If you want the best-tasting tortillas, you need to make them from scratch at home. Once you taste this Easy Tortilla Recipe, you will wonder why you ever settled for store bought.
Looking for an over-the-top, tasty filling to put inside your homemade flour tortillas? Look no further than my Carne Asade recipe!
Making homemade tortillas is extremely easy. If you have ever tried making my crepe recipe, this process is very similar.
As an added bonus, they taste so much better than store bought. You’ll be so proud of yourself for making your own tortillas, you’ll never go back buying them again.
Ingredients for Homemade Easy Tortillas
- Flour – You don’t need anything too special here. Good quality, all-purpose flour will do the trick. My personal favorite flour to use is Bob’s Red Mill.
- Hot Tip: If you want your tortillas to have more fiber and health benefits, use all-purpose wheat flour instead.
- Salt – Kosher sea salt, pink salt or even garlic salt will work perfectly.
- Baking Powder – Any plain old baking powder will do.
- Oil – A high-quality, light olive oil works best. You can also use avocado or canola oil.
- Water – Use filtered, lukewarm water.
How to Make Homemade Tortilla Recipe
- Gather all your ingredients.
- Combine all the dry ingredients. Pour oil in slowly as you mix.
- Add water in slowly as you continue to mix. Keep kneading the dough until it isn’t sticky anymore. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Divide your dough into even pieces. On a well-floured surface, form each piece into a smooth, round ball with your hands.
- On a well-floured surface, roll out each dough piece into a thin round tortilla shape.
- Preheat a skillet over medium-heat. Cook the tortilla for about one minute on each side.
- Keep tortillas warm by wrapping them in a towel until your ready to serve.
Hot Tip: Purchase a cheap warmer to store your tortillas. This little gadget will keep your tortillas nice and hot while you prepare the rest of your meal.
Tips For The Best Tortillas
- Let the Dough Rest – Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes before you start separating and forming it.
- Roll Out The Dough – Roll out the dough evenly all around, including the edges. Make sure that its as thin as possible.
- Cooking Tortillas – Cook your tortillas on a cast iron skillet if you have one. Once cast iron gets nice and hot, it allows you to cook your tortillas in just 30-60 seconds on each side.
- Reheat Tortillas – Reheat tortillas by wrapping a stack in paper towels and reheating in the microwave. You can also wrap them in foil and reheat them in the oven.
Storing Homemade Tortillas
- Freezing Tortillas – Freeze tortillas by stacking tortillas with a piece of wax paper in between each layer. This will prevent the tortillas from sticking to one another. Wrap the entire stack in foil or plastic wrap and place in the freezer. Tortillas will keep for 2-3 months.
- Room Temperature – Place tortillas in a tightly sealed plastic storage bag on the counter. They will stay fresh for up to a week.
- Refrigerating Tortillas – Place tortillas in a tightly sealed plastic storage bag in the fridge. They will stay fresh for up to two weeks.
Ways To Use Tortillas
- Philly Cheese Steak Wrap – Everything you love about Philly Cheesesteaks stuffed into a tortilla instead.
- Breakfast Burrito – Arguably the best on-the-go breakfast out there.
- Breakfast Quesadilla – Quesadillas are awesome, but when made with homemade tortillas they are an absolute game-changer.
- Carne Asada Street Tacos – Swap out corn tortillas for fresh flour tortillas.
- Flank Steak Wrap – Your kids will love you for packing a hearty steak wrap in their lunch.
- Mexican Crock Pot Chicken – Stuff the tortillas with Mexican Crock Pot Chicken and your favorite toppings and rolls them up into burritos.
Recipe
Homemade tortillas really elevate any dish. This simple recipe will have you wondering why you ever settled for store bought.
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients together. Slowly add in the oil while the mixer is going.
- Add in water slowly. Continue kneading until the dough isn't sticky. Let the dough sit for about 10 minutes.
- Divide dough into 16 even pieces. On a well-floured surface, roll each piece into a round dough ball.
