How To Make Gorditas

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Made with masa dough and filled with your favorite fillings. Great to serve for lunch or dinner. Gordita means chubby in Spanish and when you see the result you understand why because it is filled to the rim. They are also vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free. So, are you ready to learn how to make gorditas? Let’s get started!

What You Need For This Recipe

To make Gorditas you only need 3 ingredients. Have the following when you start with this recipe:

• Flour – you need Masa harina, nixtamalized cornflour
• Water – to combine the dough
• Salt – to give the Gordita flavor

Note that the full ingredients list, including measurements, can be found in the recipe card below.

How To Make Gorditas

1. To make this recipe take a big bow and add the masa harina and salt. Stir to combine before you add the water and mix it in a dough.
2. Gradually add the water so you can determine if more water is needed. Masa harina dough doesn’t need to rest so divide the dough into 8 equal parts and roll it into a ball the size of a golf ball.
3. Heat a comal, skillet, or griddle like this amazing Uno Casa cast-iron griddle until medium-hot. Take a tortilla press or put the dough ball between two pieces of parchment paper to flatten it.
4. Do not press down too much because then it will become a tortilla instead of a gordita. Keep them twice as thick as a regular tortilla.
5. Now put the flattened dough and put it on the hot skillet. Let it cook for half a minute before you flip it to cook the other side for another half minute.
6. Flip again and let it cook for about 1 minute or until you get nice brown patches. You will see the thick tortillas puff up in the middle like a pocket. Press it down with a spatula and let it rise again.
7. Turn again and cook the other side. Take it out of the skillet and it in a tortilla warmer or cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Repeat for the remaining 7 gorditas.
8. When you can hold the gordita take a knife so you can cut a slit in the edge of the gordita like pita bread.
9. Fill it with your favorite filling.

Filling Options For Your Gorditas

You open the pocket using a knife so you can stuff it with a lot of delicious stuffing like:

• Pulled chicken bean stew filling
• Chicken carnitas
• Pork carnitas
• Guacamole
• Beef barbacoa
• Cheese

What Are Gorditas?

There are two types of gorditas fried or baked corn cake made with masa haring flour which is nixtamalized corn flour. The fried version is fried in oil a wok type of comal so it can turn crispy.

You do not fill it up completely with oil just enough so it will the gordita. The baked version is usually prepared as a thick tortilla that puffs up during baking and has a pocket-like pita bread that you can fill with tasty fillings.

It is made in a regular comal or skillet without any oil at all.

Gorditas can also be made with wheat flour and are commonly found in the Northern part of Mexico. Traditionally, gorditas are filled with chicharron, a spiced stew of pork belly, or pork rind.

But you can also fill them with beef, chicken, or vegetables. We are making gorditas with masa harina flour and baking them in a skillet.

The corn tortillas must puff up during the baking process and get a pocket.

How To Store Gorditas

You have several options to store these corn cakes and keep them tasty. Store them:

• Room temperature – when you store them at room temperature put them in a ziplock bag
• Refrigerator – you can also store them in the fridge. Just like at room temperature store them in a ziplock bag or wrap them in cling film
• Freezer – if you want to preserve them longer you can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Put them in a plastic ziplock bag, cling film or foil

How To Reheat Your Gorditas

These corn cakes taste best when you make them fresh. But if you store them, you can reheat them in several ways:

• Comal or skillet – just like when you baked them heat your skillet and put one gordita in one at a time. Heat for 15 to 30 seconds, flip and warm the other side
• Oven – you can also warm them in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350℉/175℃ and wrap the gorditas in foil. Warm for 5-7 minutes
• Microwave – not recommended only use if you have no other options. Put the gorditas on a plate. Cover with a moist paper towel and warm in a burst of 15-30 seconds until warm

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How To Make Gorditas

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Similar to corn tortillas these gorditas are thicker and have a pocket like pita bread so you can stuff it with all your favorite fillings.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup Masa Harina
• ¾ cup water, more if needed
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Mix together masa harina, and salt. Stir before you add water and knead into a dough
2. Cut into 8 equal parts and roll into golfballs
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat
4. Lightly flatten a masa ball using a tortilla press until it is twice as thick as a tortilla 
5. Put the gordita in the skillet and let it cook for about half a minute. Flip it over and let that side cook for another 30 seconds 
6. Flip it over again and cook for about 1 minute, until it has beautiful brown spots
7. You should see the gordita puff a bit in the middle, or the side. Press down slightly and turn to bake the other side. 
8. Take it out of the skillet and cover it with a kitchen towel
9. When you can hold a gordita take a butter knife and cut a slit into one side. The gordita should have a pocket like a pita bread
10. Fill gorditas with desired fillings and serve

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 52Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 134mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g

Please note: Nutrition information is added for informational purposes only. It is possible it isn’t completely accurate.