Homemade Corn Tortillas are so incredibly easy to make and you only need a whopping 3 ingredients! They're soft, pliable, so delicious, and can be turn into your favorite Mexican dishes or enjoyed all by themselves!
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My Homemade Corn Tortillas are too good not to try. You'll need only 3 ingredients, and the flavor is just out of this world. Everything a good corn tortilla should be.
They're also so easy to make and they super pliable. You can roll them without cracking and fill them with your favorite taco meat situation or use them in your next batch of chicken enchiladas. Leftovers can even be fried and made into chips for dunking into pico de gallo or tostadas smothered with queso fundido!
Key Ingredients
- Masa harina - Make sure you're buying masa and not cornmeal or American corn flour. There is a difference. The ingredients need to include nixtamalized corn and hydrated lime.
- Hot water - It needs to be HOT and the amount of hot water may vary ever so slightly, depending on the brand of masa harina that you use.
- Kosher Salt - To bring out the naturally sweet corn flavor in our homemade corn tortillas. Don't use iodized. It's just not good and it can make the tortillas bitter.
Tools Of The Trade
You guys know I'm not a gadget gal, but I have one I recommend for homemade corn tortillas. A cast iron tortilla press is a must. It makes pressing the tortillas a breeze and they come out perfectly round every. single. time.
While you can buy them made of wood, I only have experience with the cast iron version. It's heavy and presses beautifully. It will also last a lifetime. That's the only kind of gadget I'm interested in.
Buy Now → How To Make Them
Making homemade corn tortillas is so very easy. I'll give you the brief rundown of the festivities here, but the specifics will live in the recipe card below. All you have to do is:
When To Use Corn Tortillas vs. Flour Tortillas
If a tortilla is homemade, I am all about it for alllll the things. When do you use corn? When do you use flour? Let me explain. And, this is, in no way, set in stone.
Flour tortillas are fantastic for things like burritos, quesadillas, and fajitas. They are frequently served along side Tex-Mex dishes. I have long history of loving a flour tortilla with just about anything. They have the ability to hold more stuff and I just love them.
Corn tortillas are more traditional Mexican. You'll see them in enchiladas, street tacos, seafood tacos, and breakfast classics like chilaquiles. They are also fried into tortilla chips or tostadas.
But, like I always say, you do you, boo!
Variations and Substitutions
Because there are only 3 ingredients in these homemade corn tortillas and 2 of them are kosher salt and water, there is not too much room for variation.
You can use a blue or yellow masa if you prefer. As far as taste goes, there is little to no difference. They're just a pretty alternative. I generally prefer a white masa.
If you would like you can also add a little granulated garlic or granulated onion to the dough. Just add enough for a little flavor. The simplicity of these homemade corn tortillas is what truly makes them special. Keep it simple.
Tips and Tricks
Let the dough rest. Give it 10 minutes so that the flour can absorb the water properly.
Get a tortilla warmer. You'll use it again and again. For corn tortillas especially, they are more pliable and taste better warm.
Don't confuse masa harina with corn meal or plain corn flour. Mexican masa harina is made from nixtamalized corn and lime. You will not end up with a good result without the masa harina.
Homemade Corn Tortillas Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1½ cups hot water may need more depending on the brand of masa you use
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Whisk the masa harina together with the salt to make sure it is evenly combined.
- Add the hot water and stir to combine. Knead the mixture for 2-3 minutes until a ball forms and it's the consistency of a play-doh situation.
- Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, portion out 16 balls of dough. Each ball needs to be two tablespoons worth of dough.
- Place a dough ball between two pieces of parchment paper. Using a tortilla press, press the dough ball within the parchment until they are flattened into a 4-5 inch tortilla. Repeat until you've made all the tortillas.
- Cook the tortillas, one at a time, in a preheated cast iron skillet. I keep my heat medium-high. Within a minute you should be able to see a few brown spots form along with some bubbles. Flip the tortilla and give it an additional 30 seconds or so to finish cooking. If you notice the skillet is getting to hot, just turn it down a bit.
- Place the tortillas on a plate and cover with a lightly damp towel so they do not dry out. The steaming is important for pliability so make sure you do this.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Masa Harina?
Masa Harina in Spanish means “corn flour,” It is different than cornmeal and American-style cornflour (which is just finely-ground corn meal). Mexican masa harina is made from nixtamalized corn. Look at the ingredient label. There should always be both corn (maíz) and hydrated lime. If it's not there, keep looking.
Maseca is probably the most well known and popular brand of Mexican masa harina. I've seen everywhere from my local grocery store to Walmart to Amazon. You can also find it in any Mexican or Latin grocery store. King Arthur makes a fantastic organic masa if that's more your speed.
Are these homemade corn tortillas gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan?
Yes, they are! No need to worry about that. These homemade corn tortillas are also dairy-free and vegan! Everybody can enjoy them!
Can you freeze them?
Yes and no. I do not like to freeze the tortillas after they are cooked. They crack super easily after thawing and they just don't do well in my opinion.
However, the dough freezes beautifully! Freeze corn tortilla dough by individually wrapping the cooled dough balls in wax paper or plastic wrap, placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container. You can store them for up to 3 months and then thaw them in the refrigerator or at room temperature until soft before rolling and cooking.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store the cooled corn tortillas in the fridge in an airtight bag for up to a 5 days. The key to remember is to prevent them from drying out. Once they've dried out, that's it. They're done for.
The trick to reheating is to take your time. You can do this in the microwave in a damp paper towel or in a microwavable tortilla warmer. You can also do this on a skillet on the stove top.
If you're one of those people that don't get distracted, you can reheat your homemade corn tortillas on the flame of a gas range. This is a hard pass for me. Oh, look at the squirrel!
Pro Tip: Just take your time. If you try to reheat too fast, you'll run the risk of the ever-frustrating cracked tortilla.
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Homemade Corn Tortillas recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or YouTube!
And, please leave a comment or star rating in the recipe card above. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. It makes my heart so happy! And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don't hesitate to contact me!
And, if you're in the mood for more easy additions to your next Taco Tuesday, you've come to the right spot! Mexican food is my love language!
Try my Homemade Flour Tortillas, Carne Guisada, or my Beef Enchiladas! All so good, all soo easy!
Andra T says
Very good version of a corn tortilla, and I agree Rufus, these are waaayyy better than the store-bought ones!