Learn how to make sourdough tortillas with five basic ingredients: sourdough starter, flour, water, oil, and salt. They are perfect for a quick summer wrap or your favorite tacos.
After sharing “What We Eat in a Week” videos with healthy meal ideas for breakfast and dinner, I had soooo many requests for healthy lunch ideas.
Truth is, since we are all together as a family for lunch, I usually just make more of the same. It’s something along the lines of meat and veggies, eggs, salmon, avocados, and sauerkraut.
Last week was a craaazy week, with the magazine crew here for four out of five days. I sent my husband and kids out of the house a lot, and had to think of something to send with them to eat on-the-go.
It made me think of the sourdough tortillas I used to make all the time. After whipping up a couple batches, I wondered why I ever forgot about them.
They are so easy and convenient!
We had cilantro chicken wraps with purple cabbage and honey mustard for lunch today, and I just got some more dough going tonight.
I already have a bunch of leftover chicken in the fridge, so tomorrow’s lunch is going to be as simple as rolling out a couple tortillas and packing them with meat, veggies, and herbs.
Sourdough tortillas may be vying for the top spot in my favorite sourdough creations. Right next to English muffins…or pancakes, maybe pizza crusts.
Ok, I really love all things sourdough, but these tortillas are going to be a staple in lunches this summer. Quick. Easy. Not hot. They make the best sourdough wraps.
Who wants hot meals on a 90 degree summer day?!
Why I Love This Recipe:
These can be made with any wheat flour: all purpose, whole grain, or freshly milled. I often use hard white wheat berries that I grind fresh in my Mockmill.
Long fermentation is the traditional way to prepare grains. The bacteria present in the sourdough starter pre-digest the grains and make them easier for the body to process.
Many people who are very sensitive to gluten have told me that they can actually tolerate it when fermented for 24 hours or more!
Isn’t that amazing?!
It makes sense why so many people can’t have gluten today. Grains are no longer prepared traditionally. Also, many species of wheat have been hybridized and modified, so that they are no longer in a form that our body is prepared to handle.
If you are super sensitive to wheat, I suggest letting your sourdough goodies ferment for at least 24 hours before cooking/baking. Also, it’s better to use ancient einkorn wheat flour, which hasn’t been hybridized. You can find my einkorn tortillas recipe here.
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Tips For Making Sourdough Tortillas:
- To make cooking super fast and easy, I love getting four cast iron skillets going at one time. This makes this process so much easier. A serious game changer rather than sitting in front of one skillet flipping tortillas one at a time.
- All-purpose and whole wheat flour will work well for this recipe. For lighter and fluffier tortillas, use unbleached all-purpose.
- You can use active sourdough starter or discard.
- No need for a tortilla press, you can easily just roll these out with a rolling pin.
Tools you may need:
Measuring cups and spoons
Rolling pin
I use the professional Kitchenaid Stand Mixer, because it has dough hooks that do the kneading for me. If you plan to make a lot of sourdough bread and tortillas, this thing just makes life so much easier.
You can turn on the kneading hooks and walk away to tend to the children who are pulling blueberries out of the freezer and dumping your good Castile soap down the drain. Anyone else have a two year old?
I also like that it holds a higher quantity than the original KitchenAid. It can knead more loaves of bread at one time. #largefamilymom
Ingredients
- Unbleached all-purpose flour or whole grain – Both will work, but all-purpose flour makes these tortillas lighter.
- Sourdough starter – You will want to use sourdough starter that is active. It should be fed 4-12 hours before starting the recipe, and be nice and bubbly.
- Water
- Extra virgin olive oil – you can also substitute another healthy oil like avocado oil or melted coconut oil.
- Salt – I love Himalayan salt.
How To Make Sourdough Tortillas
Add the sourdough starter, water, oil, salt, and flour to a mixer with a dough hook.
Knead for 2-3 minutes in a mixer, or 5 minutes by hand. The ingredients should be fully incorporated, and the dough slightly elastic.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel, and allow to sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours. (If you are gluten intolerant, 24 hours is better.)
