Sourdough discard tortillas come together easily, are soft, full of flavor and the perfect replacement for store-bought tortillas!
If you’ve never made your own tortillas, let me tell you, you’re missing out! Homemade tortillas are so soft, flavorful (as much as a tortilla can be) and elevate any taco, quesadilla or fajita you make. I first starting making my own tortillas a couple years ago and really enjoy having them on hand. Of course they take a bit of time to make and aren’t always convenient, but when you have the time, it’s worth the effort.
Homemade tortillas only require a few ingredients and if you have a sourdough starter, then why not add in some of that goodness?! I’ve made this recipe with both active and discarded sourdough starter and the results are really the same. These sourdough discard tortillas have a hint of sourness and really compliment anything you add to it. So if you need to use up some of your starter, try these out! Now, let’s get into the tutorial.
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HOW TO MAKE SOURDOUGH TORTILLAS
TOOLS YOU MAY NEED
- Stand mixer and dough hook
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife or bench scraper
- Rolling pin
- Cast iron skillet
INGREDIENTS
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 cup sourdough starter (active or discard)
DIRECTIONS TO MAKE SOURDOUGH TORTILLAS
Add flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix using the dough hook. Then add in the sourdough starter (active or discard) and mix on low.
With the mixer going, slowly add in the hot water and olive oil. Allow the dough to mix for 2-3 minutes until it’s come together and is no longer sticky to the touch.
Then allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, remove the dough, place in on a floured surface and cut into 16 equal pieces.
Roll the dough into balls, then cover the dough with a towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
On a floured surface, roll out each piece of dough as thin as possible, and place in a preheated cast iron skillet with a little olive oil.
Cook on each side 30 seconds (maybe longer on the first side) until it is browned.
Place the finished tortillas inside a tea towel and cover.
NOTES
- Allow the skillet to pre-heat. It should be piping hot.
- Use a good amount of flour when rolling out the dough.
- Roll the tortilla dough really thin, almost see through.
- Flip the tortillas once bubbles start forming, about 30-60 seconds on the first side.
- Use thin layer of olive oil when frying.
- Keep the tortillas covered in a tea towel to stay warm and pliable.
- Keep the tortillas at room temp for up to three days, in fridge for 1 week or freeze for up to three months.
Sourdough Discard Tortillas
Sourdough discard tortillas come together easily, are soft, full of flavor and the perfect replacement for store-bought tortillas!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 cup sourdough starter (active or discard)
Instructions
- Add flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix using the dough hook.
- Then add in the sourdough starter (active or discard) and mix on low.
- With the mixer going, slowly add in the hot water and olive oil. Allow the dough to mix for 2-3 minutes until it’s come together and is no longer sticky to the touch.
- Then allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove the dough, place in on a floured surface and cut into 16 equal pieces.
- Roll the dough into balls, then cover the dough with a towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- On a floured surface, roll out each piece of dough as thin as possible, and place in a preheated cast iron skillet with a little olive oil.
- Cook on each side 30 seconds (maybe longer on the first side) until it is browned.
- Place the finished tortillas inside a tea towel and cover.
Notes
- Allow the skillet to pre-heat. It should be piping hot.
- Use a good amount of flour when rolling out the dough.
- Roll the tortilla dough really thin, almost see through.
- Flip the tortillas once bubbles start forming, about 30-60 seconds on the first side.
- Use thin layer of olive oil when frying.
- Keep the tortillas covered in a tea towel to stay warm and pliable.
- Keep the tortillas at room temp for up to three days, in fridge for 1 week or freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition Information
Yield 16 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 137Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 0mgSodium 147mgCarbohydrates 21gFiber 1gSugar 0gProtein 3g
Nutrition facts can vary based on different brands of ingredients and does not account for substitutions. This nutrition information is only an estimate.
LOOKING FOR MORE SOURDOUGH RECIPES?
Looking for more easy sourdough recipes like these easy sourdough tortillas? Check these out:
- Simple Everything Sourdough Discard Crackers
- Sourdough Bagels
- Sourdough Sweet Potato Muffins
- Sourdough Discard Chicken Strips
Did you make these sourdough discard tortillas? If you enjoyed them, I’d really appreciate if you came back and gave the recipe a five star rating! Tag me on Instagram (@thesimplehomeplace) to show me your own recreation of this recipe!
Wondering if I could let it sit for a long ferment on counter before cooking?
You absolutely can allow them to ferment, although I haven’t done it myself with this recipe so I’m not sure what the end result looks like exactly, but it should be okay!
