What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (2024)

Corn tortillas...the ultimate kitchen staple.

You probably have a go-to recipe that you always make with your corn tortillas, but there are LOADS of other ways to use them.

This post is filled with ideas for that half stack of corn tortillas sitting around in your kitchen. I think you'll be surprised how many different ways you can use these beauties 🙂

Whether it's baked, or fried, or somewhere in between...you'll find some new ideas in this post and I hope it brings lots of good eats to your kitchen!

Click the recipe name and it will take you to a page on this site where you can print out or take a pic of the free instructions.

Easy Chicken Tacos

Every kitchen needs a default taco recipe, do you have one? This is mine: chicken, guac, cheese, homemade Salsa. The Salsa may vary from week to week, but it's always a quick, delicious meal. It's worth having a favorite taco combo on standby that you actually look forward to, so feel free to customize the fixings to your liking!

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (1)

Spicy Beef Taquitos

Taquitos are a good way to change up your tortilla routine. Yes, taquitos are typically fried, but I usually bake them and think they are equally good. I filled these with a chipotle-infused ground beef, but there is plenty of leeway on the filling so feel free to make a vegetarian bean-n-cheese version.

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (2)

Enchiladas Suizas

Do you have a default enchilada dish that you lean on during the week? These Enchiladas Suizas are my go-to, but I make Ancho Enchiladas just as often. Having both red and green sauce enchiladas in your arsenal will give you plenty of satisfying meals, so consider starting with those if enchiladas are still working their way into your kitchen routine.

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (3)

Baked Tostada Shells

Tostadas are a great way to use up your old corn tortillas! Simply rub some oil on both sides and give 'em 4-5 minutes per side in the oven (400F). Tostadas are wildly versatile and have a more favorable fillings-to-tortilla ratio when compared to hardshell tacos -- will put some good Tostada options below.

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (4)

Bean Tostadas with Avocado, Queso Fresco, and Homemade Salsa

I make impromptu versions of these vegetarian Tostadas all the time. It's usually dependent on what's in the fridge, so feel to go wild with them! Adding avocado turns them into a meal for me, so consider topping with avocado bits or an Easy Guacamole.

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (5)

Black Bean and Guacamole Tostadas

This is the quick-n-lazy way to make Tostadas, but equally delicious! Heat up a thin layer of oil in a skillet, add corn tortillas, top with your favorite fixings, and cook until the tortillas are getting brown spots on the underside. This will give you a semi-crispy Tostada/Taco with that delicious fried corn flavor. This is a great trick to keep in mind, so please try it out! P.S. I will sometimes even use lard or leftover bacon drippings to crisp up the tortillas 🙂

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (6)

Enfrijoladas

You can dredge your corn tortillas in bean puree, fill 'em with cheese and onion, and bake 'em in the oven for a few minutes. Hello Enfrijoladas! This is a simple, hearty way to use up your tortillas -- feel free to get creative with the insides of the Enfrijoladas.

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (7)

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

Chop up your tortillas, give 'em a quick shallow fry, and you've got the key component for Chicken Tortilla Soup and Vegetarian Tortilla Soup. These crispy tortilla strips taste delicious in soup and are surprisingly easy to make.

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (8)

Easy Taco Salad

Crispy tortilla strips also make for delicious Taco Salads! You can fry up some strips, or even crumble up some Tostadas. That delicious crunch will give you a unique Mexican themed salad -- I used ground beef in this version but feel free to make it vegetarian.

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (9)

Quick Poblano Soup with Mini Pico Quesadillas

I love making these crispy, cheesy tortilla dippers for soup 🙂 Simply add fixings to half of the tortilla, fold in half, and cook both sides over medium heat until they are warm and crispy. I will frequently make a bean, cheese and pickled jalapeno version 🙂

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (10)

Entomatadas

You can also drench your corn tortillas in a delicious roasted tomato sauce for a quick batch of Entomatadas. I'm a huge fan of the tomato sauce in this recipe so no skimping on that, but feel free to get creative with the insides of the Entomatadas.

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (11)

Baked Tortilla Chips

Similar to baking your own Tostada shells, you can easily whip up a batch of Baked Tortilla Chips. This technique will always work best with thinner tortillas, and if they are a bit older and have less moisture in them then even better!

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (12)

Migas

Crispy corn tortilla strips are the key to an authentic batch of Migas. Pile those strips into this delicious egg dish along with a freshly made Salsa Verde and you've got the perfect weekend morning recipe 🙂

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (13)

Chilaquiles with Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa

Have you made Chilaquiles before? You can use baked or fried tortilla strips/chips, just be sure to coat them with the Salsa at the very last minute so they don't sog up! I frequently serve 'em up for breakfast, but feel free to turn them into a delicious weeknight dinner 🙂

What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (14)

See, I told you there were LOADS of ways to use your corn tortillas 🙂

You'll get an infinite supply of meals from them -- I hope you found some new ideas in these list. Feel free to get in touch if you have questions about any of these recipes.

Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Tacos

Spicy Beef Taquitos

Enchiladas Suizas

Baked Tostada Shells

Bean Tostadas with Avocado, Queso Fresco, and Homemade Salsa

Black Bean and Guacamole Tostadas

Enfrijoladas

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup

Easy Taco Salad

Quick Poblano Soup with Mini Pico Quesadillas

Entomatadas

Baked Tortilla Chips

Migas

Chilaquiles with Tomatillo Chipotle Salsa

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What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas? 14 Mexican Recipes (15)

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What Else Can I Make with Corn Tortillas?  14 Mexican Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can you do with corn tortillas? ›

35 Unbelievably Delicious Ways to Turn Tortillas into a Meal
  1. 1 / 35. Breakfast Burritos. ...
  2. 2 / 35. Crispy Chicken Taquitos. ...
  3. 3 / 35. Steak Quesadillas. ...
  4. 4 / 35. Instant Pot Beef Birria Tacos. ...
  5. 5 / 35. Huevos Rancheros. ...
  6. 6 / 35. Cheesy Potato Quesadillas with Chipotle Mayo. ...
  7. 7 / 35. Chicken Burritos. ...
  8. 8 / 35. Turkey Pinwheels.
Apr 10, 2024

What do Mexicans use corn tortillas for? ›

Uses. Corn tortillas are the basis of many traditional Mexican dishes, such as tacos, tostadas, enchiladas, flautas, quesadillas, chilaquiles, and tortilla soup.

What dessert can be made from corn tortillas? ›

Corn tortilla dessert
  • Baked Cinnamon Sugar Corn Chips. ...
  • Buñuelos | An Easy & Addictive Mexican Deep-Fried Treat! ...
  • Churro Cheesecake Taquitos Recipe | Cake 'n Knife. ...
  • Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips. ...
  • 25 Amazing Apple Desserts. ...
  • Oven Baked Tortilla Chips. ...
  • Cinnamon Sugar Tortillas. ...
  • Delicious Cheesecake Chimichanga Recipe.

What is a Mexican dish consisting of corn tortillas? ›

chilaquiles, a Mexican dish consisting of strips or pieces of corn tortillas that are fried, then sautéed with green or red salsa, and topped with cheese, crema (a sweet, thin cream sauce), and onion.

Are corn tortillas healthy or unhealthy? ›

Generally speaking, both corn and flour tortillas can be made with minimal fat, so they are both fairly healthy options. However, corn tortillas have the edge when it comes to nutrition since they have the advantage to be made of whole grains.

Can you fry corn tortillas? ›

Stack your corn tortillas and cut them into eight wedges. Begin heating your oil. Check the thermometer for a reading of 350°F, or use a piece of tortilla to check the oil temperature. Fry!

What are some ways Mexicans use tortillas? ›

Tortillas have hundreds of uses in Mexican cuisine. They can be fried to make chips, which you can dip into salsa, guacamole or queso. They can be filled with meats, cheese and veggies to make tacos or stuffed with beans and rice to make a burrito.

What to do with a lot of tortillas? ›

Enjoy as is or with your favourite dips, salsa or guacamole. If you have heaps of tortillas to use up, try this super fun idea. Taking inspiration from lasagne, use tortillas instead of lasagne sheets and layer them with beef mince, Perfect Italiano Mexican Style Cheese, beans, corn and rice for a hearty meal.

Do Mexicans prefer flour or corn tortillas? ›

Corn tortillas are seen as more authentic to Mexican dishes, corn has been a staple ingredient in Mexican cooking for thousands of years. Wheat, on the other hand, has only been around since the Spanish brought the crop with them when they arrived in the Americas.

How to make corn tortillas taste good? ›

Just place them into a hot pan let them sit until warm, flip and heat on the second side. When they are hot they will become pliable and yummy. A freshly made corn tortilla is also cooked in a hot pan. Again, oil is not necessary but you can add a little if you like your tortillas to have some crispiness.

What are the crunchy corn tortillas called? ›

You can get chips and nachos in some taquerias and restaurants, but not many Tex-Mex-inspired foods incorporate hard shells. In Mexico, a fried tortilla is called a tostada. Tostadas are not folded, as the tortilla remains flat when fried.

What are two Mexican dishes made from tortillas? ›

Tortillas are used in an astounding number of Mexican dishes, including tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. A tostada is a corn tortilla that has been fried or toasted. The word tostada means “toasted” in Spanish.

Why do Mexican restaurants give you two tortillas? ›

Mexicans fondly refer to this as 'la copia' (literally: the copy). If you ask around, you'll be given many reasons for this. But a popular explanation is that the second tortilla can be used to make another taco with any fillings that spill out the side.

Which five of these dishes make use of tortillas as a taco essential? ›

Mexican dishes made with tortillas are tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, tostadas, chilaquiles, soup, and so on.

Are corn tortillas better for you than bread? ›

Bread and corn tortillas have a very similar nutrient profile. However, if you are choosing a flour tortilla, to get the most health benefit, be sure to choose one made with whole-wheat flour rather than refined white flour. Flour tortillas do also usually contain a higher fat content, so be wary of that as well.

Can I eat corn tortillas when trying to lose weight? ›

Corn tortillas have all the ingredients for a healthy weight-loss recipe. They are whole-grain, packed with fiber, come portion-sized right out of the package, and pair perfectly with protein and veggies for a balanced meal, like in these Salmon Tacos with Pineapple Salsa or the Best Veggie Enchiladas you'll ever make.

What can you do with store bought tortillas? ›

10 ways with tortillas
  • Tortilla pizzas (pictured) Preheat oven to 200C. ...
  • Baked bean & basil quesadillas. Top a flour tortilla with baked beans, grated cheddar and torn fresh basil leaves. ...
  • Beef & corn burritos. ...
  • Chicken & capsicum pies. ...
  • Spicy breakfast tortilla. ...
  • Tomato soup with croutons. ...
  • Fattoush. ...
  • Rissole wraps.

Can I freeze corn tortillas? ›

Just like flour tortillas, you can freeze corn tortillas. Follow the same steps for freezing corn tortillas. If unopened, place in a freezer-safe bag and add a label and date. For open packages of corn tortillas, layer them with wax paper and place in a freezer-safe bag to freeze.

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