Easy homemade corn tortillas recipe! It’s easier than you think to make tortillas at home. Master plain corn tortillas or add ancho chile and lime.
Hello hello, Rhubarbarians! Today we are making TORTILLAS! Not just any tortillas... HOMEMADE corn tortillas.
I started to make my own tortillas when I was pregnant a few years ago. I was really wary of all of the ingredients I couldn't pronounce in the store bought ones, and giving up tacos was NOT AN OPTION!
When we lived in Seattle, there was a Mexican restaurant that we would go to that served hot off the pan fresh tortillas with just a dab of salsa when you walked in the door. Homemade tortillas are so good, you'll want to eat them on their own! Not just for tacos. 🙂
I want you to just imagine how much better homemade tortillas would be than store bought. Fresher, tastier, softer, warm and absolutely delightful. And not loaded with a gazillion ingredients you can't pronounce.
I guarantee you it's easier to make them than you think. Only masa flour, water, and a bit of salt. roll them out and heat them up in a pan. Soooooo easy.
Taco Tuesday favorites:
- Sheet pan butternut squash and black bean tacos
- Loaded vegan tofu tacos
- Corn and bean tacos with smoky sour cream
- Sheet pan vegetarian fajitas
Need more Taco Tuesday inspo? Here are our ten favorite vegetarian tacos!
How to make homemade corn tortillas
- First, Combine the masa flour, water, and salt. Mix together with your hands until the dough holds together, but doesn't stick to your hands at all.
- Form the dough into a large ball and cut it into 8 pieces like a pie. Roll each of those pieces into a ball.
- Line a tortilla press with plastic wrap and press each ball into a flat tortilla about 4" in diameter.
- Heat the tortillas in a skillet until both sides are cooked.
- Enjoy!
How to make ancho chile and lime tortillas
I love the flavor of ancho chile! It adds such a rich flavor to so many things like vegan posole or pan fried tofu tacos. it's sooooo easy to add flavor to your tortillas. All you do is follow the instructions above for making plain corn tortillas, but add some ancho chile powder and lime juice to your dough.
The easiest way (for a newbie tortilla maker) to make tortillas is with a tortilla press.
- I recommend this 8" cast iron tortilla press! It's large enough to make small or large tortillas and can be seasoned like a cast iron skillet. If you plan on regularly making tortillas, you need one of these!
Must make flavored tortilla recipes!
- Sun dried tomato, spinach, or roasted garlic flour tortillas
- 10 corn tortilla flavors
- Red chile corn tortillas
Can I make homemade tortillas without a tortilla press?
Of course you can! But, it's much more difficult. Here are some options:
- Use a rolling pin. Place the ball of dough in between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and roll it out with a rolling pin.
- Use the bottom of a skillet. Place the ball of dough in between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and press down with the bottom of the pan until it's as thin as you'd like.
- Use your hands. Obviously the most difficult, but some people swear by this method. You basically pat the dough back and forth in your hands until it flattens out.
I tried a while back to press my own tortillas with the back of a large sauce pan. It um.... kind of worked. The tortillas were tasty, but so thick! I just couldn't press them thin and even enough! I also tried with a rolling pin and I just wasn't skilled enough to get the correct even thickness.
My husband got me a tortilla press for Xmas a while back. Yay hubs! I absolutely recommend one of these to anyone who wants to start making their own (you absolutely DO want to).
Tips for making your own corn tortillas
- Get a feel for the consistency of the dough. You want the dough to hold together, but be dry enough so that it doesn't stick at all. No sticking to your hands, no sticking to the counter. Think: the consistency of play dough.
- Get yourself a tortilla press. They are pretty cheap and definitely worth the money!
- Make sure the dough balls are very round. This help you get round tortillas when they are flattened.
- Know that you are going to ruin your first tortilla. It will tear. It just will. Be patient and enjoy the practice! It doesn't take long to get the hang of it, but it does take a bit of practice.
Can I freeze tortillas?
YES! Although, it might not be necessary. Corn tortillas will last for 7-10 days on the counter, and about 6 weeks if stored in the refrigerator.
You could make a day of it and make a gazillion tortillas and store them in your freezer though.
