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Masa Harina

Nixtamalised maize flour for tortillas and tamales.

Masa Harina — illustrative ingredient image

About Masa Harina

Masa harina is a **nixtamalised maize flour** made for preparing dough used in tortillas, tamales, and related maize foods. It is combined with water and shaped or filled according to the dish.

Its flavour is distinctly maize-like, with the characteristic savoury, mineral aroma associated with nixtamalised maize. Mixed into dough, it becomes pliable; cooked tortillas are soft and flexible when fresh, while tamale dough is used with fillings and steaming.

It is sold as a dry, finely milled flour, usually pale in colour. Water rehydrates it into dough, and pressing, wrapping, griddling, or steaming changes its structure and final texture. The description does not specify a particular maize cultivar or milling grade.

Ingredient type
flour

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Where masa harina appears

12 linked foods

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Showing 1–12 of 12

Main dishes

Soups

Street food

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for masa harina

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Masa harina

English

Masa harina, cooked

Search alias · Not a confirmed translation

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Masa Harina nutrition & diet

Masa Harina nutritional value

Product reference: Bob's Red Mill Golden Corn Flour Masa Harina

Per 100 g of this named product as sold.

Calories
375kcal
Protein
6.3g
Carbs
81.3g
Fat
3.1g

Approximate per-100-g values calculated from the manufacturer’s rounded 32 g serving label, accessed 20 September 2026. This is a product example, not a universal composition for every brand. Label zeros may represent rounding. Total carbohydrate includes fibre. Check the current package for your product.

Portions & preparation

Use the dry nixtamalised maize flour form for ingredient comparisons, and distinguish it from hydrated masa, tortillas, tamales, or fried products. Preparation can add water, fat, salt, fillings, or sauces, while grinding fineness and maize variety may alter the applicable reference.

Compare the right form: Match references to dry nixtamalised masa harina, not hydrated masa, tortillas, tamales, or fried products made from it.

Diet considerations

Masa harina is plant-derived maize flour treated by nixtamalisation. Compatibility changes with added lard, dairy, stock, fillings, or meat, and with coatings or frying. As a cereal ingredient, its carbohydrate pattern depends on the prepared portion and whether it becomes a tortilla, tamale, dough, or snack.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Not established
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Not established
The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Bob's Red Mill — Golden Corn Flour Masa Harina nutrition label ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .