Store-bought corn tortillas are no match for those made at home: the difference is clear with one bite. Homemade tortillas are soft and flavorful, with a pleasant bend — nothing like the dry, bland discs you might pick up from the grocery store.
Though tortillas are basic to prepare and require only a few ingredients, they take some practice to master. But with some handy tips from Pati Jinich of PBS' Pati’s Mexican Table, who shared her recipe for Tortillas de Maíz (Corn Tortillas) with us, there’s little standing between you and fresh, fragrant tortillas.
“There are few things that can compare to a homemade tortilla,” says Pati. “Any meal of the day in a Mexican home, there are bound to be warm corn tortillas on the table. We wrap eggs and chorizo in them at breakfast and will tuck just about anything on our plate into them with some salsa at lunch and dinner. We'll even make a quick snack of avocado slices tucked into a tortilla warmed right on the burner.”
It all starts with the corn
You can either make tortillas with fresh masa, a dough made from corn that's been milled and nixtamalized (more on that below), or masa harina, a dried, shelf-stable version that can be reconstituted with water to make masa. Since fresh masa is perishable and unfortunately not available in many places, the easier route is to stock masa harina.
A traditional flour used in Mexico and throughout Central America, masa harina (translation: dough flour) is made from corn that’s been soaked in a solution of slaked lime, which loosens the corn’s hull and softens it. This process, known as nixtamalization, improves the corn’s texture and helps release its nutrients. The soaked corn is milled into a paste to make masa; the masa is dried and then ground again, this time into a fine flour to produce masa harina. Once water is added, the masa harina transforms back into masa, the base for tortillas.
Due to the corn’s special treatment, neither cornmeal nor corn flour are good substitutes for masa harina — you’ll need this specific flour to prepare tortillas. (You can find our organic, gluten-free, non-GMO masa harina in your local supermarket or online.)
It’s also highly recommended that you use a tortilla press, which will give you the best results forming your tortillas. That said, you can make tortillas without one if absolutely necessary. A heavy skillet or Dutch oven that has a flat bottom at least 6” in diameter will work in a pinch.
Tortilla tips from Pati Jinich
“A great tortilla will puff up like pita bread on the third flip and will be malleable, and not crack, when you fold it,” Pati says. “It takes some practice to master the technique, but truly any homemade tortilla is far and beyond better than a store-bought tortilla.”
In addition to the instructions and photos shared on the recipe page for Tortillas de Maíz (Corn Tortillas), Pati also has plenty of tips for making the best corn tortillas at home. Here’s some of her expert advice:
1) Adjust the salt
The amount of salt called for in the recipe is low because you want the tortillas to be fairly neutral in flavor, since taco fillings are usually highly seasoned and flavorful. If you’d prefer more salt, increase the amount to 1/2 teaspoon.
2) Have a bowl of water nearby
When forming the dough into balls to flatten in the tortilla press, keep a bowl of water at your side. The dough should feel like Play-Doh and be easy to form into a smooth ball, but if it becomes sticky and hard to handle while rolling, dip your hands in the water before continuing.
3) Reuse plastic bags for pressing
Before flattening your masa into tortillas, you’ll need to line the tortilla press with plastic to prevent sticking. Recycled plastic produce bags are a good choice here. Pieces of plastic cut from a zip-top freezer bag work well, too; they’re easy to clean and reuse, and they’re sturdy yet pliable. One option to avoid is plastic wrap, which can wrinkle and stick to itself.
4) Test your tortilla to prevent cracked edges
A common problem with homemade tortillas is cracked and jagged edges, a surefire sign that the dough needs more water. You can prevent cracked tortillas by pressing a test tortilla before you roll the rest of the dough into balls. If your test tortilla is indeed cracked (read: dry), simply add more water a tablespoon at a time, testing between each addition until the dough produces tortillas with smooth, even edges.
5) Avoid cooking too long
If you see cracks in the top of your tortilla after you flip it for the first time, you’ve cooked it too long. Don’t worry, you have plenty more opportunities to get your tortilla cooking just right (this recipe yields 16 tortillas!), and they’ll all be delicious regardless.
Ready to bake? Masa harina is currently available on our website, as well as in select supermarkets nationwide, such as Hannaford. It will be available at Albertsons, some divisions of Kroger, and Shaws this fall. Consult our product locator for exact locations.
Photos by Kristin Teig, unless otherwise noted
October 29, 2024 at 10:31am
An earlier page about using boiling water in flatbreads led me to this page, citing using boiling water in making corn tortillas. However, I’m not find that in the tortilla page. Can boiling water be used with masa harina like wheat flour? Is there an alteration to the recipe or instructions in doing so? Does doing so result in a noticeably more flexible tortilla?
November 2, 2024 at 2:49pm
In reply to An earlier page about using… by RevDimitri Grekoff (not verified)
Hi RevDimitri Grekoff, you can certainly make our Tortillas de Maíz (Corn Tortillas) recipe with boiling water instead of the warm water called for. You'll just need to blend the dough with a dough whisk or spoon at first, until the dough is cool enough to handle. We think this will make for a softer, more flexible tortilla.
October 11, 2024 at 9:13pm
I used the parchment paper squares that I ordered. I followed the instructions and ready to press the dough on the press, the dough would not peel off the paper. So, I figured that I pressed too hard. It was a little bit better but some of the dough did not peel off the paper. It was frustrating, so some of my tortillas were not a full circle. So, what did I do wrong? Do I have to change the parchment paper each time, that would be a waste. I also have a cast iron flat pan which I have to keep a certain temperature and not too high to cook my tortillas. Well, it was either too high and they burnt or too low and didn't cook right. What do you recommend how to use my cast iron pan?
October 14, 2024 at 4:27pm
In reply to I used the parchment paper… by Terry (not verified)
Hi Terry, as mentioned in this blog post, a plastic bag works well when using the tortilla press: Before flattening your masa into tortillas, you’ll need to line the tortilla press with plastic to prevent sticking. Recycled plastic produce bags are a good choice here. Pieces of plastic cut from a zip-top freezer bag work well, too; they’re easy to clean and reuse, and they’re sturdy yet pliable. One option to avoid is plastic wrap, which can wrinkle and stick to itself. Our Tortillas de Maíz recipe recommends preheating your cast iron pan on medium for 5 minutes before cooking the tortillas.
August 20, 2023 at 10:34am
Can a silicon mat be used instead of plastic when pressing the tortillas?
August 22, 2023 at 4:48pm
In reply to Can a silicon mat be used… by Jo Miller (not verified)
Hi Jo, using silicon should be just fine as it is designed not to stick. Happy Baking!
May 29, 2023 at 1:05pm
Any tips for making flour tortillas?
June 1, 2023 at 1:41pm
In reply to Any tips for making flour… by Linda (not verified)
Hi Linda! We have just the blog for you! It dives into the world of flour tortillas and offers some great tips. I'll link it right below for your review: How to make tortillas from scratch Happy Baking!
June 27, 2022 at 1:51pm
My husband had been trying to make tortillas, using a press, with varying degrees of failure (sticking, too heavy, broken edges, etc.) until I printed out this blog for him and he tried it. Perfection. Each tortilla was uniformly round, thin, and delicious. Patti's tips really made a difference especially in terms of getting the consistency and technique right. Thanks so much for sharing this!
June 29, 2022 at 11:42am
In reply to My husband had been trying… by Diane Perris (not verified)
That's wonderful! Thanks for sharing and lucky you!
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