- Separate each tortilla with parchment paper before freezing them so they don't stick together.
- Make sure to freeze your stack of tortillas in a tupperware, so you don't break them when you move things around in your freezer.
- Frozen tortillas will last about 6 months in the freezer.
- Let them thaw overnight and then reheat in the oven or in a skillet.
What to eat with chile flavored tortillas
You'll want to keep the flavors really simple! Here are some great ideas:
- Corn and black bean tacos
- Simple veggie and cheese quesadillas
- Sheet pan veggie fajitas
- Breakfast tacos
- Make tortilla chips!
Homemade corn tortilla recipe
Recipe
Homemade corn tortillas (with optional chile and lime)
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow corn masa flour
- ¾ cup hot water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder (optional)
- 1 ½ tablespoon fresh lime juice (optional)
Instructions
- Combine the masa flour, water, and salt (and chile powder and lime if using) in a large bowl and mix well with your hands to form a dough. The dough should be slightly on the dry side, and should not stick to your hands. If the dough sticks to your hands, add a bit more masa flour and blend again.
- Form the dough into a large ball. Divide the ball into 8 "pie" pieces, cutting in half, then dividing each half evenly, then dividing evenly again. Roll each piece into a small ball with the palm of your hand.
- Line a tortilla press with plastic wrap* and cover a large surface with plastic wrap. Press each tortilla to about 3 ½-5" in diameter. Set aside on the covered surface. Continue until all of the tortillas are pressed.**
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place a few tortillas in the skillet, being very careful not to tear them. Cook until the edges curl upwards, about 3-4 minutes. Flip. Cook until the tortilla is browned on both sides, and easily removes from the pan, about another 1-2 minutes. Set aside and continue until all of the tortillas are cooked.
- Serve immediately with your favorite fillings!
Notes
**This process can take quite a bit of practice. If your dough tears, just roll it into a ball and try again.
Nutrition
If you make this recipe, please let me know on social media or in the comments below! Leave a star rating in your comment or tag me on Instagram with #Rhubarbarians.
Thank you so much for reading and supporting Rhubarbarians and the brands that I recommend. If you’re looking for a group of people cooking vegetarian recipes through the seasons, join us on Facebook in our vegetarian and vegan recipes group!
Hope you enjoy making your own homemade tortillas. You'll never buy store bought again!
Trish
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Tina
Homemade tortillas rock! I love the detailed instructions, and the alternate methods you proposed as I don't have a tortilla press. I think I'll try out a rolling pin versus a skillet at your suggestion. I've been pretty successful with thin dough for dumplings or pierogi. Thanks for the great recipe!
Charity
Never made my own tortillas but I want to! I've shopped around for tortilla presses and really think I want a wooden one, but they're pricey. Maybe I'll try the metal kind you have first. Is it easy to use?
Patricia Bozeman
Hi Charity. Yes, it is very easy to use! I haven't used a wooden one, but I love the metal one I have.
Tracy
What a great thing to start while pregnant! I too was suppperrr diligent about what I was eating! THAT'S the eating for two you should do! Love this recipe - can't wait to try it!
Sean@Diversivore
YAY FOR HOMEMADE! I make my own tortillas, but honestly not often enough. But I think I'm going to have to make a day out of it and whip up a few dozen, because a) I totally want to try putting ancho chile powder in them like you've done here, and b) I've been wondering about freezing them, so thank you so much for covering that! Cheers!
Debra
YUM! Totally agree that homemade tortillas are the best...topped with almost anything. These flavors are awesome and we used ours with eggs on top and bit of cilantro and cabbage. DELISH. Super fun brunch idea.
Daniela
There are few things in life that taste better than freshly made tortillas, so I was so excited to see this version! I used to make tortillas a lot at home, but I've been in a rut lately. These ancho chili lime tortillas might be the thing that brings my tortilla-making mojo back. I can't wait to make them and top them with all kinds of yummy things.
Dana
Really looking forward to making these! I just recently made from-scratch flour tortillas. I've got the ingredients for corn tortillas kickin' around. I just need to pick out a fun taco recipe to mow them down with. So looking forward to it, because these look ah-mazing.
