Masa Harina vs. Corn Flour: How the Corn Products Differ

Masa harina is the dried and powdered form of masa, or masa de maíz, a dough of ground nixtamalized corn. Nixtamalization involves soaking field corn kernels in an alkaline solution of calcium hydroxide or wood ash. This process makes dried corn easier to work with and more nutritious for humans because it releases amino acids that transform the corn into a complete protein. The nixtamalized corn (also known as hominy) then gets washed, parboiled, hulled, and ground into fresh masa. Masa is the basis of corn tortillas, tamales, pupusas, gorditas, and other popular dishes in Latin American and Mexican cuisine.

Think of masa harina, which translates to “dough flour” in Spanish, as instant masa. To transform masa harina into the corn dough essential to so many Mexican dishes, simply add water and let it sit to rehydrate. You can also use masa harina as a thickening agent in soups and stews, like this vegan tortilla soup.

Corn flour in a finely ground powder made from yellow corn. Corn flour replaces wheat flour in baked goods like baker Apollonia Poîlane’s savory corn flour bread. The corn-based flour is like a more finely ground version of cornmeal. In British English, “corn flour” may also refer to cornstarch.

Using visual cues is a good way to tell the difference between cornstarch, corn flour, and cornmeal. Cornstarch is a fine white powder; corn flour is a fine yellow powder; cornmeal is coarse and yellow.

Masa harina and corn flour are non-interchangeable ingredients. These are some of the main differences between masa harina and corn flour:

1. 1. History and culture: Masa is a much more ancient product than corn flour. Mesoamericans perfected the nixtamalization of corn centuries ago out of necessity. It was impossible to grind dried corn kernels by hand, and soaking them in limewater softened the kernels enough to grind. European settlers opted not to nixtamalize their corn. Instead, they relied on machines to grind the kernels into cornmeal and flour. Unfortunately, they wound up losing out on the nutritional benefits of nixtamalization. While dried powdered masa harina is a newer invention, it still relies on nixtamalization.
2. 2. Nutrition: Masa is easier to digest because the corn gets partially broken down during the nixtamalization process. While masa harina is not as nutritious as fresh masa, the nutrients in the corn may be more bioavailable (easier for your body to absorb) than those in corn flour.
3. 3. Type of corn: Most corn flour comes from dried yellow dent corn, a variety with a small dent in the top of the kernel. Millers remove the tough outer hull and nutritious germ from whole corn kernels, then use metal rollers to grind the kernels into a fine powder. Masa harina, however, uses white corn that goes through the nixtamalization process, which uses an alkaline solution to soften the corn enough for grinding into a paste. The paste then gets dried to make masa harina. Masa harina usually includes white corn, while corn flour uses yellow corn; however, there are blue and yellow corn varieties of masa. There isn’t much difference between the two corns besides the color. Sweetness levels come from the variety and seasonality of corn more so than the color.
4. 4. Uses: Use corn flour as you would all-purpose flour. Use it to make quickbreads and other gluten-free baked goods or as a breading ingredient for fried foods. Use masa harina to make fresh tortillas, tostadas, tortilla chips, tacos, tamales, arepas, and empanadas.

There are plenty of other corn products that look and even taste similar to corn flour and masa harina, including:

1. 1. Cornmeal: Cornmeal is coarsely ground, dried yellow corn. Unlike corn flour and masa harina, cornmeal features much larger corn particles that give cornmeal waffles and cornbread a toothsome texture. (Like corn flour, the corn hasn’t undergone nixtamalization before grinding.) It also serves as a nonstick coating for English muffins and pizza crusts.
2. 2. Cornstarch: Cornstarch is a thickening agent made by extracting the starches from the endosperm of the corn kernel. This extremely fine, flavorless white powder has an entirely different texture from corn flour and masa harina. Learn about the differences between cornstarch vs. flour, another popular thickener.
3. 3. Grits: Grits is a porridge-like dish traditionally made from coarsely ground hominy. (It’s also the name of the dried corn product used to make the dish.) Hominy grits have more in common with masa harina than corn flour; they both feature alkalized corn kernels. However, most grits haven’t undergone nixtamalization, making them more like cornmeal. Try them in Chef Mashama Bailey’s Southern fish and grits recipe.
4. 4. Polenta: Polenta is an Italian dish of yellow cornmeal mixed with a liquid and often garnished with cheese and fresh herbs. (Polenta is also the name of the cornmeal used to make the dish.) Polenta is never nixtamalized and has a more uniform grind size than grits. Traditionally, polenta features a variety of Italian flint corn known as otto file. Learn how to make polenta at home.

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