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Use It Up: Recipes for Leftover Corn Tortillas

Updated: July 22, 2015
We love corn tortillas for Mexican-inspired dishes, but these sweet, tender rounds have loads of potential well beyond the taco.
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Cheesy Sausage Roll-Ups

Photo: Greg Dupree
View Recipe: Cheesy Sausage Roll-Ups

Roll corn tortillas around a sausage and seal with creamy, melty cheese. Top with jalapeños, which add a spicy kick to this childhood classic. Ready in just under 15 minutes, this quick weekday snack is also perfect for parties, picnics, and barbecues.

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Crunchy Ranch Faux-Rito Strips

Photo: Greg Dupree

A perfect go-to crunch-topper, these simple strips provide soups and salads with a crisp edge.

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Mexican Hot Fudge Sundae Bowls

Photo: Greg Dupree
View Recipe: Mexican Hot Fudge Sundae Bowls

This delicious dessert earned raves from the Cooking Light staff. Although not traditional, a corn tortilla cup might just taste better than a beloved waffle cone.

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Grilled Flank Steak with Chipotle-Orange Mojo

Photo: Christopher Testani

Turn your kitchen island into a mexican street food cart offering Carne Asada-style tacos. Fresh cilantro leaves, orange juice, and glorious bold-flavored spices unite to leave a lasting impression on your guests.

  

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Southwestern-Style Meatballs

Photo: Greg Dupree

These juicy, tender bites can be served in soups, pastas, sandwiches, pizzas, or salads. Make them for dinner tonight and freeze the remaining morsels (if there are any left behind) for a quick meal on busy weeknights. 

Southwestern-Style Meatballs

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Chicken Enchiladas

Photo: Johnny Autry

Chicken Enchiladas are the ultimate in family-favorite dishes. Chicken breasts are poached in a highly-flavored liquid; then the liquid does double duty as a sauce when mixed with salsa verde and whipping cream and spooned over the chicken-filled tortillas.

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White Bean and Spinach Tacos

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

To quickly warm tortillas, stack and wrap them in damp paper towels; microwave at high for 25 seconds. Serve immediately.

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Egg and Cheese Breakfast Tacos with Homemade Salsa

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Egg and Cheese Breakfast Tacos with Homemade Salsa

These breakfast tacos prove low-sodium doesn't mean less flavor. Fresh-made salsa tastes more vibrant than bottled, and you control the added sodium. The cheese and sour cream add salty notes to these tacos. Round out your meal with fresh mango slices.

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Spicy Tortilla Strips

Photo: John Autry

Increase the ground red pepper to add a kick, or omit it for a tame batch. Blend regular flour, whole-wheat flour, and corn tortillas for a mixture of taste and texture, if you like. Try them with our Orange and Avocado Salsa.

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Huevos Rancheros

Photo: Randy Mayor

Have your eggs whichever way you like them best: with red sauce, green sauce, or both. You can use white, yellow, or blue corn tortillas.

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Pork Carnitas Gorditas

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Pork Carnitas Gorditas

Gordita is a term of endearment meaning "little fat one" in Spanish. It also refers to a thick, fried tortilla. Here, we use masa harina (available in the Latin foods aisle at large supermarkets) to make fresh gorditas. In a pinch, you can use store-bought corn tortillas as a base for this delicious dish.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Mole

Photo: Jennifer Causey

Serve the whole leg quarters over brown basmati rice, or shred the chicken off the bone and layer onto corn tortillas (as shown) with cilantro, radishes, and a squeeze of lime for family taco night.

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Stacked Chicken Enchiladas

Photo: Jennifer Causey

Because you layer this Tex-Mex dish, lasagna-style, instead of rolling each enchilada individually, you save time in the kitchen, and the results are ultimately healthier because the tortillas don't have to be fried or softened in oil before you assemble the casserole.

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Tilapia Tostadas with Roasted Corn Relish

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

These crisp tilapia tostadas have all the appeal of traditional fish tacos, but the flat shape allows you to pile toppings high. Although we broil corn tortillas for the base, substitute flour tortillas, or use prepared shells, if you prefer.

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Chicken Poblano Casserole

Photo: Jeff Kauck

Not only is this casserole a good source of niacin (mainly from the chicken), but one serving also supplies about 60 percent of your daily calcium needs. Fresh corn and corn tortillas offer an ample amount of folate, too, and the best part is, it tastes great!

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Chicken-Chorizo Burgers with Avocado Mayonnaise

Photo: Randy Mayor

Bite-sized pieces of corn tortillas act as a binder in these sausage and chicken burgers.

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Breakfast Tortilla Strata

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Put this dish together in the morning and chill it all day, this gives the tortillas time to soak up the batter, which makes the strips puff when baked.

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