Are you wondering whether gorditas are gluten free? In this article we tell you everything you need to know about gorditas and gluten. We discuss the gluten content of gordita shells as well as common fillings that are used in gorditas. We also address concerns related to eating gorditas at a restaurant.
If you want to make gorditas at home and you are looking for a high quality brand of masa harina that is gluten free then we recommend this Maseca brand masa harina. We recommend buying masa harina online because it is often stored next to wheat-based flour on grocery store shelves.
What are gordita shells made of?
What are gordita shells made of? Gordita shells are made of a simple masa dough that is comprised of water, masa harina, and salt. A fat such as lard or a neutral oil is sometimes also used to fry the gordita shells.
Masa harina is an entirely corn-based flour. It is made with corn that has been soaked in an alkaline solution to help break the difficult to digest parts of the corn down. The corn is then dried and ground into a fine powder. Since masa harina is corn-based, most common masa harina brands are gluten free. Our personal favorite brand of masa harina is Maseca, which is prominently labeled as gluten free.
Are gordita shells gluten free?
Are gordita shells gluten free? Gordita shells are made with a corn-based flour. That means that they are generally gluten free as long as they are not made with masa harina that was processed on equipment that is shared with gluten-containing grains. All of the ingredients that are used to make gordita shells are naturally gluten free, so the main thing you need to watch out for is cross contamination from surfaces or equipment that are contaminated with gluten.
Are gordita fillings gluten free?
Are gordita fillings gluten free? There are many different types of filling that are used to stuff gorditas, so it is difficult to make a blanket statement about the gluten content of gordita fillings. That being said, most of the fillings that are commonly used in gorditas are naturally gluten free.
Gorditas are generally stuffed with a mixture of meats, beans, cheeses, and fresh or roasted vegetables. The most common way that gluten might sneak into gorditas is through the meat. Some people may use non-traditional ingredients like soy sauce to add a little extra flavor to their meat. If you are eating gorditas that were prepared by someone else, make sure to ask what ingredients were used to flavor the meat.
Are restaurant gorditas gluten free?
Are restaurant gorditas gluten free? While most homemade gorditas are naturally gluten free, restaurant gorditas are an entirely different beast. You have to be much more careful when eating gorditas that come from a restaurant because there are many ways for gluten to sneak into gorditas that were prepared at a restaurant.
As we stated before, the chef might decide to use a non-traditional ingredient such as soy sauce to add extra flavor to the meat. Or they might cook the gorditas on a surface that was previously used to cook flour tortillas. As always, you should talk to a server, or ideally someone in the kitchen, to determine whether the gorditas at a specific restaurant are safe for you to eat.
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