In the kitchen
One Tortilla, Three Kinds of Crunch: Chips, Tostadas, and Strips
Cut into chips, crisped whole for tostadas, or sliced into strips, corn tortillas bring a different kind of pleasure to every plate. Here is how to choose the shape and make the most of the crunch.
A tray of tortilla chips comes out of the oven, the edges lightly golden. There is salsa on the counter and a little salt between your fingers. You season the chips, give them a moment, and pick one up. The first bite has that welcome snap, followed by the flavor of toasted corn.
That same tortilla could have stayed whole, ready for a spoonful of warm beans and a bright vegetable slaw. Cut into narrow ribbons, it could finish a bowl of soup with a handful of crisp, golden strips.
Each shape gives the tortilla a different place in the meal. A few choices before cooking help you get the one you are looking forward to eating.
Start with the shape
Think about what you want the tortilla to do. A chip gives you an edge to dip into salsa and a surface for scooping guacamole. A whole tostada holds the layers of a meal. Strips scatter easily over a bowl, bringing a little crunch into each spoonful.
For chips, cut tortillas into wedges. Six wedges from a six-inch tortilla or four from a four-inch tortilla make useful starting shapes. For tostadas, leave the rounds whole: the smaller ones are lovely passed around on a platter, while the larger ones make a familiar base for lunch.
For strips, cut a few tortillas into narrow ribbons of roughly even width. Shorten them if you like, especially for a soup you will eat with a spoon. Similar pieces are easier to cook evenly.
| Form | Prepare the shape | Bring it to the table |
|---|---|---|
| Chips | Cut wedges, then bake or fry until crisp. | With salsa or guacamole, beneath nacho toppings, or ready for chilaquiles. |
| Tostadas | Keep the tortillas whole and cook until crisp and rigid. | With layers of beans, vegetables, cheese, and salsa. |
| Strips | Cut narrow ribbons, then bake or fry until crisp. | Scattered over soup, salads, or bowls of beans. |
Choose the oven or the skillet
There are two familiar routes to that crunch: baking and frying. Choose the rhythm that fits what else is happening in your kitchen.
The oven is handy when you want a tray of chips while you prepare the rest of dinner. Brush the tortillas lightly with oil and arrange the cut pieces in a single layer with room between them. Turn them as they bake so both sides get attention.
For our baked nacho chips, we use a 375°F oven for about 12–15 minutes, turning the chips and rotating the pans halfway through. Start checking smaller chips at 10 minutes and remove the ones that finish early. Look for a crisp finish and lightly golden color.
Frying brings the work to the skillet. Our tostada method starts with a shallow layer of neutral oil at approximately 350°F. Add the tortillas without overlapping and turn them as they cook, until golden and rigid. Whole tostadas take about a minute per side in that recipe; begin checking smaller ones sooner. Drain them on paper towels and season lightly with salt while warm.
Our cooking guide also recommends letting wedges or whole tortillas air-dry briefly before cooking. Give them room in the pan or on the tray, and let their color and texture help tell you when they are ready.
Chips for scooping and sharing
A bowl of warm chips gives everyone something to reach for while dinner comes together. Set out a favorite salsa, mash an avocado with lime and salt, or bring a bowl of warm beans to the table. The corn flavor belongs alongside all of them.
Chips can become the heart of the meal, too. Our Black Bean & Corn Sheet Pan Nachos bring together baked tortilla chips, black beans, corn, roasted red peppers, and melted cheese. Spread the toppings across the tray so the chips at the edges get their share. Drain the beans and peppers well before adding them.
If you would like the cutting already done, our Original Uncooked Tortilla Chips are pieces of our six-inch Original tortillas, ready for you to fry or bake. Cook them until crisp, season them to taste, and bring out whatever you have been wanting to dip into.
Tostadas make a meal of the whole tortilla
Keeping the tortilla whole gives you a base with room for several good things in the same bite. Cook it into a crisp, rigid round, set it on a plate, and begin with something spreadable: warm mashed beans are a particularly good place to start.
Our Brussels Sprout Tostada layers cumin-scented black beans with finely shaved sprout slaw, cheddar, and a bright finish of lime. The beans bring warmth and creaminess, the slaw brings freshness, and the corn tortilla gives the whole combination its crunch.
Have those toppings ready before you begin assembling. Lift the slaw from its bowl so excess dressing stays behind, spread the beans over the tostada, and finish with the vegetables and cheese. Carry the plates to the table while the contrast is at its best. It is a generous lunch made from a few familiar ingredients, each doing something useful.
Strips finish the bowl
Sometimes dinner needs one more texture. A pot of soup may already have everything you want in it: tender vegetables, a good broth, perhaps beans or shredded chicken. A handful of tortilla strips adds a crisp bite and the taste of corn right at the surface.
Cut the ribbons fairly evenly, then bake or fry them with enough room to cook. Have them ready in a bowl beside the stove and scatter them over the soup as you serve. In Pati Jinich's tortilla soup, fried or baked tortilla crisps join garnishes such as avocado, cheese, and cream, giving each bowl several textures to enjoy.
The same idea works with a salad of greens, beans, and avocado, or a bowl of warm black beans with salsa and cheese. Add the strips at the end, where their crunch can be part of the first bite.
Keep the crunch you want
Much of the pleasure comes from bringing the components together at the right moment. You can grate cheese, make slaw, warm beans, or ladle soup while the tortillas cook. Then the crisp pieces are ready to meet the rest of the food.
For nachos, keep the toppings well drained and the layers easy to share. For tostadas, assemble when the plates are about to go out. For soup, let the strips be the finishing handful. Each small habit helps the tortilla arrive with the texture you have in mind.
There is another good destination for a batch of chips: chilaquiles. Here, crisp tortilla pieces go into warm salsa and begin to soften. A short time in the sauce leaves more texture; a longer simmer gives a softer bite. Add an egg, crumbled cheese, and a little sliced jalapeño, and that change becomes part of the pleasure of breakfast.
A package of corn tortillas leaves you plenty to look forward to. Tonight it might be a tray of nachos carried to the middle of the table. Tomorrow, perhaps a few golden ribbons over the soup warming on the stove. Choose the shape that suits the meal, give it a little attention as it cooks, and enjoy the corn in another form.