Are Tortilla Chips Gluten-Free?

Are tortilla chips gluten-free? Tortilla chips and guacamole are arguably the best snack ever- but are tortilla chips safe to eat if you’re avoiding gluten? Let’s find out.

You’ve just been seated at your favorite Mexican restaurant. The server brings out a tray of freshly made, still-warm tortilla chips and a side of homemade salsa or guacamole. Should you:

1. Dig in with reckless abandon
2. Skip the chips and resign yourself to a miserable existence
3. Check with the server to ask if the chips are gluten-free and if they were made in a shared fryer

The correct answer here, folks, is “C” (hopefully followed by “A”, depending on their answer). 

Are tortilla chips gluten-free?

Most, but not all, tortilla chips are gluten-free. Tortilla chips are usually made with corn tortillas, which are usually gluten-free. Note the usually, because this is not always true! Whether or not cooking takes place in a shared fryer is an even bigger concern if you’re super sensitive or have Celiac disease.

Whether you’re grabbing a bag from the store or eating out, here are a few things to check out.

How to tell if tortilla chips are gluten-free at a restaurant

Fair warning: You’ll probably run into a few servers that don’t know the answer to these questions - especially at hole in the wall joints. Our recommendation is to err on the side of caution. 

How to tell if a bag of tortilla chips is gluten-free

It’s a little easier to know if store-bought chips are gluten-free. Many brands will even share this information on the packaging. 

Gluten-free certification vs. label claims

There are two ways a company can let customers know that their product is gluten-free. First, they can simply make label claims. This just means that the words “gluten-free” appear on the packaging. This means that the product is made entirely with gluten-free ingredients. It does not necessarily rule out the possibility of contamination during packaging if the product is not processed in a dedicated gluten-free facility. Regardless, if labeled as gluten-free, products may have no more than 20ppm of gluten. 

If you see the words “certified gluten-free”, you know that the food is independently tested by a third party and verified to contain no more than 20ppm gluten.

Some brands of tortilla chips contain entirely gluten-free ingredients but don’t label their product as such. In this case, take a look at the label. You’ll likely see just a few simple ingredients - corn flour (or masa), water, oil and salt. 

Are multi-grain tortilla chips gluten-free?

It’s essential to check the label before ripping into a bag of multi-grain tortilla chips. Multigrain tortilla chips often add in other grains and seeds. Some multi-grain tortilla chips are gluten-free, while others may contain wheat or oats. Look for gluten-free label claims and certifications, or check the ingredients list carefully.

Are Doritos Gluten-Free

Doritos tortilla chips are known for their wild and wacky flavors. Poppin’ Jalapeno Doritos - delicious, right?! But are they gluten-free? 

Most flavors of Doritos are made with gluten-free ingredients, but here’s the catch - they aren’t manufactured in a dedicated gluten-free facility. Frito Lay states that cleaning of the production equipment occurs between runs, but there’s no way to guarantee that your Doritos don’t come in contact with trace amounts of gluten. Because Frito Lay doesn’t test each flavor of Doritos to ensure that there’s less than 20ppm of gluten, they cannot make any gluten-free claims. 

Devastated by the news that you might need to avoid Doritos? According to their website, there is one lone flavor that’s gluten-free - White Cheddar Organic Tortilla Chips. 

Try making baked tortilla chips at home!

There is one way to ensure fresh, delicious, gluten-free tortilla chips - make them at home. Seriously, you can’t beat  fresh, homemade tortilla chips. Here’s how to make them at home  and without having to fry them in oil!

1. Stack one dozen tortillas. Cut the stack into 8 wedges. 
2. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet (will probably take 2 sheets). 
3. Spray with gluten-free cooking spray (or brush with oil). 
4. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until tortillas are brown and crisp. 

Easy enough, right?

Now that you’ve got chips, you’ll need some delicious dips…

You're gonna need a drink to wash down the tortilla chips. Do you know which beverages are gluten-free? Read these next...