This Homemade Corn Tortillas recipe is SO easy to make with only 3 simple ingredients. Gluten-free, freezer-friendly, soft, foldable, and perfect for taco night!
When it comes to making slow cooker chicken fajitas for Tex-Mex night, my family’s favorite way to enjoy them is with my homemade flour tortillas. They are so much tastier and healthier than buying store-bought.
After all, who wants to eat something as simple as a flour tortilla that has hydrogenated oils in it? Not me! Once I made them myself, I found that they were so easy that I have never bought them from the grocery store again.
So when it comes to family taco night, it’s only natural that I would want to try making my own corn tortillas, right? You bet! And let me tell you, they are just as simple, easy and healthy as homemade flour tortillas. The bonus? They’re gluten-free too!
Try them and your family will absolutely LOVE having taco night, even more than they already do!
Homemade Corn Tortillas
Not only is this corn tortillas recipe super easy to make, it is also:
- Simple. These corn tortillas literally have 3 ingredients. Corn masa + salt + water. That’s it!
- Healthy. With a recipe so simple, minus hydrogenated oils and preservatives, it’s a no-brainer!
- Gluten-free. Your gluten free family members or guests can enjoy tacos and fajitas with corn tortillas!
- Freezer-friendly! Yes, you can freeze them! So make a big batch, and you’ll always have them on hand for taco night!
- Frugal. With only 3 simple ingredients, they are super affordable, especially if you make a big batch and freeze them ahead.
What are the ingredients in homemade corn tortillas?
- corn masa flour (aka corn flour)
- salt
- warm water, plus extra as needed
Perfectly simple!
How to make corn tortillas
- Preheat a skillet (I use a cast iron skillet) to 400F (high heat).
- Combine 1 1/2 cups corn masa + ¼ tsp salt + 1 cup warm water in a large mixing bowl.
- Knead the mixture into a masa dough.
- Pinch a small portion of dough and roll into 1-2″ balls of dough. Place in a tortilla press and press into a 6″ round tortilla. (Or use a rolling pin and a glass jar.)
- Cook the tortillas on the griddle for 1 minute. Flip and cook again for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and keep covered. Serve warm.
How do you heat corn tortillas so they don’t break?
Corn tortillas are most pliable when they are warm. To re-warm them, toss them one at a time into your skillet and warm for 15-30 seconds per side, just until you see light brown spots.
Some people use tortilla warmers, but I think that using the skillet is the quicker and easier way.
How do you freeze corn tortillas?
Freezing corn tortillas is a great idea, especially if you make a big batch and have taco night a few times on your monthly meal plan.
Remember that corn tortillas should only be frozen once they are fully cooled. You can freeze them on a tray first, and then gently stack them in a freezer bag (some people like to also wrap the stack in plastic wrap before you place them in the zip sealed freezer bag). Or, freeze them stacked in a freezer bag with wax paper or parchment in between each tortilla.
I prefer to freeze them on a tray first, because wax paper and parchment paper can be expensive.
Want to have an affordable taco night at home? Here’s how:
1. Offer several taco options
For a family of four, start by offering at least two fillings to go inside the tacos. Serve at least three fillings for groups of six or more. Some ideas include:
- coconut rice
- mexi lentils
- ground beef
- chopped steak
- shredded or chopped chicken
- carnitas (shredded pork)
- grilled fish
Next, offer two or three different relishes to also go inside the taco.
- southwestern corn
- sautéed onions and zucchini
- sautéed onions and bell peppers (fajita style)
- black beans
- refried beans
- cabbage slaw
Then, offer a few different types of salsa.
- homemade red salsa
- salsa verde
- mango salsa
- guacamole
- pico de gallo
Finally, serve a few traditional (and non-traditional) toppings for every one to top their tacos with.
