Tortillas are - literally - the best thing since sliced bread. They are highly versatile, they freeze brilliantly, and everyone loves them.
Tortillas are also easy to make from scratch with four simple ingredients: flour, salt, oil, and water. If you've got a tortilla press, it's even easier to get a perfectly round tortilla for all kinds of tasty meals.
Let's explore some quick tortilla-based dishes. Some of these may surprise you!
1. Quesadillas
Quesadillas are a favorite with everyone, including children. Simply pop a few slices of cheese on one side of your tortilla, fold it in half, and toast it in a hot skillet till brown on each side. Done!
You can add extra ingredients to your quesadillas such as:
- Jalapenos
- Ham, ground beef, or pieces of cooked chicken
- Diced tomato, sweet pepper, or other favorite veggies
2. Tortilla 'pizzas'
Tortillas make a great pizza base. Cover your tortillas with your favorite pizza sauce, crumble some cheese over the top along with other favorite pizza toppings, and pop under the broiler for a few minutes. Sorted!
Note: You could put the pizza toppings on one side of the tortilla, fold it over, and heat it in a pan to make a pizza-style quesadilla.
3. Nachos
You don't have to have deep-fried tortilla chips to make nachos. Stack a few tortillas on top of each other. With a pizza wheel or a knife, cut the tortillas into triangles as if you were cutting a pizza.
Pop the triangles onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven till crispy. Remove from the oven and top with some grated cheese and other favorite nacho toppings.
Put your nachos under the broiler till the cheese melts, and enjoy!
4. Wraps
Tortillas are perfect for wraps. Warm your tortilla in a pan. (Warm tortillas are easier to fold). Grab some sandwich fillings and spread them along the middle of the tortilla. Fold it up carefully, and you've got yourself a delicious lunch to go.
5. Tostadas
Tostadas are quick and easy and can be made using a lot of different toppings. Toast your tortilla in a pan till crispy. Put out a selection of toppings such as shredded lettuce, ground beef, sliced chicken, pulled pork, diced sweet pepper, grated cheese, tomato salsa, hot sauce, anything you like.
Let everyone build their own tostadas by stacking the toppings on top of the crispy tortilla.
Have napkins handy, since tostadas are very tasty, but a bit messy!
6. Pinwheels
Pinwheels are great for children's lunches or parties. Warm your tortilla slightly, then spread out evenly a smooth filling such as cream cheese and chives, peanut butter and jelly, or another sandwich spread. Roll up your tortilla to form a log, then cut it into slices.
7. Chilaquiles
If you have a packet of tortillas that's been open for a while, and the tortillas are a bit hard, don't throw them away. These tortillas are perfect for chilaquiles.
Stack the tortillas on top of each other. Cut them as you would a pizza (as you did for the nachos, see above).
Spread the tortilla pieces onto a baking tray and bake till crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Heat some tomato salsa in a large pan. Once the salsa is warm (not hot), add the tortilla pieces and stir. Continue to stir till the tortilla pieces have softened, remove from heat, and top with crumbled Queso Fresco or your favorite grated cheese.
8. Casseroles or lasagnas
Oil both the bottom and the sides of a baking dish. Put a layer of lasagna or taco sauce with ground beef on top, then add some cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, then sauce, then cheese.
Bake in the oven as you would a lasagna.
Another alternative would be to cut your tortillas into strips and then bake them till crispy. Heat your favorite taco-style filling in a pan, then layer the filling with the crispy strips, fresh tomato salsa, and grated cheese. Serve with sour cream and fresh cilantro for a quick and tasty Mexican-style dinner.
9. Chips
Tortilla chips can be sweet or savory.
To make crispy, sweet chips, brush your tortillas with a bit of water. Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar over the top, then bake till crispy. Serve on their own or with your favorite dessert.
The process is the same for savory tortilla chips, except you can brush your tortillas with flavored oil and then sprinkle your favorite herbs over the top. To make this a quick and light meal, serve with refried beans or a soup.