Flour tortillas, or tortillas de harina, are a staple in Mexican cuisine, particularly in the northern regions of Mexico. These soft, pliable flatbreads are incredibly versatile and surprisingly easy to make at home using plant-based ingredients. Not only are homemade tortillas more budget-friendly, but they also surpass store-bought versions in terms of flavor and texture. With a few simple pantry staples, you can create vegan flour tortillas that are both delicious and satisfying, perfect for tacos, burritos, wraps, and more.
The Allure of Homemade Vegan Tortillas
Many commercially available flour tortillas are not vegan, as they often contain lard or other animal-derived ingredients. However, crafting your own tortillas allows you to control the ingredients and ensure they align with your dietary preferences. This recipe is 100% vegan and will be loved by meat eaters or those following a plant based diet. Making homemade vegan tortillas is one of the easiest Mexican foods you can possibly cook. Best of all the ingredients are easily found all over the World.
Essential Ingredients for Plant-Based Flour Tortillas
You only need 4 basic ingredients to make homemade vegan flour tortillas, and they are common pantry items everyone should have in their kitchen at all times. The basic recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients:
- All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is best for achieving that classic soft and pliable texture. While whole wheat flour can be used, it may require additional water to achieve the desired consistency. I love King Arthur All-Purpose Flour.
- Water: Warm water is essential for hydrating the flour and creating a smooth, elastic dough. The water should ideally be around 110 degrees F.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil adds richness and moisture to the tortillas, enhancing their flavor and contributing to a tender texture. Vegetable oil or melted coconut oil can also be used as substitutes. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Olive oil is not traditional, but I love how it tastes in these homemade vegan flour tortillas.
- Salt: Fine sea salt is crucial for enhancing the overall flavor of the tortillas.
Optional Ingredients
- Baking Powder: Some recipes call for baking powder to create airier tortillas that puff up during cooking. However, many find it unnecessary and even detrimental, as it can sometimes make the dough tougher. I’m one that chooses not to and finds baking powder unnecessary in flour tortillas. I have found that baking powder actually makes the masa or dough tougher.
Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Vegan Flour Tortillas
The process of making homemade vegan flour tortillas involves a few simple steps: mixing the ingredients, resting the dough, shaping the tortillas, and cooking them on a hot comal or skillet.
Step 1: Mixing the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the oil (either vegetable or olive oil) then pour in the warm water and mix until well combined and shape into a ball of dough. In a mixing bowl mix the flour and salt until well combined, make a well in the center, and add in all of the oil and half of the water. Mix until well the ingredients are coming together and little by little adding more water until your dough comes together and isn't sticky. Please notice that depending on the conditions of your home you may need to add more or less water to get the dough to come together.
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Step 2: Kneading and Resting
Knead the dough for a few minutes until it becomes elastic and smooth. This step is crucial for developing the gluten in the flour, which gives the tortillas their characteristic texture. Drizzle just a little bit of oil into the bottom of your mixing bowl, then place the dough back in the bowl, cover and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. After 10 to 15 minutes check on the dough. It should be soft, moist, stretchy, and easy to work with. If it isn't then cover and let it sit for another 10 minutes. The ingredients are mixed together, allowed to rest, shaped into small balls, rolled out into flat disks and then cooked for a few minutes on a hot comal. It’s truly so easy that even children can learn to make tortillas de harina at home!
Cover the dough with a lid or plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 15-30 minutes. This allows the flour to fully hydrate, resulting in softer and more pliable tortillas. We do the dough rest by placing it inside the bowl and covering the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. After resting the dough will be very soft, pliable and stretchy. Watch the video for a demo. I have personally found that the key to making flour tortillas light, airy and puff up, is to let them rest so that the flour has a chance to hydrate well.
Step 3: Dividing and Shaping
Divide the dough into equal pieces, typically 8-12, depending on the desired size of the tortillas. Make equal pieces for each size balls, I like to make smaller tortillas and end up with 12. Once divided, cover the balls so they don’t dry out.
Form each piece into a ball by pulling the top portion of the dough down toward the bottom. On a flat, floured surface, roll out each dough ball into a thin, circular shape, approximately 7 inches in diameter. Dust a large cutting board or your work surface with a little bit of flour. Grab one tortilla ball then flatten it with the palm of your hand. Dust with a little flour then roll out to a flat disk shape or tortilla shape into 1/8th of inch.
Step 4: Cooking the Tortillas
Heat a comal or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Place a rolled-out tortilla on the hot surface and cook for about 30-60 seconds per side, or until golden brown spots appear and the tortilla begins to puff up. Turn the heat down to medium heat then carefully place a rolled out tortilla on the comal or frying pan. Flip over and you’ll notice the golden or brown spots from where the air bubbles form. Cook for another minute.
