Masa harina tapas are a play on bruschetta, but New Mexican style. Instead of bread, this recipe uses masa harina as the base, with various spicy toppings.
Masa Harina Tapas Idea
Several years ago while I was visiting my mom, we had the idea to make a New Mexican-style bruschetta, but instead of using bread, we used freshly made corn tortillas, made from masa harina. We then topped these corn tortillas with a variety of things — enchilada sauce, turkey and cheese… green chile, ground pork, and queso fresco… we had a lot of fun with these tapas!
They were so much fun to make, I wanted to share the base recipe here, along with some topping ideas for you to explore. But the options for different types of tapas are really endless!
What are Tapas?
Tapas are a small and savory Spanish dish. They’re typically served with a drink at a bar, hence the popularity of places called “tapas bar”.
How to Make Masa Harina Tapas
The Corn Tortillas
(Makes 20 tapas)
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1.5 cups water
- 4 tbsp oil
- Toppings*
Combine masa harina and salt in a bowl, mixing well. Add in water, then stir to combine.
While in the bowl, knead the mixture for about 2 minutes, until it’s smooth and no longer sticky. Add more water or masa, if necessary, to get the right consistency.
Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.
Once rested, divide mixture into 20 balls, about 1.5 tbsp each, and roll them into round balls. Set them onto a plate and cover with a towel so the dough doesn’t dry out.
Roll each ball with a rolling pin to flatten out to about 1/4″ thickness. Repeat for each ball, covering them as you go, so the dough doesn’t dry out. These should look like mini corn tortillas at this point.
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Once warm, lightly fry corn tortillas, until golden brown on both sides. Repeat for remaining corn tortillas.
Once cooked, top them however you like! I have some suggestions below.
Masa Harina Tapas Options
Oooh, the possibilities! Here is what we tried:
- A base of enchilada sauce, topped with cooked ground turkey, shredded cheese and lettuce.
- Roasted cherry tomatoes topped with cooked and crumbled bacon, and pineapple tidbits.
- Chunks of chicken topped with salsa roja and cilantro.
- Roasted red peppers topped with thinly sliced jalapenos and red pepper flakes.
- Diced green chile topped with cooked ground pork, and crumbled queso fresco.
You can literally look in your fridge, see what veggies/meats/cheeses/herbs need to be used up, and create your own masa harina tapas. This is a quick and inexpensive way to re-purpose your leftovers!
Masa Harina Tapas
Ingredients
Mini Corn Tortillas
- 2 cup masa harina
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- toppings see below
Instructions
-
Combine masa harina and salt in a bowl, mixing well. Add in water, then stir to combine.
-
While in the bowl, knead the mixture for about 2 minutes, until it’s smooth and no longer sticky. Add more water or masa, if necessary, to get the right consistency.
-
Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.
-
Once rested, divide mixture into 20 balls, about 1.5 tbsp each, and roll them into round balls. Set them onto a plate and cover with a towel so the dough doesn’t dry out.
-
Roll each ball with a rolling pin to flatten out to about 1/4″ thickness. Repeat for each ball, covering them as you go, so the dough doesn’t dry out. These should look like mini corn tortillas at this point.
-
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Once warm, lightly fry corn tortillas, until golden brown on both sides. Repeat for remaining corn tortillas.
-
Once cooked, top them however you like! I have some suggestions below.
More Appetizer Ideas
Here are some other New Mexican-inspired appetizers to try!
I love this idea! I have blue corn masa harina, I think it might work as well. Any Thoughts? I would think these would freeze ok, too. I need to use my leftover masa harina, this sounds like a perfect way to do that.
Hello! Yes, blue corn masa harina should work beautifully with these tapas! I also have a recipe for blue corn pancakes, if you’re interested in different ways to use up your masa harina: https://www.newmexicanfoodie.com/blue-corn-pancakes/