Careful to not microwave for more than 30 seconds as the tortilla can harden. Now that you’ve heated your tortillas, keep them warm before serving. We recommend wrapping them in a damp tea towel and setting it on a large plate until it’s time to eat.
Method #2: Gas Burner
This method is also good when you require one or two tortillas. Skip the skillet and get out your tongs. Turn the flame to medium-low/medium (you dont want flames leaping above the stove element unless you want a ton of char).
Using your tongs, flip the tortilla over the open flame until its as warm as you would like it. I personally love this method as the tortillas gain a lot of flavor, but it does take practice.
Famed chef Rick Bayless notes that Methods #1 and #2 are best on tortillas when theyre fresh, since older tortillas tend to get a little stiffer and more dried-out.
If you need tortillas for a large amount of people, the oven is the way to go. Preheat the oven to 350°F and assemble stacks of five or six tortillas. Wrap each stack in aluminum foil and place them on the center rack of your oven.
Heat for eight to ten minutes. You wont get a lot of color on these tortillas, but they will be lovely and warm.
This is definitely the easiest and quickest way to heat up tortillas for two or three people, but I do think using the microwave tends to heat them unevenly, leaving some parts of the tortilla crisp and other parts floppy or soggy.
To mitigate this, I recommend using Rick Bayless method: lightly dampen a kitchen dishtowel by sprinkling it with a few tablespoons of water and wringing it out. Next, line a large microwave-safe dish with the towel and lay several tortillas flat on the surface. Cover it with the rest of the towel and then a lid or another plate if possible.
Depending on your microwave, you can follow Bayless instructions and microwave the tortillas at half-power for a couple of minutes, or you can heat them for thirty-second increments, checking on the progress of the tortillas in between rounds.
Alternately, you can wrap a stack of tortillas (no more than five, depending on the strength of your microwave) and wrap them in a damp dish towel or paper towel. Microwave them in thirty-second bursts, checking to see which tortillas are warm and moving the center tortillas to the top and bottom as needed.
Yes, Yes, and Yes Again.
A warm corn tortilla releases all kinds of complex flavors, from savory to earthy. Harold McGee describes the taste of corn tortillas as being “… both meaty and flowery,” and combining the sweetness of corn kernels with the earthy alkaline mineral taste of lime.
Plus, on a practical note, Eating Well points out that a heated tortilla is flexible and much less likely to crack in two when youre assembling tacos or burritos or biting into one.
So the next time youre about to throw together some leftovers and salsa into a corn tortilla, take a few moments and heat it up. That once-pedestrian meal will taste so much better once you get a little char on your tortilla.
How To Warm Corn Tortillas – in the microwave and in a pan
FAQ
Is it safe to microwave tortillas?
Should tortillas be warmed?
Do tortillas go bad in the heat?
Can you put tortillas in the microwave?
Don’t just stack your tortillas on a plate and throw them in the microwave. They will likely dry out, and no one likes dry tortillas. Instead, spritz a paper towel with a little water and loosely place the damp paper towel on top of the plate of tortillas.
What are the dangers of eating microwaved food?
With regard to the nutritional quality of food, it is important to note that any heating method can lead to the loss of heat-sensitive nutrients. This includes heating in the microwave, conventional oven or any other method. Apart from that, there is no scientific evidence to prove any other harm to health caused by the use of microwaves.
Can You reheat tortilla filling in the microwave?
Essentially this hack lets you reheat your filling without splattering it all over the company microwave and warm your tortillas at the same time. The steam the paper towel collects from the filling in the microwave-safe bowl and warms the tortillas while the heat from the microwave does its job.
Why are my tortillas cracking?
Dry dough: If your dough is too dry, it may lead to cracking. Make sure you have enough liquid in your tortilla recipe, and brush your rolling surface with water or oil to prevent them from drying out while preparing. Overcooking: Cooking tortillas for too long can make them too crispy and prone to cracking.