Do Tamales Have Gluten?

Commonly used in Latin American dishes to make tortillas and tamales, masa, or masa harina, contains only ground corn and is naturally gluten-free. It is made from dried corn that has been hulled -- the tough outer skin of the dried corn kernel has been removed -- and then ground up.

Do traditional tamales have gluten?

Tamales can sometimes contain gluten, depending on the corn flour that is used. Masa harina is ground corn flour, making it naturally gluten-free. Tamales that use pure masa harina are safe for a gluten-free diet. Tamales are sometimes made with corn flour that contains gluten.

Are tamales naturally gluten-free?

Here are some of the ways gluten can make its way into your tamale ingredients. Again, many of the elements in tamales are naturally gluten-free, but manufacturing practices can cause gluten contamination.