If you're looking for a delicious and healthy snack, look no further than homemade baked tortilla strips! These crispy strips are easy to make, and can be enjoyed on their own or as part of a dish.
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When you're cooking for just one or two, you end up with a lot of leftovers. But there are countless ways to repurpose your extras.
One of our favorite ways to use up pre-made tortillas is to bake them. You can cut them into triangles for chips. However, we prefer turning them into homemade crispy tortilla strips.
Although many people fry them in vegetable oil or canola oil, we like bake ours on a baking sheet. It's much healthier than frying.
They are great for snacking as well as topping off salads and soups. Plus, they are super easy to make So what are you waiting for?
Ingredients
Not sure how to make tortilla strips? All you need is a few ingredients to make delicious batch in your oven.
Here's what you'll need for the recipe:
- Pre-made tortillas
- Olive oil
- Salt
Scroll down to the recipe card for exact quantities.
Instructions
To start, preheat oven to 400°F. Then, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Oil and salt
Brush your tortilla(s) with olive oil.
Sprinkle salt over the oil.
Cut into strips
The next step for making homemade baked tortilla strips is to cut the tortillas into strips. The easiest way to do this is to stack the tortillas on top of each other. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut them into thin strips.
The strips should be about ½-inch (1 cm) wide, and 2 inches (5 cm) long. Thinner pieces will crisp up faster.
Cut the tortilla into strips about ¼ to ½ inch wide.
Cut each long strip into pieces about 2 to 3 inches long.
Bake
The final step is to bake the strips until they are golden brown.
Spread the strips out on a lightly greased baking sheet, and bake for 8 minutes.
Remove the tortilla strips from the oven, and let them cool on a wire rack.
Seasoning
After you have baked the tortilla strips, you can add any additional seasoning that you like. You can try different combinations of spices to find the perfect flavor for your dish.
Some people like to add a little bit of salt, while others prefer to add a variety of different spices. Experiment until you find the perfect flavor for your homemade baked tortilla strips.
Variations
There are many ways to change up a basic baked tortilla strips recipe. Here are a few variations to try:
1. For a spicy twist, add some chili powder or cayenne pepper to the tortillas before baking.
2. For a cheesy flavor, sprinkle some shredded cheese on the tortillas before baking.
3. For a sweeter taste, brush the tortillas with honey or agave nectar before baking.
You can also make them in the traditional triangle shape and use them for recipes like air fryer nachos.
Tips
If you are just learning how to make tortilla strips, follow these tips for the best results.
- Start with good quality tortillas. Look for tortillas made with stone-ground corn flour for the best flavor and texture.
- Cut the tortillas into strips that are about ½-inch wide. If they're too thick, they'll be chewy; too thin, and they'll be crispy.
- Put the strips on a lined baking sheet. You can use either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Provide space when baking. Make the pieces aren't touching each other so they can crisp up evenly in the oven.
- Brush the strips lightly with olive oil or vegetable oil. This will help them get crispy in the oven.
- Sprinkle the strips with salt or your favorite seasoning blend.
- Bake until golden brown and crisp around the edges. You want them to be nice and crispy.
Serving suggestions
Tortilla strips are perfect for dipping or topping off your favorite dishes.
Serve them with grilled chicken or fish as a main course. You can top a salad or brisket chili with them for extra crunch too. Or, dip the strips in guacamole, restaurant style salsa, or queso for the perfect appetizer or snack. They are also great on a charcuterie board with crackers and raspberry chutney.
Add them to soup or chili for extra flavor and texture, or enjoy them alone. They also can be served with a zaalouk dip or used as a crunchy topping for a cheesy tater tot casserole.
Storage
The key to keeping your homemade tortilla strips chips fresh is to store them in an airtight container. A zip-top bag will do the trick if you don't have a container specifically designed for storing food. Just make sure to squeeze all of the air out of the bag before sealing it.
Another important tip is to make sure that the container you use is stored in a cool, dry place. Heat and humidity can cause the tortilla strips to become stale quickly, so it's best to avoid storing them in places like the pantry or kitchen counter.
You can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
FAQ
The size of tortillas you use for homemade tortilla strips depends on how thin or thick you want the strips to be. If you want thin strips, use smaller tortillas. If you want thicker strips, use larger tortillas.
The size of tortilla strips will vary depending on the size of the tortillas they are made from. However, most tortilla strips are between ¼ and ½ inches wide, and between 2 and 3 inches long.
It depends on personal preferences. Some people prefer baked tortilla strips because they are healthier and have a crispy texture. Others prefer fried tortilla strips because they are more flavorful and have a crispier texture.
Related Recipes
Looking for more quick and easy recipes for one or two? These are our favorite snacks that whip up super fast.
- Single serve chocolate chip cookie is a healthy alternative that's vegan-friendly and gluten-free.
- Hot chocolate packet mug cake takes only a couple minutes to prepare.
- Pineapple banana smoothie is a refreshing ice cold drink to enjoy any time.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to see more recipes.
Recipe
Baked Tortilla Strips
Ingredients
- 1 6- inch corn tortilla
- ½ tablespoon Olive oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- On a cutting board, brush both sides of the tortilla with the olive oil then season lightly with salt.
- Cut the tortilla in half then slice each half into thin short strips about ¼-inch thick.
- Place the cut strips onto a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake until strips are lightly browned and crisp, tossing about halfway through baking time, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- If desired, sprinkle on additional salt and lit the strips cool.
Angela
I had never made homemade tortilla strips, they are super delicious and really easy. I served them with guacamole and cheese sauce, delicious! Recipe saved!
Sherrie
Love, love, love making tortilla chips at home! This will be on our regular rotation, for sure!
Ksenia
These were so crispy and crunchy and delish! A pleasure and much healthier than buying tortilla chips
Sherry
I made your tortilla strips to go on my meat and cheese charcuterie board for the holiday. Such an easy and delicious recipe!
Jenn
These are so good! I added a pinch of taco seasoning to mine and they tasted just like fancy chips!
Jennifer
Loved these! I put them on salads and on chicken tortilla soup! Yum!
Donna
Oh I miss these from Mexican restaurants in the States, no idea why it never occurred to me to make my own at home?!? So good!
Dave
This is not a recipe. This is a procedure. It would be a recipe if it contained ingredients like corn flour, salt, etc.
Lisa MarcAurele
It's written as a recipe to make the process easily printable.