Enchiladas Tortilla Recipe for Soft Corn Tortillas

This enchiladas tortilla recipe makes soft corn tortillas from masa harina, water, and a little salt—the simple base for rolled or stacked enchiladas. The tortillas are cooked on a hot, dry skillet, then kept covered so they stay warm and flexible; corn tortillas are a staple in Mexican cooking, with regional and family variations.

Ingredients

2 cups (240 g) masa harina, preferably labeled for tortillas
1½ cups (355 ml) warm water, plus up to 2 tablespoons (30 ml) more if needed
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt

Instructions

Mix the dough. Put the masa harina and salt in a medium bowl and stir to distribute the salt. Pour in 1½ cups warm water and mix with your hand or a sturdy spoon until the flour is moistened. Knead in the bowl for about 2 minutes, squeezing and folding the dough until it comes together in a smooth, soft ball. It should feel like pliable modeling clay, not sticky paste or dry crumbs. If it cracks when pressed, work in extra water 1 teaspoon at a time; if it sticks to your fingers, knead in a little masa harina.
Rest the dough. Cover the bowl with a clean, slightly damp towel or a plate and let the dough rest for 15 minutes at room temperature. This gives the masa time to absorb the water evenly. Keep it covered while you work; uncovered dough dries quickly and can develop a dry outer layer that splits when pressed.
Divide and shape. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, rolling each into a smooth ball about 1½ inches (4 cm) wide. Keep the balls covered under the towel. Cut two pieces of sturdy food-safe plastic from a clean produce bag or use a reusable tortilla-press liner. Set one sheet on the bottom plate of a tortilla press, place a dough ball in the center, and cover it with the second sheet. Close the press and push down firmly once. The tortilla should be about 5 to 6 inches (13 to 15 cm) across and evenly thin. If you do not have a press, flatten each ball between plastic sheets using the bottom of a heavy skillet, then rotate and press again to even the edges.
Heat the skillet. Set a cast-iron skillet, comal, or heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Let it heat for several minutes. It should be hot enough that a tortilla begins to set promptly, but not so hot that it blackens before cooking through. Do not add oil: a dry cooking surface helps the tortillas cook evenly and keeps them from becoming greasy.
Cook the tortillas. Peel away the plastic carefully and lay a tortilla on the hot skillet. Cook for about 1 minute, until the surface looks dry and the underside has a few light brown spots. Flip and cook for about 30 seconds on the second side. Flip once more and cook for about 10 seconds; it may puff slightly, but a puff is not essential. Transfer it to a clean towel-lined plate and cover it. Repeat with the remaining dough, adjusting the heat if tortillas are scorching or staying pale and damp. Cooking all 12 for about 1½ minutes each takes roughly 18 minutes.
Keep them pliable for enchiladas. Leave the cooked tortillas stacked and covered for at least a few minutes so their trapped warmth softens them. If assembling enchiladas later, warm the stack briefly in a skillet or microwave under a damp paper towel, then dip each tortilla in warm enchilada sauce or soften it according to your filling recipe before rolling. Avoid leaving the stack uncovered while you work.

Tips

Check the dough by feel. Masa harina absorbs water differently depending on the brand, how it has been stored, and the room’s humidity. A small crack at the edge when you press a ball usually means the dough needs a little more water. Add it gradually rather than pouring in a large splash, which can make the dough sticky.
Use masa harina, not ordinary cornmeal. Masa harina is made from corn treated with lime and ground into flour; that process gives it the flavor and dough-forming qualities needed for tortillas. Cornmeal, polenta, and corn flour that is not nixtamalized do not behave the same way. If masa harina is hard to find, store-bought corn tortillas are a more reliable shortcut than trying to replace it with cornmeal.
Keep the dough and cooked tortillas covered. Dry dough is the most common reason homemade tortillas split at the edges. Cover the dough balls between pressing, and put each cooked tortilla straight into the towel-lined stack. If one starts cracking while you press it, knead a few drops of water into that portion and try again.
Manage the skillet temperature. If dark spots appear almost immediately or the tortillas smell scorched, turn the heat down slightly. If they remain limp and pale after the stated cooking time, let the skillet heat longer or raise the temperature a little. A few brown marks are welcome; a brittle, crisp tortilla is harder to roll for enchiladas.