Julie Menghini
I love homemade tortillas but haven't tried the corn version yet and we love ancho too. John is going to go nuts over these! I've pinned it so I don't lose it. It'll be perfect for our Cinco de Mayo party too!
Gloria
I LOVE homemade tortillas. Love the twist here on the classic. I know my family would go crazy for these on our Mexican themed dinner nights. Homemade is the BEST!! You can't get this flavour in the store.
Courtney
We love corn tortillas - these are so flavorful! We used the extras to make baked tortilla chips with some salsa.
Amanda@ Sagely Sweet
I love making my own tortillas. These look awesome! Glad to see you back and congrats on the babe!!
Patricia Bozeman
Thanks so much Amanda! Happy to be back on the blog!
Wajeeha
Wow...these looks so delicious and I love how easy they are to make! 🙂
Patricia Bozeman
Thank you Wajeeha!
Mandee Pogue
Oh wow! I have always wanted to try my hand at making my own tortillas, and these sounds absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Patricia Bozeman
Thanks Mandee! You should give it a try!
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness
I have never made my own tortillas before, but I have been meaning to! This looks delicious!
Patricia Bozeman
Thanks Cathleen!
Patricia Conte
These look amazing! I've toyed with the idea of getting a press (we eat enough tortillas that it'd be very worth it)! You're inspiring me to add one more thing to my kitchen cupboard 😉 Will try these without the press first! Yum - thanks!
Patricia Bozeman
Awesome! Let me know if you come up with a trick to using the saucepan!
Sarah
I've never actually tried fresh tortillas but I imagine they taste so much nicer than the shop versions. Looks great and congrats on your pregnancy!
Patricia Bozeman
Thank you so much Sarah!
joylovefood
I love tortillas, but have never made my own, these sound wonderful, I will have to try it!
Patricia Bozeman
You totally should Joy! You'll never buy store bought again!
motherwouldknow
They look fabulous and now I have to go get a tortilla press because using the back of a pan - not sounding like my best option. Oh well, there goes my resolution not to buy any more kitchen gadgets:)
Patricia Bozeman
Ha! I totally feel you! I was shocked when my husband got me one for Xmas. He cringes every time I start eyeing a new kitchen gadget. 🙂
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes
This is such a great idea and they're so easy to make!
Patricia Bozeman
Thank you Jemma!
MB@Bourbon and Brown Sugar
You were brave to try your hand at creating tortillas, but they totally look well worth the effort... yum!!
Patricia Bozeman
Thanks MB! Still mastering the tortilla, but they are getting better and better. 🙂
Amanda
I *still* have not made homemade tortillas, and some of the store bought ones can be so...blah...so that needs to change! 🙂 These look like they have such great flavor.
Patricia Bozeman
You should give it a try Amanda! You can make them without a press using the bottom of a saucepan, but you REALLY gotta have some muscle. 🙂
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
I love making homemade tortillas they are SO much better than any bought at the store. These look incredible and I bet they taste that way too!!
Patricia Bozeman
They really are so much better than store bought! Thanks so much Gloria!
savorthebestcooks
Oh, yes!....I like this idea, I can just imagine how yummy they taste! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Ali @ Home & Plate
I can only imagine how tasty these are...I always cheat and just buy tortillas to go...This recipe I may have to give it a try. Cinco de May is almost here!
Patricia Bozeman
The store bought are definitely the easy way to go! This would be great for Cinco de Mayo though!
peter @feedyoursoultoo
Really cool - the chili and the lime are perfect.
Patricia Bozeman
Thank you Peter!
Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily
I bought a little tortilla press a few years back and used it once. Like you said, to thick 🙁 These look absolutely amazing and we would use them for everything!
Patricia Bozeman
It definitely takes practice! I'm still learning how to perfect these!
cookingontheweekends
Can't believe there are only 3 ingredients creating this amazing looking tortilla. I'm in! YUM!
Patricia Bozeman
Once you get the hang of forming them, they are so easy!
Kim @ Three Olives Branch
I absolutely LOVE fresh tortillas, I will never go back to the store bought kind. These look AMAZING I will definitely be trying them!
Patricia Bozeman
Thanks Kim! Let me know what you think!