Tortillas are such a versatile food, which is why I love them. You can use them for wraps, tacos, or even chips. But there’s a huge difference between the taste and texture of store-bought tortillas and homemade tortillas that you make from scratch.
Once you try this easy recipe for homemade tortillas, you’ll never go back to the prepacked ones again!
If you’ve ever tried making your own bread from scratch, you know how difficult it can be. So, it’s understandable if you’re intimidated by making your own homemade tortillas. If you’ve held off on trying to make tortillas from scratch, I have some good news for you – they’re so simple to make!
You only need five ingredients to make this simple recipe, which means flour tortillas aren’t just easy to make at home. They’re also cheaper than buying them at the store. Try this simple recipe and I guarantee you’ll be making your own taco shells and wraps at home from now on.
What You’ll Need to Make This Homemade Flour Tortillas:
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Water
- Olive oil
How to Make Tortillas from Scratch:
Step One:
- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the water and olive oil, mixing well to thoroughly combine all the ingredients.
Step Two:
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for five to eight minutes. If the dough seems too dry or too wet as you knead, try adding a little flour or water until you have a smooth dough.
Step Three:
- Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then divide it into eight equal portions for large tortillas or 16 portions for smaller tortillas. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of the dough into a thin circle. Or to make it easier, use a tortilla press to flatten the dough.
Step Four:
- Lightly grease a cast-iron skillet and warm over medium heat. Place the rolled tortillas on the hot skillet and cook until lightly browned. This will usually take about one minute of cooking on each side. To keep the cooked tortillas warm until you’re ready to serve them, loosely wrap the tortillas in foil or place them in a tortilla warmer.
Do I Need a Tortilla Press to Make Homemade Tortillas?
A tortilla press is used to press out the dough into a flat circle, which means having one would be a quick and easy way to make your own tortillas at home. But there’s no need to go out and buy this appliance if you don’t already have one. You can use a rolling pin to flatten your dough without the need for a special press.
Homemade Tortilla Recipe Tips and Tricks
This simple recipe is so easy to make! But that doesn’t mean you might not run into issues as you’re baking. Try these simple tips and tricks for making delicious homemade tortillas ever time.
- The key to puffy flour tortillas is thin dough. If you’re having issues with your tortillas not puffing up as they cook, your dough may still be too thick. Try rolling your disks even thinner to see if that helps with the cooking process.
- Roll all the way to the edges. To ensure your homemade tortillas are the same thickness on the edges and in the center, make sure to roll the dough all the way to the edges. Start in the center of your dough ball and roll outward, rotating the dough as you roll so you roll the pin across all sections of the circle evenly.
- Cover to keep the dough from drying out. As your dough rests on the countertop, the dry air in your kitchen could cause the dough to dry out around the outer edges. Try covering the dough with a clean lint-free towel to prevent the dough from becoming dry as it rests. It’s also a good idea to keep the dough covered as you’re cooking – especially if you can only cook one tortilla at a time.
- Substitute shortening for a more traditional taste. Traditional tortillas are made with lard or shortening, so if you’re looking for a more authentic taste you can swap out the olive oil in this recipe for the same amount of shortening. Vegetable oil or coconut oil can also be used in place of olive oil, making this simple recipe a great option no matter what type of fat you have on hand.
- Make the dough in advance. To speed up the cooking process at dinner time, try making your tortilla dough ahead of time. Knead the dough and let it rest according to the recipe, then cover the entire dough ball with plastic wrap. Store the wrapped dough in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the tortillas. When you’re ready to start cooking, let the dough sit on the counter at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes, then roll out the dough as usual.
- Store at room temperature. Leftover tortillas can be stored in a zip-top bag at room temperature for one day. To store for a longer period of time, place the homemade tortillas in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Try this taco night spread:
- Roasted or rotisserie chicken, shredded
- Homemade salsa verde, or store-bought
- Fresh chopped tomatoes, spring onions, sliced jalapenos
- Crumbled cotija or feta cheese
- Toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds (In a dry skillet, lightly toast 1 ounce of each seed with a pinch of cayenne pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, about 2 minutes. Cool. Enjoy.)
- Sliced Limes to add a squeeze of juice just before enjoying
- Sliced avocado or homemade guacamole
- Homemade flour tortillas, of course!
- Don’t forget tortilla chips with more salsa, like this easy radish pico de gallo
Other tasty taco night recipes to try:
Try this Easy Flour Tortilla Shells Recipe Now:
How to Make Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup olive oil or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl, add the water and oil, mix well. *(If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and mix all ingredients until the dough comes together for about 2 – 3 minutes.)
- On a lightly floured surface, turn out the dough and knead for about 5 minutes, adding a little flour or water if needed until you have a smooth dough. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Divide dough into 8 portions for large tortillas or 16 portions for smaller tortillas. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a thin circle, about the thickness of a playing card, or you can use a tortillas press.
- Heat a lightly greased cast-iron skillet over medium heat, cook tortillas until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side.
- Keep warm loosely wrapped in foil or tortillas warmer and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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