These soft and pliable sourdough flour tortillas are made with sourdough starter and basic pantry ingredients. Use them for tacos, burritos, and more!
I LOVE these sourdough flour tortillas. The sourdough starter makes them super soft and easy to digest, and it adds a slight tang that I’m obsessed with. You guys know how much I love making sourdough recipes, and this one is honestly one of my favorites. After working in a Mexican restaurant for years, I have such a special place in my heart for homemade tortillas, and I’ll take any opportunity to make them again!
Looking for “regular” tortillas? Whip up these easy and quick flour tortillas, or opt for 3-ingredient corn tortillas.
Sourdough Flour Tortillas Video
How To Make Sourdough Flour Tortillas
Making these sourdough flour tortillas is such a simple, satisfying process — I genuinely enjoy it. You’re just a few steps away from a warm, fresh stack!
- Mix up the dough: Whisk the flour and salt together, then mix in the softened butter with a fork. Stir in the water and sourdough starter, and use your hands to knead the dough just until it is smooth.
- Portion the dough out: Depending on the size of tortillas that you want, cut the dough into either 16 (40 gram)or 8 (80 gram) pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
- Allow the dough to rest: Cover the dough balls and let them rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll and cook the tortillas: Use a rolling pin to roll the tortillas as thinly as possible. Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat, then cook each tortilla for about 30 seconds per side. Keep the cooked tortillas warm and soft in a towel.
Hot tip: Make the dough a day ahead and store it covered in the fridge overnight. The next day, portion it out and allow it to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.
Tips For the Best Tortillas
There are two major differences between store bought tortillas and these homemade sourdough tortillas: flavor and texture. I’ve been making tortillas for decades, and these eight tips are game-changers every time.
- Choose between active starter and discard. Either will work! I usually opt for sourdough discard so it doesn’t get thrown out, but if you have active, bubbly starter on hand, the tortillas will turn out just as tasty.
- Use softened butter, not melted. There’s a bit of science involved here, but the basic explanation is that softened butter has more structure than melted butter, so it produces an extra-soft tortilla. If it’s properly softened, the butter should easily indent when you press a finger into it.
- Avoid overkneading the dough. More mixing = more gluten = tough dough. Knead the dough for only 1-2 minutes until it comes together smoothly.
- Weigh each portion (optional). I typically just eyeball it, but if you want to be precise, use a kitchen scale like this one to make sure each dough ball weighs the same.
- Rest the dough balls. This step is crucial for easy rolling. Give the dough balls at least 30 minutes for the gluten to relax, but if they’re still shrinking back when you try to roll, allow them to rest for longer.
- Make sure the skillet is hot and dry. A cast iron skillet is definitely the way to go here because it retains temperature well and cooks the tortillas evenly (my favorite one). Although it may seem counterintuitive, avoid greasing the pan — the tortillas already have butter in the dough, so they won’t stick.
- Don’t walk away! Tortillas cook fast. As soon as one side gets puffy and develops golden spots, flip it over. Overcooking results in tough, dry tortillas.
- Stack the cooked tortillas in a towel. As soon as a tortilla comes off the hot skillet, stack it with the others in a clean kitchen towel and keep them covered. The trapped steam is what keeps them soft and flexible.
Storage & Reheating
I almost always make a double (or even triple) batch of these sourdough tortillas. They’re so great to have on hand for any occasion.
- Short-term storage: To store for up to five days, keep the cooled tortillas in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Long-term storage: To store for up to three months, stack the cooled tortillas in an airtight container with layers of parchment paper in between each one and freeze. Thaw the tortillas at room temperature.
- Reheating: Reheat the tortillas on a dry skillet over medium-high heat, or microwave them between damp paper towels for about 30 seconds.
More Sourdough Recipes
- Sourdough Bread — I make this at least once a week… it’s that good
- Sourdough Pita Bread — The best pocket for your choice of toppings
- Sourdough Bagels — A simple overnight dough that produces NYC-like bagels
- Sourdough Pancakes — Fluffy, flavorful, and a family favorite
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 6 tbsp softened butter
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup sourdough starter
Instructions
- Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Cut in the softened butter with a fork until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is well incorporated.
- Stir in the water and sourdough starter until a shaggy dough forms. Use your hands to gently knead the mixture into a rough ball.
- Knead it for 1–2 minutes until it is smooth and not sticky.
- Cut the dough into 16 pieces for taco-sized tortillas or into 8 pieces for burrito-sized tortillas. Roll each piece into a ball. Cover the dough balls with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let them rest for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Roll each ball into a thin round (6–8 inches for tacos, 10–12 inches for burritos).
- Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Cook each tortilla for about 30 seconds per side until it puffs up and has brown spots. Adjust the heat as needed.
- Stack and cover the cooked tortillas in a clean kitchen towel to keep them soft. Cool the tortillas completely before storing. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.
No Comments