Crispy, golden taco shells made from scratch using masa harina, pressed into tortillas and deep-fried to a rigid, crunchy finish. A classic Mexican staple ready to fill with your favourite toppings.
240g
1tsp
300ml
1l| # | Product | Quantity | Notes | State | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 240g | — | — | |
| 2 | | 1tsp | — | — | |
| 3 | | 300ml | — | — | |
| 4 | | 1l | — | — |
Tip the masa harina into the large bowl.
Masa harina · 240 g
Add the salt to the masa.
Salt · 1 tspPour the warm water over the masa.
Warm water · 300 mlMix with the spoon and then your hand until the water is absorbed and the dough is soft and holds together like play dough.
Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.
Roll each piece between your palms into a smooth ball.
Set each ball between two sheets of cling film in the tortilla press and press it into a thin round.
Set the non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat until it is hot.
Peel the cling film off a tortilla and lay it in the hot pan, cooking one or two at a time.
Cook until the edges start to dry and the underside shows a few pale brown spots.
Flip each tortilla with the spatula and cook the second side until just set but still pliable.
Lift the tortillas out onto the counter and repeat with the rest.
Pour the oil into the deep saucepan. It should come no more than halfway up the sides.
Vegetable oil · 1 l
Heat the oil to 180°C, when a scrap of dough sizzles at once.
Fold a par-cooked 15 cm tortilla into the taco basket so it holds a shell shape.
Fry for about 2½ minutes until the shell is golden and crisp; fry the remaining shells the same way, one at a time.
Lift the basket out of the oil and let it drip for a moment.
Tip the shell out onto the wire rack with the tongs.
Leave the shells on the rack until cool and fully crisp.
| # | Product | Tool | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 240 g | | Tip the masa harina into the large bowl.⏱ 10sResultMasa harina |
| 2 | 1 tsp | | Add the salt to the masa.⏱ 5sResultMasa harina and salt |
| 3 | 300 ml | | Pour the warm water over the masa.⏱ 10sResultMasa harina and salt and warm water |
| 4 | — | | Mix with the spoon and then your hand until the water is absorbed and the dough is soft and holds together like play dough.⏱ 2 minResultMasa dough |
| 5 | Masa doughstep 4 | | Turn the dough out onto the counter.⏱ 15sResultMasa dough |
| 6 | — | | Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. → Into 8 equal portions⏱ 1 minResultMasa dough portions |
| 7 | — | | Roll each piece between your palms into a smooth ball.⏱ 1 minResultMasa dough balls |
| 8 | — | | Set each ball between two sheets of cling film in the tortilla press and press it into a thin round.⏱ 2 minResultPressed tortillasused in step 10 |
| 9 | — | | Set the non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat until it is hot.⏱ 2 min |
| 10 | Pressed tortillasstep 8 | | Peel the cling film off a tortilla and lay it in the hot pan, cooking one or two at a time.⏱ 15sResultPressed tortillas |
| 11 | — | | Cook until the edges start to dry and the underside shows a few pale brown spots.⏱ 52sResultHalf-cooked tortillas |
| 12 | — | | Flip each tortilla with the spatula and cook the second side until just set but still pliable.⏱ 52sResultPar-cooked tortillas |
| 13 | Par-cooked tortillasstep 12 | | Lift the tortillas out onto the counter and repeat with the rest.⏱ 15sResultPar-cooked tortillasused in step 16 |
| 14 | 1 l | | Pour the oil into the deep saucepan. It should come no more than halfway up the sides.⏱ 15sResultVegetable oil |
| 15 | — | | Heat the oil to 180°C, when a scrap of dough sizzles at once.⏱ 5 minResultHot frying oilused in step 17 |
| 16 | Par-cooked tortillasstep 13 | | Fold a par-cooked 15 cm tortilla into the taco basket so it holds a shell shape.⏱ 30sResultFolded tortillas |
| 17 | Hot frying oilstep 15 | | Lower the basket into the hot oil.⏱ 5sResultFolded tortillas |
| 18 | — | | Fry for about 2½ minutes until the shell is golden and crisp; fry the remaining shells the same way, one at a time.⏱ 20 minResultFried taco shells |
| 19 | — | | Lift the basket out of the oil and let it drip for a moment.⏱ 5sResultFried taco shells |
| 20 | Fried taco shellsstep 19 | | Tip the shell out onto the wire rack with the tongs.⏱ 15sResultFried taco shells |
| 21 | — | | Leave the shells on the rack until cool and fully crisp.⏱ 5 minResultCooled taco shells |
| 22 | Cooled taco shellsstep 21 |  | Stack the shells on the plate.⏱ 15sResultCooled taco shells |
| Total Time | 46 min | ||
Not served on its own — it goes into or alongside other dishes. Keep it until it is needed.
| Nutrient | Per 100g |
|---|---|
| 265kcal | |
| 3g | |
| 16g | |
| 2g | |
| 29g | |
| 0.1g | |
| 2g | |
| 366mg |
Crispy, golden taco shells made from scratch using masa harina, pressed into tortillas and deep-fried to a rigid, crunchy finish. A classic Mexican staple ready to fill with your favourite toppings.
What you’ll doYou will mix masa dough, divide it into eight portions, and roll each into a ball. Press each ball flat between cling film, then pan-fry the tortillas briefly on both sides until they are still pliable. Fold each warm tortilla into a basket and deep-fry it in 180°C oil until golden and crisp, then cool on a rack.