The next day, divide the dough into 12 equal parts.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll each ball of dough out to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Get them as thin as you can, without them falling apart.
Cook them in a preheated cast iron skillet in a little coconut oil. One minute on each side is sufficient.
FAQ:
Is sourdough bread better for you?
For sure. Due to the fermentation process, not only is sourdough easier to digest, but also the nutrients that are naturally occurring in the grains are more bioavailable for your body to absorb; thus sourdough is a better choice than typical grain products.
How do you heat up sourdough tortillas?
If you want to heat up a bunch at one time you can set your oven to 350 degrees. While the oven is heating up add your tortillas for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and they should be perfectly heated up without being hard.
Microwave: place them on a microwave safe dish, and add a damp towel. Heat for 30 seconds to one minute until warm.
Can you freeze sourdough tortillas?
Yes! Freeze the tortillas on a cookie sheet without overlapping the tortillas. Once frozen, you can stack them and then place them in an air-tight container. Or freeze with parchment paper between each tortilla so they don’t stick together, and place in an air-tight container.
What can you use sourdough starter for?
Sourdough starter can be used to make so many recipes. From pizza, to muffins, to biscuits, pancakes and so much more. Check out my sourdough page to see all my favorite recipes.
What is the best flour for sourdough?
Really any flour will work for sourdough since the starter needs a starch to feed on. All-purpose, einkorn, spelt, whole wheat will all work.
I have multiple times changed up the flour I’ve used to feed my starter.
If you are gluten free, you can create a gluten free sourdough starter. Find the recipe here.
Check out my other sourdough recipes:
- Sourdough English Muffins
- How to Make a Sourdough Starter from Scratch
- Sourdough Pizza Crust
- Our Favorite Sourdough Pancake Recipe
- Healthy One Pot Meal- Sourdough Skillet
- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
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Sourdough Tortillas
Easy to make sourdough tortillas with only five basic ingredients: sourdough starter, water, flour, salt, and oil.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sourdough starter
- 3/4 cup filtered water
- 1/4 cup olive oil, extra virgin
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose or whole wheat
Instructions
- Add the sourdough starter, water, oil, salt, and flour to a mixer with a dough hook.
- Knead for 2-3 minutes in a mixer, or 5 minutes by hand. The ingredients should be fully incorporated, and the dough slightly elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel, and allow to sit at room temperature for 12-24 hours. (If you are gluten intolerant, 24 hours is better.)
- The next day, divide the dough into 12 equal parts.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll each ball of dough out to about a 1/4 inch thickness. Get them as thin as you can, without them falling apart.
- Cook them in a preheated cast iron skillet in a little coconut oil. One minute on each side is sufficient.
Notes
To make cooking super fast and easy, I love getting four cast iron skillets going at one time. This makes this process so much easier.
All-purpose and whole wheat flour will work well for this recipe. For lighter and fluffier tortillas, use unbleached all-purpose.
You can use active sourdough starter or discard.
No need for a tortilla press, you can easily just roll these out with a rolling pin.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 234Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 293mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 7gSugar: 0gProtein: 9g
ML says
Hi Lisa, I just love your blog. Literally have been watching something from you everyday since finding your channel/blog. I have 5 children as well and admire your energy and talents. I have a question about the tortillas. I don’t have a sourdough starter yet but would like to make these. Would that be possible and how would I if it is? Thank you so much.
Lisa says
They wold still work, just without the gut benefits of sourdough. Still healthier than store bought though! Thank you so much for following along! 🙂
Michelle says
I hope you make the starter! It’s easier than it seems!
Niladri dasi says
We would call those chapatis or roti. I see these in my future.
Hélène says
YES
Wheat flour makes chapatis
Cornmeal makes tortillas
What do u day is the difference btwn rotis and chapatis? Thickness? Is one wholegrain and one white flour? Thx!