I let them cold ferment for 36 hours and then let them get back to room temp before continuing the process. SO yummy! Thanks for the recipe!!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!
Hello Arica, I just finished making tortillas using your recipe. Followed your directions and they turned out great! I used organic sprouted spelt flour instead of AP flour, nice nutty whole grain taste. They were actually flexible which is a first for my tortilla making.
I made 10 inch tortillas with my press which made them very thin ( I could see through the dough ). Cooked about 30 second per side. Not easy getting the heat just right for the first 2 or 3.
I’m so happy they turned out for you, And thank you so much for sharing about using spelt flour and a press! I always enjoy hearing people’s experiences with my recipes. I appreciate you reporting back 🙂
These will be great for taco night.
I hope you enjoy them!
Could this work without a stand mixer, mixing by hand instead? Or is the dough to sticky?
You can absolutely knead this dough by hand! I would say you’ll probably have to knead around 8-10 minutes or until it’s no longer sticky and pliable, then just follow the directions the same after that. Also, if it’s still too sticky after you’ve kneaded a while, you can always add a bit of flour as needed.
Can you use a bread machine to make the dough?!
I’ve never used a bread machine, but I think it would work to make the dough. Just put the ingredients in the machine in the order the machine calls for. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try it this way!
Just made these today with my first sourdough start discard and love how simple and amazing these tortillas taste. I made chimichangas with mine and they were a hit!! Homemade tortillas are the best. Thanks for this recipe.
That sounds amazing! I’m so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
This looks so good! What a fun way to make taco night into an occasion!
Thank you!
Turned out great! I was skeptical because they seemed a bit too oily but that wasn’t an issue once rolled out and cooked. Thank you!!
I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed them!
They turned out amazing and were delicious!
I had to add a couple tablespoons of additional water for the dough to come together.
Definitely a keeper recipe, thanks.
Thank you for sharing your experience! I’m so glad you enjoyed the tortillas!
I just made these and the flavor is great, but they’re a little on the dry/crunchy side. No where near a hard shell but not nearly as soft as I was expecting. Should I add more water next time? I’m guessing not enough moisture? (Very new at breads and doughs over here!)
I would definitely make sure that the dough is really nice and pliable and in no way dry. I would say that yes, I would try adding a bit more water to achieve that consistency. I wonder too if maybe they were a bit overcooked? I know I’ve done that when I had the heat a bit too high. Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions. Bread and dough can be a bit tricky at first, but you’ll get the hang of it!
Would I be able to make these without a cast iron pan?
Definitely! Just make sure your pan is hot 🙂
Awesome! Thank you! Excited to give these a try!
I hope you love them!
First time making tortillas and they came out great! Used them for chicken fajitas and then cinnamon sugar for dessert. Will definitely make again
I’m so glad you liked them! Adding cinnamon sugar is my favorite!
Can you freeze the dough balls and finish later, or do you recommend cooking first then freezing?
Great question! You can do either. I just recommend if you’re freezing the dough to lay them out on a baking sheet, let them freeze for 4 hours or overnight, then store them in a freezer bag after that.
Made these the other day and they were delicious! It’s only 2 of us in the house so I had plenty leftover for the freezer. Any tips on defrosting and reheating them after being in the freezer?
I’m so glad you liked them! When I defrost tortillas, I just either leave them on the counter for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight. If you need them quicker, you can wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for 1 minute increments until they’re defrosted!
Do you have recipe for the starter?
This is what I used to get my starter going! https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/make-sourdough-starter-scratch/
Do you think these would work for prepping and freezing breakfast burritos for postpartum?
I think as long as you make the burritos while the tortillas are fresh, it should be okay, although I’ve never tried it.
Hello! These are AMAZING and I have been making them consistently since May. I have recently had a problem with a batch of them going moldy in the fridge after just 2 days! I usually store them in the pantry at room temperature, in a ziplock bag, and have NEVER had an issue – even past a week! Any thoughts or suggestions as to why they may have gone moldy? Thanks so much!
I’m so happy you’re enjoying the tortillas! That is so weird they’re going moldy so quickly. I always store mine in the fridge and have never had that problem, even when they’ve been in a while. The only thing I can think of would be the moisture when they’re stacked after you make them is causing that, but even still, molding in 2 days is crazy. I wish I had suggestions, but I really don’t. You stumped me! I hope you don’t have that problem moving forward.
Do I need to take the discard out of fridge and get it to room temp before using it in the dough?
You can if you want, but definitely don’t have to. I find it’s easier to work with when it’s closer to room temperature though.