Can corn tortillas be made ahead of time?

Yes, the dough can be prepared and stored, covered, on the counter up to a day ahead of time. While the cooked corn tortillas are best eaten right after they’re cooked, they can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Warm the tortillas briefly in a skillet before using.

Can corn tortillas be frozen?

Yes, the dough can be prepared, wrapped securely in plastic wrap and placed in a sealable bag, and frozen for up to 3 months. Remove the dough from the freezer several hours before you plan to use it, and let it thaw on the counter. The cooked tortillas can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 3 months.

Can I make tortillas without a tortilla press?

Absolutely! While a tortilla press can make the process quicker and help you achieve uniformly thin tortillas, it's not necessary. As shown above, you can place the dough balls between plastic and press down using a glass baking dish or pie plate. The key is to apply even pressure to get them as thin as possible.

How do I prevent corn tortillas from tearing when making enchiladas and tacos?

You shouldn't have much of an issue with homemade tortillas, but corn tortillas are generally prone to tearing. To avoid this when rolling or bending corn tortillas for enchiladas and tacos, it helps to make them pliable first. My go-to technique is to lightly brush each tortilla with oil on both sides. Stack the oiled tortillas on a plate, cover them with a damp paper towel, and warm them in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds, or until they become soft and flexible.

Homemade Corn Tortillas - Once Upon a Chef

Homemade Corn Tortillas

By Jenn Segal

Say goodbye to store-bought and hello to the irresistible flavor of fresh homemade corn tortillas. Whether it’s taco Tuesday or an enchilada feast, your Mexican-themed dinners are about to get a delicious upgrade!

Servings: 15 tortillas

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Total Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients

2 cups masa harina (usually found in the Latin section of most large supermarkets)
½ teaspoon salt
1½ to 2 cups warm water

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the masa harina and salt. Add 1½ cups of the warm water and stir with a wooden spoon until all of the water is absorbed.
Start working the mixture using your hands, adding up to ½ cup more water, a few tablespoons at a time. Your goal is to add enough water so that the mixture starts to form a cohesive dough. If it starts to stick to your hands, add a pinch or two more masa harina. The texture you’re aiming for is soft but not sticky (similar to Play-Doh or sugar cookie dough).
Divide the dough into golf ball-sized chunks (about 1½ ounces each). You should have enough dough to divide it into about 15 pieces. Roll each piece between your palms to form smooth balls. (This will make tortillas that are 5 to 6 inches in diameter.) Cover the dough balls with a clean, damp kitchen towel so they don’t dry out while you work.
If you’re using a tortilla press, cut a gallon-size ziplock bag in half along the side and bottom seams so that you’re left with two pieces with which to cover each side of the press. Then trim each of the two pieces so each piece is just large enough to cover the top and bottom of the press without too much excess plastic. This keeps the dough balls from sticking to the press when you flatten them and makes it easy to transfer the flattened dough to the baking sheet.
One at a time, place each ball of dough in the center of the press. Close the press and slowly push it down, holding the handle and applying firm pressure. Be careful not to apply too much pressure or the tortillas will be too thin. You may need to make a few test tortillas to get a sense of how much pressure to apply.
If you’re using a glass baking dish, cut a gallon-size ziplock bag in half along the side and bottom seams so that you’re left with two pieces with which to cover each side of the dough. One at a time, place each ball of dough between the plastic sheets and use the baking dish to press the dough into thin, flat circles. It helps to shimmy the dish back and forth as you press.
After you flatten each dough ball into a tortilla, carefully transfer it, either with your fingers or using the bottom half of the plastic bag, to a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Arrange them so they are in a single layer on the baking sheet. Lay a second piece of parchment paper down to cover the first layer of tortillas and continue to arrange them this way until you’ve flattened all the dough balls. To keep the flattened tortillas from drying out as you work, lay a damp kitchen towel over the uncovered flattened tortillas. (Alternatively, you can skip this step and just cook the tortillas as you press them.)
Heat a medium griddle or cast iron skillet over medium-high high heat. When it’s hot, place 1 to 2 tortillas (depending on how large your skillet is) into the dry skillet and cook for 60 to 90 seconds. Using a spatula, flip the tortilla(s) and cook for an additional 60 to 90 seconds or until they’re a nice golden color and you see some cracks on the surface. (You can use your fingers to turn the tortillas over, but be really careful not to burn yourself!) The tortillas may form some air pockets as they cook – don’t worry, they will deflate as they cool.
Transfer the cooked tortillas to a plate and wrap them with a kitchen towel until the remaining tortillas are cooked and ready to serve. Wrapping them with the towel is an important step because it allows the hot tortillas to continue to steam, which softens their texture.
The tortillas are best eaten right after they’re cooked, but they can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Warm the tortillas briefly in a skillet before using.
Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions:The dough can be prepared and stored, covered, on the counter for up to 24 hours or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap the dough securely in plastic wrap and place in a resealable bag. Remove the dough from the freezer several hours before you plan to use it, and let it thaw on the counter. The cooked tortillas can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 2 tortillas
Calories: 119
Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 25 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 3 g
Sodium: 76 mg

Gluten-Free Adaptable Note

To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.