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There is nothing like soft and tender homemade tortillas. While this easy, 4-ingredient corn tortillas recipe is fairly standard and straightforward, the tips I learned from a cooking instructor in Costa Rica ensure perfect results every time. Use these naturally gluten-free beauties to make tacos or turn them into homemade tortilla chips.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: Latin American
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free
- Skill Level: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Corn Tortillas Recipe
I learned this corn tortillas recipe at a cooking class in Costa Rica, and it’s a keeper. With just a few ingredients and a few minutes of effort—including the oh-so-satisfying of rolling and pressing out the tortillas by hand—you’ll have warm tortillas perfect for making tilapia fish tacos, salsa egg tacos, or ground turkey tacos! They’re also a great candidate for turning into air fryer tortilla chips you can use them to scoop up easy guacamole or instant pot pinto beans. There’s so much to love about this recipe!
- So easy! I love how uncomplicated it is to make tortillas! Simply mix, knead, and press.
- No weird ingredients. Unlike store-bought tortillas, there are no “extras” here, just corn flour, water, and salt.
- Naturally gluten-free. You’ll never have to worry about any gluten ingredients sneaking in when you make homemade tortillas! Every ingredient in this recipe is gluten-free.
- Fresh is so much better. Sinking my teeth into a freshly-fried corn tortilla is one of life’s little pleasures. You can truly taste the difference when you make these fresh and from scratch.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick glance at the simple ingredients that go into these tortillas, with the full ingredient amounts included in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Masa Harina: For corn tortillas, corn flour that’s labeled masa harina (corn flour) or corn masa flour is recommended.
- Salt: Optional, but adds a little extra flavor.
- Warm Water
- Oil: Use a neutral oil such as vegetable or avocado oil to cook the tortillas.
How to Make Corn Tortillas
Follow along with the photos below so you’ll have an idea of my method for making these tortillas. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.
- Make the dough. Mix the masa harina and salt in a bowl, then add the water.
- Knead. Use your hands to knead the dough together until it’s smooth and evenly hydrated.
- Form dough balls. Take golf ball-sized pieces of dough and roll them into balls.
- Make tortillas. Flatten one ball between two pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap.
- Press tortillas. Use your palm to press down on the dough to form tortillas.
- Cook the tortillas. Heat a cast iron skillet, coat lightly with oil, and fry each tortilla for 30 seconds on one side.
- Flip and flip again. Flip over and cook for 1 minute more, then cook for an additional 30 seconds on the first side.
Tips for Success
- Try a tortilla press. To save time, you can use a tortilla press to press out your tortillas.
- But I recommend making them by hand. As our instructor Jenny was teaching the method of pressing out the tortillas by hand, I asked her about trying a tortilla press. The look on her face was one of shock and horror because she had always made them by hand! I do like the slight variations in thickness that come from hand pressing, as it gives them a rustic, homestyle feel, so this is my preferred way of forming the tortillas.
- Make-ahead tip. If you make the tortillas in advance and need to rewarm them, wrap them in damp paper towels and then microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.
- Use for tostada shells. Use your homemade corn tortillas to make homemade tostada shells. Place the tortillas in a 400°F oven and cook them for 4-5 minutes on each side. Cool slightly before assembling your tostadas.
How to Store
- Fridge – Place the cooked and cooled tortillas in a sealable plastic bag and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer – Transfer the tortillas to a freezer-safe bag with a piece of parchment or wax paper in between each one so that they don’t stick together, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost the tortillas in the fridge before using.
Make It a Meal
Corn tortillas are incredibly versatile and you can use them in any recipe that calls for a traditional flour tortilla if you want to make it gluten-free. Here are a few ways you can use homemade tortillas:
- Tostadas. Build off your corn tortillas and make easy chicken tostadas and breakfast tostada stacks.
- Tacos. Use tortillas to make all kinds of tacos, like fish stick tacos, baked chicken tacos, or slow cooker chicken tacos!
- With soup. Add homemade tortillas to a meal of taco soup or chicken taco soup.
- For nachos. Turn corn tortillas into tortilla chips and use them to make deliciously cheesy nachos! I love them in barbecue chicken nachos, sheet pan nachos with chicken and black beans, and vegetarian bell pepper nachos.
More Gluten-Free Staples
Corn Tortillas Recipe
The easiest 4-ingredient corn tortillas recipe that makes perfect tortillas every time! Use these homemade beauties to make tacos and more.
Servings: 20 tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina or corn masa flour (240 grams)
- pinch of salt
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- oil for cooking (a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil or vegetable oil)
Instructions
- Add the 2 cups masa harina or corn masa flour and a pinch of salt to a large bowl. Slowly stir in the 1 ½ cups warm water until all the dry bits of masa flour are gone. Using your hands, knead the dough until it’s smooth and evenly hydrated. You’ll want it moist to the touch but not sticky, similar to the texture of play dough.
- Use squares of wax paper, lightly oiled if needed, to press out your tortillas. Use about 1 ounce of dough (about the size of a golf ball) and roll it into a ball. Place onto a plate and cover with a damp towel while you make balls with the remaining dough. You’ll end up with about 19-21 balls.
- Flatten one ball between two pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap using a tortilla press, if you have one. Otherwise, you can use the traditional method of pressing it down with your palm, turning the tortilla as you continue to press it until thin, but not so thin that it falls apart. Keep between pieces of wax paper while you continue to press out the remaining tortillas.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of your preferred oil for cooking to just barely coat the skillet, wiping out any excess with a paper towel, if needed. Peel a tortilla from the wax paper and drop it carefully into the hot pan. Cook for about 30 seconds, then flip and cook for about 1 minute on the other side Flip back to the first side, and cook for 30 seconds to a minute until lightly golden. Press down if it starts to puff up as it cooks. Cover with a towel to keep warm as you continue cooking the remaining tortillas.
Nutrition Facts
Corn Tortillas Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 42
Calories from Fat 4
% Daily Value*
Fat 0.4g1%
Saturated Fat 0.1g1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.1g
Sodium 1mg0%
Potassium 30mg1%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 24IU0%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.
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