How To Use A Tortilla Warmer: A Guide

Last Updated on June 11, 2022 by

In today’s article we will talk about, How To Use A Tortilla Warmer. It’s essential to heat your tortilla before eating it. Building your meal generates a more flexible food that is less likely to fracture. Furthermore, the flavors of a heated corn tortilla are fine. Tortilla warmers, fortunately, make heating tortillas simple and quick. This article is going to tell you everything about using a tortilla warmer. 

To use your tortilla warmer, first load it with three to five tortillas. This can be a rigid container or a warmer made of cloth. Then, for about 30 seconds in the microwave, heat the mixture. You’ll have warm tortillas ready to consume at the end of that time.

Tortilla warmers aren’t all the same. They come in various materials and styles, and some are better than others at keeping tortillas warm. Some can heat the tortillas they contain, while others can only keep them warm after being cooked elsewhere. Before you need to use one, familiarize yourself with the benefits and drawbacks of the many types of tortilla warmers.

How To Use A Tortilla Warmer

Using a tortilla warmer, regardless of the kind, works identically. Cooking durations, however, can vary depending on the material and the kind of microwave you have. To begin, split three to five tortillas into your tortilla warmer. It’s critical to cook tortillas in small amounts. This ensures that the tortillas are heated evenly.

If you’re using a tortilla warmer with a hard container, you must put a moist paper towel in the container with the tortillas. You may also use a moist cloth to lay below and on the tortillas. You’re ready to heat the tortillas once your warmer is ready. Set the timer for 20 to 30 seconds and place the microwave inside. The precise time depends on the kind of warmer you’re using. Your tortillas are ready to serve once the timer hits zero.

How to Make Tortillas with an Imusa Tortilla Warmer

Tortilla warmers heat tortillas and keep them warm until they’re ready to be served. Imusa’s version can be heated in the microwave but not in the oven. The tortilla warmer is just an enclosed container that holds heat from microwaving inside and keeps tortillas warm and flexible. Whether you use flour or corn tortillas in the Imusa tortilla warmer, both instructions are the same.

  • Fill the bottom half of the tortilla warmer with cold tortillas.
  • Put the cover on the warmer.
  • Microwave on high for 10 to 15 seconds, or until the tortillas are warm and malleable in the tortilla warmer.
  • Remove the tortillas from the warmer and wrap them in aluminum foil if desired. Replace the cover on the tortilla warmer and return the stack to it.
  • Immediately serve the tortillas from the table’s covered tortilla warmer. Keep the cover on to keep the tortillas from drying out and becoming chilly.

How Long Do you Need To Heat Tortillas in a Tortilla Warmer Without Drying Them?

Tortillas are essential for tacos, quesadillas, burritos, wraps, and various other dishes. Warm tortillas are particularly tasty, and a tortilla warmer can keep them warm for a long time. But, how long should they be heated in the warmer before they become dry?

When heating tortillas in a tortilla warmer in the microwave, a reasonable rule of thumb is to add 15 seconds for every four tortillas. So, if you want to warm up eight tortillas, heat them for 30 seconds. If they aren’t hot enough after the initial cook time, keep heating them in 15-second intervals until they are. 

Microwaving them for more than 60 seconds will result in dry, brittle tortillas, so be careful not to overcook them. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 10-15 minutes if using an oven-safe tortilla warmer.

Is It Safe To Microwave My Tortilla Warmer?

Tortilla warmers can be microwaved in most cases, but not all. Tortilla warmers made of plastic, stoneware, cloth, and terra cotta work nicely in the microwave, but those made of pine needles and cast iron do not. It’s worth noting that the lid on most plastic tortilla warmers isn’t microwaveable. Instead, lay the top on the warmer immediately after cooking to keep the tortillas warm and malleable.

Why Use A Tortilla Warmer To Warm Tortillas?

The goal of using a tortilla warmer is to keep the tortillas warm without drying out or becoming brittle. Microwaves, while not exactly traditional, work well for warming tortillas in the plastic or terra-cotta tortilla warmers mentioned above without allowing steam or moisture to escape. Heat your tortillas until they’re well warmed but not cooked, using whatever pot or heating device you want. 

Because the tortillas you buy or make will be fully cooked when you put them in the warmer, cooking them for longer than necessary will cause them to become dry and brittle, making them unsuitable for tacos.

