Homemade Corn Tortillas

5 from 2 votes

Soft and flexible, these homemade corn tortillas are quick and easy to put together. Only 4 ingredients needed. These tortillas are the perfect complement to your favorite tacos and enchiladas.

Prep Time35

Cook Time20

Total Time55

Course: breads

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: tortillas

Author: Serene

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups masa harina white
¾ teaspoon salt
1½-1¾ cups water warm
1 tsp oil optional, but helpful if making tortillas in advance, it helps keep them flexible

Instructions

In a medium size bowl combine the masa harina with the salt, stir with a fork to combine completely. If using oil, add the oil and mix together.
Gradually pour in the warm water and stir to combine until dough sticks together. Use your hands to knead the dough for 2-3 minutes until smooth and formed into a ball.
Cover the dough with a clean towel and let sit for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough. Scoop the dough using a 2 tablespoon size portion. Roll the dough into a ball shape between your hands.
Place the dough ball between two pieces of plastic (use a cut in half ziploc bag) inside a tortilla press. (Notes below if you don’t have a tortilla press) Press until the tortilla is approximately 5 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick.
Heat a comal or non stick skillet over medium heat. When pan is preheated, place one tortilla flat on the skillet. Cook for 45-60 seconds, the tortilla will release from the pan once the side is cooked. Look to ensure there are brown spots forming on the tortilla. Flip the tortilla and cook the other side for another 45-60 seconds. The tortillas may puff up while cooking, that is perfectly fine, they flatten when removed from the heat.
Place the cooked tortillas into a tortilla warmer or on a clean towel and cover with the towel to retain heat while continuing to cook the remaining tortillas.
Repeat the process of pressing the tortillas and cooking until all the dough is used.

Video

Notes

Masa Harina: The most popular brands you will find is Maseca, Bob's Red Mill, and King Arthur's Flour. Both Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur sell an organic version of Masa Harina. Yellow Masa Harina can easily be used in this recipe also.
Water: should be a warm temperature, not hot since you will be handling the dough by hand and you don't want to get burned, but just warm enough to make handling the masa easy.
Oil: not required, tortillas can easily be made without any oil, but adding the oil does help the tortillas remain soft even when cooled, so if you are making these tortillas in advance you may want to consider adding it.

**Tortilla Press: this is a handy tool, but not required. If you don’t have a tortilla press, still place the dough between the two sheets of plastic and set on the counter. Use a small cutting board or other completely flat surface to press the tortilla. Apply equal pressure over the top of the dough ball and press down until 1/8 inch thick.

Nutrition