Use this recipe to make taco shells. You can make soft shell or hard shell tacos. You can also use this recipe to make store-bought tortillas into hard shelled tacos.
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword hard taco shells, homemade taco shells, how to make hard taco shells from tortillas, how to make hardshell tacos, how to make taco shells
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Rest Time 15 minutesminutes
Servings 8
Ingredients
3cupsall purpose flour
1teaspoonsalt
1teaspoonbaking powder
⅓cupolive oilor lard
1cuphot water
Instructions
To Make Flour Tortillas
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. NOTE: If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, you can use it for this.
Add the oil and hot water to dry ingredients. If mixing by hand, knead until all ingredients are well incorporated and the dough comes together in a ball. Knead and mix until smooth. NOTE: If using a stand mixer, mix for about 2 minutes on medium, scraping the sides of the bowl several times. Then set the speed to low and mix for another 2 minutes.
Flour a work surface and set the dough on it.
Divide tortilla dough into 12 - 16 equal portions. Roll each into a ball. Flatten slightly with your hands. Cover with a towel. Let rest for 15 - 60 minutes.
Heat a heavy bottom skillet or cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
Lightly flour a rolling pin. Roll each dough ball so that it forms a 6 inch diameter circle. Keep the area well floured.
Place the rolled out dough on floured parchment paper but do not stack the tortillas.
Place tortilla in skillet and cook for about 1 minute. When brown spots form and you see small bubbles, flip and cook for about 30 seconds on the other side. Repeat with all the tortillas. You can stack them now. Keeping them wrapped in a clean towel will help keep them soft and supple.
Serve immediately as homemade soft tacos or make into hard taco shells.
To Make Hard Shell Tacos from Homemade or Store Bought Tortillas
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place rack in the center position. Make sure you have about 4 inches of space between the rack and the one below it or the bottom of the oven.
If your tortillas are still warm and pliable, continue. If they are not, wrap them in damp paper towels and microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.
Brush a little olive oil on both sides of the tortillas.
Pull out the oven rack and use tongs to drape each tortilla over two bars of the rack so that the sides hang down.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the tortillas are crispy and slightly browned. Use tongs to carefully remove them from the over and transfer them to a baking sheet. Serve warm, or cool them and store to enjoy later.