- On a well-floured surface, roll out each dough ball into a tortilla shape.
- Preheat a skillet over medium-heat. Cook each tortilla for about one minute on the first side and 30 seconds on the other.
- Keep tortillas in a tortilla warmer or kitchen clean kitchen towel until you are ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Tortilla Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 116 Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Sodium 146mg6%
Potassium 56mg2%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Protein 2g4%
Calcium 17mg2%
Iron 1.1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe works really well and makes a really supple and workable dough. A couple of notes:
-It could use a little extra salt because typically lard brings flavor to your tortillas that the olive oil doesn't
-Use hot water instead of luke warm and absolutely mix the olive oil in first (should be crumbly) then the water slowly until you have a wet and sticky dough.
-knead gently until smooth without additional flour.
-For the resting period, it seemed to work better if you divide and roll the dough into individual balls first, then rest. If you rest the dough first then divide and roll into balls, they spring back too much when rolled out.
-Absolutely rest at least 45 minutes (covered with plastic wrap on the counter)!!! 10 minutes is waaaayyyy too short.
-absolutely use a well floured surface like suggested above! You will get a much better shaped tortilla.
Overall, I will absolutely use this recipe again!
Hi Ali, Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience with the homemade tortillas. Your tips are super helpful and very detailed. I am glad you found a tortilla recipe you love. Enjoy!
The resting period isn't correct. They shrink considerably. Usually with dough you would then let them rest again.... Still shrinking.... I finally had to look at other recipes and they have an hour to proof, roll into balls, rest again, THEN you can finish them and cook.... I wasted 2 recipes of ingredients to figure out this was wrong
Hi Geri, Thank you very much for your feedback and helpful tips! The way I made them always worked for me in the past, When I make them again, I will keep your tips in mind and see if that makes a difference.
Hi, i want to start making my own tortillas but was wondering if i could freeze the dough balls for later cooking?
Hey Tammy- I haven't tried it, so I can't advise. You can freeze already cooked tortillas though, just separate each tortillas with wax or parchment paper in between and then wrap the entire bundle in plastic wrap. They'll keep for a few months!
Instead of rolling can a tortilla press be used?
Hi Heather- absolutely! If you have a press on hand, feel free to use it. 😀
Thank you. This is just the best tortilla recipe. My whole family loved it. My kids asked me to make this nd never buy store bought tortillas again. This is the only tortilla we will ever eat again.
Wow, what a compliment!! I'm thrilled you discovered a new family favorite!
Would self rising flour and leaving out the baking powder work with this recipe? My picky eater has found a new love with tacos but but I almost never keep store bought tortillas on hand and it would be wonderful to find a recipe I can throw together with what I keep in my pantry. I don't always have baking powder but I do keep self rising flour
Hi Sara- I haven't tried using self rising flour instead, but it could work. I can't guarantee 100% since I've not used it in this recipe myself, but if you give it a try please let us know how the tortillas turn out! Enjoy! 🙂
I will definitely try this recipe. I’m not big on lard so this recipe sounds great.
Hi Martha- I hope you enjoy it! Traditionally lard is used, but I do like my spin on these tortillas without the lard as well. 🙂
Our family made tortillas but seeing our mom bless here heart she used manteca, (lard).
We came from a large family an tortillas were always made fresh. Manteca, lard is the best choice. I've never nor my children use oil. But its peoples choice. Con amor siempre.
Hi Glo- thanks for sharing with us! Yes, we have had a few commenters mention that the most authentic way to make tortillas is with lard. That is a great tip, thank you!
I will try recipe…..but shortening or lard is what is actually used instead of oil. Also use a cast iron skillet for cooking.
Manteca is best.
Is your recipe the same EXCEPT you use lard?
Hi- thank you for sharing these great tips!
Can I use a different type of flour?
Hi Lisa! Other than trying all purpose wheat flour, I don't know if I would recommend using a different type. If you decide to try a different flour, let me know how it goes!
