Tortilla chips are serious business. Every year, nearly 237 million Americans snack on them—that’s more than 70 percent of the population. It’s no surprise they’re so popular; this Tex-Mex snack, inspired by the Mexican staple tortilla, offers the perfect mix of crispy, salty, and crunchy goodness. Often triangular-shaped, they serve as the ideal vessel for transporting delicious dips like salsa, queso, and guacamole straight to your mouth. But which are the best? We’ve narrowed it down to a few favorites (though, of course, when it comes to tortilla chips, the verdict on which is superior is entirely subjective).
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When did tortilla chips become popular?
While inspired by Mexican cuisine, tortilla chips are actually more of a Tex-Mex creation. The “Tex” in Tex-Mex refers to Texas, and “Mex” to Mexican, but this style of cuisine is a blend of American and Mexican flavors, rather than strictly Texan. Tortilla chips, for example, actually originated in 1940s California. There, Rebecca Webb Carranza ran a tortilla factory with her husband in Los Angeles. To avoid wasting misshapen tortillas, she began frying them and selling them.
After that, Americans across the country got a taste for tortilla chips, and they soared in popularity. Now, they’re a global favorite. In fact, in 2023, the global market for tortilla chips hit nearly $36 billion, according to IMARC Group. “Despite their simplicity, tortilla chips play a pivotal role in global snack culture, epitomizing the perfect blend of taste, texture, and versatility,” noted the market research company.
The best tortilla chips to share with friends over salsa, queso, and more
With so many tortilla chip options on the market, it’s hard to know which ones are the best. But worry not, we’re here to help. Below we’ve picked out some of our go-to options in various categories, so you can find the perfect match to enjoy with salsa, guacamole, and beyond.
1 Best tortilla chips on their own: Siete Grain Free Tortilla Chips
Eva Longoria-backed Siete Foods makes grain-free, vegan tortilla chips using only a handful of natural ingredients in each. They are deliciously addictive and available in flavors like simple Sea Salt, dairy-free Nacho, and tangy Lime. These chips are so good, they can stand on their own two feet. Let them shine all on their own before you break out the dip selection.
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2 Best tortilla chips for salsa: Xochitl The Dipper Tortilla Chips
As the name suggests, these chips from Texas-based Xochitl were designed for dipping. They’re perfectly crispy, salty, and thin—but not so thin that they’ll strain underneath all the salsa you’re about to load on them. Side note: Need a tasty salsa recipe? Find out how to make delicious fresh and zesty mango salsa here.
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3 Best tortilla chips for queso: Tostitos Tortilla Chips Crispy Rounds
Yep, queso can be dairy-free and delicious. If you need extra convincing, check out our easy vegan queso recipe here. But what good is queso without some decent chips to eat it with? These crispy rounds from Tostitos are a firm favorite for cheesy dipping. They’re hearty, crunchy, and perfectly shaped to keep all of that gooey goodness safe on its journey to your mouth.
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4 Best tortilla chips for guac: Juantonio’s Tortilla Chips
These tortilla chips have been a firm favorite in the Pacific Northwest for a good few years now (where they are known as Juanita’s), and now they’ve started to gain a reputation nationwide for being some of the tastiest tortilla chips on the market. Mix them with guacamole (we love this recipe with pomegranate and cacao!) for the best taste experience.
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5 Best tortilla chips for nachos: Santitas Original Tortilla Chip Strips
From salsa to cheese to quinoa chili, making loaded nachos involves a lot of layers of ingredients, so strong, hearty tortilla chips, like these from Santitas, are a must. They’re sturdier than other options, but still deliciously crunchy and crispy, too.
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6 Best flavored tortilla chips: Late July Jalapeño Lime Tortilla Chips
Stock up on these for your next movie night. Thanks to the kick of spicy jalapeños and zesty limes, they’re packed with flavor. And of course, they have that much-needed satisfying crunch, too. No need to mess around with bowls and dips, just enjoy them straight out of the bag.
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7 Best blue corn tortilla chips: Whole Foods Market Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
If you love the slightly nuttier taste of a blue corn tortilla chip, check out these from Whole Foods Market. They’re light, crispy, and crunchy, and offer just the right amount of saltiness in each bite. Enjoy them as they are or load them up with guacamole, salsa, and plenty of vegan cheese.
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8 Best yellow corn tortilla chips: Que Pasa Organic Yellow Corn Tortilla Chips
In classic golden yellow, these Que Pasa organic tortilla chips have a mild, slightly sweet flavor that lends itself beautifully to your favorite dip selection. We recommend grabbing a bag and cracking out the hummus, no need to share.
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9 Best white tortilla chips: Mi Nina Sea Salt White Corn Tortilla Chip
Finally, if white tortilla chips are your bag, we’ve got these lightly salted crispy treats from Mi Nana. Reviewers have said these chips are so good “they can’t stop eating them” and that they are “reminiscent of Dortito but in tortilla form.”
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the vegan lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission. In no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.
