Learn how to make corn tortillas with this easy 3-ingredient recipe! Soft and flavorful, these homemade tortillas are so much better than store-bought.
You can’t fully appreciate corn tortillas until you’ve tried homemade ones. They’re entirely different from the shelf-stable, store-bought kind. Instead of being dry and prone to cracking, they’re soft, bendable, and full of toasty corn flavor.
I shared these corn and flour tortillas a few years ago, and ever since then, I’ve gotten tons of requests for a 100% corn tortilla recipe. I’m so excited to finally get this one to you—it’s totally gluten-free and calls for just 3 ingredients. I love making it to use in Mexican dishes like enchiladas and tacos and to pair with refried beans. I think you will too!
Homemade Corn Tortillas Ingredients
The key ingredient in this corn tortilla recipe is masa harina.
Masa harina is a dried corn flour made out of ground nixtamalized corn. In case you’re not familiar, nixtamalization is the process of soaking dried corn kernels in a solution with calcium hydroxide, or slaked lime. Developed by Mesoamerican civilizations thousands of years ago, it makes the nutrients in corn more bioavailable and develops its flavor. Think of the difference in taste between cornbread and tamales. The masa in the tamales has been nixtamalized; the cornmeal in the cornbread hasn’t.
Masa harina is becoming easier to find in grocery stores (in mine, it’s in the baking aisle right next to the flour), but you can also order it online. I like Bob’s Red Mill and Masienda. Any color works here—feel free to use white, yellow, or blue!
The only other ingredients in this recipe? Warm water and sea salt!
How to Make Corn Tortillas
This corn tortilla recipe has three main steps:
1. Make the dough and let it rest. Combine the masa harina and salt in a large mixing bowl, and gradually add the water. Mix until a cohesive dough forms. If the mixture is too dry to come together, add more water as needed, 1 teaspoon at a time.
Form the dough into a ball, then cover the bowl with a damp towel. Set it aside for 1 hour to hydrate the masa harina.
2. Press one tortilla at a time. After the dough rests, divide it into 8 larger or 12 smaller pieces, and roll each one into a ball. Flatten each ball of dough using a tortilla press lined with parchment paper, or use a rolling pin to roll it into a 4 to 6-inch circle.
Note: To keep the dough moist, I like to shape, then cook one tortilla at a time. As you work, keep the remaining dough balls under a damp towel so that they don’t dry out.
3. Cook one tortilla at a time in a dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute on the first side, then flip and cook for another minute on the second side, or until the tortilla puffs up slightly and is dry to the touch. Wrap it in a kitchen towel to steam and soften, then repeat with the remaining tortillas!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Recipe Tips
- Add water as needed. The masa dough should have a moist and pliable texture, but it shouldn’t be sticky. If it feels dry as you’re mixing it, add more water. Make sure to add just a little at a time—about 1 teaspoon—so that the dough doesn’t get too wet.
- Keep the dough covered. Masa dough can quickly dry out, leading to crack-y tortillas. To keep it moist, cover the dough with a damp towel while it rests. You should also keep any unpressed dough balls covered as you shape and cook the tortillas.
- Parchment paper comes in handy. The corn tortilla dough can easily stick to your tortilla press or countertop (trust me, I learned this the hard way). To prevent sticking, I like to line my tortilla press with parchment or roll out the dough between sheets of parchment paper. After rolling, I use the parchment to transfer the tortilla to the skillet too.
- Wrap freshly cooked tortillas in a clean kitchen towel. This helps them steam and soften. Left unwrapped, they’ll dry out.
Ways to Use Corn Tortillas
With freshly cooked tortillas, I love to make tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas. At this point, the tortillas can fold and roll without cracking, so they’re perfect for these uses.
With leftover tortillas, I like to make tortilla chips or tostadas. The tortillas get drier and less pliable with time. While they’re not as good for tacos, they’re perfect for frying! Enjoy homemade tortilla chips with salsa, or use them to make chilaquiles.
How do you like to use homemade corn tortillas? Let me know in the comments!
How to Store
I like these corn tortillas best when they’re freshly cooked, but if you have leftovers, you have a few options for storing and reheating them.
- In the fridge: Seal the tortillas in an airtight bag, or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to a day.
- In the freezer: Seal in a bag or wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: If the tortillas are frozen, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel and thaw them in the microwave. Then, reheat them in a dry cast-iron skillet or over a gas flame until warm and pliable.
More Homemade Tortilla Recipes
If you love this corn tortilla recipe, try these homemade flour tortillas or these corn and flour tortillas next!
Homemade Corn Tortillas
Serves 4 to 6
Learn how to make corn tortillas! This 3-ingredient recipe is simple and flavorful. We love using the tortillas to make tacos, enchiladas, and more! Find additional serving suggestions in the blog post above.
- 1 cup masa harina
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup warm water, plus more as needed
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In a large bowl, whisk together the masa harina and salt. Add the water and mix until a cohesive dough forms and there is no dry flour remaining. If the mixture is too dry to come together, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed to moisten it. Form the dough into a ball. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set aside for 1 hour.
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Divide the dough into 8 to 12 equal pieces and roll each one into a ball. Cover with the damp towel.
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Remove one dough ball from under the towel, leaving the rest covered. Cut two pieces of parchment paper about the size of your tortilla press. Place the dough ball between the parchment sheets and use the tortilla press to flatten it. Alternatively, use a rolling pin to roll out the tortilla between the parchment sheets.
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Preheat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium heat. When your pan is hot, peel one of the parchment sheets off the tortilla. Place it dough side down into the hot skillet and peel off the second sheet of parchment. Cook for 1 minute per side, or until the tortilla is dry to the touch and cooked through. Reduce the heat as needed if the tortilla is browning too fast.
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Wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm until ready to serve, then repeat the pressing and cooking process with the remaining tortillas.
Makes 8 (6-inch) or 12 (4-inch) tortillas. I love to use the smaller tortillas for tacos and the larger ones for enchiladas or quesadillas!