Diana says
We love these! Have added them to my new healthy cooking arsenal. Thanks you Lisa!!!! Mine turned out just a tad thick which was fine but we ended up using them for little pizzas for the kiddos one day. They were yummy! Appreciate all your hard work and sharing Lisa!! Blessings to you and the fam!
-Diana
Lisa says
That would be a great idea to use them for little pizzas! Love that!
Rachel says
What would you say the shelf life of these would be?
Lisa says
They should last at least a week at room temperature and probably 2 or 3 in the refrigerator. Fermenting the grains makes them more shelf stable.
Martine says
So excited to make these! Is this fed sourdough starter, or can I use straight from the fridge?
Also, once you’ve divided into balls, could you store some in the fridge so that you fry them up fresh for the next few days?
Lisa says
As long as it was fed before you put it in the fridge, you should be good to go! Yes, I would totally think refrigerating the dough should work!
PhillipBrandon says
I made a batch of these with some discard today, and they made delightfully tart flatbreads to have with indian curry!
My starter was in kind of a weird place, so even after the 24 hour rest I had to knead in a lot of flour for it not to be too slack to handle.
Debora says
Can it be freeze? If yes, after we open the dough or after its be cooked? Thank you
Angie says
Hello- For those who are gluten sensitive, how does the “rolling them out with flour” come into play? Can they be rolled without flour? Would like to try this recipe but husband can only eat long fermented breads and could not tolerate the flour used when rolling them out-Thanks!
Michelle says
If your concern is the gluten in the “rolling” flour, try a gluten-free flour for that step. There are so many GF APF flours available today that work really well. You won’t be using much since it’s really just there to keep the dough from sticking to the counter, but you’d still be getting all the sourdough benefits.
Kayla says
You should be able to roll them out with an oiled surface. I use olive oil personally.
Jasmine says
Upon a quick read of the recipe card I pre-made the dough with unfed discard. Today I decided to read the whole post and then I read, “You will want to use sourdough starter that is active. It should be fed 4-12 hours before starting the recipe, and be nice and bubbly”. I hope they turn out ok
Hailey says
I’m making these but don’t have time for fermenting!!
Anyway I can do same day tortillas with a few hours of sitting?! Thanks for all your help and recipes!!!
Laura says
I would love to make these with einkorn but feel certain that the process would be a little different. I have worked with einkorn quite a bit and know that the liquid should probably be reduced and the dough handled more gently. Have you made these with einkorn? I have made einkorn tortillas but not einkorn sourdough tortillas. I can’t seem to find a recipe.
Sabrina says
Carla Bartolucci, founder and owner of Jovial foods has an excellent Einkorn cookbook and there is a sourdough tortilla recipe that is delicious. She actually calls it Piadina, which is a common flatbread used with street food in Italy, but the concept is the same. I’ve made them many times. It is actually very similar to Farmhouse’s recipe above, but with proper measurements for Einkorn flour. If you’re cooking mostly with Einkorn I would highly recommend her book.
wilhelmina says
Mind blown! These sour dough tortillas are incredible!
Samantha says
Do you think these could be frozen? I love the idea just know it would work best to make them at a separate time then when I’m
Actually trying to get a meal together. It tends to be so hectic the way it is.
Ellen says
Hi Lisa! Can you freeze these? Similar to how you would freeze the pancakes perhaps? Thanks!
Trish Sultzbaugh says
Is this sourdough discard or does it have to be ripe (fed) starter?
Kimberly D Miles says
Hi Travis, I keep reading about sourdough discard and I’m not sure what that is. Can you enlighten me? I am a sourdough novice.
Aileen says
I’m having trouble with rolling out the dough. It keeps shrinking back to a thick small circle. Tips?
Erika says
After rolling, stretch it out more using your hands
Dilma Duarte says
It looks delicious 😋
Norma jean says
I love your videos and I will start my starter this week, Thank you for sharing !!!
