Our Best Recipe For Homemade Tortillas Using Masa Harina
Our Best Recipe For Homemade Tortillas Using Masa Harina
December 27, 2022
A bag of our Heirloom Masa Harina (also known as masa flour or nixtamalized corn flour), plus water, a trusty tortilla press and a can-do attitude are all you need to make perfect corn tortillas at home. While a homemade loaf of sourdough takes hours (if not days) to achieve, homemade tortillas can be ready in mere minutes!
Check out the recipe below for perfect homemade heirloom corn tortillas and if you meet any trouble on your road to "puff" perfection, check out these tips to help you find your groove.
Tortilla-Making Tips:
Tortilla-Making Tips:
- Not getting a puff? For additional hydration during the tortilla cooking process, we recommend using a spray bottle/mister to lightly hydrate each side of the tortilla (to prevent dryness and cracking). If you don't have a mister, just fill a little cup with water and use your fingers to flick droplets of water onto your tortilla.
- *Warm water (~100 degrees F, or the hot setting on your faucet) is recommended for mixing your masa, in order to begin blooming the natural flavor of the masa and to fully activate the small bits of pericarp (corn skin) in the masa flour (which help the masa bind, naturally).
- Water can be substituted with other liquids such as stocks, broths, juices etc., depending on the desired flavor. Spices may also be added. Masienda respects tradition while encouraging creativity for all cooks.
- 1 lb of Heirloom Corn Masa Harina yields approximately 2.4 lb of masa (38 tortillas per pound, or 84 tortillas in each 2.2 lb bag of Masienda Heirloom Corn Masa Harina).
All Comments
Hi Greta! So glad you’re enjoying the masa and making tortillas! If they’re cracking when you fry them in oil, try wrapping them in a damp towel and microwaving them for about 20-30 seconds to soften them up. If you don’t have a microwave, you can also heat them on a comal or skillet over low heat for a few seconds on each side until they soften. Either method should help prevent cracking. Let us know how it goes!
Hi Jamie! So glad you’re enjoying your tortilla starter kit! Try mixing the salt into the dry masa harina before adding water—about ½ teaspoon per cup to start, then adjust to taste. Let us know how it turns out!
Hi!
I love your masa and I am having so much fun making tortillas.
My tortillas are the best I have ever made, though I am still practicing.
One question:
I fry my tortillas on a comal, and they look beautiful. But if I later fry them in oil (to make enchiladas or tacos) they crack.
What am I doing wrong?
Absolutely wonderful… any guidance on adding salt? My wife loved the first batch made using the starter kit, but she did mention that they needed salt. I cheated a bit and sprinkled some kosher salt on the top of the raw tortilla and it worked, but it would be fantastic to mix it with the water and masa. Thank you for an easy and excellent press…
Hi Dave! Flipping the tortilla a bit earlier, around 20-30 seconds, could help with the puffing. If you’re still not getting it, adding a little more water to the masa might do the trick. You’ll want the texture to feel like Play-Doh, nice and smooth but not too sticky. Here’s our puff guide to help: https://masienda.com/blogs/learn/anatomy-tortilla-puff. If it’s still not working, feel free to message us on Instagram or email with more details, and we can help troubleshoot!