easy homemade flour tortillas, made form scratch

Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas

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Discover a quick and easy recipe for homemade flour tortillas that are thin, pliable, and perfect for tacos, wraps, or any other Mexican-inspired meals.

Key Takeaways

  • Making flour tortillas has never been easier with this ultimate guide to chewy, thin tortillas that rival any store-bought option!
  • These homemade flour tortillas are made using only 4 ingredients; no baking powder or tortilla press is needed.

You know how, when you’re craving to eat a bunch of veggies and some proper protein, and make some Mexican-inspired meal using storebought tortillas thinking you’re actually buying something healthy? Only to look at the ingredient list on the package and see how many unnecessary things are going into your body and just say; screw it, I’m going to make my own from scratch.

easy homemade flour tortillas, made from scratch

Once you taste these homemade flour tortillas, you’ll never, ever go back to store-bought. They are chewy, thin, and pliablethe perfect base for all your favorite Mexican-inspired meals. Whether you’re an experienced cook or just starting out, this foolproof recipe will make you feel like a tortilla master. Here’s what ingredients you’ll need.

Homemade Flour Tortillas – Ingredients You’ll Need

ingredients needed for homemade flour tortillas
  • Flour – I like to use all-purpose flour for these flour tortillas to keep things simple. It’s the main ingredient and easily available.
  • Salt – for giving the flavor to the tortillas.
  • Lard – a traditional ingredient that will make these flour tortillas taste amazing. Flour tortillas can be made with other types of fat too, but the result will be different. For a vegetarian recipe, you can use butter or olive oil for a vegan version, but the flavor will be different.
  • Water – using hot water (about 60°C/140°F) will make a big difference in your homemade flour tortillas; the lard will be absorbed more easily into the flour and you’ll get that desired elasticity that will make your tortillas easier to roll and pliable.

How to Make Flour Tortillas From Scratch

Check out the recipe card at the end of this post. It has the exact amounts of ingredients and detailed recipe instructions!

1. Make Flour Tortilla Dough

Whisk flour and salt in a bowl, then mix in lard until crumbly. Gradually add hot water, stirring until a smooth dough forms.

Knead for 8-10 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces (or more for smaller tortillas). Shape into balls.

2. Rest the Dough And Roll

Oil the balls lightly so they don’t form a crust on the outside, cover, and let rest for 15-30 minutes.

Take each piece of dough and coat with some flour. Roll each ball into a thin circle, about 10 inches in diameter.

tortilla dough in hand

3. Cook the Tortillas

Heat a cast-iron skillet and coat very lightly with lard or oil. Cook tortillas until bubbles form, flip, and cook for 30 seconds. Stack cooked tortillas in a towel-lined basket or zip-lock bag to steam and stay soft. The steaming is crucial so the flour tortillas remain tender, so don’t omit it!

freshly cooked flour tortillas in the basket

Ways to Use Your Flour Tortillas

There are so many practical ways on how to use your homemade flour tortillas, and here are some suggestions:

  1. Burritos: wrap up rice, protein, and veggies for a hearty meal.
  2. Quesadillas: fold a tortilla in half around cheese and other fillings, then pan-fry until melted and golden.
  3. Wraps: fill tortillas with chunky guacamole, turkey, ham, and veggies for an easy lunch or breakfast.
  4. Tacos: Warm your homemade flour tortillas and use them as a base for tacos. Fill them with your choice of protein, such as grilled chicken, steak, or even roasted vegetables. Top with fresh pico de gallo and a few rings of pickled red onion for a tangy crunch.

Sizes of Flour Tortillas

Tortillas come in various sizes depending on their intended use. Here are the most common sizes:

  • Small (6 inches): Typically used for tacos or fajitas. Great for handheld portions.
  • Medium (8 inches): A versatile size for wraps or quesadillas.
  • Large (10 inches): Perfect for burritos, enchiladas and larger wraps.

