How to Make Totopos Caseros (Easy Corn Tortilla Chips)

Totopos (homemade corn tortilla chips) and salsa are a match made in snacking heaven. There’s just something about warm, freshly made chips dipped into spicy salsa or guacamole that makes it impossible to stop at just one. I’ve included easy instructions for frying, baking, or air frying your chips so you can make them exactly how you like.

Unless you live near a Mexican grocery store that makes fresh totopos daily, these are way better than any bagged version of corn chips you’ll find. You can also adjust the salt, too – I always find that even the good store-bought corn tortilla chips are way too salty for me. They’re also naturally gluten-free and vegan since they’re made with corn, and not flour, tortillas.

⭐️ FUN FOOD FACTS ⭐️

• Totopos are thin, crispy chips made with corn tortillas. The Aztecs and Mayas prepared totopos de maíz by drying and toasting leftover tortillas on a comal, preserving them for longer consumption.
• I’ve seen the women in Oaxaca make crispy in a similar fashion using masa that is pressed into the thinnest tortillas. They toast and dry them slowly over a clay comal. There, totopos are served as whole, crispy tortillas with salsa or guacamole that is sometimes garnished with chapulines – yum!
• Today, totopos are typically fried, toasted, or baked and enjoyed with salsa, guacamole, and other dips and sauces.
• “Totopo is the word used in Mexico to refer to a tortilla chip, as well as other flat, round or triangular corn products that are toasted, fried or baked. It comes from the Nahuatl compound word tlaxcaltotopochtl – from tlaxcalli – tortilla, and totopochtl – a noise like thunder (something crunchy).” – Arine Arita of My Slice of Mexico

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

You can make a batch of homemade totopos in about 10 minutes. It’s one of the easiest recipes on my website! All you need is oil for frying (I prefer vegetable or safflower), corn tortillas (dry old ones work best because they contain less moisture), and salt (I sometimes add a sprinkle of paprika, too).

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

See full recipe card below for baking or air frying instructions.

Prepare tortillas

• Using a sharp knife, cut tortillas into triangles. You can cut them into fourths for larger chips, or eighths for smaller chips.

Fry tortillas

• Heat oil on medium-high flame in a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet. Allow oil to get very hot. Test one chip to make sure it sizzles when placed in the oil.
• Working in batches, add tortilla triangles one by one to the pan in a single layer. You will want to use tongs for this step because the oil is hot!
• Fry until golden and crispy, approximately 1-2 minutes on each side. Add more oil if necessary.

Drain and enjoy

• Transfer chips to a paper towel-lined plate and season immediately with salt and optional paprika while still hot.
• I love these totopos caseros with guacamole, red, yellow, or green salsa, pico de gallo, mango salsa, and even use them to make deliciously crispy chilaquiles.

RECOMMENDED FOR THIS RECIPE

10.25-inch Cast-Iron Skillet

When it comes to frying, I always reach for my cast-iron skillet because it distributes heat evenly and retains it. It can also withstand high temperatures, making it ideal for achieving a consistent and crispy texture in fried foods, like my homemade totopos. VIEW PRODUCT

STORAGE TIPS

I store my leftover homemade tortilla chips in an airtight container at room temperature, away from moisture, for up to one week. I also like to line the container with a paper towel.

WHAT TO PAIR WITH TOTOPOS

Here are a few of my favorite guacamole and salsa recipes to serve with my homemade corn tortilla chips:

• Guacamole Salsa (Guacasalsa)
• Easy Guacamole with No Tomato
• Salsa de Molcajete (Stone Ground Mexican Salsa)
• Salsa Bandera (Fresh Pico de Gallo)
• Salsa Amarilla (Yellow Cherry Tomato Salsa Recipe)
• Classic Salsa Verde de Tomatillo
• Chile Japones: Spicy History + Salsa Recipe
• Tangy Tomatillo Salsa with Chile de Arbol and Vinegar
• Chiles Toreados (Mexican Blistered Peppers)
• Salsa de Mango (Salsa de Mango)
• Marinated Chile Güerito Peppers

Recipe originally published on April 29, 2014 / Photography + Styling: Cacey McReavy; process shots by Lola