How to Heat Corn Tortillas
Whether you're making tacos, enchiladas, or just craving a fresh tortilla snack, it can be helpful to know how to heat corn tortillas properly. Here are 3 easy ways that I love to use—oven, stovetop, and microwave—to get them perfectly warm and pliable in minutes!
Servings: 8 corn tortillas
Calories: 57kcal
Equipment
- tortilla warmer optional
Ingredients
- 8 corn tortillas or as many as needed
Instructions
Stove-Top
- Heat a frying pan to medium heat. You do not need to add oil.
- Place a corn tortilla in the pan and fry for about 30 seconds per side, until warmed through and a bit crispy.
- Repeat for remaining tortillas. You can keep them warm on a plate, covered with a clean kitchen towel, as you are frying.
In the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wrap a stack of corn tortillas in aluminum foil and fold it up to form a packet.
- Place the foil packet on a baking sheet and into the oven. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until heated through.
Microwave
- Place some paper towel on a plate. Spray it lightly with a bit of water to moisten it (don’t soak it).
- Stack the tortillas on the moist paper towel-lined plate.
- Cover with another piece of paper towel and moisten it with the spray bottle as well.
- Place it in the microwave and heat for 30-60 seconds, or until heated through.
Notes
- Keeping them warm for small gathering: To keep the tortillas warm without any special equipment, I recommend keeping them stacked on a plate, covered with a clean kitchen towel. You should do this right after heating until serving time, but also while you're frying individual tortillas in a pan.
- Keeping them warm for a buffet: When you're heating up corn tortillas on a large scale, like for a buffet or taco bar party, you have options such as using a tortilla warmer (cloth or ceramic), slow cooker on warm--covered in a clean, damp towel or in a 200°F oven wrapped in foil.
- To reheat frozen tortillas: You can thaw them first (they thaw pretty quickly at room temp) and then use the microwave method outlined here to keep them moist as you heat them.
- How to store them: You can store them in their original packaging or zip-top bag in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store-bought normally last longer than homemade, up to a few weeks. You can also freeze them once they've cooled, in a freezer bag, for up to 6 months.
- Microwave tip: Avoid microwaving for too long--it dries them out super quickly and they become inedible in my opinion.
Nutrition
Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 0.3mg
