Blue Corn Tortillas
intro
Earthy, nutty homemade blue corn tortillas, a staple of Mexican and Southwestern U.S. cooking, perfect for tacos, scooping salsa, or pairing with hearty dishes.
Ingredients
Steps
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups (240g) blue corn masa harina and 1 teaspoon (5g) fine sea salt until fully combined. Slowly pour in 1.5 cups (360ml) of warm (43°C / 110°F) filtered water, mixing with your hands as you pour to form a cohesive dough. Knead for 2 minutes in the bowl until the dough is smooth, firm, and holds together without cracking when squeezed; add 1 extra tablespoon of water if too dry, or 1 extra tablespoon of masa if too sticky.
Cover the mixing bowl with a clean damp cotton kitchen towel, and let the dough rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to allow the masa to fully absorb water and prevent cracking during pressing. After resting, divide the dough into 8 equal 50g (approximately 2 tablespoon) portions, rolling each into a smooth, tight ball between your palms.
Preheat a cast iron comal or flat cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (190°C / 375°F) for 5 minutes, until a drop of water sizzles and fully evaporates within 2 seconds of hitting the surface. While the pan heats, line the top and bottom plates of a wooden tortilla press with two 15cm (6 inch) squares of parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Place one dough ball centered between the parchment paper squares on the tortilla press. Close the press and apply firm, even upper-body pressure to flatten the dough into a 15cm (6 inch) wide, 3mm (1/8 inch) thick round tortilla. Avoid pressing so hard that the tortilla becomes paper-thin, as this will cause it to crack when peeled from the parchment.
Peel the top layer of parchment off the pressed tortilla, then carefully flip the tortilla onto your open palm and peel off the second parchment layer. Gently lay the tortilla onto the preheated comal, and cook for 30 seconds on the first side, until the edges lift slightly from the pan and faint light brown cooking spots appear on the bottom.
Flip the tortilla with a thin flexible spatula, and cook for 45 seconds on the second side, until more golden-brown spots form across the surface. Flip the tortilla one final time, and cook for 15 seconds, at which point the tortilla will puff slightly in the center, indicating it is fully cooked.
Transfer the cooked tortilla to a clean kitchen towel-lined wicker basket, folding the towel over the top to keep tortillas warm and soft as you cook the remaining portions. Repeat the pressing and cooking process for all 8 dough balls, adjusting stovetop heat slightly if tortillas develop dark burned spots before 30 seconds (too hot) or show no browning after 1 minute (too cool).
Tips
2.Keep cooked tortillas wrapped in the kitchen towel for 5 minutes after cooking; this resting step traps steam to keep tortillas soft and pliable, rather than crisp and brittle straight off the pan.
3.Store leftover cooled tortillas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, and reheat for 10 seconds per side on a dry skillet to restore their soft, flexible texture before serving.
OMG these are a total game changer for my weekly taco nights! I’ve been buying store-bought blue corn tortillas for years and they always crack when I fold them, but these came out so soft and flexible? The recipe was so easy too, I knocked the whole batch out in 30 minutes flat while my husband browned the carne asada. My kids went back for thirds, even my super picky 7 year old! 10/10 will be making these every week for meal prep.
Brought these to my neighborhood potluck over the weekend and everyone was asking for the recipe! I served them with a side of homemade guac and they were gone in 10 minutes flat. Love that the ingredient list is so short, no weird preservatives like the store bought ones. Only note: I added a tiny pinch of smoked paprika to the dough for a little extra kick, chef’s kiss.
As someone who’s strictly gluten free, I’m always hunting for easy, tasty bread alternatives and these hit SO good. The blue corn flavor is nutty and way more interesting than regular corn tortillas, honestly. I will say my first two were a little lumpy because I didn’t mix the masa enough, but once I got the hang of it they turned out perfect.
Grew up eating homemade blue corn tortillas at my grandma’s house in Santa Fe and this recipe tastes exactly like hers! I was worried I’d never get the texture right after she passed, but this was so straightforward even a beginner like me could pull it off. Made them last night for green chile enchiladas and my whole family said it tasted just like abuela’s. Cried a little, ngl.
Was looking for a quick weekend recipe to make with my 10 year old for our father-kid cooking day and this was perfect! So easy even she could help press the dough and cook them on the griddle. We ate them with scrambled eggs and black beans for breakfast tacos, 10/10 fun and tasty. Will definitely be adding this to our rotation.
Made a double batch of these on Sunday to use for lunches all week and they held up perfectly in the fridge! I warmed them up for 10 seconds in the microwave each day and they were just as soft as day one. Used them for wrap sandwiches, taco bowls, even as a quick side with chili on Tuesday. Such a versatile staple, way better than regular flour tortillas.
Full transparency, I burn almost everything I try to cook, even toast sometimes. But this recipe was actually SO easy I didn’t mess it up! Cook time really was 30 minutes total, I didn’t have any special equipment, just a bowl and a rolling pin. The only mistake I made was cooking the first one a little too long so it was crispy, but the rest were perfect. So proud of myself!
Took these on a day hike last weekend and they were the perfect portable snack! I spread a little refried bean and cheese on them, rolled them up, wrapped them in foil, and they stayed tasty for hours on the trail. Way better than packing crumbly granola bars, honestly. The blue corn gives such a great, earthy flavor that feels way fancier than regular tortillas, for barely any extra work.