How To Defrost Tortillas – A Step-By-Step Guide

Do you know how to defrost tortillas properly to maintain the tasty flavor and serve them with your favorite recipes?

You can thaw them in different ways, such as refrigerating, using the microwave, or stovetop.

One of the most simple ways of defrosting them is to put them in the fridge and wait for 12 hours or leave them overnight.

Besides, you can use a stovetop, microwave, or toaster to reheat the frozen tortillas.

This article will instruct you on the simple steps in these common ways for defrosting the iced tortillas. Continue reading to understand these useful methods in detail.

What Is Tortillas?

They are flattened bread that comprises water, wheat flour, or corn with salt.

They have become popular throughout Latin America, but they have the strongest relationship with Mexican cuisine. At this place, they appear in most of the underprivileged Mexicans’ nutritional intake.

The foods using the tortillas include quesadillas, burritos, and tacos. When they become stale, you can fry or serve them as homemade tortilla chips in a tortilla soup, chilaquiles, or Sopa Azteca.

In Spain, this name also means a flat omelet, and the origin of both words is the torta, which means “small cake.”

Though this type of cake includes three basic forms: wheat, flour, and corn, they originate in the same way but differ in the flour in their ingredients.

Now, cut to the chase: How to thaw frozen tortillas?

How To Defrost Tortillas Properly

In The Refrigerator

One of the simple methods for fast defrosting tortillas is to place them in the fridge. Defrosting tortillas in this way is the safest way because they can reach the right temperature in the fridge.

Placing a couple of iced tortilla boxes at a single spot in the fridge rack at a time. This way will help them not stick together.

Here is a step-by-step guide for the best way to thaw frozen tortillas, albeit time-consuming:

1. Get the frozen tortillas from the freezer.
2. Place them on the fridge shelf at a proper distance that prevents them from sticking to each other.
3. Wait about 12 hours for them to defrost completely. Note: You can keep them overnight to get the smoothest tortillas.
4. Remove the tortillas from the fridge after they have defrosted. Cook them on an oven, stovetop, or microwave once more because they will be icy.

After finishing all steps, you can eat them with meats, salads, or eggs, depending on your preferences.

Defrost Tortillas With Microwave

The fastest way to defrost frozen tortillas is to microwave them for one minute. Follow the below necessary steps for defrosting the tasty tortillas with microwaves: 

1. Wrap the frozen and fresh tortilla in a moist towel and microwave it.
2. Avoid stacking them because this will make them sticky and soft.
3. Thaw the tortilla in the microwave for about thirty seconds on the defrost setting.
4. You can also turn the tortilla to ensure it remains toasty on both sides.
5. After thirty seconds, check to see whether your tortilla is still frozen. If they aren’t ready, you can thaw them for another thirty seconds in the microwave. Note: Don’t leave the tortilla in the microwave for more than a minute because it will get chewy, which you may not enjoy.

Defrost Tortillas Using A Toaster

How to defrost frozen tortillas fast? You can use a toaster to thaw tortillas with ease and quickness. Below are the specific steps for thawing tortillas in a toaster:

1. Remove the tortillas from the freezer.
2. Place two tortillas in the toaster at one time.
3. Allow them to fall into the toaster. At least two at one time.
4. Keep them in the toaster for a while.
5. You will get the defrosted tortillas after the total process.

When the tortillas are soft, they become attractive and nice. If you don’t need any oil, you can use them as they are.

However, you can alternatively cook them with high-smoke-point oils like grapeseed oil in a hot pan until they are ready to eat.

Use Oven

The oven is useful for heating frozen meals. It is also ideal for defrosting flour tortillas. Defrosting tortillas using the oven is not the most common method, but it is simple.

This way of defrosting and warming up is convenient. You can defrost a big volume of tortillas at once and keep them warm.

So, you should choose this method if you want to enjoy your meals with a large family. How to defrost flour tortillas properly? Follow these simple steps:

1. Set up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to preheat the oven.
2. Wrap five tortillas in aluminum foil in a stack of them.
3. Place them in the oven on a baking sheet without disturbing them.
4. Avoid the overlapping tortillas when arranging them in the oven or the tray.
5. Let the tortillas warm for 15-20 minutes, or until they are as soft as you desire.
6. Cover them in a paper towel and place them in a low-heat oven if you want to keep your warm tortillas longer after they’ve got defrosted.

Put On The Stovetop

How to defrost frozen tortillas when you prepare them for your meals at home? You can use the stovetop to melt them from the cold status.

You can defrost them on an electric cooktop or an open flame over the stove. Follow the detailed steps below:  

Use An Open Flame 

1. Use a metal pair of tongs to place the tortillas over the flame.
2. Take your tortillas with these tongs and hold them over the heat.
3. Allow one side to heat up until it has become toasty and warm.
4. Reverse the tortillas to the other side and repeat this process.

Use An Electric Cooktop

1. Put a pan on the electric stovetop.
2. Use a non-stick pan or cast-iron pan to keep your bulk of tortillas from sticking to the pan.
3. Keep a couple of tortillas on the pan and allow one side to warm up. Defrost them for a while before repeating the process with the other side.

FAQs

What Is The Best Way To Freeze Tortillas?

Placing the store-bought tortillas in the freezer using the freezer bag is the best way to freeze them.

Put the stacks of tortillas in the freezer bags by removing them from the original package of tortillas. In this way, you can store them in the freezer for more than 6 months or longer.

You can also make the individual tortillas detach by spreading the parchment or wax paper between each tortilla before arranging it in the freezer bag.

Remove the whole air out from the freezer bag to avoid the freezer burn.

Can You Defrost Frozen Flour Tortillas?

Yes, you can. Remove the desired number of flour tortillas from the freezer.

Keep them in the fridge there for several hours to thaw. After completely defrosting, warm the flour tortillas up by cooking them for your favorite recipe.

How Long Do You Cook Frozen Tortillas?

About 15-20 minutes by using the stove, oven, or toaster to cook the thawed tortillas. This is a proper time that allows them to be softer and tastier after getting defrosted from the freezer.

If you cook the frozen tortillas with a microwave, it only takes about 30 seconds each time. It is a method that lets you get the tasty and cooked tortillas in a short time.

Can You Freeze Corn Tortillas?

Yes, you can. If you want to prolong the shelf life of your corn tortillas, you can freeze them. Freezing is the best way to keep corn tortillas fresh for longer.

Wrap them in freezer bags and store them in the freezer with the dates marked to preserve them better.

When freezing corn tortillas, place the baking parchment paper between them to take them out easily if you want to cook.

Freezing the corn tortillas doesn’t affect their taste, texture, nutritional value, or quality. Frozen corn tortillas are still edible after a few months in the freezer.

You can serve them with the recipes you like, for example, soften corn tortillas for enchiladas.

Conclusion

Apply the above popular methods, and you know how to defrost tortillas quickly and easily. Tortillas are the most delicious and attractive when they are fresh and warm.

If you have some frozen leftover tortillas, you should choose the right methods in this article.

Although time-consuming, placing the frozen tortillas in the refrigerator is the safest and easiest method to thaw them. Besides, you can use the microwave to defrost tortillas faster.

You also defrost your tortillas on the stovetop, toast them, or put them in the oven, following the detailed steps in our post.