- sour cream
- shredded cheese
- fresh cilantro
- fresh tomato wedges
- lime wedges
- chopped olives
- bacon pieces
- shredded lettuce
- lime crema
2. Serve everything in their own dish, pre-measured before dinner
I’m not saying skimp out on the food by any means, but I am saying to be conservative with your serving bowls. Usually 1-1/2 cups of each dish you’re serving (including the relishes, salsa and toppings) is more than sufficient.
You can only fit so much food inside a tortilla at one time, so why have all of that food out at once, right? PS – Just in case someone is extra hungry, cook extra chicken and leave it in the kitchen for the next serving.
3. Mix and match tortillas
It’s easily a toss up between corn tortillas and flour tortillas. We like to mix it up between the two, giving us even more variety to our tacos. Plus we like to entertain guests, and some people are gluten free. Here is the recipe for our favorite flour tortillas.
Additional Tips to Make Taco Night a Success
- Serve a simple side salad or a vegetable to stretch taco fillings even more.
- Taco night is ideal for serving small amounts of leftover meat, so freeze and save even the smallest amounts!
- Fresh ingredients taste better, so aim for fresh produce whenever possible.
Note: As a clear out the fridge kind of meal, tacos work great when you are trying to stretch the budget just a bit at the end of the month. Learn more ideas on how to make your budget work for real food in Grocery Budget Bootcamp!
What to serve alongside tacos
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
- Tortilla Soup
- Southwestern Salad
- Slow Cooker Refried Beans
- Southwestern Corn
- Mango Salsa
- Spanish Rice
- Red Salsa
Ground Beef Meal Plan
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This Homemade Corn Tortillas recipe is SO easy to make with only 3 simple ingredients. Gluten-free, freezer-friendly, soft, foldable, and perfect for taco night!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 tortillas 1x
- Category: Breads
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups corn masa flour
- scant 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup warm water, plus extra as needed
Instructions
- Preheat a skillet to 400F.
- Combine 1 1/2 cups corn masa + ¼ tsp salt + 1 cup warm water in a large bowl.
- Using your hands, knead the mixture into a dough whose texture resembles play-dough. If necessary, add water to the mixture by wetting your hands and kneading. If you add water directly to the mixture it might become too wet and start sticking to your hands. You will either have to let it sit to dry (approx 5-10 minutes) or add more masa.
- Pinch a small portion of dough and roll into a ball, 1-2″ in diameter. Place in a tortilla press and press into a 6″ round tortilla. (Or use a rolling pin and a glass jar.)
- Cook on the griddle for 1 minute. Flip and cook again for 1 more minute.
- Remove from the heat and keep covered. Serve warm.
Thanks Tiffany. I tried the zip lock bag trick so after reading your reply I think my dough was too wet, I’ll readjust. Years and years ago, my husband and I had lunch in the front of a tortilla factory in New Mexico. We had asked directions from a local Coca-Cola delivery person at a gas station. Wish I would have paid more attention to what those ladies were doing but then I was more interested in eating. 🙂 Also, at the time I can remember thinking how old they were to still be working. My, does time change one’s perspective. Thanks for the quick reply. Seems like you have become one of the family since I am frequently coming to you for advice.
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I made your recipe with a rolling pin. They weren’t as thin as I would like but tasted good so I ordered a tortilla press. I used the parchment paper that came with the press which didn’t work too well. Then, I used plastic wrap which didn’t work either. The dough looks and feels right. So why is it sticking? I can’t get it off the paper or the plastic wrap into the skillet.
Hi Charlotte! For corn tortillas, I like to use a plastic ziploc bag, cut into two pieces. A plastic shopping bag from Target also works well! If you can’t get the paper off, the dough is too wet or too dry (depending on the type of sticking). For me, the dough being “just right” is actually too dry. Masa is an art, for sure!
Hey Tiffany!
I love having tacos with beef and ranch dressing! They taste delicious! Since I’m blind, what would be the best way for me to make homemade taco shells? I usually buy the Old El Paso Stand-N-Stuff taco shells, and they taste amazing! However, I’d love to learn how to make a homemade version of them. I bet they would taste 100% better than the store-bought version! I love the hard crunchy kind, and my sweet love likes the soft kind. Are those Stand-N-Stuff Taco Shells like the recipe you make for your corn tortillas? To me, the stand-n-stuff taco shells sort of have a square bottom, rather than round. Mom says I could get some kind of form, which I’m guessing she means a mold. Maybe a tortilla press? I’m confused on that one!
