Soft Homemade Corn Tortillas For Tacos

_{These Homemade Corn Tortillas are perfect for burritos, enchiladas, or any filling or topping of your choice. They are made with yellow cornmeal. Really easy to make and so much better homemade.}

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Prep Time: 5 Minutes Cook Time: 24 Minutes Total Time: 29 Minutes Servings: 12 Tortillas

Cooking at home and doing it all from scratch is something I love to do. Almost every Tuesday, we have tacos or burritos. Being raised in the Southwest, I miss good Tex-Mex food. There are not many restaurants here in the Northeast that compare.

So I cook most of our meals at home. I was very lucky to have my mom’s best friends teach me. These Homemade Corn Tortillas are one of those recipes. Not quite authentic, due to available local ingredients. I tell you though, these are so delicious.

These may seem intimidating, but I tell you the truth, they are quite easy to make. They are soft and durable. For my family of four, which includes two teens, I double this recipe. They don’t last long in our house. If you have any leftovers, store them in a Ziploc bag on the counter for just a few days.

You can reheat it in the microwave for 15 seconds, placing it in between two damp pieces of paper towel.

Ingredients to Make These Corn Tortillas

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Want a delicious recipe to use with your homemade corn tortillas? Then give these Chicken and Rice Fajitas a try. It makes a great weekday dinner idea.

Why I Use Cornmeal

Growing up in the southwest, I learned to make these corn tortillas. My mom’s best friend taught us to cook a few authentic Mexican meals. Then my family moved to the Northeast and, well, ingredients used in the Southwest are not found easily here in Upstate New York.

I was taught to make authentic corn tortillas with masa harina. Which is a ground corn flour made from corn that’s dried, and cooked in water with lime from which it gets this distinct flavor. It is then ground and dried again.

Since masa harina is not easily found at local grocery stores, a great substitute like cornmeal/maize meal works its magic just as well in these Homemade Corn Tortillas.

How to Make These Corn Tortillas

I like the combination of using cornmeal and flour to get a sweet and soft tortilla. This combination also provides a durable tortilla. So your filling will not split or soften these. Now that I have been using cornmeal to make these, I have taken a liking to them better.

But if you want to give Masa a try, I say go ahead. The biggest bonus to using cornmeal is it can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 12 months. While masa is better stored in the refrigerator or the freezer for up to the same length of time.

Steps to Making These Corn Tortillas for Tacos

First, you will need to preheat your skillet to medium-low heat.

Then, in a medium-sized bowl, add your ingredients. Knead with a stand mixer, or with your hands, until fully incorporated. Let rest for 5 minutes covered with a damp paper towel.

Then divide your dough into 10 pieces. If you are measuring by weight, they should come to be about 40 grams (or 1.4 ounces) per piece.

Roll each section into small hand-rolled balls. Place your dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Press down on the dough to flatten using a tortilla press, your hands, or even between a cutting board. You want to get it to be as flat as you can without ripping a hole.

Then carefully remove your flat tortilla from between the parchment. Place in your skillet and cook for about 1 minute on each side, or until brown spots appear.

Next, transfer to your serving plate, and continue to steps 4 to 6 until all of your dough is cooked!

Please beware that these tortillas may feel a little stiff as you cook them, but they will soften as you continue and stack the rest of the tortillas. 

It is important to cover the cooked tortillas so that they remain soft and pliable.

Homemade Corn Tortillas Recipe

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Eating out is easy, and it usually tastes delicious, but it’s expensive. Making this meal at home will save you money. Add this recipe to your weekly meal plan.