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Hand Holding Corn Tortillas

Perfect Vegan Corn Tortillas (From Scratch)

Justine Drosdovech
These homemade vegan corn tortillas are soft, tender, and ultra-pliable! Made with just 2 ingredients and a pan, they’re fun for all levels of cooks! Serve them as a base for your favorite tacos, enchiladas, and quesadillas.
4.86 from 21 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Mexican, Vegan
Servings 14 servings
Calories 58 kcal

Equipment

  • Measuring cups
  • Mixing bowl
  • Freezer bag
  • Tortilla press or rolling pin
  • Skillet

Ingredients
 

US Customary - Metric
  • 2 cups masa harina
  • 1 ½ cups hot water
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

Dough

  • Add the masa harina and salt to a mixing bowl and combine. Then, add in 1 ½ cups (approximately 330 grams) of water to start with and mix together with a spatula to prevent burning your hands.
  • When it's cool enough to handle, knead the dough with your hands to form a ball that's sticky enough to stay together, but not coming off on your hands too much.
  • If the dough appears too crumbly, add a tablespoon of water at a time until you're able to form a texture similar to play dough. If it becomes too sticky, add a little more masa harina. Cover the bowl with a tea towel.

Rolling

  • Preheat a seasoned cast-iron skillet or comal slowly to medium or medium-high while you roll and press the tortillas. If you are using a regular frying pan, preheat it with no oil.
  • Break off pieces of the dough to form small balls (~40 grams each). Roll each piece between your palms until smooth, keeping the rest of the dough under a towel so it stays moist.

Pressing

  • If you have a tortilla press, cut a freezer bag into 2 pieces that will fit into the press (one for each side of the tortilla).
  • Open the press and place a ball of dough in the center on a piece of plastic. Place the other plastic piece on top and close the press to form tortillas about 5 inches in diameter.
  • If you don't have a tortilla press, place your ball of dough between the same 2 pieces of plastic on your counter. Press the tortilla down with the bottom of a baking dish or flat plate. Or, use a rolling pin.

Cooking

  • Gently add a tortilla to the hot pan and cook on the first side for 10 seconds. Flip and cook for another 40-50 seconds, then flip once more and cook until brown spots are forming and the tortilla puffs up, about 40 seconds.
  • Remove the tortilla from heat, and wrap it in a tea towel or tortilla warmer while you cook the rest. Serve warm with tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and more. Happy eating!

Notes

Dough consistency: The dough should feel like soft play dough — pliable and smooth but not sticky. If it sticks to your hands, add a bit more masa.
Watch for the curl: Wait for the tortilla edges to curl slightly before flipping them for the first time. This will help prevent sticking.
Tortilla puff: A tortilla puff is not only satisfying to see; it means the center is properly cooked. If you don’t see a puff, remember to gently press down on the tortillas with your spatula as they cook.
Rest the dough: To help the masa fully hydrate, you can let the dough rest covered for 30 minutes before forming and cooking the tortillas.
Start with the recommended water measurement, then adjust the amount depending on your specific masa harina, altitude, and humidity.
If the dough appears crumbly, add a little water until you reach a play dough-like consistency. Similarly, if it's too sticky, add more masa harina.
If you don’t have a tortilla press, you can press your ball of dough between the counter and the bottom of a baking dish or use a rolling pin.
If your tortilla doesn’t puff, add a little more water to the dough and let the tortillas cook longer. It takes some practice and a little finesse, but it's simple once you get the feel for it.
Covering corn tortillas with a towel or tortilla basket traps steam, making them extra pliable and tender.
Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1tortilla | Calories: 58kcal | Carbohydrates: 12.3g | Protein: 1.4g | Fat: 0.6g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 40.1mg | Potassium: 41.9mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 0.8IU | Calcium: 22.1mg | Iron: 0.2mg
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