Sourdough Tortillas made with Sourdough Discard

Homemade Sourdough Tortillas made with Sourdough Discard are more flavorful than store-bought tortillas and yet so easy to make.

They take just a few minutes to stir together and a little rest time before they are ready to roll out and cook.

These sourdough tortillas are perfect for these Leftover Pulled Pork Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and wraps. I’m always looking for ways to use my sourdough discard and these tortillas are a perfect solution.

Do you have to make homemade sourdough tortillas for your next taco night? No of course not. But sometimes it is just fun to experiment and try new things.

Looking for more Sourdough Discard Recipes? Try one of these: Sourdough Discard Waffles, Sourdough Discard Scones, Sourdough Pita Bread, Sourdough Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies, or Ham and Cheese Sourdough Scones.

Recipe Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make these simple Sourdough Tortillas.

All-Purpose Flour: This recipe uses standard all-purpose flour. No special flour is necessary. For accuracy, the best way to measure the flour is by using a digital kitchen scale.

Tip: If you don't have a digital scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it with the back of a butter knife. Try not to compress the flour into the measuring cup. Too much flour creates dense cookies.

Salt: I add at least a pinch of salt to all of my recipes. Salt complements and intensifies the other flavors. For all of my recipes, I use Morton Kosher Salt which packs more densely than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt you will want to double the amount of salt you add.

Baking Powder: Baking powder gives these tortillas lift and a bubbly texture.

Fat: I recently read the book Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat, which I highly recommend if you want to learn how to cook more intuitively without always relying on a recipe.

In the book, she says the secret to achieving authentic flavors is to use authentic ingredients. For example, olive trees don't grow in Mexico so when cooking Mexican food you should not use olive oil. Types of fat used in Mexico include lard and neutral oils.

For these tortillas, I recommend using lard. But not just any lard. You want to use leaf lard.

Leaf lard is the soft fat found around a pig's kidneys. Its delicate flavor and soft consistency make it a great fat for pastries like pie crust. It also works really well for making you guessed it ... tortillas.

Leaf lard can be hard to find in the grocery store. It may be available at some butcher shops but I like to order mine from a company called Fatworks.

Tip: Leaf lard should be refrigerated and will last 12-18 months if stored properly.

Sourdough Discard: Bring your sourdough discard to room temperature before adding it to the recipe. It will be easier to incorporate.

Pro Sourdough Tip: Keep a glass jar in your refrigerator to store your sourdough discard. Continue adding to it until you have enough to make your chosen sourdough discard recipe.

Hot Water: You will want the water to be hot enough to help melt the fat but not too hot that you burn your hands when you mix the ingredients.

You can heat the water on the stovetop, in the microwave, or in an electric kettle.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Step by Step Directions

These Sourdough Tortillas can be made with a stand mixer or by hand.

Step 1: Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. (Image 1)

Step 2: Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the lard or shortening into the dry ingredients just like you would if you were making pie dough or biscuits. (Image 2)

Step 3: Mix in the sourdough discard and warm water with a fork or your hands until a shaggy dough forms. (Image 3)

Step 4: Turn out onto your floured work surface and knead for 3-4 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and not sticky. (Image 4)

Step 5: Cut the dough into equal portions. I find cutting the dough into wedges like you would a pizza to be the best way to divide the dough evenly. (Image 5)

Tip: The size is up to you depending upon what size tortillas you want to make. For reference, dividing the dough into 16 equal pieces makes taco-sized tortillas.

Step 6: Form the dough into balls. Cover dough balls with a tea towel and let them rest for at least 30 minutes and up to two hours. (Image 6)

Step 7: On a lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll out each ball of dough into a thin, flat circle. When rolling the dough out, start in the middle of the ball and roll up. (Image 7)

Step 8: Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat the process until it is approximately ⅛ inch thick. (Image 8)

Step 9: The tortilla should almost be translucent when you hold it up to the light. (Image 8)

Tip: You can wait and roll the tortillas out one by one while you are cooking, but I don't really like this method because tortillas cook and burn very quickly. I don't want to be racing to roll out the next tortilla while risking burning the one that is cooking.

