Baked Tortilla Chips (no oil)

Name: Baked Tortilla Chips (no oil)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 6 corn tortillas; salt (for salted chips); fresh lime juice and salt (for salted lime chips); chili lime seasoning (for chili lime chips); taco seasoning (for taco chips); everything bagel seasoning (for everything chips); cinnamon sugar (for cinnamon sugar chips (best with flour tortillas, but will also work with corn))

Crunchy baked tortilla chips without oil you can make in your oven or air fryer. We're not using any fat or oil to cook these chips. And, yes, they get really crunchy! Jazz it up with five different tested seasoning options, too.

Want to save this post?

Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, I'll send you quick & simple plant-based recipes every week!

Baked corn tortilla chips are super crunchy, low calorie, oil-free and a healthy appetizer for your next game day, super bowl party or potluck.

Use them to scoop up queso, guacamole, pico de gallo, vegan chile con queso, salsa fresca, spinach artichoke dip or bean dip. They are also a great plant-based, vegan snack to pack in a school lunch box or take with you when you're running errands.

🎙 What people say about this recipe

"Thank you for this very simple recipe. We love these chips! Besides snacking on them as is, we also crumble them up as salad “croutons”. Looking forward to using them as a garnish for soup. Sometimes I cook them on a much lower temp to avoid burnt corners, turn the oven off and let them get extra crispy as the oven cools. Our go to seasoning is garlic and onion powder. Looking forward to trying the cinnamon sugar ones."
- Holly

"Love this recipe. I could not find baked tortilla chips with low or no salt no matter where I looked. I got so discouraged, but now I am happy to have your recipe for baked tortillas so that I can make them myself. Thank you so much! 💕"
- Mardena

🧄 Very useful ingredient notes

ingredients for homemade oil free tortilla chips: corn tortillas, and optional ingredients of lime juice and salt

Corn tortillas - find the thinnest store-bought corn tortillas you can find. They bake up crunchier and faster the thinner they are. Look for the standard size (about 5-6 inches across in diameter) in the Mexican or Hispanic foods section of your grocery store. And, make sure they are oil-free by checking the ingredient list (most are).

📋 Substitutions and variations

Here are some substitution options for the ingredients:

Mini corn tortillas - Use street taco corn tortillas instead, which are about ⅔ the size of traditional corn tortillas instead. They can be cut in half, for half-moon shapes (pictured below with the everything bagel seasoning on them). Or, cut them into fourths for small chips.
Flour, multigrain or flavored wrap tortillas - Use non-corn tortillas instead, but keep in mind that most flour tortillas are made with oil and are higher in calories than corn tortillas. And, the larger burrito style wrap tortillas will be larger pieces when cut.
Homemade tostada shells - make air fryer tostada shells using whole corn tortillas, regular sized or mini
Lime juice - use water in a spray bottle or brushed on to help the seasonings and salt stick, instead of the lime juice.
SOS-free - make this recipe salt-free by omitting the salt or using no salt seasonings

Try one of these tasty seasoning options for these healthy tortilla chips:

Salted Lime Chips - imagine you're at Chipotle by adding fresh lime juice and salt to the chips immediately when they come out of the air fryer. Do not add before baking, the lime loses its flavor and makes the chips stick to the pan.
Chili Lime Seasoning - whether using Tajín or Trader Joe's Chili Lime, it's a delicious addition. Spritz chips with water, then sprinkle seasoning on halfway through cooking. If you add it at the beginning, it begins to burn by the end when the chips are done, because the seasoning is very fine.
Taco Seasoning - Spicy and flavorful, an excellent seasoning for corn chips. Spritz chips with water, then sprinkle seasoning on halfway through cooking. If you add it at the beginning, it begins to burn by the end when the chips are done, because the seasoning is very fine.
Everything Bagel Seasoning - Garlicky and salty, a surprising favorite in our house. Since the seasoning pieces are large, this can be added before baking. Spritz chips with water first, to help the seasoning stick.
Cinnamon Sugar - A sweet option, sprinkle cinnamon sugar to the chips that have been wet with a spray of water first. These taste best when using flour tortillas, but can be used to season corn tortillas also. To take these over the top and give them crispy sopapilla vibes, drizzle with agave nectar (or maple syrup/honey) and powdered sugar.

Looking for a homemade fat-free baked pita chips recipe? I've got one! Give it a try, they're just as easy and crunchy as these oil-free tortilla chips.

🔪 Instructions

Step by step instructions for how to make this easy recipe. The most challenging part is making sure you add your seasonings at the right time and watching them at the end of cooking, so they don't burn. These chips can be baked in the oven or air fryer.

This is how you cut the tortillas into chips.

