How To Make Your Own Homemade Corn Tortillas—From Scratch!
Have you ever tried making your own homemade corn tortillas? These three-ingredient masa harina tortillas are easy as uno…dos…tres! Once they’re done cooking, you can go ahead and load them up with your favorite fillings for a fantastic and flavorful meal! Taco Tuesday? Why not Taco Everyday?!
The superstar pantry ingredient? Masa Harina! Masa Harina is flour made from ground corn, and all you need to turn it into tortillas is some hot water, oil, and salt. A tortilla press will come in handy too (but isn’t absolutely necessary, as you’ll read below).
Making your own corn tortillas from scratch is a great way to save money, reduce plastic waste (especially if you shop for masa from bulk bins and bring your own reusable bags!), and reduce your reliance on grocery stores (if, say, you’re in the midst of a pandemic).
If you love corn-based recipes, you’ll want to check out this creamy vegan polenta with greens, crisp polenta fries, and zesty polenta pizza bites, too!
What is Masa Harina?
Masa harina literally means “dough flour.” It’s a kind of flour made from dried corn kernels that are cooked and then soaked in a lime solution (calcium hydroxide, not the fruit) to make hominy. The soaking process is what gives corn tortillas that distinct sour flavor that makes them taste so refreshing. Masa is what you get when you mix the masa harina with water to form a corn dough essential to various staples in Mexican cuisine, such as tortillas and plant-based tamales.
How To Make Homemade Corn Tortillas
The process is a lot simpler than you might imagine. Understandably, many of us get intimidated but the idea of creating something from scratch—and by the word “kneading.” But, do NOT fret! This precious process is simple and very intuitive, so let’s just go for it!
In short, you just mix the corn flour and hot water to create the “masa” or dough. Once you knead it and bring it all together, you add the oil and salt. Roll the dough into small balls and press it in a tortilla press (made from two big round flat plates that flatten the dough into perfectly flat tortillas. Cook them in a hot skillet for 20 seconds each side and keep the finished tortillas warm with a towel.
That’s it! Now you must be wondering: where has this recipe been all my life?
Tips and Serving Suggestions for Tortillas
The short answer is: anything you want! You can fill them with so many delicious vegan Mexican fillings. What about some easy lentil tacos? Or turning them into some cheesy vegan quesadillas? Beefy tacos made with a vegan beefy crumble, anyone?
Here are more delicious fillings for your homemade corn tortillas to try:
- Simple Beans and Rice – Sometimes keeping it simple is the way to go! You can assemble delicious tacos or enchiladas with some Mexican red rice, refried beans, pickled veggies, tomatillo salsa, and vegan cheese.
- Time for Tofu – That’s right! Tofu is a fantastic choice for adding some savory protein to your tortillas. Sizzle up some strips, crumble into soyrizo, or air-fry tofu cubes for a truly delicious experience.
- Veggie Heavy – The beautiful thing about tortillas are the countless ways in which you can fill them up. If you prefer your meals heavier on the veggies, Cauliflower Tacos or our Sautéed Kale, Bean, & Avocado Salad is an excellent choice for pairing with these tortillas. If you’re a salad lover, go ahead and make your own to go with whatever else you’re having for taco night!
- Three Cheers for Chickpeas – While beans are a classic choice for tortillas, don’t count out the mighty chickpea! Whether roasted or mashed into a vegan tuna salad, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised by the combination of these lovely legumes and your tasty tortillas.
FAQs
If refrigerating, wrap in a sealable plastic bag or airtight container with pieces of waxed paper placed between them so they don’t stick. They’ll keep for up to two weeks in the fridge. Follow the same instructions for freezing. The tortillas will last about three to four weeks. When ready to reheat, either place the tortillas in the microwave or stovetop! Feel free to spray with a little water to get them softer, if needed.
You do not need a tortilla press to make your own homemade corn tortillas, but this simple tool will make tortilla making much easier and the end result pretty perfect. If you don’t have a tortilla press, not to worry. You can place the dough ball between two squares of baking paper or plastic and press it flat with a cutting board. Here’s a 50 second super helpful tutorial showing how to do it!
For this recipe, we’ll be using store-bought masa harina to make our dough. The author prefers brands such as Bob’s Red Mill, Masienda, and Gold Mine, which can be purchased online or at your local grocery story or health food store. Corn can be purchased in either white, yellow or blue varieties, but most often you’ll find golden or white masa harina.
More Vegan Mexican Recipes
If you make this DIY corn tortilla recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know what you think in the comments below! I love reading your comments!
Homemade Corn Tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina
- 2-3 cups hot water
- ¼ cup cooking oil, divided
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Add the masa harina to a medium bowl. Pour in 2 cups (480 ml) of hot water, and use your hands or a spoon to mix the masa.
- Slowly add more water as needed. Once the masa starts to form into a dough, continue to use your hands to amasar, or knead, the masa to bring it all together.
- The masa should be a Play-Doh–like consistency that sticks together and doesn’t stick to the bowl or your hands. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the oil and salt to taste, and continue to knead the masa, adding more oil as needed, up to 1⁄4 cup.
- Preheat a comal (flat cast iron pan) to medium-high heat.
- Roll the masa into small walnut-sized balls. Use a tortilla press lined with wax paper (or plastic) to press the tortillas evenly until the masa becomes a tortilla about 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm) in diameter.
- Add the first tortilla to the preheated comal (the griddle). Let it cook for about 20 seconds, or until the first side begins to sear and the outer layer of the tortilla seals. The tortilla should release from the pan. Flip the tortilla to cook on the second side for 20 seconds. Flip it back to the original side, and the tortilla may start to puff up after another 20 seconds. Repeat for all the tortillas. Place the cooked tortillas in a tortilla holder lined with a cloth towel to keep them warm. They will continue to steam and cook in the basket.
Nutrition
This vegan Mexican tortilla recipe is reprinted with permission from La Vida Verde by Jocelyn Ramirez, Page Street Publishing Co. 2020. Photo credit: Zohra Banon.
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Leave a Comment
Making these were easier than I thought. Yum!
Love how easy this recipe is to follow!
What a fantastic idea and so satisfying to make your own right at home. I love this!
Delicious! I don’t know why I’ve always felt so intimidated by trying to make my own tortillas, but this was so easy and the results were fantastic!
I’ve had a tortilla press for the longest time so I finally put it to use and I’m so glad I did! These corn tortillas came out great! I will definitely be using my tortilla press more often now 🙂
So empowering to make my own from scratch! I can’t believe how easy it was!
I always wanted to learn how to make my own tortillas! Thank you for this recipe 🙂
I’ve always wanted to try making my own corn tortillas. Thank you so much for this step by step recipe. I can’t believe how amazing they taste and I was so proud of myself for making them from scratch. I don’t think I’ll go back to buying them – woohoo! It’s great that they’re so cost effective, easy to make and just taste delicious. Usually ones you buy at the store have either no taste or a slightly “old” taste. When you make them from scratch, it’s life changing. It’s like comparing a convenience store apple pie with one that you made at home with apples you picked from an orchard. No comparison. Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
Taco Tuesday is EVEN better when you make tortillas from scratch!! A much more “special” experience.
These tasted so good…better than store bought and worth the effort!