Serving Suggestions

Use these tortillas for enchiladas with shredded chicken, cooked beans, cheese, sautéed vegetables, or a combination. To make them easier to roll, keep them warm, dip each one briefly in warm red or green enchilada sauce, add a modest line of filling, and roll it seam-side down in a baking dish. Follow the baking time and temperature for your chosen enchilada filling and sauce recipe. Overfilling or using tortillas straight from the refrigerator can make them split.

They are also good served warm alongside beans, rice, eggs, or grilled vegetables. For a simple table accompaniment, offer salsa, chopped onion, cilantro, lime wedges, and crumbled cheese. If serving the tortillas as a side rather than using them in enchiladas, keep them wrapped in a clean towel in a covered dish so guests can take them while they are still soft.

Variations

Blue corn tortillas: Replace the white or yellow masa harina with the same amount of blue corn masa harina. It gives the tortillas a deeper corn flavor and a blue-purple color; the dough may need a small adjustment of water, so use the texture cues in the instructions.

Small tortillas for enchiladas: Divide the dough into 14 or 16 portions instead of 12. They will be smaller and may need slightly less time on the skillet, so watch for dry surfaces and light brown spots rather than relying only on the clock. Smaller tortillas are handy for individual portions, but you may need more of them per baking dish.

More pronounced seasoning: Increase the salt to ¾ teaspoon (about 4 g) if you prefer tortillas that taste more seasoned on their own. Keep in mind that enchilada sauce and fillings can also be salty, so the original amount is a good starting point when the tortillas will be part of a sauced dish.

Flour tortillas: Wheat flour tortillas are another option for enchiladas, but they need a separate recipe with wheat flour, fat, and a different hydration method. They are not made by swapping wheat flour for masa harina in this dough, and their texture and flavor will differ from corn tortillas.

Storage and Reheating

Let the tortillas cool enough to handle, then stack them and store them in an airtight container or food-safe bag. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. They keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator; over time, they may become a little firmer and more prone to cracking, so warm them covered before using. For food safety, reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C); a thermometer can be used to check a warmed stack, and the tortillas should also be hot throughout.

To reheat a small stack, wrap it in a damp paper towel and microwave in short intervals until hot throughout, turning the stack once. Alternatively, warm tortillas one at a time in a skillet, then keep them covered in a towel. For enchiladas, dipping a warmed tortilla in sauce can help make it flexible, but do not leave it soaking or it may tear.

To freeze, stack fully cooled tortillas with small pieces of parchment between them, place the stack in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator or separate the tortillas while still slightly frozen, then reheat to 165°F (74°C). Keep both fresh and thawed tortillas refrigerated rather than leaving them at room temperature for extended storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my tortillas cracking when I roll them?

They may be too dry, too cool, or both. Knead a little water into dough that cracks during pressing, and keep the balls covered while shaping. If cooked tortillas crack, warm them under a damp towel and soften them briefly in warm enchilada sauce before filling. Also make sure they are thin and evenly pressed rather than thick at the edges.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

It is best to press and cook the dough soon after its short rest because raw masa dough dries out as it sits. If you need to work ahead, keep it tightly covered in the refrigerator and use it within a day, then let it sit briefly until workable and check whether it needs a little water. For the easiest advance preparation, cook the tortillas first and refrigerate or freeze them.

Do I need a tortilla press?

No. A tortilla press makes it faster to get even rounds, but a heavy, flat-bottomed skillet or saucepan can press the dough between two sheets of plastic. Press, rotate the dough, and press again if the tortilla is uneven. A rolling pin can also work, though it may take more effort to keep the tortillas round and consistently thin.

Can I use these tortillas without frying them first?

Yes. These are cooked on a dry skillet and can be softened in warm enchilada sauce before filling and rolling. Some enchilada methods briefly fry tortillas in oil first to help them resist soaking up too much sauce and to add a richer taste. That is an optional preparation choice, not a requirement for making the tortillas themselves.

How do I know when a tortilla is cooked?

The surface should look set rather than wet, with a few light brown spots on the underside. The tortilla should bend without feeling raw or doughy. A small puff can happen as steam forms between the layers, but not every tortilla puffs, so do not keep cooking one until it becomes crisp just to make it puff.

Can I make these with regular corn flour or cornmeal?

Not reliably. Masa harina is treated and milled to form a cohesive dough when mixed with water, while ordinary cornmeal or many products sold as corn flour tend to crumble or produce a gritty texture. Choose a package specifically labeled masa harina for tortillas. If that is unavailable, use ready-made corn tortillas for your enchilada recipe instead.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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