Cooking Method

• Whether you use corn or flour tortillas for soft tacos, you'll want to warm them somehow to soften them and improve their flavor. Traditional methods include warming them in a tortilla warmer in the microwave or charring them lightly on the grill. There's no reason you can't fry them if you prefer, although you'll want to fry them just until they soften, removing them from the pan before they become crisp. One or two minutes in hot oil should do the trick.

Benefits

• The benefits of frying tortillas for soft tacos have mostly to do with taste and texture. Frying them lightly in oil deepens their flavor -- especially that of corn tortillas. It also gives them a substantial, but soft, texture. You can even fold them slightly as you fry them to make the perfect taco shape. Once they're done, drain them well on paper towels to remove as much oil as possible.

Drawbacks

• One of the main perks to soft tacos is their convenience -- no heating oil or messy clean-up -- so adding the extra step of frying the tortillas is definitely a drawback. Another problem with frying the tortillas is that they tend to be greasy, which can make eating them a challenge. Finally, if you fry the tortillas in shortening, you're adding trans-fats to your meal. Even if you use a more healthy fat, such as canola oil, you're adding unnecessary calories.

Alternatives

• If you like the taste of fried tortillas, but don't relish the mess or the extra calories, try oven frying them instead. Spread the tortillas on a baking sheet and spray them lightly with a cooking spray. Place them in the oven for a few minutes until they're warm and soft. Another option is to spray a non-stick pan with a little cooking spray and cook the tortillas until they're warm, turning them halfway through the cooking time. Either way, they'll have the soft, robust texture of fried tortillas without all the trouble.