Simple Sourdough Tortillas

Sourdough tortillas are the perfect addition to your Taco Nights. These Sourdough Tortillas are soft, flexible and delicious. And what’s even better, is that they are naturally fermented. They’re worth investing a little time into, because whether you choose sweet or savory, there is nothing better than a fresh tortilla!

Now I understand that I may be the last person who should be sharing a recipe with you about how to make the perfect tortilla. I am from the Midwest and live no where near Mexico. But my husband is from Southern California. When we started dating all he could talk about was how good authentic Mexican food was.

Admittedly, much to his dismay, Mexican food was my last choice for a date night at that time. We actually have a funny story about our very first date. Of course it involves (what he assumed to be) a very fine Mexican food restaurant, but that’s another story for another time.

However, it was on my first trip to California that I had my first BRC (bean, rice & cheese) burrito. It was wrapped in a fresh tortilla and it was love at first bite. My opinion of Mexican cuisine was forever changed. Now I prefer Mexican food to any other!

Hopefully I redeemed myself with this little bit of background and you will make these delicious sourdough tortillas as proof for yourself. Because if my tortilla connoisseur husband approves of them, they must be a winner!

To begin making these tortillas you will first need a Sourdough Starter. There are so many incredible benefits to sourdough. To find out more about the benefits click here Why Sourdough.

Simple Ingredients to make Sourdough Tortillas

1. Active Sourdough Starter
2. Flour
3. Water
4. Butter
5. Unrefined Salt

How to Make Sourdough Tortillas

First, mix all of the ingredients together by hand until the batter forms into a ball. Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and let it ferment for at least 8-12 hours. Note that this time frame is very flexible. I have left my tortilla dough ball wrapped on the counter for over 24 hours and the tortillas turned out the exact same. They just become extra fermented and more beneficial, so win win. (Why Sourdough?)

After the ferment, divide your dough into 16 pieces. This will yield you 16, 8 inch tortillas. If you prefer larger tortillas, divide your dough into 12 pieces and roll the tortillas to 10 inches.

I recommend using a scale when diving your dough. First divide the dough in half and weigh both halves so they are equal. Then divide each half in half again. Weigh and continue until you have evenly divided your dough into the number of tortillas you want. This way all of your tortillas will be uniform in size.

Next, preheat your skillet, pan or griddle that you will cook your tortillas on. I cook mine in a cast iron skillet on medium-low heat. You do not need to oil the pan first, you want to cook them on a dry surface.

With a rolling pin, roll your tortilla dough out as flat as you can get it. I roll them directly on my counter and I do not oil or flour the counter first. Don’t get discouraged if your tortillas are not rolled into perfect circles. I haven’t perfected the circle either and my family eats them just the same. So just roll them out as flat and as evenly as you can. Now carefully pick up and transfer the rolled tortilla to your hot pan. The dough is pliable enough where it should not tear as you pick it up.

Here is where you will need to be patient because you may need to sacrifice the first tortilla or two until you figure out the right cooking temperature. You don’t want to cook them too hot but you also don’t want to cook them too low. There is a sweet spot, and every cooking device is different. You will notice the dough change texture after about 30 seconds, it will appear white and cooked through. Go ahead and give it a peak underneath to see if it’s starting to brown. When you have a few browned bubbles, go ahead and flip it over and cook another 20-30 seconds. Again, the timing could look different for you so go based off of how it looks more than time.

Once your tortilla is cooked through, place it into a gallon sized ziplock bag with a paper towel or two laid on the bottom. Continue to place the cooked tortillas on top of each other inside the bag, keeping the bag closed in between. You want to lock the moisture in because this keeps them soft.

After you’ve cooked all the tortillas, go ahead and use another paper towel to wipe out the condensation that may have formed inside the plastic bag and around the tortillas. The tortillas will stay soft, but you don’t want the excess moisture to ruin your tortillas.

And that’s it. Often I will make these tortillas a day or two in advance of when we actually plan to eat them. They keep great for up to two weeks.

Pin For Later:

Let’s Make Sourdough Tortillas

Links:

*This post contains affiliate links that I make a small commission on but it is at no additional cost to you.

Marble Rolling Pin

Tortilla Press