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Corn Tortilla Recipe

The only corn tortilla recipe you'll ever need! Everything you need to know about making homemade corn tortillas - a Mexican food staple!

Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 14 Tortillas
Calories: 62 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 2 cups masa harina
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 ½ cups warm water, plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil or lard, optional

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large bowl, combine the masa harina and salt. Stir in the water and oil until a dough forms.
  2. Using your hands, knead the dough until it fully comes together and all the water is absorbed, about 3 minutes. To make sure it’s ready, grab a small piece and roll it into a ball. Press down on it with a finger. If the edges of the dough crack, the dough is too dry. If the dough sticks to your skin, it’s too wet. Add more water or masa harina as necessary.
  3. Divide the dough into 14 equal portions, then roll each into a ball. Cover them with a clean damp cloth or plastic wrap to keep the dough moist while you press and cook the tortillas.
  4. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium-high heat until hot. While the griddle is heating up, cut the seams off of a large resealable plastic bag so that it makes one large rectangular piece of plastic. Alternatively, you can use parchment paper instead.
  5. Lay the plastic or parchment paper on the open tortilla press and place 1 dough ball on the bottom half. Fold the other side of the plastic or parchment paper over the dough and gently close and press the upper portion of the tortilla press to flatten it out. Open the tortilla press and carefully peel back the plastic or parchment paper and transfer the tortilla to your hand.
  6. Cooking 1 or 2 at a time, place the tortilla on the hot griddle and cook for 15 to 20 seconds. Flip and cook the other side for 15 to 20 more seconds. Flip the tortilla again and cook for another 30 seconds on each side.
  7. Place the cooked tortillas in a tortilla warmer or wrap them in a clean kitchen towel and place them inside of a resealable plastic bag to keep them warm and soft.
  8. Serve immediately or store tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Notes

  • Fat: A little extra-virgin olive oil or lard is added to help keep the tortillas pliable for longer, as well as to add a touch of flavor. Lard is traditionally used, but olive oil also works! Some tortilla purists don’t add fat at all. It’s all personal preference! If you don’t want to add any, you can leave it out.
  • A quick test to see if your dough needs more water: Take a piece of dough and roll it into a ball. Press down on the middle of the ball with a finger or the palm of your other hand. If the edges of the flattened ball crack, it's too dry and needs more water. It may feel like it doesn't need more water, but if it cracks, trust me - knead in a tablespoon or two of water at a time until it passes this test.
  • Tortilla press: If you don't have a tortilla press, you can use a large baking dish to flatten the dough in between two sheets of parchment paper. The trick is to press the dough as evenly as possible so that it's the same thickness all around.
  • Tortilla warmer: To keep the tortillas warm and pliable when serving, place them inside a tortilla warmer or wrap them in a clean kitchen towel and place them inside a large resealable storage bag to help them retain heat and moisture.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1tortilla Calories 62kcal (3%) Carbohydrates 12g (4%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 1g (2%) Saturated Fat 0.1g (1%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g Monounsaturated Fat 0.4g Sodium 167mg (7%) Potassium 43mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Vitamin A 35IU (1%) Calcium 22mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 14Tortillas

Amount Per Serving

Calories 62

% Daily Value*

Serving 1tortilla
Calories 62kcal 3%
Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g 2%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.4g 2%
Sodium 167mg 7%
Potassium 43mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Vitamin A 35IU 1%
Calcium 22mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.