Flour Tortillas are so Easy to Make at Home

Sometimes homemade is just better. And when it comes to Mexican cuisine, one key ingredient stands out among the rest: homemade flour tortillas. Whether used for tacos, quesadillas, or simply as a side, these traditional flatbreads add a distinct flavor and texture that cannot be replicated by their store-bought counterparts.

Get ready to elevate your next Mexican feast with this simple and delicious addition.

Tortillas are so simple to make at home. Mix the dough, let it sit for 30 minutes then roll them out and cook them. Yes it is that simple. And you probably have the ingredients at home: flour, oil, salt and water.

The 30 minutes resting period serves two purposes, it allows the flour to fully absorb the water and more importantly it will help make the dough less elastic. Nothing is more frustrating than rolling out a tortilla and having it shrink several inches before you can move it to the pan.

What type of flour should you use for tortillas?

I usually make it with all purpose flour since that's what my husband prefers.

Whole wheat works well, substituting at least half of the ap flour. It makes them slightly less elastic, which is nice. Though you may need to add a bit more flour.

The only gluten free flour I have used is rice flour. The flour was probably not as fully milled as wheat flour and the texture of the tortillas was different. However, a nice soft gluten free flour blend should work just fine.

Recipe

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Ingredients

 

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil (such as corn, safflower or olive oil)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm water

Instructions

 

• 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.
  3 cups all purpose flour, ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 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.
  1 teaspoon salt, 1 cup warm water
• 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.
• 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.
• 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

Notes

Adapted from the book The Well-Filled Tortilla

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