This post may contain affiliate links. I only recommend products or services that I personally use or trust, promise!
One of my favorite Mexican street foods is definitely the fried gordita! These corn cake pockets can be filled with pretty much anything- my favorite is carne asada with jalapeños and onions!
What is gordita?
Gorditas are basically a thicker corn tortilla with a pocket in the middle that can be stuffed with delicious Mexican ingredients. The possibilities are endless!
“Gordita” means chubby in Spanish, but in an endearing way. I’m not really sure why they are called that, but my guess is because they are thick corn tortillas? Who knows.
Ingredients:
- Maseca- this is corn flour and is the most important ingredient. There are no substitutes, although you can make a flour based gordita if you can’t find maseca. It will taste different, but still good.
- All purpose flour- you only need a little ap flour compared to maseca. This is to give the gordita a puffy, soft texture.
- Baking powder- makes the gordita slightly crispy, especially around the edges, and it helps the gordita puff up.
- Salt- for flavor, obviously
- Warm water- to bring the dough together
Carne Asada
- Skirt steak- this is my favorite cut for carne asada, but you can also use flank or flap meat.
- Garlic/salt paste- I learned this method from my grandfather a few years ago, and its my favorite way to flavor carne asada. Roast some garlic cloves until they are soft, then grind them into a paste with salt. Such a flavor bomb.
- Orange & lime juice- for flavor & tenderizing
- Olive oil- any neutral oil is fine, but if using olive oil make sure it is not extra virgin olive oil.
- Vinegar- white vinegar is best, but you may also use apple cider vinegar.
- Spices- pepper, cumin, chili powder, Mexican oregano, & onion powder.
- Cilantro, onion, & jalapeno- add the cilantro and onion into the marinade, then add some jalapeños to the marinated steak.
Variations
The possibilities of fillings are actually endless, but here are a few common ones:
- Refried beans & cheese
- Chicharron
- Rajas & cheese
- Chorizo
- Carnitas
- Chile verde
Frying vs. Comal
If you don’t wan’t to fry the gorditas, you an also cook them on a comal (skillet) for a healthier alternative. They will have a slightly different taste and a different texture, but still really good!
Carne Asada Gorditas
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups maseca (corn flour)
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups warm water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 8 oz monterey jack cheese
Carne Asada
- 2 lbs skirt steak
- 3-4 plump garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 3 limes
- 1 orange
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 small onion
- 2 jalapenos, cut in half lengthwise
Guacamole
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1 roma tomato
- 1/4 onion
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1 tsp lime juice
- salt & pepper to taste
Other toppings
- queso fresco
- iceburg lettuce
- salsa
- crema
- lime
Instructions
- Roast the garlic cloves on a skillet until they have softened enough to grind into a paste with salt.
- Add the diced onions and gently press with the pestle to release juices.
- Add the cilantro, juice of 2 limes & 1 orange, vinegar, olive oil, & spices. Mix well, making sure you scrape all the garlic paste from the bottom.
- Massage the marinade into the skirt steak and add the jalapeno halves. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 2-4 hours.
- Smash the avocados then add the rest of the guacamole ingredients together and set it aside. To keep it from browning, place saran wrap right on top to seal it so there is no oxygen. This keeps it from oxidizing.
- Combine the maseca, ap flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and mix well. Slowly add the warm water and mix together until combined. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
- Divide the dough into 8 pieces and form a pocket to stuff with cheese. You can use whatever cheese you like- i'm using monterey jack.
- Seal to form a ball
- Flatten out the balls to 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick discs. I prefer them on the thinner side. Do not make them too thick or they will absorb too much oil and won't puff up. I used my hands and a clean flat surface but you can also use a tortilla press if you have one. *You can also store these in the fridge for a couple days to use later. This recipe yeilds 8 gorditas but I stored half of them in my fridge to make breakfast gorditas with refried beans the next day 🙂
- You can grill the carne asada if you want, but I think it's best to just cook it on a cast iron skillet along with the jalapenos and onions, so they can retain all the juices and flavor.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Cut the steak, jalapenos, and onions into small chunks. Squeeze some fresh lime juice all over, then cover to keep warm.
- Fry the gorditas in neutral oil (325 degrees fahrenheit) for about 1 minute on each side, or until golden brown. It should puff up, creating a pocket in the center- if it doesn't, your gordita is too thick. Alternatively, you can cook them on a comal (skillet) for an oil-free gordita.
- Carefully cut into the gorditas while they are still hot, a little less than half way around.
- Stuff with guacamole, queso fresco, lettuce, carne asada, crema, and salsa.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!
Omg??? the kids said the meqt was too spicy but me and my man LOVED THEM! Tik tok made me do it?
hi there, i was wondering if we can use ground beef? because thats all i have at the moment and need to use.
Yes but in that case I don’t think it is necessary to marinade- you can just season it and cook right away.
I made these for the family tonight and they were a hit!!! Thank you so much ?
I’d love the salsa recipe you used in the video ? of course there’s many verde recipes to look up but yours looks so good, I’m hoping to get the recipe ? I LOVE a good verde salsa. Yours looked so on point! I’m going to cook your recipe tonight. Thank you!
Can I use a different pan if I don’t have cast iron?
Yes that’s fine! Just make sure it can get hot enough for a good sear on both sides.
Definitely a 10/10! Even though I couldn’t get my gorditas to puff up the recipe was very easy to follow and very delicious! Will definitely be making this again. Any tips for getting the gorditas to puff up? I think I went wrong trying to cook them in a cast iron skillet.
Thank you for your comment! I’m glad you enjoyed the gorditas. The only thing I can think of as to why they did not puff up is that maybe your baking powder is expired!
Hello! Thank you for the recipe. Would I be able to use chicken instead of beef, or do you think that would be weird?
Chicken would be fine! I’d recommend dark meat 🙂
Can the wheat floor be replaced with gluten free flour?
You can just leave it out 🙂
Cook the steak on a cast iron skillet for how long and what flame? Medium? High? Halp! Making them tomorrow
Hi Mia, you’ll need high heat at first to get a good sear on both sides. It depends on how thick your steak is, but normally just keep it on high heat until cooked to your desired doneness. If it’s really thick, you may need to turn down the heat a little after searing so that it doesn’t burn. Hope that helps!
Hello☺️ I saw the Gordita recipe on TikTok so I had to come on here to get full recipe. I will be making them soon. All your recipes look delicious!