FAQ

1. Can I Use Whole Wheat Flour to Make Flour Tortillas?

Yep, of course, you can! It will give them a nuttier flavor and you will need to adjust some ratios in this recipe. Check my post about Baking With Whole Wheat Flour.

2. Why Do I Need to Rest Four Tortilla Dough?

This is one of the essential steps that you shouldn’t skip. Resting tortilla dough will allow you to roll it as thin as possible, as the gluten will have enough time to develop and relax.

3. Do I Need a Tortilla Press to Make Flour Tortillas?

For this flour tortilla recipe, you don’t need to have a tortilla press. It can make your process of making tortillas faster but the rolling pin will get the job done, too!

4. Why Are My Tortillas Tough?

This can happen if the dough isn’t properly hydrated (for example, you’ve used high-protein flour) or you’ve cooked the tortillas for too long.

5. Why My Tortillas Didn’t Puff Up?

A hot, possibly cast iron, skillet is key, as is proper rolling. If the tortillas are too thick or the skillet isn’t hot enough, they may not puff.

Storing and Freezing Tips

One batch will make 8 flour tortillas (10 inches/26 cm in diameter). Depending on which other recipes you’ll be using or for how many people you’ll be serving them, you might want to double the amount of tortillas you’ll make and store some for later.

The one thing you need to keep in mind is that homemade flour tortillas cannot last at room temperature as long as storebought tortillas. That’s because they don’t have added any preservatives, so read how to store them properly.

Storing

  • Let the flour tortillas cool completely.
  • Keep them in a zip-loc bag at room temperature for 3-4 days.

Freezing and reheating

  • If you want to make a double batch of flour tortillas and save some for later, here’s how to do this. Place a piece of parchment paper between each tortilla to prevent sticking.
  • Write a date of freezing on the freezer-safe bag and store it in a freezer for up to 3 months.
  • To reheat, thaw at room temperature and warm in a skillet or microwave.
easy homemade flour tortillas

Ready to make your own flour tortillas at home? Try this recipe today, and let me know how it goes in the comments! Share your photos, questions, or tips, or tag @foodandmoodblog on Instagram—I’d love to hear from you!

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easy homemade flour tortillas, made form scratch

Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas From Scratch

Mateja Zvirotic Andrijanic
Discover a quick and easy recipe for homemade flour tortillas that are thin, pliable, and perfect for tacos, wraps, or any other Mexican-inspired meals.
No ratings yet
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 8 flour tortillas (10 inch)
Calories 216 kcal

Equipment

  • Rolling Pin
  • cast iron skillet
  • digital thermometer

Ingredients
 
 

  • 350 g all-purpose flour
  • 5 g sea salt
  • 50 g lard (room temperature)
  • 200 ml water (warm, 60°C/140°F)

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
  • Add the lard and use your fingers to work it into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  • Gradually add the warm water, mixing with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together into a soft, smooth ball. Knead it with your hand for 8-10 minutes.
  • Divide it into 8 equal-weight pieces. For smaller tortillas, divide them into more balls. Shape into balls, lightly oil the outside, cover with a lid or a damp cloth, and let them rest for 15 to 30 minutes.
  • Take each piece of dough and coat with some flour. Roll each ball into a thin circle, about 10 inches in diameter.
  • Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot. Coat the pan with a small amount of lard or oil before each tortilla. Cook on one side until bubbles start to appear, then flip to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds or until almost cooked through.
  • Stack cooked tortillas one on the other in a clean kitchen towel in a basket with a lid or put them in a zip-lock bag. They must steam while cooling because that way they will stay soft and pliable.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutrition

Serving: 1flour tortillaCalories: 216kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 5gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 244mgPotassium: 47mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 1IUCalcium: 7mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional information provided is an estimate based on ingredients data and should be used for informational purposes only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on factors such as portion size, preparation methods and ingredients used.

flour tortillas

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