Help! My tortillas came out good at first, while they were warm, but turn dry and would not bent after cooling.
Hello Viktoria, to reheat tortillas by wrapping a stack in paper towels and reheating in the microwave. You can also wrap them in foil and reheat them in the oven. Hope this helps!
If they’re too hard, break them into bite size pieces, fry in a small amount of oil, add eggs,and scramble. Top with salsa, hot sauce, or jalapeños, your choice. Kids love these. Also known as “migas”
Thank you for the great suggestion, Cynthia!
I made this recipe as instructed using white flour and avocado oil but I did halved the recipe to accommodate the two of us. I did end up with 8 tortillas which were 5/6 inches in diameter by rolling out the dough with a rolling pin until they were very thin. The trick to cooking these is the you have to get the pan just hot enough to cook and not burn the tortilla. Overall, recipe is quite simple and easy and produces a favorable product. I will be using this recipe in the future.
Hello John, thank you very much for sharing your tips and feedback, this will be super helpful for everyone else! I am so glad you loved the recipe and that you will be using it again 😊
What kind of oil?
Hey Bobbie, A high-quality, light olive oil works best. You can also use avocado or canola oil.
Thank you!!
I have made these multiple times. Easy to mix in bowl with a wooden spoon. Usually knead a few times and divide and roll out. Ours come out thicker than store bought tortillas but that’s what I love about them. Thanks for the simple recipe with few ingredients!
Thank you for your feedback, I'm so glad you loved the recipe!
Can I use coconut flour instead ?
This recipe would not be the same with coconut flour. Hope you find a recipe that fits your needs.
I tried them but they were too dry and crispy. Nothing like tortilla s. Such a waste of time.
Hi Ianna, sounds like they got overcooked? What heat did you cook them on and how long?
Looks delicious! Can't wait to try this one!
I hope you love the recipe, Katie.
This looks wonderful! I love making homemade recipes! I'm so excited to make these! They are perfect for taco night!
Yes, they are perfect for taco night! Agreed everything homemade is better.
I love this recipe!!! To the flour I added dried basil and dried oregano. I make enough to last a week and keep in the fridge and make personal sized pizzas out of them. Snack time is a free for all for everyone in my house. Thanks for sharing this recipe!!!
Hey Cynthia, I am so happy to hear your feedback. Thank you so much for sharing! I love all the tips with basil and oregano.
Thank you!
Would these work for chebureki? I love making them with the uncooked frozen tortillas, but they don't sell them in my area
Yes, that is a great idea. It will work great with chebyreki.
I made these the other day and they turned out nothing like I was expecting. They were hard to roll out and after a few hours of being wrapped in kitchen towels they still turned hard. I did like the taste of them though.. idk if I did something wrong? I thought I followed the directions exactly..
They are a little hard to roll out so thin but the process shoildnt be too hard. Maybe the flour you are using makes them a bit too stiff. You could try using a bit less flour. They do have to be covered after they are cooked.
That's so cool. Eating clean and organic, tortillas are my biggest issue. Can never find healthy ones that roll up. Ugh. I was thinking to buy that tortilla press to make corn tortillas. Now you made me think I should make these with whole wheat flour and freeze for easy fajitas. Corn ones too though. I like to keep gluten limited. These look great and so easy!
I like the idea of freezing them, this way they are always fresh. Boys don't care for corn tortillas but I love the idea. Thanks for sharing all those 😉
How can I make this if I don't have a mixer ?
You don't need to, Tatyana gave you an awesome tip 😉
Just put all ingredients in a mixing bowl, start mixing everything with a spoon and when it's not so sticky anymore, dust the table with a flour and start working it with your hands, sort of folding it a until it feels elastic, you can also use a bread maker! 😉
Oh yeyy! I love it when community tips in and helps out. 😉 thank you dear!
wow those are beautiful. Love your site. I use it all the time.
Hey Luba! Thank you so much for stopping by. 😉