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Corn tortillas, made fresh, are tender and flavorful. They also couldn't be easier: masa harina and water. You can add a pinch of salt, or you can easily spice them up if you'd like. Masa harina is a very finely ground corn flour, finer than ordinary cornmeal. Masa harina is inexpensive and widely available in states such as California, but you may need to visit a specialty store to find some in your area of the world. Corn is dried, cooked, ground up and dried again. It is cooked in water with slaked lime, which gives the masa its unique flavor.



  • 2 cups masa harina
  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp water
  • Pinch salt (optional)
  • Vegetable oil for brushing (optional)

Makes 12 tortillas


  1. 1
    Combine masa and water in a large bowl. Combine water a little at a time so that the dough is nice and even.
  2. 2
    Mix until a smooth, but not dry or sticky, dough forms. You may need to add a bit more water or a bit more masa.
    • Your uncooked dough should have the consistency of Play-Doh: firm and springy but not too dry.
  3. 3
    Using a tablespoon scoop, measure out a heaping tablespoon of dough for each tortilla. Corn tortillas are usually made smaller than flour tortillas.
  4. 4
    Placing dough between two pieces of wax paper.
  5. 5
    Roll until dough is a rough circle, 6 inches (15.2 cm) in diameter. It should be fairly thin, but the thickness is a matter of taste. If the dough tears, simply roll it back up and try again. After a few, you'll get a feel for how thick to roll them.
    • You can use a tortilla press, but if you have a tortilla press, you probably already know how to make corn tortillas. Some very skilled tortilla-makers can press the dough out thin enough with their hands, but it is easier for beginners to use a rolling pin and place the dough between sheets of wax paper.
  6. 6
    Stack them up between pieces of wax paper. If desired, brush both sides of uncooked tortilla with a small amount of vegetable oil before stacking.
  7. 7
    Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cast-iron pans work best, as they distribute heat evenly and quickly.
  8. 8
    Place tortilla on the skillet and cook for 30-60 seconds on each side. The surface of the tortilla will look slightly dry. Taste the first tortilla to see if you would prefer it cooked slightly more or less.
    • Alternately, cook the tortilla for 90 seconds on one side to develop a slightly charred surface. Then flip the tortilla over onto its other side, cooking for 15 seconds before removing from heat.
  9. 9
    Place cooked tortillas between two clean dish towels to keep them moist until ready to eat.

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  • If desired, fill the tortillas with sauteed portobello mushrooms, fresh salsa, and avocado. You can also cut them into triangles and deep fry them to make your own tortilla chips.

Things You'll Need

  • Tortilla press
  • Skillet or griddle
  • Measuring cups and spoons

Sources and Citations

Article Info

Featured Article

Categories: Featured Articles | Central and South American Cuisine

In other languages:

Español: hacer tortillas de maíz, Italiano: Preparare le Tortillas di Mais, Português: Fazer Tortillas de Milho, Deutsch: Maistortilla zubereiten, Français: faire des tortillas de maïs, Русский: приготовить кукурузные тортильи, 中文: 制作玉米圆饼（Corn Tortillas), Bahasa Indonesia: Membuat Tortilla Jagung

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