Tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips)
Crisp baked corn tortillas, whole for tostadas or cut into wedges for totopos, with an option to fry.
Make this once, then cook it into 109 different dishes.
- Time25 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.51 a head
- Makes16 whole tostadas, or about 96 totopos (tortilla chip wedges)
- Oven200°C (180°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line two large baking trays with baking paper.
- 2
For tostadas, leave the tortillas whole. For totopos, cut each tortilla into 6 wedges. Brush both sides lightly with the oil, or toss the wedges with the oil in a bowl.
- 3
Lay the tortillas or wedges in a single layer on the trays without overlapping. Sprinkle with half the salt.
- 4
Bake whole tortillas for 6 minutes, flip, and bake for 4 to 6 minutes more until golden and stiff. Wedges need 8 to 12 minutes, stirring halfway. Rotate the trays if one side browns faster.
10 min - 5
Sprinkle with the rest of the salt while still warm. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes: they crisp as they cool.
10 min - 6
Use straight away or store in an airtight tin once completely cool.
About tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips)
Tostadas and totopos are crisp, toasted corn tortillas: tostadas are whole flat discs used as an edible plate for toppings, and totopos are the triangular wedges used as chips for dipping. Both are made by drying or frying corn tortillas until they are crisp, golden and taste of toasted maize.
Tostadas are the base for tostadas de tinga, ceviche and bean and avocado toppings. Totopos go with salsa, guacamole, refried beans and nachos, and are the base of chilaquiles. In Mexico the word totopos is often tied to Oaxaca, where large tortillas are crisped on a griddle.
Baking is easier and uses less oil than frying, and gives an even, crunchy result. Use slightly stale corn tortillas for the crispest results: fresh, wet tortillas steam instead of crisping. Frying in oil at 180C is quicker, and gives a more traditional blistered texture.
Tips
- Day old tortillas crisp better. If yours are fresh, leave them out on a rack for an hour or dry them in a low oven for 10 minutes first.
- Do not crowd the baking trays. Tortillas should sit in a single layer, or the steam will stop them crisping.
- Tostadas and chips crisp further as they cool. If they are still bendy after cooling, return them to the oven for 3 to 4 minutes.
- To fry, heat 2 cm of sunflower oil to 180C and fry for 30 to 45 seconds a side until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and salt straight away. Take care with hot oil.
- Season chips with salt while still warm, or with lime zest and a pinch of ancho chilli powder for a quick flavoured version.
- Check the tortilla pack for a gluten free label, since some brands mix in wheat or are made in a factory that handles it.
Storing and freezing
Keep cooled tostadas and totopos in an airtight tin for up to 5 days at room temperature. If they soften, crisp them in a 180C (160C fan) oven for 4 to 5 minutes. They are best made fresh and not frozen.
Dishes you can make with tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips)
Tlayuda Oaxaqueña (Oaxacan Bean and Cheese Tlayuda)
GFEFNFTostadas de Atún con Aguacate (Tuna and Avocado Tostadas)
GFDFEFTostadas de Pollo con Salsa Verde (Chicken Tostadas)
GFEFNFCeviche Verde de Pescado (Green Fish Ceviche)
GFDFEFTostadas de Ceviche de Camarón (Prawn Ceviche Tostadas)
GFDFEFTostadas de Atún con Chipotle (Chipotle Tuna Tostadas)
GFDFNFTostadas de Frijol y Aguacate (Bean and Avocado Tostadas)
GFDFEFSalpicón de Res (Shredded Beef Salad)
GFDFEFTostadas de Ceviche de Pescado (Fish Ceviche Tostadas)
GFDFEFTostadas de Atún Sellado (Seared Tuna Tostadas)
GFDFEFTostadas de Nopales y Frijol Negro (Cactus and Black Bean Tostadas)
GFDFEFAguachile Rojo de Camarón (Red Chilli Prawn Aguachile)
GFDFEFQuestions
What is the difference between tostadas and totopos?
Tostadas are whole, flat, crisp tortillas used as a base for toppings. Totopos are triangle shaped pieces, like tortilla chips, used for dipping or in dishes such as chilaquiles and nachos. Both are made from toasted or fried corn tortillas.
Should I bake or fry them?
Baking is simpler, safer and uses less oil, and gives a good crunch. Frying gives a blistered, richer texture closer to the traditional kind. Both work, and both need dry, slightly stale tortillas.
Can I use flour tortillas?
You can, but the result is more like a cracker than a true tostada, and they brown unevenly. Corn tortillas give the authentic maize taste and stay crisp under toppings better.
Are tostadas gluten free?
Yes, if you use 100% corn tortillas labelled gluten free. Many packs are, but some mix in wheat flour, so read the label. Homemade tortillas from masa harina work well.
Why are my tostadas chewy?
They were too moist or crowded on the tray, or taken out too early. Use drier tortillas, spread them in a single layer, and bake until golden and stiff, then let them cool for crispness.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.