Last Updated on December 5, 2022 by
Today, we’re going to be answering the question: are corn or flour tortillas more authentic? When it comes to Mexican cuisine, tortillas are a staple. They are used in many of their most popular dishes, including tacos, burritos, enchiladas, fajitas, tortilla soup and so many more. But when it comes to Mexican food, are corn or flour tortillas more authentic? Let’s take a closer look at the two, and their differences.
Table of Contents
What Are Corn Tortillas?
Corn tortillas are a type of thin flatbread. It’s an unleavened type of bread and is most commonly made from masa harina (corn). The corn kernels are treated with an alkali to make the food product even more nutritious. This is called nixtamalization. Corn tortillas are more popular in places like South America and Spain.
What Are Flour Tortillas?
Flour tortillas are another type of thin flatbread. Again, it’s an unleavened type of bread, but instead, they are made using wheat flour. Wheat flour tortillas are more popular in places like Europe and the United States.
Ingredients In Corn Tortillas
Tortillas typically don’t contain many ingredients at all. If you’re wondering which ingredients are in corn tortillas, they usually contain:
- masa harina
- water
- salt
Ingredients In Flour Tortillas
Flour tortillas also don’t usually contain many ingredients. If you’re curious as to the ingredients in flour tortillas, they usually contain:
- plain flour
- salt
- water
Nutritional Information Of Corn Tortillas
You may be wondering what the nutritional value is when it comes to corn tortillas. Each 6″ corn tortilla contains the following:
- Calories: 52
- Fat: 0.7g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1g
- Sodium: 10.8mg
- Potassium: 45mg
- Carbohydrate: 11g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 0.2g
- Protein: 1.4g
Nutritional Information Of Flour Tortillas
You may be wondering what the nutritional value is when it comes to flour tortillas. Each 6″ flour tortilla contains the following:
- Calories: 90
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Sodium: 206mg
- Potassium: 46mg
- Carbohydrate: 15g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.7g
- Sugar: 1.3g
- Protein: 2.4g
Guerrero 6 Inch White Corn Tortillas, 80 ct, 4.58 lb
Are Corn Or Flour Tortillas More Authentic?
When it comes to making authentic Mexican food, corn tortillas are seen as the most traditional. This is because corn has been a staple in Mexican dishes for many years. However, wheat is a more recent crop in North and South America, but has also become a staple.
If you’re visiting South America, you’ll likely find that they’re using corn tortillas for many of their dishes. However, in the US, they’ll likely be using flour tortillas; particularly in Tex-Mex cuisine.
Are Authentic Tacos Made With Flour Or Corn Tortillas?
Tacos are most commonly made using corn tortillas. This is the most authentic way of making them. Corn tortillas are often smaller and more pliable, so work perfectly when it comes to holding the fillings of a taco. You’ll notice the difference between the two because flour tortillas are white and usually bigger, whereas corn tortillas are often smaller and more yellow in color.
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Does Authentic Mexican Food Use Flour Tortillas?
When it comes to Mexican food, flour tortillas are not usually used. This is because corn has been a staple in Mexican cuisine for thousands of years. However, I’ve found that flour tortillas work really well for Mexican dishes such as burritos and fajitas. But if you’re looking to be traditional, corn tortillas are the way to go.
Do Mexicans Prefer Flour Or Corn?
Mexicans most definitely prefer corn. While it may not be the taste they prefer, it’s simply because corn has been a staple in Mexican cuisine for a very long time.
Are Corn Tortillas The Original?
Yes. Corn tortillas are what were originally used in Mexican cuisine, and is still mostly used in Mexican dishes to this day.
Corn Tortilla Recipe
If you’re looking to make an authentic corn tortilla, then look no further! This recipe is inspired by one from Gimme Some Oven. Let’s take a closer look.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of masa harina
- 1 to 2 cups of hot water
- 1 teaspoon of sea salt
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Recipe
Step 1: Make The Dough
Add the salt and masa harina to a bowl and mix well. Slowly add around 1 1/2 cups of water and mix until a dough starts to take shape. Now begin to knead the dough for several minutes until a ball forms. It should feel firm and quite springy. If this is not the case, you may need to add more flour, or hot water (depending if too wet or too dry). Once ready, cover with a damp towel and leave to rest for around 10 minutes.
Step 2: Make The Tortillas – Are Corn Or Flour Tortillas More Authentic
Use around two tablespoons of dough for each tortilla. Portion the dough until you have used it all, and have several round balls of dough. Using a tortilla press, put one dough ball at a time into the press and make the tortillas. Repeat until you have used all the dough.
Step 3: Cook The Tortillas
Heat a non stick pan. Once hot, add one tortilla at a time and cook for around 45-60 seconds on each side. Once brown spots appear, your tortilla is done. Remove from heat and repeat until you have cooked all of the tortillas.
Step 4: Serve
Once all the tortillas are cooked, you can serve them any way you like! Whether you’re using them for tacos, enchiladas, burritos, fajitas, or even tortilla chips – you can now enjoy them however you want.
Conclusion – Are Corn Or Flour Tortillas More Authentic
I hope this post has helped to answer the question: are corn or flour tortillas more authentic? While corn tortillas are seen as the more traditional option when it comes to Mexican food, you can use whichever tortillas you like when cooking Mexican dishes.
Do you have any tips or tricks when it comes to working with tortillas? Or making your own tortillas? If so, please feel free to let me know in the comments below. Sharing is caring!
Casia is a passionate home cook who loves to share her love of Mexican food with the world. She has been cooking since she was a child, helping her grandmother in the kitchen and learning the traditional techniques used to create delicious Mexican dishes. Casia loves to experiment with new ingredients and flavors, always looking for ways to make her dishes even more flavorful. She is also passionate about teaching others about Mexican cuisine and its rich history. When she is not in the kitchen, Casia enjoys exploring new cultures, traveling, and spending time with her family.