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steak burrito on a plate with Mexican rice, avocado salsa and flour tortillas in the background with text overlay "homemade flour tortillas"

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Flour Tortillas are easy to make at home with just flour, oil and water. And the taste is so much better than store bought. Great any time you feel like a Mexican fiesta. 

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil such as corn, safflower or olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup warm water

Instructions

  1. Place the flour in a mixing bowl. Add the oil and mix together with a fork or your fingers until thoroughly distributed and the flour is crumbly in texture.
  2. Mix the salt with the warm tap water and add to the flour. Mix together with your hands until you can gather the dough into a ball.

  3. Place the dough on an unfloured board and knead until smooth and elastic, 2-3 minutes. Return the dough to the mixing bowl, cover with a towel, place in a warmish spot and let rest for up to 2 hours, but not less than 30 minutes. the dough may be wrapped in plastic and stored in the refrigerator. Use within 1 day.

  4. To make the tortillas, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each between your palms to make a ball. Flatten the balls, then place on a very lightly floured board. With a rolling pin, roll each ball into an 8- to 9-inch very thin round. The un-cooked flour tortillas may be layered between sheets of plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator overnight.
  5. To cook the tortillas, heat a heavy cast-iron frying pan, griddle or comal over medium-high heat. Place the tortillas, one at a time or as many as will fit in the pan without overlapping, in the pan and cook for 30 seconds. If the tortillas puff up, gently press them down with a spatula. Turn and cook on the other side until speckled with brown spots but still pliable and not crisp, about 30 seconds more. Remove and stack as you go, while the tortillas are still warm

Recipe Notes

Adapted from the book The Well-Filled Tortilla