A fundamental component of numerous traditional Mexican and Mexican American dishes, tortillas hold great cultural significance. The debate between flour and corn tortillas is a heated one, with personal preferences strongly influencing the choice. The type of tortilla used also depends on the specific dish being prepared.
Personally, I have always had a soft spot for flour tortillas, particularly when enjoying them at Mexican eateries. Yet, when attempting to replicate the same flavors at home through burritos, tacos, and other Mexican delights, I found most store-bought brands to be lacking in taste, dry, and sometimes too thick.
The idea of making flour tortillas from scratch at home seemed like the only solution to enjoy superior quality, but time constraints always got in the way. Eventually, I reached out to a couple of experts in the field to determine the top brand of store-bought flour tortillas. To my surprise, both experts provided a unanimous recommendation.
The two experts consulted were:
– Yvette Marquez: A food blogger and the author of “Muy Bueno: Fiestas.”
– Pati Jinich: An author and the star of the James Beard Award-winning PBS TV series “Pati’s Mexican Table” and “La Frontera.”
According to the experts, the best flour tortillas are as follows:
“I grew up watching my grandma make fresh flour tortillas daily,” Marquez shared when quizzed about her preferred brand. “If homemade isn’t feasible, I highly suggest exploring your local tortillerĂa or Latin market for their freshly made flour tortillas.” In the absence of that option, Marquez recommends Kroger’s Mercado line as her go-to choice for store-bought flour tortillas.
Kroger’s Mercado Ready to Cook Flour Tortillas are sold uncooked, ensuring freshness and a superior texture and flavor compared to pre-cooked alternatives like Mission Soft Taco Flour Tortillas, Old El Paso Flour Tortillas, and Guerrero Tortillas. The latter have an extended shelf life, allowing them to remain soft and pliable for a longer duration.
While pre-cooked flour tortillas typically contain artificial ingredients to maintain tenderness, softness, and pliability, Kroger’s Mercado Ready to Cook Flour Tortillas stand out for their minimal processing. Jinich describes them as “incredibly convenient” as they can be refrigerated until use, cooking quickly and puffing up beautifully when heated. Jinich notes that their taste is akin to homemade tortillas, and if one cooks more than needed, they reheat exceptionally well.
Adding to the expert advice on store-bought tortillas, Marquez emphasizes the importance of using a skillet to cook flour tortillas for optimal flavor development, noting that microwaving them is a major no-no. She recommends using a skillet to achieve a few browned spots, enhancing the overall taste.
Marquez’s preferred dishes
