Okay, so I had to start finding gluten-free corn tortillas a while back. Wasn’t by choice, really, just one of those things that happens with diet changes in the family. Felt like a bit of a quest at first.
My first step was just heading to the regular grocery store. I wandered down the aisle, you know, the one with all the bread and wraps. Found the tortilla section. Man, there were quite a few options, more than I thought there’d be. Some were corn, some were flour blends, and then a specific section labeled ‘gluten-free’. Okay, progress.
I grabbed the first pack that looked decent. Don’t even remember the brand name now, just that the packaging was yellow. Got them home, excited to make some quick tacos for dinner. Opened the pack… and the smell was, well, strong. Very corn-forward, almost chemically? Not sure. Put one on the skillet to warm it up. It felt kinda stiff right out of the bag.
Warming helped a little, made it slightly more pliable. But loading it up with taco stuff? Disaster. It cracked right down the middle as soon as I tried to fold it. Tried another one, warmed it longer. Same result. Frustrating. The taste wasn’t great either, kinda cardboard-y. That first attempt was a bust.
Round Two: Different Store, Different Brands
Alright, wasn’t giving up. Next shopping trip, went to a different supermarket, one known for more ‘health food’ options. Found a couple more brands there.
- Brand A (Blue Package): These felt softer straight out of the bag. Warmed up nicely in the pan, got quite flexible. Held together WAY better for tacos. Taste was decent, more like actual corn. Okay, this was promising.
- Brand B (Clear Package, looked ‘artisanal’): These were thicker. Looked really good. Problem was, they stuck together in the package like crazy. Had to carefully peel them apart, and a few ripped just doing that. Once warmed, they were okay, but a bit heavy for tacos. Maybe better for making tostadas or something where you bake them flat.
So, Brand A became the go-to for a while. It worked. Wasn’t perfect, sometimes they’d still tear if you overstuffed them (which I tend to do), but miles better than the first try.
Finding the Keepers
Over the next few months, I kept experimenting whenever I saw a new brand. Some were too thin, some too thick, some had weird textures. It’s funny how much variation there is.
Eventually, I settled on two main brands I keep buying now. One is pretty mainstream, you can find it almost anywhere (won’t name names, but it’s reliable). They heat up well, stay flexible, and taste pretty neutral, which is good for letting the filling shine. They work great for soft tacos and even rolling up simple enchiladas if you warm them properly first.
The other one is a bit more niche, usually find it at specialty stores. These have a really good corn flavor and a slightly better texture, maybe a bit more rustic. They are a little more fragile than the mainstream ones, so gotta be gentle, but for flavor, they win. I use these when the tortilla itself needs to be part of the flavor profile.
What I learned: You definitely have to warm corn tortillas before using them, especially gluten-free ones. A hot, dry skillet for like 15-20 seconds per side usually does the trick. Don’t microwave them, they get weird. And check the dates – fresher packs seem less likely to crack. It was a bit of trial and error, mostly error at the start, but eventually found ones that make taco night possible again without gluten. Just gotta keep trying till you find what works for you.