How Long Do You Use a Tortilla Warmer to Keep Tortillas Warm

Cold tortillas are unpleasant and can detract from enjoying an otherwise great taco. A tortilla warmer on your table serves a dual purpose: it keeps your tortillas warm and moist while demonstrating your concern for your meal. It’s a serving dish with a specific function that can be useful and attractive.

The length of time tortillas keep warm in a tortilla warmer is mostly determined by the material. Let’s look at the various sorts of tortilla warmers and compare them.

A plastic tortilla warmer will keep your tortillas warm for around 20 minutes, which should be enough time for everyone to finish their first round of tacos and potentially order more. 

A terra-cotta warmer keeps tortillas warm for about an hour, possibly longer, but after that time, even if the temperature remains constant, the tortillas begin to dry up. 

A foil packet keeps tortillas warm for 45 minutes; it may appear as a quick temporary solution rather than a deliberate serving dish on your table if you’re entertaining guests.

Stoneware tortilla warmers can be used in the microwave or the oven. They can hold more tortillas and keep them warm for an hour longer than plastic warmers.

Try a pine needle tortilla warmer for a genuine Mexican tortilla warmer. Warm tortillas will keep warm for around 30 minutes if you place a towel inside.

Tortilla warmers made of fabric can hold a dozen tortillas and keep them warm for over an hour. They are also microwave-safe and machine-washable.

Types Of Tortilla Warmer

Tortilla warmer comes in various forms, such as plastic, terra cotta and foil.

Plastic 

Plastic tortilla makers are affordable and have the added benefit of being microwaveable, allowing you to heat and store your tortillas in the same container. Compared to the amount of time that tortillas have been a staple diet, both plastic and microwave ovens are relatively new. Still, this combination provides the fortunate combination of swiftly heating tortillas while keeping them warm.

Terra-cotta

Terra-cotta tortilla warmers are clay pots with thick walls. You may warm your tortillas in the microwave, just like plastic warmers, but unlike plastic, this type of warmer can also be placed in a hot oven. Because the thick clay holds heat longer than the plastic version, terra-cotta warmers can keep tortillas warm for the duration of a leisurely meal.

Stoneware

While aluminum foil isn’t intended to be used as a tortilla keeper, it does a good job keeping tortillas warm. To heat tortillas covered in foil, use a regular oven or a toaster oven. If you’re not serving your tortillas immediately, the foil will keep them warm and moist for up to a half-hour.

Cloth

Tortilla warmers made of fabric are light and convenient to store. They’re also simple to keep clean. Many cloth tortilla warmers can be washed in the machine but must be air-dried.

Advantages of Using a Tortilla Warmer Over Other Heating Methods?

Tortillas Warming 

Tortilla warmers come in a variety of colors, materials, and sizes. Most warmers are designed to work in both the microwave and the oven. Tortilla warmers are a quick and easy way to heat a stack of tortillas and keep them warm for the duration of your meal.

Most tortilla warmers, especially those made of plastic, are very inexpensive. In addition, most of them are dishwasher safe and may be used to keep pancakes and other flatbreads warm.

Oven

Tortillas warming in the oven takes the longest. It is, however, the best way to heat many tortillas for a party and guarantees that they stay warm for a long time, especially when the tortillas are wrapped in foil. Multiple foil-wrapped stacks of tortillas can be prepared on a baking sheet simultaneously, or a deep, oven-safe tortilla warmer can be used to prepare a large number of tortillas at once.

Stovetop

Heating tortillas on the stovetop is a great technique to brown them evenly on both sides without using cooking oil. Place only one tortilla at a time in a very hot skillet and brown for 1-2 minutes on each side. Dip each tortilla in water before adding it to the skillet or griddle for extra soft tortillas. The water in the tortilla will create steam as it comes into contact with the hot surface, making the tortillas very soft while cooking.

Microwave

A small stack of tortillas can be warmed in the microwave in 60 seconds or less. A microwave-safe plate and damp paper towels or parchment paper are all you’ll need. To prevent sticking, place damp paper towels or parchment paper squares between each tortilla, being careful to cover the top of the stack as well.

Plastic wrap can also be used in the microwave. Wrap about 12 tortillas in plastic wrap and microwave for 60 seconds, then flip and microwave for another 30 seconds.

Conclusion On How To Use A Tortilla warmer

Tortilla warmers are a quick and easy way to reheat a batch of tortillas. They’re available in various materials to suit every cooking purpose, and they also double as a lovely serving dish for your dinner table. Whether you use a tortilla warmer or another technique to heat your tortillas, you can be sure that they will come out wonderfully soft and tasty every time.