Corn vs. flour tortillas - what's the difference?

Tortillas are the heart of so many classic Mexican dishes: tacos, nachos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, fajitas, we could go on! Without tortillas, it’s not a proper Mexican meal. You’ll find two main types of tortillas, corn and flour. While they look similar, they have a totally different taste and texture, and you can’t always swap one for the other. Here’s the difference between them and when to use them!

Corn tortillas are made of corn flour, so they tend to be yellow in colour while flour tortillas are white. Nowadays you can also find white corn tortillas. Corn tortillas have a more distinct flavour and they have a firmer texture. Flour tortillas in comparison are milder in flavour and are softer. Both make a fantastic base for bold Mexican spices.

 

You’ll find that corn tortillas break more easily than flour ones. Because of this, you’ll usually find them in smaller sizes that are perfect for tacos, taquitos or cutting and frying into corn chips.

 

Flour tortillas are soft and flexible, which means you can find them in all sizes – from small soft taco rounds to large burrito sheets. You can fill them up with plenty of fillings in recipes like burritos and quesadillas and roll them up with ease.

Corn tortillas are considered whole grain, whereas flour tortillas are made from white flour. Corn tortillas have 19.6g of carbs per 100g, compared to flour tortillas at 22.2g.

Corn tortillas are also made from gluten-free ingredients.

It all depends on what you’re making! Corn tortillas are best for smaller dishes such as tacos and taquitos. They’re also the better option for hard tacos, you can make your own by hanging them over an oven rack and baking until crisp. They also make great chips, simply slice into triangle and fry until golden and crunchy. 

 

Flour tortillas are the better choice for burritos and quesadillas, their larger size and flexibility make them a no-brainer. Use the smaller sizes for soft tacos, as a side alongside BBQ meats, fajitas and more.

Now you know the difference, get cooking some delicious Mexican recipes. Feed a crowd with the Family Nachos Tray Bake, or take it low and slow with some Mexican Pulled Pork Tacos. If you’re vegetarian, the Charred Eggplant Tacos are a showstopper!

 

Choose between flour or corn tortillas for these fantastic vegetarian tacos filled with eggplant and avocado crema.

 

 

This Mexican-inspired recipe uses soft flour tortillas instead of pasta to make a fun and easy lasagne.

 

 

Make this warming Mexican soup and finish it off with easy tortilla chips that you can fry at home!