Gorditas

I’m warning you now—once you make these, you’ll never be able to pull into the Taco Bell drive-through and ask for a gordita with a straight face again. With ground chorizo, sautéed onion, a little queso fresco, chopped tomato, and cilantro, these homemade gorditas are the real deal. What makes these gorditas so magical is their simplicity and the main ingredient: masa harina. It’s an ingenious invention that makes preparing masa (the backbone of much of Mexican cuisine and the primary ingredient in things like tortillas, sopes, and tamales) an easy affair that comes together quickly. Keep reading on to learn just how to prepare and customize these gorditas.

How To Make Gorditas

INGREDIENTS

• Lard: Lard is the traditional choice for gorditas. It adds a little bit of porky richness, keeps the dough tender, and helps crisp the exterior of the gordita. If you don't have any, you can sub a neutral oil.
• Mexican Chorizo: Chorizo is a flavor cheat code. It has all the convenience of ground beef but 10x the flavor.
• Yellow Onion: Chopped onion provides an aromatic touch of savory-sweetness while also bringing volume to the filling mixture.
• Masa Harina: This is the foundation of all great gorditas. Made from nixtamalized corn, masa harina gives gorditas their authentic corn flavor and unique, pliable texture.
• Queso Fresco: Queso fresco is the perfect mild cheese to pair with chorizo. It offers a touch of creaminess without overwhelming the other flavors.
• Tomato: Tomatoes are optional, but they add a bright pop of color and a little extra moisture to the filling.
• Cilantro: Cilantro is my go-to herb for anything Mexican-adjacent. It provides the brightness to balance out such a hearty meal.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium, heavy skillet, such as a cast iron, heat up the lard or vegetable oil over medium heat. Once the lard is melted, add the chorizo and immediately start breaking up into small pieces. Cook, continuing to break up sausage, until crumbled, cooked through, and beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and softened, about 7 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk some masa harina and salt. Very slowly add water and mix with your hands until a dough forms and is the consistency of a slightly dryer version of Play-Doh. This is more of an art than a science, and the amount of water depends on your brand of masa harina, so go slow with the water and add more masa harina if the dough gets too wet. Gently work lard into dough with your hands until incorporated. Cover bowl with a kitchen towel and let sit 15 minutes.

Portion the dough to the desired size of gorditas, though I’d recommend making no more than 8 with this batch. Using a tortilla press or the bottom of a well-greased flat plate or baking dish, press gorditas into rounds about 1/4" thick.

If you want to toast them, you can find more information in the recipe below, but I'm going to walk you through frying them. In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt more lard or pour in oil to cover the bottom of the skillet. Working in batches, arrange the gorditas in the pan so they don’t overcrowd each other. Fry, turning once, until puffed up—this should take 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off the excess oil.

Once cool enough to handle, carefully slice open gorditas about two-thirds of the way through. Stuff with the chorizo filling. Divide the queso fresco, tomatoes, and cilantro among the gorditas. Serve with hot sauce and sour cream if desired.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• How many gorditas does this make? This recipe can make anywhere between 4 and 8 gorditas, depending on how big you want them to be. I usually pick the size based on how hungry I am or how many people I’m feeding! If you go with a larger size, give the gordita an extra minute or two on each side to make sure it is cooked through.
• What brand of masa works best? Maseca is my go-to because it’s easy to work with, but Bob’s Red Mill makes a great masa harina as well.
• What kinds of fillings can I add to a gordita? Honestly, anything your heart desires! The sky is truly the limit—try finely chopped, spiced potato, ground beef, pulled pork, or bacon and eggs!

What To Serve With Gorditas

• Avocado Salsa
• Michelada
• Homemade Salsa

Storage

Store leftover gorditas, unassembled, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.