If there is one thing I absolutely refused to give up when I moved to Portugal, it was tortillas. I grew up in New Mexico, I am Hispanic, and tortillas are basically a food group in my house. It was easy to get corn tortillas in the US. I used to buy them in bulk at Costco, but I can’t do that here. I occasionally find corn tortillas at a couple of grocery stores here, but they aren’t always certified gluten-free, which is a problem when you have celiac, and they can be a bit pricey compared to back home. So I did what any reasonable person would do: I perfected my own recipe for gluten-free corn tortillas.
This recipe is adapted from my grandma’s flour tortilla recipe, which I converted to be both gluten-free and mostly corn-based. It has taken a lot of trial and error to get here, but I promise it is worth it.
A Note on Corn Flour in Portugal
If you are making these in Portugal, you can find corn flour here, but it is not quite the same as the masa harina you would find in the US. I use the PAN brand, which is slightly coarser than masa harina. The tortillas still come out great, but the texture is a little different than what you might be used to. If you are stateside, masa harina will give you a slightly smoother result. I also use PAN corn flour in my arepa recipe if you want another way to put it to use.”
What to Make With Corn Tortillas
My personal favorite is green chile pork, because you can take the girl out of New Mexico, but you cannot take New Mexico out of the girl. Ground beef tacos are a close second. I also love them with chicken, steak, or a black bean and squash filling if I am going the vegetarian route. Basically, if it belongs in a taco, these tortillas can handle it.
And if you need a good taco seasoning recipe, I have you covered because spice mixes are basically impossible to find in Portugal!
What You’ll Need: Equipment
The most important tool for this recipe is a tortilla press. Technically, you can roll them out by hand with a rolling pin, but you will get some very creative shapes, and it is a lot more work. A press gives you even, consistent tortillas every time, and they are totally worth it. They are affordable, durable, and honestly will last you forever. I ordered mine before we even left the US because I knew there was no way I was going without. I have linked the one I use below, plus an option from Amazon Spain if you are already over here!
A Note for My Celiac Friends
Before you get started, make sure your gluten-free flour blend is certified gluten-free, as not all blends are created equal, and some are processed in facilities that also handle wheat. Also, make sure your equipment, including your bowl, press, and cast-iron skillet, is either dedicated gluten-free or has been thoroughly cleaned. Cross-contamination is no joke when you have celiac, so better safe than sorry!
Ingredients for Gluten-Free Corn Tortillas
Makes approximately 30 tortillas
- 600g (3.5 cups) corn flour
- 60g (½ cup) all-purpose gluten-free flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Approx 80ml (⅓ cup) olive oil
- 350 to 500ml (1.5 to 2 cups) warm water
Instructions
- Mix the corn flour, gluten-free flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl.
- Add half the oil and work it in with your hands. Add more as needed. You want the flour broken up, and the mixture should feel and look like damp sand.
- Add warm water a little at a time until the dough comes together. It will feel sticky for a while. Keep working it and keep it just a little wetter than you think it needs to be.
- Once the dough has come together, section it into golf ball-sized portions. Keep a damp paper towel over the dough while you work so it doesn’t dry out.
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet over low to medium heat.
- Use parchment paper on both sides of the tortilla press. Press each ball to your desired thickness.
- Cook each tortilla on low heat, flipping when the top is no longer doughy. Each side takes about 1 to 2 minutes.
Tips for Getting Them Right
Tortillas are genuinely hard to make, and I say that as someone who grew up making them with both of my grandmas. Don’t be discouraged if they don’t come out perfectly on the first try, or even the tenth. Keep going.
A tortilla press makes this so much easier. I have a 7-inch press, and it works perfectly. You can roll them by hand, but you will get some interesting shapes. My grandmas always did them by hand and somehow managed to get perfectly round tortillas every time. I have no idea how they did it because no matter how hard I tried, I could never pull it off, and I even went to pastry school! Don’t worry, though, whatever shape you get, they will still taste great. I have linked the press I use above.
Different gluten-free flour blends and corn flours can behave differently, and humidity levels in your kitchen can also affect the outcome, so if something feels off, adjust the water or oil slightly and see how it goes. Use this recipe as a base and adjust as necessary to your conditions and what you have available.
Grandma Approved
The best compliment this recipe has ever gotten came from my grandma herself. On a trip back home to New Mexico, I made these for her, and she approved. If the woman who taught me to make tortillas in the first place gives her stamp of approval, I think we are doing something right. I hope you love them as much as we do!
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Follow me on Instagram @vegas.to.portugal for more about my life as an expat in Portugal, my gluten-free food adventures, and more
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