Marissa says
These were so good! Ours came out looking like chalupas from Taco Bell, maybe because we used more coconut oil when frying them up. These were more filling than store bought tortillas and so much easier to digest. Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Tanya says
I love this recipe! It makes super tasty tortillas but my favorite thing to use it for is making crackers! Just roll the dough as thin as possible, brush it with a little butter and season it with garlic and onion powder and sprinkle with sesame seeds and cook them until they’re nice and crispy. Delicious!!!
Ashley Beck says
I have been printing out some of your recipes and I noticed that the Instructions are not printing or showing up when you click print. They still show up on the website but not on the printable recipe. Thought you should be made aware of this so your team could resolve the issue.
PS love all the sourdough recipes you have available
Alejandra Velasco says
H!! I’m really excited to make this tortillas!! This days my room temperature is 86F, will it be ok to put them on the fridge right away or should I leave them a couple of ours at room temperature and then straight to the fridge? Thank you!!!
Alejandra Velasco says
Hi!! I’m really excited to make this tortillas 🙂
My room temperature now a days is 86F, it’s ok to leave them with this hot temperature or it’s better to just put them straight on the fridge
Joyce Collins says
Hi Lisa,
Made your sourdough pancakes yesterday for breakfast YUM. Made your sourdough sandwich bread yesterday double Yum do you have. Cookbook I could buy?
I like hard copies of cookbooks as sometimes with our local power company we are off the grid not by choice. Haha I would love to support your homestead making your sourdough tortillas tonight.
Joyce
Miriam Kleynerman says
I love these, but mine turn out more like Naan each time! I roll them to 1/16 of an inch, is it the thickness that makes them like tortillas or am I doing something else wrong?
Jasmine says
I’m wondering if you can help me troubleshoot and or figure out what to do with all of this batter. I made this with discard from my fridge and used your measurement equivalents to grams. Ended up putting 262g unfed discard in. Well today 14 hrs later it is really very soupy, more like pancake batter. Certainly can’t roll it into balls. Oh and it’s like in the 90s here, so maybe over fermented? Can this be helped? Or made into something else?
Lisa says
Sounds like it definitely over fermented! Unfortunately I have never figured out jhow to salvage a dough after that happens.
Rani Bauer says
Hello! My dough has been sitting for 12 hours now and has risen a ton! Over doubled in size- is that normal for this recipe?
Rani Bauer says
Update, these turned out great!
Amy says
Lisa, I’m assuming that this recipe can easily be made with sourdough discard as well. Is this correct?
Lisa says
Yes it can!
Katy says
Hi! Any chance you have this recipe in grams? Maybe I’m not seeing it and it’s there? Thanks!
Virginia Grant says
Just started baking from scratch and absolutely luv it and want to bake for my gluten free daughter….help lol
Rachel says
I am having such a hard time with these… maybe because i used discard rather than active starter? (But I got to this recipe from the post about discard recipes, so I thought discard would be OK.) I used 2 cups whole wheat and 1 cup all purpose, followed the directions for mixing/kneading, let it sit for 24 hours. The dough is so sticky that it was really difficult to divide into 12, as it kept sticking to the counter/my hands/the dough cutter. Had to put tons of flour on the counter and rolling pin, so then I feel like I’m losing some of the health benefits. And then a lot of times they just fell apart when moving them from the counter to the pan. So frustrating!
Lisa says
I’m so sorry this didn’t work well for you. It could be over fermentation. You could try placing them in the fridge after about 12 hours of fermentation. This helps slow the fermentation down and may make them easier to handle.
Valerie says
So excited to try this recipe out!! At what temperature do you heat the cast iron? Lol I’m new to cast iron we just got some and still trying to figure it out😂
Lisa says
Medium heat. Good luck!
Charlie Will says
Will try these, as I have t.ried others and I like the longer ferment time
Katie says
Would I be able to swap out the oil for butter in these? Would I just use 1/4 melted butter?
Lisa says
Yep that should work just fine!
Tessa says
Just to verify.. can you use discard starter? You said it must be active and that you can use discard so I just wanted to make sure.
Lisa says
Either can be used!