Totopos

Homemade totopos are just what your salsas have been needing! These crispy, crunchy, and satisfying tortilla chips are ready in 15 minutes and are made with just 3 ingredients. Serve them with guacamole, soups, pico de gallo, refried beans, and more.

💛 Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick: These totopos can be made in 15 minutes or less, making them the perfect choice when you need a quick snack or appetizer.
• Easy: It doesn’t matter what your cooking level is! Anyone can prepare totopos in just 4 easy steps.
• Flavorful: Homemade totopos always taste better than store bought. Plus, you can customize the level of salt or add seasonings to suit your preferences.
• Versatile: Serve them for an appetizer, stuff them inside of a torta, make chilaquiles, and more. The options are virtually endless!

If you enjoy totopos, you should really check out our tostaguac, vegan quesadilla, and tostilocos.

🌽 What are totopos?

Corn tortilla chips, also known as totopos or totopitos, are a staple in Mexican cuisine. Since they’re made with corn, each chip has a subtly sweet, nutty, and toasty flavor.

To make totopos, all you need to do is slice corn tortillas into triangles or circles and deep fry them until crispy and golden. Depending on the purpose, you can season them with just salt or other flavors like chile and lime.

They’re enjoyed all across Mexico and most of the world as an appetizer with guacamole, pico de gallo, and other salsas. You can also serve them as a side with dishes like pozole and aguachile, or include them in meals like chilaquiles and nachos.

The versatility of this recipe makes it an easy addition to potlucks, parties, barbecues, and backyard get-togethers.

📜 Totopos meaning

The word totopo comes from two different Nahuatl words (tlaxcalli + totopochtli), and very loosely translates to “toasted tortillas that are noisy to chew.”

Seems like a fitting name!

The Zapotecs of Oaxaca are credited with the first totopos. In this version, corn tortillas are baked in an oven known as a comixcal or comizcal.

Since the colonial era, frying has become a common way of preparing totopos as well. Nowadays, they can be toasted, baked, or fried.

🌱 Are totopos vegan?

In general, totopos are very vegan-friendly! One thing to keep in mind if you live near or in Mexico is the use of lard in some corn tortilla shops (tortillerías).

If you use pre-packaged or homemade corn tortillas, you don’t have to worry about this though. Just fry them and enjoy!

♨️ Can I bake tortilla chips?

While the most common way to make tortilla chips is to fry them in oil, it’s absolutely possible to bake tortilla chips in your oven.

For a lower-calorie version, spread the cut tortillas out on a baking sheet. Lightly brush them with oil and bake at 375 degrees F for 7-8 minutes per side. 

If you know you’ll be making chips often, you can even fill a spray bottle with oil and lime juice to coat the chips prior to baking.

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

• Corn tortillas: You can use white, blue, yellow, or any other color of corn tortilla for totopos. It’s best to use stale corn tortillas so they don’t absorb too much oil.
• Oil: Fry your totopos in neutral vegetable oil with a high smoke point. Some good options include canola oil, corn oil, peanut oil, or avocado oil.
• Salt: To season the cooked chips. We enjoy plain sea salt, but you can try flavors like chile-lime sea salt, garlic sea salt, or even smoked sea salt.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make totopos

Step 1: Cut the tortillas

Depending on how big your corn tortillas are, you can cut them into 4 or 6 pieces. If you want to make circular totopitos, use a round cookie cutter and press all around the tortillas until there is no more left to cut.

Step 2: Dry the tortillas

Spread the cut tortillas out on a cutting board or baking sheet to dry out for about 5-10 minutes. If they are fresh, you can place them in your fridge to dry out faster.

Step 3: Fry the chips

In the meantime, heat some oil in a skillet over medium. Cook the tortillas in small batches until they turn a light golden brown color on each side. It should only take about 60-90 seconds per batch, so don’t stray too far from your skillet!

Step 4: Drain the oil

Transfer the cooked totopos to a paper towel-lined dish or a colander to drain excess oil. Season them with sea salt to taste, and repeat this process with the rest. Serve your homemade tortilla chips while warm and crispy. Happy eating!

If you have questions about this totopos recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🥑 What to serve totopos with

Totopos make a delicious snack on their own, or you can pair them with some flavor-packed salsas like these:

• Guacamole: Mashed ripe avocados, lime juice, salt, tomatoes, onion, and chiles. You can also try a 4-ingredient guacamole for more convenience!
• Mango habanero salsa: Sweet and spicy salsa with fresh mangoes and habaneros.
• Pico de gallo: Chunky salsa made from onions, tomatoes, chiles, lime, and cilantro.
• Salsa ranchera: Packed with roasted vegetables and smoky flavors.

🌡️ Storage & reheating

No more stale tortilla chips! Follow these steps to ensure you won’t have to deal with half crunchy-half chewy totopos:

• Room temperature: Keep totopitos in an airtight container, and store them in a cool, dry area for up to 1 month.
• Freezer: Transfer your chips to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: To freshen up your chips, you have two options. Lightly re-fry them (our preferred way), or bake them in the oven for 5 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Note: Tortilla chips turn stale from absorbing moisture. By limiting air contact and reheating them, you can revive the crunchiness.

♻️ Variations

• Spicy: Add cayenne, paprika, or ground arbol chiles to turn up the heat.
• Zesty: Use lime, lemon, or other citrusy flavors to liven up your chips. For a spicy-yet-zesty flavor, use chile-lime seasoning.
• Herbaceous: Try sprinkling Mexican oregano, parsley, cilantro, or cumin on for an earthy and herbaceous twist.
• Colors: Make different colored chips by using blue, yellow, white, or red corn tortillas. Each color carries a slightly different flavor.
• Shapes: While triangular totopos are great for dipping, you can also make circles or strips depending on the recipe you’re pairing them with.
• Sweet: Take a detour from savory flavors and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on the chips. Enjoy them on their own or paired with a chopped fruit salsa.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

• Use stale tortillas: To prevent the chips from absorbing too much oil, it’s best to use tortillas that are a few days old or store-bought.
• Fry lightly: Remove the totopos from the oil when they are just turning golden. They will continue to cook for a few seconds after being taken out of the oil.
• Don’t overcrowd: Remember to fry the totopos in small batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. They won’t cook properly if the pan is too full.
• Finely grind the salt: To help the salt stick to the chips, make sure you finely grind it or use pre-ground salt.
• Serve them warm: The taste and texture of totopos are best right after they are done cooking. They are the crispiest and most flavorful at this time.
• Cut evenly: Make sure to cut the tortillas into similar pieces so they cook evenly.
• Neutral oil: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point to fry your totopos. Some examples include vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil.
• Slotted spoon: Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to remove the tortillas from the hot oil. This will help prevent the risk of burning yourself.
• Season immediately: To ensure the seasonings stick properly, season them immediately after frying them while they’re hot and oily.

🍴 Recipes with totopos

For more ways to serve homemade tortilla chips, be sure to check out these dishes:

• Chilaquiles Rojos: Crispy totopos covered in homemade red salsa and topped with dairy-free queso, crema, and veggies.
• Chilaquiles Verdes: A similar dish to chilaquiles rojos but with green salsa instead!
• Aguachile Verde: Showcasing oyster mushrooms, cucumbers, and red onion marinated with chiles, lime juice, cilantro, and garlic.
• Vegan Tortilla Soup: A twist on a Mexican classic filled with bold flavors.

Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.