the Berkeley Farmers Markets' sells vegan tamales, and you can contact them ahead of time to possibly arrange bulk or a multiple tamale purchase (for heating later): http://www.flacos.com.

[Rain Q]

All Star Tamales Vegan Tamales are truly vegan. They dont use lard in any of their Tamales and each one is wrapped in a freezer, microwave safe, foodsafe polywrap. You can buy them warm or cold for freezing. Made fresh.

[yerioy]

Look for Donna's Tamales at the Temescal Farmer's Market and at the Ferry Plaza one, too. Look online to see the ingredients and other locations to purchase them.

http://www.donnastamales.com/

[Xiao Yang]

I've found Donna's Tamales to be disappointingly bland, to tell the truth.

[lmnopm]

Some of the Primavera varieties are great. Monterey Market generally carries several varieties.

[Xiao Yang]

All-Star Tamales! Their tamales are very good, IMHO, and they have six different fillings that meet your specefications (the last six on their menu), assuming you really are OK with lard.

http://allstartamales.com/

[Rain Q]

All Star Tamales do not use lard F.Y.I. They use vegetable soy bean oil in all of their tamales.

[rln]

I've bought vegetarian tamales at Tacubuya in Fouth Street. They are sweet potato or pumpkin, wrapped in banana leaves, if I recall correctly. I've frozen them and they keep just fine.

When I asked, they did not use lard for these.

[chemchef]

I recently had a squash tamale from Tacubaya that was great! No lard, no meat, and I'm not even vegetarian! It wasn't traditional by any means, but it was darned good!

[SNDP]

Sorry to clarify. The lard is fine - we just do not wish to have pork or chicken stuffing. Thanks.

[Neilo]

Lard does not a vegetarian tamale make! And by no means do tamales have to contain lard. It may be harder to make a good tamale with vegetable shortening, but they exist. For example. Primavera at the Ferry Building Farmer's market uses no pork derived lubricants to create their relatively tasty tamales. Sorry, no east bay recommendation, just a comment.

[Fig Newton]

Primavera uses butter instead of lard.

[rworange]

Primavera sells at the Tuesday Berkeley Farmers Market.

[Glencora]

Don't tamales always contain lard?

[larochelle]

Traditional (& best) ones do. But lately I've been noticing "nuevo" and "fresh Cal-Mex" places offering vegetarian tamales made without lard - I think they use vegetable oil.