How to Make Crispy Tortilla Strips

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Crispy Tortilla Strips can be made in 15 minutes and make a crunchy topping for soups and salads. It’s a great way to use up a few leftover corn or flour tortillas.

overhead image of crispy tortilla strips in a white bowl

Remember Slow Cooker Three Bean Taco Soup from earlier this week? Well the best part about that soup (and many other Tex Mex-inspired soups) is the toppings! Most soups benefit from something crunchy on top and Crispy Tortilla Strips are really easy and cheap to make yourself. 

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Here’s how to do it in a few easy steps:

1. Slice Tortillas into Thin Strips

Set tortillas on a cutting board and slice into thin strips. The strips will not shrink as they cook, so be sure to slice them to the size you’ll want them in soups or salads. You can use as many tortillas as you want. (Be sure to give yourself some wiggle room because you’ll want to snack on a few as soon as they come out of the oven!)

overhead image of cut tortillas strips on a grey cutting board

2. Spread out on a Sheet Pan

Transfer the tortillas to a sheet pan. They should easily fit in a single layer, with plenty of open space. Leaving open space on the pan will help the tortillas to brown and crisp up. Use a second pan if needed.

overhead image of tortilla strips on a sheet pan

3. Toss with Oil

Drizzle tortilla strips with oil. I prefer a neutral oil like avocado or grape seed. Extra virgin olive oil works too. There is no need to be precise about the measurement of oil here, but I use about 1 tsp for each tortilla. Just drizzle the oil over top of the tortillas so that each strip has been touched by oil. Use your hands to toss the tortilla strips so that the oil evenly coats them.

drizzling olive oil on tortilla strips

4. Bake for 10 Minutes

Bake the tortilla strips at 350°F until deep golden brown and crisp, stirring every few minutes. This should take 10 to 12 minutes, but don’t be afraid to let them go a bit longer until they are very crunchy.

Crispy Tortilla Strips on a sheet pan

5. Store in an Airtight Container

Let the tortilla strips cool completely and then store them in an airtight container for up to a week.

overhead image of Crispy Tortilla Strips on a sheet pan

Corn or Flour Tortillas

You can make these tortilla strips using either corn or flour tortillas. The instructions are the same, but with either type, be sure to keep an eye on the tortilla strips as they cook. Depending on the thickness of the tortillas, the cook time may vary slightly.

Ways to Use Crispy Tortilla Strips

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4.43 from 7 votes

How to Make Crispy Tortilla Strips

Crispy Tortilla Strips can be made in 15 minutes and make a crunchy topping for soups and salads. It’s a great way to use up a few leftover corn or flour tortillas.
Use the slider below to change the servings if you would like to scale this recipe up or down.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 8

Equipment

  • Half Sheet Pan

Ingredients 

  • 4 Flour or Corn Tortillas, taco-sized
  • 4 teaspoon Cooking Oil (I prefer avocado or grape seed oil for most things, including this recipe)

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Slice tortillas into thin strips. (Note: The strips will not shrink as they cook, so be sure to slice them to the size you’ll want them in soups or salads.)
  • Transfer tortilla strips to a sheet pan and spread out in a single layer (use a second sheet pan if you can’t easily fit them on the pan with some extra space).
  • Drizzle oil over tortilla strips and then use your hands to toss them around to evenly coat in oil.
  • Bake until tortilla strips are deep golden brown and crisp, stirring every few minutes. This should take 10 to 12 minutes, but continue cooking, if needed, until the tortilla strips are crispy.

Notes

Tortilla strips can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Nutrition

Calories: 65kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $1.50
Calories: 65
Keyword: easy recipe ideas, how to, side dish, Southwestern, tex mex
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About Jess Smith

Jess is the recipe creator and photographer at InquiringChef.com. She spent nearly a decade as the Chief Recipe Developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. Her colorful, healthyish recipes have been featured in popular online publications including Parade, Hallmark, and HuffPost.

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4 Comments

  1. It is faster, easier, and less messy to oil the tortilla strips by putting them and the oil in a plastic bag, (or a box with a lid), and shaking it, and then pouring out the strips onto the pan. You can add poppy or sesame seeds, too.

    1. Bev – you stumped me – I don’t actually know if these will freeze well. I’m afraid they might soften in the fridge, but I can’t be certain. If you try it, I’d love to know if it works.