No accompaniment is as integral to Mexican food as the tortilla. Corn tortillas, along with flour tortillas, are a natural complement to almost every dish in a Mexican cook’s repertoire.

The difference is evident on every level: Homemade tortillas smell sweet and earthy and have a flexible texture—and nothing compares to the pleasure of eating them hot and fresh off the stove. Eat fresh tortillas straight, use them as a wrapper for tacos and burritos, or treat them as a utensil (what could be better than an edible spoon?).


How to Make Corn Tortillas: Homemade Corn Tortilla Recipe

*Masa harina* is finely ground corn flour, or cornmeal, that comes together to form the masa dough. Not all masa harina is the same, just as all wheat flours are not the same: different corns are used for different preparations—starchier corns, for example, will make for a fluffier masa, while more fibrous corns lead to a heartier masa; one corn might be better suited to an atole (a hot masa-based drink) than a tortilla.

You can usually buy fresh masa in any Latin market or grocery store in your city, typically in the refrigerated section and sold by the pound. 

If you can’t find fresh masa, another option is to buy [*masa harina*](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-masa-harina-in-mexican-cooking), ideally from organic corn that has been nixtamalized and dried, which you can mix with water to make a dough at home. 

- A *__tortillero__* is a tortilla press traditionally made from wood, cast iron, or aluminum, that forms a ball of masa into a flat tortilla. The word *tortillero* can also refer to the small baskets used to keep fresh tortillas warm. 
- [A __comal__ is a round griddle](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-and-care-for-a-mexican-comal) with a flat, smooth surface that’s traditionally made from clay (it’s also available in cast iron, carbon steel, or nonstick materials). Comals are used to char or toast ingredients, cook tortillas, sear meat, heat quesadillas, and more. They come in all different sizes—street vendors in Mexico may have comals that are several feet across, though comals between 18 and 24 inches are better suited to home cooks. A clay or cast-iron comal will heat slowly and retain heat evenly, and a well-maintained comal imparts a subtle additional flavor to food. Clean and dry a comal between uses, and season it with water and cal (if using clay) or oil (if using cast iron) for best results.
- To grind your own masa, you’ll need either a __mechanical or hand-operated grinder__, a small machine with a crank that is used to turn nixtamalized corn into masa. Like pasta machines, hand-operated grinders attach easily to most kitchen countertops. Mechanical corn grinders are larger and more expensive, usually used for commercial manufacture though some people have them in-home. 
No accompaniment is as integral to Mexican food as the tortilla. Corn tortillas, along with flour tortillas, are a natural complement to almost every dish in a Mexican cook’s repertoire.

The difference is evident on every level: Homemade tortillas smell sweet and earthy and have a flexible texture—and nothing compares to the pleasure of eating them hot and fresh off the stove. Eat fresh tortillas straight, use them as a wrapper for tacos and burritos, or treat them as a utensil (what could be better than an edible spoon?).


Masa harina is finely ground corn flour, or cornmeal, that comes together to form the masa dough. Not all masa harina is the same, just as all wheat flours are not the same: different corns are used for different preparations—starchier corns, for example, will make for a fluffier masa, while more fibrous corns lead to a heartier masa; one corn might be better suited to an atole (a hot masa-based drink) than a tortilla.

What Is Masa Harina?

You can usually buy fresh masa in any Latin market or grocery store in your city, typically in the refrigerated section and sold by the pound. If you can’t find fresh masa, another option is to buy <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-masa-harina-in-mexican-cooking' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-masa-harina-in-mexican-cooking","linkCopy":"\u003cem class=\"mc-text--italic\"\u003emasa harina\u003c/em\u003e","category":null}'>masa harina</a>, ideally from organic corn that has been nixtamalized and dried, which you can mix with water to make a dough at home.

Where Can You Buy Masa?

<ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">A tortillero is a tortilla press traditionally made from wood, cast iron, or aluminum, that forms a ball of masa into a flat tortilla. The word tortillero can also refer to the small baskets used to keep fresh tortillas warm. </li><li class=""><a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-and-care-for-a-mexican-comal' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-use-and-care-for-a-mexican-comal","linkCopy":"A \u003cstrong class=\"mc-text--bold\"\u003ecomal\u003c/strong\u003e is a round griddle","category":null}'>A comal is a round griddle</a> with a flat, smooth surface that’s traditionally made from clay (it’s also available in cast iron, carbon steel, or nonstick materials). Comals are used to char or toast ingredients, cook tortillas, sear meat, heat quesadillas, and more. They come in all different sizes—street vendors in Mexico may have comals that are several feet across, though comals between 18 and 24 inches are better suited to home cooks. A clay or cast-iron comal will heat slowly and retain heat evenly, and a well-maintained comal imparts a subtle additional flavor to food. Clean and dry a comal between uses, and season it with water and cal (if using clay) or oil (if using cast iron) for best results. </li><li class="">To grind your own masa, you’ll need either a mechanical or hand-operated grinder, a small machine with a crank that is used to turn nixtamalized corn into masa. Like pasta machines, hand-operated grinders attach easily to most kitchen countertops. Mechanical corn grinders are larger and more expensive, usually used for commercial manufacture though some people have them in-home. </li></ul>

What Equipment Is Needed to Make Tortillas?

Homemade Corn Tortilla Recipe

No accompaniment is as integral to Mexican food as the tortilla. Corn tortillas, along with flour tortillas, are a natural complement to almost every dish in a Mexican cook’s repertoire.The difference is evident on every level: Homemade tortillas smell sweet and earthy and have a flexible texture—and nothing compares to the pleasure of eating them hot and fresh off the stove. Eat fresh tortillas straight, use them as a wrapper for tacos and burritos, or treat them as a utensil (what could be better than an edible spoon?).

No accompaniment is as integral to Mexican food as the tortilla. Corn tortillas, along with flour tortillas, are a natural complement to almost every dish in a Mexican cook’s repertoire.
The difference is evident on every level: Homemade tortillas smell sweet and earthy and have a flexible texture—and nothing compares to the pleasure of eating them hot and fresh off the stove. Eat fresh tortillas straight, use them as a wrapper for tacos and burritos, or treat them as a utensil (what could be better than an edible spoon?).
