These homemade corn tortillas are super soft, puffy, and perfect to make tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas. Learn how to make traditional and authentic tortillas de maíz with our easy recipe!
Heat a cast iron skillet or a comal over medium-high heat.
Place masa harina in a large bowl and add water little by little while mixing with your hands until combined.
Knead for 4-5 minutes and add more water if needed, until you will have a dough that doesn’t stick to your hands or to the bowl. The dough texture should resemble play-dough.
Take 2-3 tablespoons of tortilla dough and roll it into a ball (read notes)
Place the dough ball between the plastic sheets and press a bit with your hand.
Use a heavy dish to flatten the dough until it forms a 5.5-inch (14cm) tortilla.
Slightly moisten your hands with water and take the tortilla wrapped in the plastic sheets with one of your hands and carefully peel off the top sheet.
Flip the tortilla in your other hand with the dough touching your palm, and remove the remaining sheet.
In a quick slide motion, place the raw tortilla onto the hot skillet and cook for about 40-45 seconds.
Flip it and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the tortilla has some brown spots.
Turn the tortilla over again and cook for 15 seconds more to make the tortilla puff.
Place the tortilla between a kitchen towel to keep it warm and soft.
Repeat the steps until all dough is used.
Notes
You might need more or less water than the recipe calls, it will depend on the brand of flour and the weather where are you making them. So make sure you add the water little by little.
If you want to make large tortillas you can use 1/4 cup of dough instead.
How To Make Tortillas Puff
Test the dough by making one tortilla first, if it has rough cracks around the edges it means the dough needs more water. If it falls apart or sticks to your hand when you try to take it, the dough needs more flour.
Take the time to knead the dough, 4-5 minutes should be enough.
The pan temperature is important, make sure the tortillas don't burn within 10 seconds, but neither take more than 1 minute per side to cook.
When both sides are fully cooked, press the tortilla against the comal with your hands or with a spatula to make it puff.