Homemade blue corn tortillas are delicious and so easy to make at home with simply two ingredients. Once you start making tortillas at home you won't want to buy store bought tortillas again. They are perfect for tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas and sopes to name a few dishes. Scroll down to see how easily you can make homemade blue corn tortillas at home.

Why I love making homemade corn tortillas
This year I wanted to make more of an effort to make corn tortillas at home. We eat tacos on a weekly basis so making fresh corn tortillas have elevated our tacos to the next level. I love making white or blue corn tortillas weekly. When I'm running low on time I try to convince myself to use store bought tortillas, but every time I end up whipping a batch of fresh homemade tortillas. If you never made tortillas at home you definitely need to give it a try.
What is the difference between blue corn and white corn tortillas?
Blue corn tortillas are nuttier, sweeter and have an earthy taste. Whereas white corn tortilla have a more neutral corn flavor. Both blue and white corn tortillas are gluten free. Blue corn tortillas tend to be higher in protein and antioxidants. Whereas, white corn lacks some of the anti-oxidants. Regardless of the different taste and nutrients, blue, white, yellow, red corn tortillas are all so delicious and a must try to elevate your meals.
Ingredients and tools you'll need
- Blue corn masa - can be found on Mexican/hispanic grocery stores, Whole Foods or online. I use the Masienda brand.
- warm water - I warm up 1 cup of water for 30 seconds in the microwave and have extra water in case I need more when kneading and rolling the masa.
- kosher salt is completely optional - sometimes I add it and sometimes I leave out.
- tortilla press - If you are making homemade tortillas frequently I would suggest buying a tortillas press. Otherwise, you can you the bottom of a medium pyrex dish, baking dish or a plate to press the tortilla masa balls.
- tortilla warmer - Is good to have to keep the tortillas warm while your cooking the main dish. Otherwise you can use just a kitchen towel to keep warm.
- sandwich or quart size bags work great to line the tortilla press - also produce bags make a great tortilla press liner.

How to make fresh blue corn tortillas
In a large mixing bowl add 1 cup of blue corn masa harina and slowly start adding the warm water (I microwave 1 cup of water for 20-30 seconds). Knead the dough for about 4-5 minutes. The dough should feel like play-dough. If the dough is sticking to your hands, its too wet and you need to sprinkle some more masa. If the dough is too crumbly and dry add a little bit of water at a time.
Start rolling the masa harina into small golf size balls. 1 cup of masa makes about ten 6 inch tortillas. Cover the mixing bowl with rolled masa balls and rest with a damp kitchen towel or damp paper towel and set aside for at least 10 minutes. Heat a griddle, comal or skillet on medium high heat.


Grab a masa rolled ball and place in the middle of the lined tortilla press and slowly press down. If there is some unevenness rotate the tortilla and lightly press down again. Remove from tortilla press and gently remove the plastic wrap and place on the hot griddle. If the tortilla does not easily come off the plastic wrap the dough could be too wet or tortilla is too thin. Try rolling it again and pressing.


Cook each side for 35-45 seconds. After flipping the first time the tortillas will start to puff up. Flip 3-4 times until fully cooked through. Transfer to a tortilla warmer and continue to cook the rest of the tortillas. Tortillas will be a bit stiff off the griddle, but once they've been sitting wrapped with a kitchen towel in the tortilla warmer they will release some steam and this will make them pliable and soft.


Tips and notes
Always keep some warm water when rolling the masa dough balls. To test if your masa dough is too dry press on the rolled dough and if the edges crack then you need to add more water. I like to dip my fingers in warm water and try to moisten the masa ball like that and press down again to check for any cracks. Once the edges are smooth your masa balls are good to press down with tortilla press.


Why are corn tortillas not puffing up? Your dough could be too dry or you might be pressing the tortillas too thin. Make sure your griddle, skillet or comal is hot before placing the tortillas to cook. If tortillas are not puffing up try pressing the edges and the middle of the tortilla with a small spatula or carefully with your hands. I find that this really helps the tortillas puff. If your tortillas don't puff up don't be discourage, this is trial and error and with more practice your tortillas will start puffing. It took me a few time before my tortillas started to puff. Even if the tortillas don't puff up they still taste great.


How to serve homemade tortillas
My favorite way to serve fresh blue corn tortillas is with tacos, like carne asada tacos, shredded beef tacos, and breakfast tacos with fresh guacamole on top served with a delicious salsa like, salsa morita, molcajete salsa, green tomatillo salsa or a classic salsa roja recipe. You can also make quesadillas, sopes, empanadas and enchiladas.
Storing suggestions
Homemade corn tortillas taste best when they are fresh out of the griddle and eaten the same day. However, you can store blue corn tortillas in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer in a zip top freezer bag for up to 3 months. To reheat you can microwave 20 to 30 seconds until warm or heat on stove top on a griddle or skillet. For frozen tortillas, thaw out and reheat.


Blue Corn Tortillas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup Blue Corn Tortilla
- 1 cup warm water (+ more as needed)
- pinch Kosher salt (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl add 1 cup of blue corn masa harina and slowly start adding the warm water. Knead the dough for about 4-5 minutes. The dough should feel like fresh play-dough. If the dough is sticking to your hands, sprinkle some more masa. If the dough is too crumbly add a little bit of water.
- Start rolling the masa harina into small golf size balls. Cover and rest the rolled masa balls with a damp kitchen towel or damp paper towel and set aside for at least 10 minutes. Heat a griddle, comal or skillet on medium high heat.
- Lined the tortilla press using a quart size ziploc bag, a produce bag or parchment paper. Grab a masa dough ball and place on the middle of the lined tortilla press and press slowly down. Remove from tortilla press and gently remove the plastic wrap and place on the hot griddle. If the tortilla does not easily come off the plastic wrap the dough could be too wet or tortilla is too thin. Try rolling it again and pressing.
- Cook each side for 35-40 seconds. After flipping the first time the tortillas will start to puff up. Flip 3 times until fully cooked through. Transfer to a tortilla warmer and continue to cook the rest of the tortillas. Tortillas will be a bit stiff off the griddle, but once they've been sitting wrapped with a kitchen towel in the tortilla warmer they will release some steam and they will become pliable and soft.
Notes
Recipes to try with fresh blue corn tortillas
- Tortitas de camarón with nopales (dried shrimp patties)
- Instant pot shredded beef
- Chicken pozole verde
- Easy shredded chicken recipe

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