Learn how to make corn tortillas with this easy 3 -ingredient recipe! Soft and tasty, these homemade tortillas are so better than bought in store.
You cannot fully appreciate the corn tortillas before you have tried the homemade. They are completely different from the stable and bought in store. Instead of being dry and subjects to cracking, they are soft, folded and full of grilled corn flavor.
I shared these corn and flour tortillas a few years ago, and since then I have obtained tons of requests for a 100% corn tortilla recipe. I am so excited to finally bring you this one – it is completely gluten -free and calls only 3 ingredients. I love to make it use in Mexican dishes such as enchiladas and tacos and associate with fried beans. I think you will do it too!
Homemade corn tortillas ingredients
The key ingredient of this corn tortilla recipe is Masa Harina.
Masa Harina is dried corn flour in nixtamalized corn on the ground. In the event that you are not familiar, nixtamalization is the process of soaking dried corn grains in a solution with calcium hydroxide or extinct lime. Developed by Meso-American civilizations thousands of years ago, it makes nutrients of corn more bioavailable and develops its flavor. Think about the difference in taste between corn bread and tamales. Masa in the tamals was nixtamalized; Corn flour in corn bread did not do it.
Masa Harina becomes easier to find in grocery stores (in mine, it’s in the cooking driveway right next to the flour), but you can also order it online. I like Bob’s red red mill and Masienda. All color works here – free to use white, yellow or blue!
The only other ingredients in this recipe? Hot water and sea salt!
How to make corn tortillas
This corn tortilla recipe has three main steps:
1. Make the dough and let it rest. Mix the Masa Harina and salt in a large bowl to mix and gradually add the water. Mix until a coherent dough forms. If the mixture is too dry to come together, add more water if necessary, 1 teaspoon at a time.
Form the dough in a ball, then cover the bowl with a damp towel. Put it aside for 1 hour to hydrate the Masa Harina.
2 Press a tortilla at a time. Once the dough rests, divide it in 8 plus or 12 small smaller pieces and ride each one in one ball. Flatten each ball of dough using a tortilla press bordered by parchment paper, or use a rolling pin to roll it in a 4 to 6 inch circle.
Note: To keep the dough damp, I like to shape, then cook a tortilla at a time. While you work, keep the dough balls remaining under a damp towel so that they do not dry out.
3 and 3 Bake a tortilla at a time In a dry cast iron pan over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute on the first side, then return and cook for a minute on the second side, or until the tortilla swells slightly and is dry to the touch. Wrap it in a cloth to spray and soften, then repeat with the remaining tortillas!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Recipe advice
- Add water if necessary. The Masa dough should have a damp and flexible texture, but it should not be sticky. If it is dry when mixing it, add more water. Be sure to add just a little at a time – to 1 teaspoon – so that the dough is not too wet.
- Keep the dough covered. The Masa dough can dry quickly, leading to tortillas crack-y. To keep it moist, cover the dough with a damp towel while it rests. You should also keep all the dough balls without covered pump when you shape and cook the tortillas.
- The parchment paper is useful. The corn tortilla dough can easily stick to your press in Tortilla or your counter (believe me, I learned that hard). To avoid sticking, I like to line my press in tortilla with parchment or deploy the dough between parchment sheets. After riding, I use the parchment to transfer the tortilla to the pan as well.
- Wrap freshly cooked tortillas in clean kitchen. This helps them steam and soften. Left unparalleled, they will dry.
Ways to use corn tortillas
With freshly cooked tortillas,, I love making tacos, enchiladas and quesadillas. At this stage, the tortillas can bend and roll without cracking, so they are perfect for these uses.
With remaining tortillas,, I like to make tortilla chips or tostadas. The tortillas become dry and less flexible over time. Although they are not so good for tacos, they are perfect for frying! Take advantage of homemade tortilla chips with salsa or use them to make chilaquiles.
How do you like to use homemade corn tortillas? Let me know in the comments!
How to store
I like these corn tortillas best when they are freshly cooked, but if you have leftovers, you have some options to store and warm them up.
- In the refrigerator: Seal the tortillas in a waterproof air bag or wrap them closely in a plastic film and refrigerate up to a day.
- In the freezer: Seal in a bag or wrap in a plastic film and freeze up to 3 months.
- To warm up: If the tortillas are frozen, wrap them in a clean cloth and thaw them in the microwave. Then warm them in a dry cast iron pan or on a flame of gas until it is hot and flexible.
More house tortilla recipes
If you like this corn tortilla recipe, then try these homemade flour tortillas or these corn and flour tortillas!
Homemade corn tortillas
Service 4 at 6
Learn to make corn tortillas! This recipe for 3 ingredients is simple and tasty. We like to use tortillas to make tacos, enchiladas and more! Find additional service suggestions in the blog post above.
- 1 cup Harina’s time
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup hot water,, More than needed
Prevent your screen from becoming dark
-
In a large bowl, whisk the Masa Harina and salt together. Add the water and mix until a coherent dough forms and there is no dry flour. If the mixture is too dry to come together, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if necessary to moisten it. Form the dough in one ball. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set aside 1 hour.
-
Divide the dough into 8 to 12 equal pieces and each run into a ball. Cover with the damp towel.
-
Remove a ball of dough under the towel, leaving the rest covered. Cut two pieces of parchment paper on the size of your press in Tortilla. Place the dough ball between the parchment leaves and use the press in Tortilla to flatten it. Alternatively, use a rolling pin to deploy the tortilla between parchment leaves.
-
Preheat a dry cast iron pan over medium heat. When your stove is hot, peel one of the parchment sheets of the tortilla. Place the side of the dough in the hot pan and peel off the second parchment sheet. Cook for 1 minute on each side, or until the tortilla is dry to the touch and cooked through. Reduce fire if necessary if the tortilla bruns too quickly.
-
Wrap yourself in a cloth to stay warm until they are ready to serve, then repeat the pressing and cooking process with the remaining tortillas.
Make 8 (6 inches) or 12 (4 inches) of tortillas. I love to use the smallest tortillas for tacos and the largest for enchiladas or quesadillas!
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/__opt__aboutcom__coeus__resources__content_migration__serious_eats__seriouseats.com__recipes__images__2015__07__20150701-squash-salad-vicky-wasik-1-8a79670b822f4f07b30a1df994fdf1fe.jpg?w=390&resize=390,220&ssl=1 "This summer salad of 5 ingredients is as simple as possible")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/20250624-SEA-CucumberSalad-FredHardy-HERO-1cdc36f1e8ad4e1d947176e0b9b8f370.jpg?w=390&resize=390,220&ssl=1 "13 refreshing recipes for the most crunchy star of summer")
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/20240628-NanaimoBars-AmandaSuarez-hero-82c6e1320a5b4141ad9557a9800f6fed.jpg?w=390&resize=390,220&ssl=1 "Our 10 best dessert recipes, according to readers")