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As you’re cooking your tortillas make sure to keep them covered. Don’t let them sit out in the open air or they’ll begin to cool down and dry out.
Step 5: Keeping Tortillas Warm
Remove the cooked tortilla from the heat and place it on a plate. Cover the plate with a clean kitchen towel to keep the tortillas warm and soft. Repeat until all the tortillas are cooked.
Tips for Achieving the Best Results
- Hydration is Key: Ensuring the flour is properly hydrated is crucial for achieving soft, pliable tortillas. Adjust the amount of water as needed, depending on the humidity and the type of flour used. The actual water amount will depend on the conditions of your kitchen. If it’s a hot and humid day you’ll likely need about the same or less water. If it’s a cold and dry day you’ll likely need more water.
- Resting the Dough: Allowing the dough to rest for an adequate amount of time is essential for gluten development and hydration. This results in a more relaxed dough that is easier to roll out and produces softer tortillas.
- Hot Skillet: Make sure the comal or skillet is hot before cooking the tortillas. This will ensure they cook evenly and develop those desirable golden-brown spots.
- Covering the Tortillas: Keeping the cooked tortillas covered with a clean kitchen towel prevents them from drying out and keeps them warm until serving.
- Don't Stress the Shape: Don’t stress this out, the shape is less important than the taste. It takes a lot of practice getting perfectly round tortillas.
Storing and Reheating Homemade Tortillas
If you have any leftovers first allow to come to room temperature, remembering to keep them covered. The best way is to put cooked tortillas in an airtight container, plastic bag or a Ziploc bag - or a thick freezer bag will also work. Then you can store them in the refrigerator for a week. They’ll keep fresh in the refrigerator for about a week.
Freezing: To freeze flour tortillas allow to come to room temperature then layer them with a piece of parchment paper between each of them. Additionally you can easier to take out just a few as needed instead of defrosting the whole batch. Place a piece of parchment paper between each tortilla so that they don’t stick together and fall apart when defrosting.
Defrosting: To defrost frozen flour tortillas place on the counter and allow to defrost. If using a microwave to thaw, remove the tortillas from their package and set timer for approximately 25-30 seconds.
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Reheating: You can reheat flour tortillas on a hot comal or griddle, or non-stick pan or hot skillet. Simple heat up the pan then place the tortillas on it for a minute or two on each side. You can also reheat tortillas in the microwave. Set microwave timer for 15 seconds them check on them and if not heated through do another 10 seconds. When reheating be careful to not do it for too long or the flour tortillas will dry out and break easily.
Versatile Uses for Plant-Based Flour Tortillas
Flour tortillas are incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes:
- Tacos and Burritos: Fill with your favorite vegan fillings, such as beans, vegetables, and plant-based proteins.
- Wraps: Create delicious and healthy wraps with hummus, veggies, and tofu or tempeh.
- Quesadillas: Make simple and satisfying quesadillas with vegan cheese and your favorite toppings.
- Tortilla Chips: Slice the tortillas into triangles, bake them in the oven, and enjoy homemade tortilla chips with salsa or guacamole. Tortilla Chips - Slice these tortillas into triangles and bake them in the oven to make homemade tortilla chips!
- Tortilla Pizzas: A quick and easy snack or meal option, simply top tortillas with pizza sauce, vegan cheese, and your favorite toppings, then bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Gluten-Free Options
While this article focuses on traditional flour tortillas made with all-purpose flour, there are also gluten-free alternatives available for those with dietary restrictions. Almond flour tortillas and grain-free cassava flour tortillas are two popular options that offer a similar texture and flavor. 2-ingredient chickpea flour tortillas are the best and easiest grain-free tortillas! Made with chickpea flour and flaxseed meal (plus water and optional salt). They are vegan, grain-free, oil-free, and incredibly delicious and versatile!
Common Questions and Troubleshooting
- Why are my tortillas tough? This could be due to adding too much flour when rolling them out, not adding enough water when making the dough, or not allowing them to rest and hydrate properly.
- Can I use vegetable shortening instead of olive oil? Yes, vegetable shortening can be used as a substitute for olive oil.
- Can I freeze the tortillas? Yes, you can! Place a piece of parchment paper between each tortilla so that they don’t stick together and fall apart when defrosting.
- Why aren't my tortillas perfectly round? Don’t stress this out, the shape is less important than the taste. It takes a lot of practice getting perfectly round tortillas.