Best Mexico City Cooking Class Review: Arturo’s Tamale Class

by Nichole | Last updated Aug 1, 2025 | Mexico, Best Food Mexico

For us, one of the best ways to truly connect with a country is through its food. My husband and I have a real love for exploring local flavors whether it’s making homemade pasta in a tiny Italian village or munching on street food in the heart of Vietnam. One experience that really stood out was Arturo’s Tamale Cooking Class in Mexico City. It ended up being one of the absolute highlights of our 7-day Mexico City adventure. Here’s everything you need to know, straight from our time in the kitchen with Arturo.

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Table of Contents

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Part: 1: Let’s Salsa!

Making red salsa at Arturo’s Tamale Class in Mexico City

Our warm host, Arturo, graciously transforms his delightful apartment into a vibrant setting for the cooking class.

Arturo was born and raised in Oaxaca, which boasts some of the most exceptional Mexican cuisine globally. His family is still in Oaxaca, but he moved to Mexico City and is currently a chef.

After his skillful icebreaker where each member introduced themselves, it was time to throw the apron on and start cooking.

First, we learned how to make green and red salsa.

Once you’ve made homemade salsa, you will never buy the store-bought version again.

Making salsas is surprisingly simple, and that’s saying a lot, especially considering my limited (nonexistent) cooking skills.

Arturo taught us there are four components to salsa: tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spice (pepper or chili).

A green salsa has jalapeños, tomatillos, and cilantro, and a red salsa has dried chilis and red tomatoes.

Making green and red salsa at Mexico City cooking class

Making green and red salsa at our Mexico City cooking class

We boiled our ingredients for the green salsa and pan roasted them for the red salsa. Then we blended each salsa up and sent them back to the stovetop for additional cooking on low heat for another 15-20 minutes.

Easy, breezy, and so delicious!

We got extra practice making more salsa during Mimi’s Mole Cooking Class when we went to Oaxaca later.

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Part 2: Tamale Time!

Corn husk tamale at Mexico city cooking class

Making corn husk tamales at our Mexico City cooking class

Now it gets a little more technical. Tamales are traditionally eaten in Mexico for breakfast. They are a lot of work but well worth the effort.

Get your muscles ready! There’s a lot of whisking and kneading.

There are not many ingredients for the body of the tamale- just masa, lard (I know, but that’s what makes them taste so good!), and chicken (or vegetable or beef) broth.

The lard has to be whisked until it’s super smooth, and the masa has to be kneaded with stock until a certain consistency. Then you mix both together.

What I really enjoyed about the cooking class was that we got to make both corn husk AND banana leaf tamales.

Banana leaf tamales

Corn husk vs. banana leaf. Is there a difference?

I think so, but you be the judge after you take Arturo’s class. I think the banana leaf makes for a more moist tamale, which I prefer.

Arturo will show you how to prepare the corn husks and banana leaves, so they cradle the tamale perfectly.

Preparing the banana leaves for the tamales

For the banana leaf, you just throw it on your lit gas stove to soften it. Otherwise, it will tear. If you have an electric stove, one of Arturo’s Grandma’s Tips is to use an iron instead.

Now for my favorite part of the tamale class.

We next assembled the tamales with all the amazing toppings and made them look pretty. The seal is important. You don’t want tamale juice squeezing out the ends.

Our toppings included pollo (chicken), huitlacoche (corn fungus), nopales (cactus), beans, queso fresco, and of course our freshly made green and red salsa.

Part 3: Chill Time!

Steaming our corn husk and banana leaf tamales

While we waited for our tamales to cook in the steamer, we all gathered around Arturo’s living room to chat and eat chips and salsa.

Arturo graciously offered us some Mexican wine and beer. It was like hanging out at a friend’s house.

Part 4: Lunch on the Rooftop!

Tamale lunch on the rooftop!

Arturo’s apartment has a fantastic shaded rooftop to enjoy a meal al fresco. A perfect setting for our tamale lunch!

We took our delicious efforts upstairs and shared a fantastic meal, all while enjoying the good company and the free flow of wine and beer. What a fun experience!

The best part? We didn’t have to clean up after. Thank you Arturo! 😉

Final Thoughts

I hope this gives you a little glimpse into what it’s like to spend a day cooking with Arturo.

It was hands-down one of the best parts of our Mexico City adventure!

And no need to stress about keeping track of every recipe detail. Arturo sends everything to you after the class, which is such a thoughtful touch.

Quick note on how to book this class.

Arturo has this incredible experience listed on two platforms: Viator and Airbnb Experiences.

Same price on both.

He has way more reviews on Airbnb. But I prefer booking on Viator because they offer a loyalty program similar to booking.com’s Genius program and Expedia’s One Key Cash.

I’ll list both, and you can decide!

→ Viator: Tamale Class

→ Airbnb Experiences: Tamale Class

Enjoy every delicious moment!

I’m Nichole, the author of all the blog posts on Enriching Pursuits. Think of me as your geeky discerning travel friend who dives deep (Google Page 20, forums, travel groups deep!) to uncover the best ways to enjoy exceptional outdoor adventures and foodie experiences.

My husband and I are experienced snorkelers, day hikers, and casual cyclists who also love delicious street food, an incredible glass of wine, and the occasional Michelin-starred meal.

Balancing full-time careers, we cherish every second of our vacation days and love sharing tips to help you do the same. If this sounds like your kind of travel, subscribe below or drop me a note with any questions. I’d love to hear from you!