Stack all of the tortillas on top of each other and, using a long knife, cut them in half down the middle.

We want six equal pieces, so cut at a diagonal, like you would a pizza.

cut a third time, so you have 6 equal pieces

Make final cut, so you have 6 wedges.

Now, you have 36 unbaked chips (6 tortillas, cut into 6 pieces each).

How to make tortilla chips without oil in an air fryer

How many chips you can cook at once and how long it will take depends on the type and size of your air fryer.

With my Ninja Foodi, I can fit 5 cut-up corn tortillas on my basket in one layer. With a pod-style air fryer, you'll have to break it up into 2 batches, most likely.

put tortilla pieces in air fryer tray or baking tray in one layer

Add chips to air fryer in a single layer, if possible. Don't overcrowd the tray or basket.

check on crispiness and doneness after about 5 minutes

Air fry at 375 degrees F for 5 minutes. Check on them and shake the basket every 60 seconds afterwards. They are done when they are lightly golden, crispy and not bendable.

If you choose to season your chips, some seasonings are best to add before baking, some during and some at the end. Refer to the recipe card for specific instructions for adding various seasonings.

For example, if using fresh lime juice, it's best to add it immediately after the chips are done air frying or baking.

How to bake tortilla chips without oil in the oven

Arrange cut tortilla pieces on a baking sheet in one layer. Do not overlap the pieces. Bake at 400°F (no fan) for 7 minutes and then check them.

If they are still bendable or soft in the middle, continue baking and check on them every 2 minutes. They will continue to crisp up a little after they’re done baking, but they should be golden brown and firm straight out of the oven.

platter of differently seasoned tortilla chips with salsa

⭐️ Expert tips

Watch the chips closely toward the end of the cooking time! They go from golden brown to burnt pretty fast, especially in the air fryer.
Don't add the fresh lime juice at the beginning of cooking, it loses a lot of its lovely flavor that way.

🥡 Make ahead and storage tips

These oil free tortilla chips can be made ahead of time, except for the variety using fresh lime juice.

For all other chips using dry seasonings, be sure to allow the cooked chips to cool completely, then store in a a zip-top bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

❓ FAQ

Can I air fry tortilla chips without oil?

Yes! They will get crispy and crunchy without oil. See below for instructions.

Do baked tortilla chips get really crunchy?

Yes! I don't know about you, but my favorite chips are the ones that curl up or fold over on themselves because they're so crispy and munchable. Well, these chips kinda separate and create layers sometimes, depending on the corn tortillas you use. That makes them extra crunchy and munchable!

How can I get homemade tortilla chips crunchy fast?

Don't overcrowd the sheet pan or air fryer basket! The cut tortillas should not overlap each other. They can be close to each other as they will shrink and curl up a bit while they bake, but shouldn't overlap. Keep them in a single layer. Six corn tortillas that have been cut into six triangles each just fit a large baking tray. That will give you 36 chips.

Should I use parchment paper or a silicone mat for this recipe?

No. While I normally advise using a silicone baking mat to keep things from sticking, that is not necessary here. These oil-free tortilla chips do not stick, as they have very little water content to them. In fact, if you use one, it will slow down the baking process and make it take much longer to get these crunchy baked corn chips done and ready for some dip!

🗺 Cultural influences

Tortilla chips are now enjoyed the world over, but they originate from Mexican culture. According to Wikipedia and Mayan Mexican, the triangle-shaped tortilla chip was popularized by Rebecca Webb Carranza in the 1940s.

She took misshapen corn tortillas, cut them into triangles, fried them and sold them for 10 cents a bag in Los Angeles.

Today, you will find countless brands and varieties of tortilla chips sold in stores to choose from as a vessel for your salsas and dips.

Love this recipe?

Please rate it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment below, so I know which recipes you like the best. This helps me know what to make more of!

📖 Recipe

Note: this recipe was updated on August 19, 2022 to include several tested seasonings for these homemade tortilla chips.

More Vegan, Plant-based Chips and Dip Recipes

About Abi Cowell

Abi Cowell is the plant-based food blogger and recipe developer at Very Veganish She’s certified in plant-based nutrition by the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. Abi helps busy health-conscious women create simple & healthy vegan meals in under 30 minutes so they spend less time in the kitchen cooking and cleaning. A no-judgment zone, her website, VeryVeganish.com makes WFPB eating easy, delicious, and accessible for all! She specializes in crafting recipes for specific dietary needs and features recipes showcasing the diverse food culture of Houston, Texas, her hometown. When she's not cooking, you'll find her volunteering and trying to survive the Texas summers with copious glasses of iced tea.

Comments

4.44 from 30 votes (28 ratings without comment)