I love a little crunch on top of a salad and these spicy tortilla strips are just right for adding that little crunch. I used to buy them ready made in the store, but then I thought about making my own. For a little less than the price of a purchased package (which is enough for 1-2 salads), I bought a package of fresh corn tortillas and made a big batch of delicious, baked, crunchy, and “spicy to my taste” tortilla strips. That was the last time I bought them from the store – homemade are way better. 🙂
These are pretty easy and fast to make. I usually make a batch on a weekend and it will last at least 1 week, if not 2 depending on how many salads I am making for the week. They’re not limited to salad toppers, that’s just how we tend to eat them. Tortilla Strips are also delicious on top of soup or can add a nice crunch to the top of a casserole.
I like to use fresh, raw corn tortillas. The pre-cooked ones will work as well if that’s all that is available. Take them out of the package and slice into strips. A pizza cutter works well for this or just a sharp knife. I cut them in half first, then into little strips.
Throw the strips into a large bowl and add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil (or any oil of your choice). Toss to coat.
In a small bowl, mix the salt, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, chipotle, and cayenne. This combination definitely has a little zip to it, so adjust these to your taste. If you don’t like too much spicy heat, just add salt and chili powder.
Sprinkle this spice mix all over the strips and toss them around in the bowl to make sure they are coated evenly.
Spread on a cookie sheet.
Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Toss, flip, and bake for another 15 minutes until nicely browned. The raw tortillas take the full time to cook and crisp up. Pre-cooked tortillas will take less time, so I would bake pre-cooked tortillas for 10 minutes, then flip and do another 5-10 minutes. They will crisp up as they cool, so don’t worry if they are a little flimsy at first. Just make sure they are browned and cooked.
Store in an airtight container. I’ve kept them for up to 2 weeks – they’ve never lasted longer than this in our house. 🙂
How to Make Homemade Tortilla Strips
Ingredients
- 1 pkg corn tortillas preferably uncooked, 20 oz. size
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1/4 tsp. chipotle
- 1/3 tsp. cayenne
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cut the tortillas in half, then into thin strips.
- Place the strips in a bowl and toss with oil to coat.
- In a small bowl, mix spices and salt.
- Sprinkle spice mixture over strips.
- Toss to coat evenly.
- Spread on a cookie sheet.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Check and toss/flip. Bake another 10-15 minutes.
- Cool. Store in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.