I like to roll all of my flour tortillas out before I begin cooking. You will want to separate the tortillas with a paper towel or some parchment paper to keep them from sticking together. (Image 10)

Step 10: Cook the tortillas in a preheated cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Place a raw tortilla in the skillet and cook until it begins to bubble and look dry. (Image 11)

Step 11: Flip to cook the other side. Each side should cook for about 30 seconds. (Image 12) 

Tip: Do not overcook the tortillas. Thirty seconds per side is all you need. Overcooked tortillas will be hard, dry, and inflexible

Storage

Extra tortillas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week. 

Straight out of the refrigerator the tortillas will be stiff. Simply cover them with a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-20 seconds to make them pliable again.

For a more sustainable option try this handmade tortilla warmer.

Can you Freeze Tortillas?

Yes! In fact, homemade tortillas freeze really well. Freezing your tortillas is a great way to always have a couple on hand when a taco craving strikes.

Place the cooled tortillas in a zip-top bag labeled with the date and contents. Frozen tortillas should be good for 3-6 months.

Recipe FAQs

More Great Sourdough Recipes

📖 Recipe

Sourdough Tortillas

Author: Erica Schramek

Homemade Sourdough Tortillas made with Sourdough Discard are more flavorful than store-bought tortillas and yet so easy to make.

4.75 from 4 votes

Cook Mode

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Additional Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Bread

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 16 Taco Size Tortillas

Calories 123 kcal

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Equipment

• ▢
  mixing bowl
• ▢
  Rolling Pin
• ▢
  cast-iron skillet

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons of kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ⅓ cup lard or vegetable shortening
• ▢ 1 cup sourdough discard
• ▢ ½ cup warm water

Instructions

 

• Whisk together the 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons of kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder.
• Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the ⅓ cup lard or vegetable shortening into the flour mixture.
• Mix in the 1 cup sourdough discard and ½ cup warm water with a fork or your hands until a shaggy dough forms.
• Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 3-4 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and not sticky.
• Cut the dough into equal portions. The size is up to you depending upon what size tortillas you want to make. For reference, dividing the dough into 16 equal pieces makes taco sized tortillas.
• Form the dough into balls. Cover dough balls with a tea towel and let them rest for at least 30 minutes and up to two hours.
• On a lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll out each ball into a thin, flat circle. When rolling the dough out, start in the middle of the ball and roll up. Give the dough a quarter turn and repeat the process until it is approximately ⅛ inch thick.
• Heat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Place a raw tortilla in the skillet and cook until it begins to bubble and look dry. Flip to cook the other side. Each side should cook for about 30 seconds.  
• Place the cooked tortillas in a tortilla warmer or on a plate covered with a towel to keep them warm.

Notes

Stand mixer instructions: If you want to use a stand mixer, using the bowl of your stand mixer follow steps one and two. Then add the sourdough discard and water and use the dough hook to knead the dough on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and not sticky. Continue with step five.

You don't need a tortilla press. The dough is pretty easy to roll out with a rolling pin.

If the tortilla dough keeps shrinking back when you try to roll it out, let it rest for another 15-30 minutes to give the gluten more time to relax.

Roll the tortillas pretty thin. You want them to be almost translucent when you hold them up to the light.

If the excess flour starts to burn in the pan, wipe it out with a damp paper towel.

Do not overcook the tortillas. Thirty seconds per side is all you need. Overcooked tortillas will be hard, dry, and inflexible.

Storage: Extra tortillas can be stored in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator for about a week. Tortillas can also be frozen in a zip-top bag for up to six months.

To reheat: Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-20 seconds to make them pliable again.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 123kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 246mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gCalcium: 18mgIron: 1mg

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