WARNING!
Do not make this recipe! You heard me right!! Stop right here if you want to continue with life as you know it! Do NOT make this recipe if you hope that you can continue buying store bought corn tortillas without feeling like those cold, flat, breakable, dry corn tortillas will curb your cravings ever again!
We’re talking corn tortillas that you can bend and roll but still stuff with your favorite fillings without breaking, splitting, and spilling their contents onto your plate (or lap)!!
Ok, so if you are still reading at this point, this week I am going to walk you through how I make my delicious, super soft corn tortillas! Are you ready?
Pin it now to save it for later!!
What ingredients do you need to make my corn tortillas?
I use the following ingredients to achieve my super soft corn tortillas:
- corn flour (I use either Insta Masa Masarepa de Maíz Amarillo or Juana Maíz Cascado de Maíz Amarillo, but if you are outside Costa Rica, I would recommend Maseca). I use yellow corn flour, but use what type of corn your prefer.
- cornstarch
- seasonings (salt, ground black pepper, ground turmeric)
- extra virgin olive oil
- warm water
A gringa making homemade corn tortillas?
Yeah, so, I didn’t grow up on homemade corn tortillas, but once I tried them, I fell in love💙! I was determined to be able to cook some delicious, super soft tortillas that performed well under pressure. Probably doesn’t hurt that one of my hubby’s favorite foods is fish tacos!
I watched so many videos in English and in Spanish to sharpen up my skills and try and try, again and again. After a lot of trial and error, I can most definitely make some fantastic corn tortillas that perform well!
Now, there are many cooks who produce some very good quality, soft corn tortillas! I know that each has their own tips and tricks, but if you are here reading my words, then you probably want to hear how I do it. So, there are definitely key aspects, in my opinion, to achieving super soft corn tortillas that perform well. Here are my top tips:
My tips for successful corn tortillas
- Strive for a texture similar to a moist playdough. Better that the dough be a bit more on the moist side rather than the dry side.
- Knead the dough for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Let the dough set for 10 to 15 minutes to hydrate.
- Divide out the tortillas prior to wait time.
- Try to get them pressed thinly and evenly.
- Ensure that your griddle or skillet is HOT and isn’t oiled!
- You want to keep your tortillas from cooking on one side too much prior to flipping. To get good inflation and to be soft on the inside, the tortillas should be par-cooked on both sides prior to the inflation stage.
- Wrap them up in a kitchen towel or banana leaf after they are cooked to steam for a few minutes prior to eating.
Do they 100% of the time inflate THIS big? Not quite. Although they do inflate and bubble up, it isn’t ALWAYS this big! However, my tortillas are always super soft, flexible, and can be stuffed to the gills!
Ready to make your own soft corn tortillas?
Check out my instructional video where I show you my tips and tricks for delicious corn tortillas that can perform under pressure! I highly recommend watching this video prior to giving it a go!
Got leftovers? Let’s talk about reheating!
If you are fortunate enough to have leftovers and would like to be able to have soft corn tortillas for another meal, keep them wrapped up and transfer the wrapped tortillas to a sealed container. When you would like to reheat them, dampen a tortilla very slightly on both sides under the kitchen faucet and then place on a preheated dry skillet or griddle and then warm them on each side until they are hot. Transfer, stack, and wrap them again as before in a kitchen towel or softened banana leaf. You can the enjoy them once again as soft corn tortillas, not quite as delicious and flexible as on day 1 but soft and sturdy enough to handle leftover fish tacos.
Super Soft Corn Tortillas
Notes
Bonus hack! If you are lucky enough to have leftover corn tortillas and would like to have soft corn tortillas for another meal, keep them wrapped up and transfer the wrapped tortillas to a sealed container. When you would like to reheat them, dampen a tortilla very slightly on both sides under the kitchen faucet and then place on a preheated dry skillet or griddle and then warm them on each side until they are hot. Transfer, stack, and wrap them again as before in a kitchen towel or softened banana leaf. You can then enjoy them once again as soft corn tortillas, not quite as delicious and flexible on day 1 but soft and sturdy enough to handle leftover fish tacos!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups corn flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- good dash ground turmeric
- good dash ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 to 1/2 cups warm water
Instructions
- Mix corn flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, turmeric, and extra virgin olive oil together.
- Slowly add warm water and mix either with a spoon or by hand.
- Add water little by little until you have added 1 cup of warm water. Begin working dough with your hands, if you have not already done so.
- Keep adding water until you reach a consistency similar to moist playdough. I strive to have the mixture just barely stick to my hands. You should need between 1 and 1 1/2 cups warm water, but the amount will vary based on your corn flour and moisture in the air.
- Knead masa mixture by hand for 5 to 7 minutes. Add additional water as needed to achieve texture described above.
- Divide mixture into 10 partially flattened balls (around 1/2 inch thick). Cover with a kitchen towel.
- Let mixture set for 10 to 15 minutes. The masa mixture will continue to hydrate as it sets.
- When 5 minutes remain, I heat up my ungreased dry griddle to high. You will need a screaming hot skillet or griddle here. If you are cooking with electric heat, you may need to preheat your cooking surface for longer.
- After the wait period, take 1 flattened ball and press between 2 pieces of plastic. (I like to use a study, gallon-size freezer bag that I have cut into two sheets. I wash and re-use this for when I make corn tortillas.)
- Carefully add corn tortilla to hot griddle.
- Let tortilla cook until the edges just barely start to darken (edges no longer look raw) and tortilla will want to release from the skillet. You may need to use your hands to see if the tortilla wants to move and release from the skillet. (You may also find that the first tortilla may not readily release depending on the state of your griddle. I use a spatula to help me check.) As soon as the tortilla will move on the skillet, flip the tortilla. This may take only 15 to 30 seconds, but it depends on your cooking surface and heat source.
- Once tortilla again will release on side B (approximately 15 seconds later), flip it again back to side A and then give a gently press in the center to help initiate tortilla inflation.
- Flip back to side B again once there is light browning on side A. Cook side B until it is lightly browned. Edges will also puff up and release from the skillet.
- You can cook as many tortillas at a time as your skillet (and multi-tasking skills) will allow, but this process can go very quickly! In total, the tortilla cook time may be only just 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
- Transfer completed tortilla to either a kitchen towel or softened banana leaf. Keep tortillas wrapped up in towel or banana leaf (or both) until remaining tortillas are cooked. Continue stacking each completed tortilla on top of the previous. The steam will help the tortillas soften even more.
- Once cooking is complete, let them steam all together a few minutes prior to devouring!
Nutrition Facts
Super Soft Corn Tortillas
Serves: 10
|
Amount Per Serving: 1 tortilla
|
||
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 94 | |
| % Daily Value* | ||
| Total Fat 3.5g | 4.6% | |
| Saturated Fat 0.5g | 0% | |
| Trans Fat 0 | ||
| Cholesterol 0 | 0 | |
| Sodium 234mg | 9.8% | |
| Total Carbohydrate 15g | 5% | |
| Dietary Fiber 1.3g | 4% | |
| Sugars 0.1g | ||
| Protein 1.2g | ||
| Vitamin A 0 | Vitamin C 0 | |
| Calcium 0 | Iron 0 | |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Jungle Living with Jill
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