Mexican · Main · Medium
Gorditas
Thick griddled corn cakes split and stuffed with savory fillings. Little fat ones with big flavor, straight from the comal.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Gorditas, in 5 ideas
- Gordita means little fat one, a term of endearment for these chubby cakes
- The steam rest after griddling is what makes them puff and stay tender
- Masa dough should feel like soft play dough, not sticky or crumbly
- Any taco filling works; beans and cheese is the classic budget option
- A cast iron skillet is the perfect home substitute for a comal
What you need
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1.5 cups warm water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp lard or oil
- 2 cups filling (carnitas, beans, or chicharron)
- Shredded lettuce, crema, and salsa, for serving
How to make it
Directions
- Mix masa harina, water, salt, baking powder, and lard into a soft dough. Rest 10 minutes.
- Form into 8 thick discs, about 4 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.
- Cook on a hot dry comal or skillet 4 minutes per side until speckled.
- Cover with a towel for 5 minutes to steam and soften.
- Split each gordita partway with a knife to form a pocket.
- Stuff with filling and top with lettuce, crema, and salsa.
Money saver. Masa harina is cheap and lasts forever in the pantry; one bag makes dozens of gorditas, sopes, and tortillas.