Would this recipe work for making the Stand-N-Stuff version of taco shells? Is there a way to make them crunchy? I like hard-shell tacos, and my sweet love, Johnny, says he likes soft-shell tacos.
The only way I know to make soft tortillas crunchy, would be to deep-fry them, but then you’d need a mold too so that they hold their shape. I’m sorry I’m not much help here Annabelle!
What would be the best mold for the shape of Stand-N-Stuff tortillas? Also, is there a safe way to deep fry them without being spattered with hot oil?
Hi Tiffany! I just discovered your blog, and would love to sign up for the newsletter, but I’m having a little trouble finding just where to do that. Can you help? Thanks!
Hi Diana! You can do that on the black box near the top of the page, in the sidebar.
Are these supposed to turn out crispy or soft? I’m a tortilla-making first timer!
Soft!
Wait, where’s the link to the flour tortillas?
Here you go Debbie: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2013/03/yummy-recipe-homemade-flour-tortillas-white-or-wheat-with-soaking-option/
About how many tortillas does this recipe make? Thanks!
Hi Cherith! I believe this makes about 10 tortillas. 🙂
Do you have a recipe for the ‘mexilentils’? Thanks! Kara
Not a specific recipe, per se. I’d cook lentils according to the package, but add 1-2 Tbsp of taco seasoning plus a hefty dash of cumin and a pinch of cayenne. 🙂
Made taco night tonight, but no tacos instead a baked potato. BTW Tiffany, the southwest corn is soooo delish in my mouth right now. If you have an IG for this website would love to tag it in my pic. Thanks a mil for your blog.
LOVE southwestern corn! Here you go Gaynel: http://instagram.com/tiffanycrumbs
I bet taco night over baked potatoes would be yummy!! You’re most welcome!
I just signed up and cannot figure out how to print these wonderful recipes! Help!
Hi Barbara! I just replied to your email. You should be able to print using the “print” button under the picture in the recipe box.
My fave taco filling: Thinly sliced apples, avocado, green onion, shredded cabbage and Sriracha.
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Mmm – that sounds really good!
That does sound good! Reply to 6 year old comment. Holla!
My favorite taco is made with tiny cubes of pork that’s been pan-fried with cumin; a salsa of tomato, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro; shredded cabbage (or coleslaw mix if we’re in a hurry); and a squeeze of lime on top. It’s light, fresh, and very flavorful. We eat it on corn tortillas that I’ve “fried” in a dry skillet.
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YUM!
Can this be doubled and frozen after cooking? Thinking that, if doubled, I might be able to knead it in a food processor. 🙂
You can definitely double, but I can’t vouch for freezing just yet. Corn tortillas seem to be a bit more sensitive when it comes to being leftovers and re-heated. Although, I bet undercooking a hair would make them a bit better later. Maybe make just a couple extras and experiment? If you do, please come back and let us know!
I’ve been making corn tortillas since moving to Ireland at a time when you couldn’t buy them. I brought the equipment for making tortillas with us when we moved from the States. Life without Mexican food just didn’t seem worth the move. I always freeze my tortillas when I’ve used what I need in the first day or two as I don’t have a family to feed. Maybe they’re not quite as wonderful after being frozen but not by much and so handy to be able to reach into the freezer and grab what I need. Mexican food has become really popular in Ireland in the last few years, the burrito bars are pretty good although I don’t trust the ingredients. Corn is very much a GMO crop. I go out of my way to find Masa that is GMO free. The corn tortillas we can purchase in supermarkets are made with wheat, corn and shortening. What [email protected]$%! I’m really looking forward to trying the carnitas recipe. Thanks very much for all the wonderful recipes and money saving tips.