This homemade corn tortilla recipe is quick, simple, and uses just a handful of ingredients. These naturally gluten-free tortillas are perfect for tacos, quesadillas, or tostadas. Pair them with my Easy Salsa Verde – Green Salsa for an epic taco night. You can add hemp and flax for a little more fibre.
What Is Masa Harina?
So, what is masa harina, anyway? It’s a flour made from nixtamalized corn—that is, corn soaked in limewater (calcium hydroxide), then dried and ground. It’s an essential ingredient for making traditional corn tortillas and tamales.
Masa harina comes in white, yellow, or blue—and my personal favorite is blue. In traditional Mexican cooking, tortillas are made from fresh masa, a dough created by grinding nixtamalized corn. Since fresh masa is hard to find in Canada, masa harina (also called masa flour) is the next best thing.
Popular brands include:
- Maseca – the most widely available brand, often found in health food stores or Latin American markets
- Bob’s Red Mill – offers an organic version
- Various online alternatives if you’re looking for something more artisanal or specialty
Important note: Masa harina is NOT the same as cornmeal, corn flour, polenta, or PAN (used for arepas). These products are processed differently and won’t work as substitutes in this recipe.
Tools
There are two tools that make homemade tortillas so much easier: a tortilla press and a cast-iron skillet.
Tortilla Press
If you plan to make tortillas regularly, investing in a tortilla press is absolutely worth it. It speeds up the process and gives you nice, even rounds with minimal effort. That said, you can use a rolling pin—it just takes a little more time and patience.
When shopping for a press, I recommend going with cast iron. I’ve had lighter presses break on me, so it’s worth paying a bit more for durability.
To prevent sticking while pressing your tortillas, you’ll need two pieces of plastic or paper. I like to use compostable parchment paper or cut a Ziploc bag in half and reuse it again and again.
Cast-Iron Skillet
I’m a firm believer in cast iron. It’s reliable, long-lasting, and gives you beautifully cooked tortillas. A cast-iron skillet works perfectly, but if you have a griddle, you can cook more than one tortilla at a time.
Just make sure your skillet is well-seasoned, and you won’t need to use any oil at all.
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can just use any non-stick pan.
Corn Tortillas from Scratch with Hemp and Flax
Equipment
- 1 Cast iron skillet
- 1 Tortilla press optional
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 tbsp shelled hemp seeds optional
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the masa harina. Slowly pour in the warm water, a little at a time, mixing as you go. Stop once the dough comes together and can form smooth balls. The texture should be similar to playdough.
- Roll the dough into golf ball-sized portions (or slightly smaller) and shape them between your palms until smooth and round. It should make 12 to 15 balls.
- Heat a skillet (non-stick or cast iron) over medium-high heat.
- Place each ball between two pieces of parchment paper (or compostable or reusable plastic*) in a tortilla press and flatten into a round tortilla.
- Gently peel away the tortilla. If it sticks completely, your dough is too wet—add a touch more masa harina and try again.
- Cook each tortilla for about 60 seconds per side. If it puffs up—celebrate! That means your dough is just right. Note: If you add the flax and hemp, it probably wont puff up.
- Transfer cooked tortillas to a tortilla warmer or wrap them in a clean tea towel to keep them soft and moist. Serve warm.
