# Do you warm up tortillas before eating them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 18, 2025, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791 "2025-06-18T05:44:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Xocomil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xocomil/32/14927_2.png) [@Xocomil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xocomil)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/1 "2025-06-18T05:44:20Z")
I was watching a Hank Green video in which he discussed the fact that whole wheat tortillas are only healthier than flour tortillas for him because he can eat and eat flour tortillas while he finds that whole wheat tortillas are inedible. I thought to myself that I prefer whole wheat. The only time I find flour tortillas good and whole wheat inedible is when I eat them cold. It was then I realized Hank was always eating his tortillas cold. Warm those babies up, brother. Your taste buds will thank you. It’s funny because to me it’s obvious. Then I remember that I’m part of a 100 generation unbroken chain of everyone doing it. I guess bread is most often eaten cold. Tortillas, on the other hand, are always warmed up. It just tastes better. How 'bout y’all? Do you warm them up? If so, how? If not, why not? ---
**Author:** ![MacDoc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/macdoc/32/18696_2.png) [@MacDoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacDoc)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/2 "2025-06-18T05:53:07Z")
Yep - quick microwave…will be having the last of ours in an hour. We’ve been using BirdsEye no meat mince as filling and quite happy with it > **[Plant Based](https://birdseye.com.au/plant-based)** We use a lot of their offerings. Best is their lamb we put on our pizza ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/3 "2025-06-18T06:42:08Z")
I discovered warming tortillas from Mexican restaurants. I wondered why the corn tortillas there tasted so much better than those at home. And I realized it was because they were slightly warm. ---
**Author:** ![sunacres](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@sunacres](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunacres)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/4 "2025-06-18T11:29:56Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I discovered warming tortillas from Mexican restaurants. That’s so weird. I’ve never heard of eating tortillas cold. It wouldn’t cross my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/5 "2025-06-18T11:45:12Z")
Yeah, microwave. Seems the vlog brothers never went to a Mexican restaurant their entire lives. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/6 "2025-06-18T11:45:32Z")
In a dry skillet for about 10-15 seconds on each side. They should puff up and brown slightly. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/7 "2025-06-18T11:48:16Z")
Always. Sometimes microwave. Often over the gas burner on my stove. Sometimes on a skillet. Corn ones are generally the first or third method; flour ones I like the char of the second method. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/8 "2025-06-18T12:58:48Z")
Always. Even if we are making a wrap for a hike, we heat the tortillas to give them a bit of char. It improves the flavor and makes them more durable. You can heat corn and wheat tortillas in a standard bread toaster. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/9 "2025-06-18T13:02:40Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > You can heat corn and wheat tortillas in a standard bread toaster. Um… I guess if they’re small enough. Even then I’d think they’d collapse inside the slot and then you’d have to fish them out with a fork and if you don’t unplug the toaster people will see your skeleton when the fork hits the heating wires, unless that’s just a hoax perpetuated by cartoonists. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/10 "2025-06-18T13:07:54Z")
We have a little terra cotta warmer we put in the oven. I’ve never had a cold tortilla. That just seems…off. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/11 "2025-06-18T13:34:51Z")
They’re also considerably more flexible when warm. Typically corn tortillas are steamed to warm them up, _if_ they’re not made fresh. That’s the sign of a top-notch Mexican place; they’ve got the tortilla ladies making them somewhere in sight. Skillets and microwaves work though. That little bit of extra moisture helps, so if you are microwaving them, wrap them in some damp paper towels first. Flour tortillas… always warm them up, but it depends on the tortilla itself how you go about it. Even though the ones in the bread section are all fully cooked, the ones that have fairly dark brown spots are intended to just be nuked or possibly eaten cold. The ones with relatively light brown marks are usually for reheating in a skillet like @TriPolar describes. They’re not quite right if you just nuke them or eat them cold. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/12 "2025-06-18T13:36:41Z")
You can also wrap them in foil and throw them in the oven for 10 minutes while your makin g the rest of dinner. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/13 "2025-06-18T14:30:27Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Always. Sometimes microwave. Often over the gas burner on my stove. Sometimes on a skillet. Corn ones are generally the first or third method; flour ones I like the char of the second method. Never ever in a microwave. But otherwise I agree w your list. The idea of eating unheated tortillas is just nuts. If somebody makes those cheese and cold cut rollups for a party, those can be eaten cold. But anything resembling Latin cooking? Hot. Not warm; hot. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/14 "2025-06-18T14:34:48Z")
I confess I prefer steaming in a microwave in a slightly damp towel for corn tortillas over skillet. After all, a microwave is an ideal steaming environment and I like the texture better. But I’ll sometimes do it in a pan, though it ends up drier that way. (Well, and it’s easier and quicker for me to just do a whole bunch at a time in the microwave. While I can dry fry them and then throw them in a tortilla warmer and that gets the steaming I need, I can only do about three or four at a time and I’m lazy.) ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/15 "2025-06-18T15:11:31Z")
On a related note, it’s my pet theory that heated or at least baked tortilla chips are what brings the joy to any plate of nachos. The cheese and meat is colorful, but that hot crisp salty slightly oily chip CAN be the star of the show, or at least more than merely a slop shovel. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/16 "2025-06-18T15:23:15Z")
Small corn we fold in half. Larger flour we fold into quarters. We flip them occasionally. No issues with them getting stuck. This is our quick method for one or two. We typically use a cast iron pan for doing more since it is more efficient. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > If somebody makes those cheese and cold cut rollups for a party, those can be eaten cold. We often use flour tortillas to make wraps we take on our hikes. Even though we eat them cold, we still reheat the tortillas before making the wrap. The reheated tortilla that then cools is still noticeable better than one that has not been reheated. Night and day difference. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/17 "2025-06-18T15:27:06Z")
I deep fry both flour and corn tortillas to make chips. White corn work well, flour even better. They could be fried in a pan but it’s easier to make a lot at once in a deep fryer. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/18 "2025-06-18T15:32:00Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > In a dry skillet for about 10-15 seconds on each side. They should puff up and brown slightly. That’s how I was taught. Heat one at a time. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/19 "2025-06-18T17:09:34Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Always. Sometimes microwave. Often over the gas burner on my stove. Sometimes on a skillet. Corn ones are generally the first or third method; My spokesperson right here. Just the thought of eating a cold, dry corn tortilla has me making a face and sipping water. Corn: If a whole package of 12, microwave high for a min, flip and another min. If only reheating two for a taco, dry pan. Flour: bare gas burner. Pita is ideal like this, too. But corn on the flame is no good. Totopos/plain tortilla chips: microwave 90 seconds high. Careful, they’ll be hot! ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2025, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791/20 "2025-06-18T17:15:00Z")
> [@bump](#): > > They’re also considerably more flexible when warm. That’s why I nuke them. They’re too stiff when cold and tend to break or tear when wrapping up some filling. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-warm-up-tortillas-before-eating-them/1019791.md?page=2)