Masa harina is a specialty corn flour used as a staple ingredient in many traditional Hispanic foods like corn tortillas, tamales, and empanadas. Unlike other types of flour made directly from dried grains, masa harina is the dried form of fresh masa dough, and its name means "dough flour" in Spanish. We explain masa harina's intricacies, applications, and how to make fresh masa products so you can offer authentic Hispanic flavors.
Shop All Masa FlourWhat Is Masa?
A labor of love that requires many steps, masa dough is made from ground corn softened by soaking in an alkaline solution, typically lime water. After the corn is soaked and cooked, the freshly made masa dough is dried and ground into a fine powder known as instant flour or masa harina. This instant flour can be easily reconstituted back into dough by adding water. It's a convenient and versatile ingredient for everything from arepas to champurrado recipes, aka masa harina thickened and richly spiced Mexican hot chocolate.
Is Masa Harina Gluten Free?
The good news for individuals with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease is that masa harina is naturally gluten-free. Masa harina is made from corn that has been treated with an alkaline solution, which is known as nixtamalization. This process and its ingredients do not use or contain gluten, typically making masa harina a safe gluten-free flour alternative for those with gluten allergies and sensitivities. However, cross-contamination can still occur during production, so it is essential to look for certified gluten-free masa harina before advertising your masa harina recipes as gluten-free.
Fresh Masa vs Instant Masa
Fresh masa is a type of dough made from freshly ground corn, and instant masa dough is made by adding water to masa harina flour. Few commercial chefs have time to go through all the steps required to make fresh masa dough, so purchasing masa harina flour saves time and allows anyone to make fresh corn tortillas. However, if your claim to fame is traditional corn tortillas, consider making fresh masa dough for the most authentic Mexican-inspired dishes. It’s a long process but yields delicious results.
Cornmeal vs Masa
Cornmeal and corn flour are made from ground corn, and masa harina is made from nixtamalized ground corn. The nixtamalization process gives masa harina a savory flavor not found in cornmeal. You can use cornmeal to make cornbread or pancakes, but stick with masa harina to make tortillas and tamales, otherwise, they won't have the signature toasted corn flavor you expect.
What Is Nixtamalization?
Nixtamalization, pronounced nix-tuh-mal-uh-zay-shun, is an ancient process used to treat field corn kernels with an alkaline solution to give them a distinctive flavor and make them easier to digest. This method is the key to making masa dough, masa harina flour, and another corn product called hominy. Corn kernels treated through nixtamalization are called nixtamal, pronounced nix-tuh-mal.
How to Make Nixtamal
To make nixtamal, begin with a batch of dried field corn kernels. Field corn is different from the sweet corn you commonly find in grocery stores. The kernels of field corn are larger and more fibrous than sweet corn. They must go through nixtamalization before they're eaten or turned into masa. Look for the field corn variety called dent corn, which you can buy in bulk from grain distributors.
The second key ingredient of nixtamal is a compound called calcium hydroxide, also known as pickling lime, slaked lime, or cal lime. The lime in this instance doesn’t refer to the citrus fruit, but to the mineral, limestone. Calcium hydroxide is added to water to make an alkaline solution used in food processing. You can find food-grade calcium hydroxide or pickling lime at specialty stores.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried field corn kernels
- 1 tablespoon calcium hydroxide
- 6 cups water, plus extra as needed
Directions
- Rinse corn kernels to remove dirt or particles.
- Add kernels to large pot.
- Add water.
- Add calcium hydroxide and stir.
- Corn kernels will brighten in color as you stir. Heat pot over high heat and bring to boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer corn for about 40 minutes, checking kernels periodically.
- Kernels are ready when kernel skins start to separate and corn is tender enough to bite, but its core is still firm.
- Remove pot from heat and let corn soak for 8 to 10 hours.
- Using clean hands, reach into pot and rub kernels to remove leftover skins.
- Drain corn well and rinse with running water, removing missed skins.
Nixtamal Storage Note: Nixtamal can be stored in the refrigerator for three days or frozen for up to three months.
Masa Dough Recipe
Once you've made nixtamal corn, you're one step closer to making masa dough for delicious, authentic corn tortillas. You'll need a high-powered food processor that can run continuously for several minutes to grind the nixtamal. You can use the wet dough immediately, freeze it for up to three months, or dry it to make masa harina. Follow these steps to make masa dough:
Ingredients
- 2 cups nixtamal corn
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Add nixtamal to food processor.
- Add water and salt.
- Process corn. Stop to wipe down sides as needed.
- If mixture gets too dry, add teaspoons of water in increments.
- Process corn for 5 to 10 minutes until finely ground (stop here if making masa harina).
- Dough should begin to form from ground corn.
- Knead dough for several minutes until smooth and shape into ball.
How to Make Masa Harina
If you want to make your masa harina flour to keep on hand, follow the same steps above but stop before kneading the dough. Instead, once the corn is finely ground, you’ll need to dry it using a dehydrator. By converting your masa dough into masa harina you will have this specialty corn flour on-hand without going through the nixtamalization process or grinding corn. It's not only a big time-saver, but homemade masa harina is also considered more flavorful than store-bought masa harina flour.
Directions
- Spread out ground corn onto dehydrator tray.
- Use dehydrator sheet to keep mixture from falling through tray.
- Set temperature to 100 degrees and dry for about 6 hours.
- Place dried masa in high-powered blender or food processor one last time.
- Process until fine and smooth, working in batches if necessary.
- Store in airtight container for up to 6 months.
Corn Tortilla Recipe
You can make corn tortillas with fresh masa dough, homemade masa harina, or store-bought masa harina. If you’re working with fresh dough, it may be a little wet and hard to shape. Let it sit out to dry, or add masa harina flour to the dough one teaspoon at a time until it becomes dry enough to handle. Skip to step eight if you have already made your dough.
What Special Equipment Do I Need?
- Tortilla Press: Using a tortilla press speeds up the process and ensures a consistent product.
- Tortilla Grill: Tortilla grills can accommodate multiple tortillas at once and offer even heat distribution.
- Tortilla Server: Keep fresh tortillas warm with tortilla servers.
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina or 1.5 lb. masa dough
- 1 1/2 cup hot water (if using masa harina flour)
Directions
- If using masa harina flour, mix the flour and hot water in large bowl.
- Knead the mixture for 3 to 5 minutes or until dough forms.
- You may need to add more water or flour to reach the right consistency.
- If dough is too sticky, add more flour.
- If dough is too dry, add a tablespoon of water.
- When the dough has the consistency of smooth playdough, form it into ball and wrap with plastic wrap.
- Let sit for 1 hour.
- Heat cast iron pan or tortilla grill to high heat.
- Divide masa dough into 16 to 18 pieces (about 1.5 ounces each).
- Roll each piece into golf-sized ball.
- Use a tortilla press to flatten one ball into 5-inch across circle.
- Cook each side 30 seconds or until it becomes toasted and air pockets begin to form.
- Continue this process, flattening each tortilla and adding to pan.
- Serve corn tortillas immediately or keep warm in tortilla server.
If time allows, making masa harina flour or masa dough from scratch is extremely rewarding. Try using your new corn tortillas in our recipe for grilled tuna tacos, and you'll find that fresh tortillas have a toasty aroma and savory flavor that vastly overshadows pre-made tortillas.
