This is one of those items that you never think you'll make - but it's really simple and tastes SO much better than running to the store! Homemade Sourdough Discard Tortillas are ready in a pinch!
This is my sister's go-to recipe. Molly is the sourdough QUEEN and tortilla master. I can't quite manage round tortillas like her...but she throws down round after round one. It must be all the practice!
She swears by only using her rye starter and a fresh ground whole grain, but I've made them with my white/all-purpose starter and white/all-purpose flour and they're just as delicious. Just dont tell her I cheat on her recipe and use white flour. I promise they're just as delicious, even if you can't roll a round tortilla like me.
I often choose to make items that are "easy to pick up" from the store. But I believe my family's health is worth the time it takes to make things like hamburger buns and hot dog buns. It also lets you control ingredients in mixes like ranch dressing and hot chocolate.
Why You Need This Recipe
- tortillas have a simple ingredient list!
- the rustic look of rolling them out adds charm to the dinner table.
- kids can make these from start to finish.
Key Ingredients
Starter - If you've got sourdough going, you've got discard! You can use the starter at any stage, whether it's doubled or ready to feed.
Flour - See the recipe card for details, but I've used basically any flour in my kitchen with good results.
Fat - Butter, lard, oil, anything in liquid state will work here.
Liquid - Water or milk to pull things together.
How to Make Whole Grain Tortillas
***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***
Step 1: Combine wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls.
Step 2: Add wet to dry and stir with a wooden spoon or just your hands.
Step 3: Let dough rest to ferment for several hours or overnight. Then divide into golf-ball-sized balls.
Step 4: Roll 'em out as thin as you can! Shape does NOT matter here, friends!
Step 5: Cook in a cast iron skillet until dry and bubbly. You can use fat or not in the skillet. It depends on the pan, more often than not I use a dry pan.
Tips and Tricks
- Not eating right away? Wrap fresh tortillas in a tea towel to rest until cooled.
- Reheat tortillas quickly in a dry skillet so they fold nicely.
- If leaving the dough for up to 8 hours, you can leave it on the counter. But for overnight or up to 24 hours, store the dough in the fridge the whole time.
Substitutions
I've literally used just about any flour you can think of. Especially because the dough is resting to ferment it will hydrate nicely if using fresh ground. If you've only got store bought, that's great, too! And my sister loves rye flour, I've used kamut and spelt. Really the sky's the limit here.
FAQs
Absolutely! While traditional tortillas use lard, you can use truly any oil here. And while I always have milk to use up, water works just as well, or any unsweetened plain vegan alternative is great. This means they will work for just about any diet as they can be dairy-free or vegetarian/vegan.
Wrap them in a lint-free towel immediately after removing from the pan. Once completely cooled, you can then place in a plastic bag or container for storage. If freezing, only freeze in stacks you will thaw all at once because you won't be able to separate them.
What to Serve with Sourdough Tortillas
You can obviously go straight to filling with taco meat, but another great idea is grill some chicken and wrap up with Caesar salad! Of course quesadillas with homemade cheese don't get any better than when the meal is 100% farm-fresh.
Photos by Dante from Shire by the Sea
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
Hey friends, don't forget to follow me over on Instagram, cause if you like me here, I post there a LOT! I'm also on YouTube with tutorials and Facebook for all sorts of things.
If you like this recipe, I’d love if you reviewed it so others can find it easier. Sharing this recipe on Facebook or Pinterest is another way you can help us out at no cost to you. Thanks, xo Kate
Sourdough Discard Tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour*
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, melted lard, or melted butter
- ½ cup water or milk
- ½ cup sourdough starter This can be at any stage as long as it has doubled. So it could be nice and doubled, or fallen and ready to discard.
Instructions
- Mix flour, salt, and oil/lard together.
- In a measuring cup, combine starter and water/milk.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients and gently knead into a uniform dough.
- Let sit 6-18 hours; but 12 is best. If you want to push it to 24 hours, leave it in the fridge for the full 24 hours.
- Divide into golf ball-sized balls, and roll thin as you can.
- In a cast iron frying pan on medium heat with no oil, cook for 30-60 seconds a side, until there are little brown spots/bubbles.
Notes
- These keep really well! Our preferred method is to wrap in a cotton or linen tea towel right away after they're cooked. When they're cooled, put the whole bundle in a plastic bag.
- To eat after they're cold, we prefer a refresh in the toaster oven or on a hot skillet.
- *Any of the following have been tested and work out dandy: all-purpose, soft white wheat, hard red wheat, hard white wheat, khorasan/kamut, red fife, einkorn, or spelt.
Melanie
Thank you for this recipe! Can’t wait to try. When you wrap in a tea towel do you just wrap them in s as puke together? Thank you again 🙂
Tiff
Kate, this recipe is spot on !! I made my first batch last night for venison tacos and it was a hit. Well done, thank you for sharing.
Becky
I tried these with einkorn flour and they didn't turn out very well. The dough was so sticky I couldn't roll it out without it sticking to everything. I had to add a bunch of flour to get it to a semi workable dough that I could roll out. I won't try these again, I'll look for another recipe.
kateschat
From what I know, einkorn acts verrrrry different. Definitely look for a recipe developed for einkorn.
Deb
I just mixed and it is in fermenting stage. I used kamut , and my rye starter was very thick and fluffy. I ended up adding more water and starter. My sense is that the liquid needed is going to depend on the type of flour used( some grains are thirstier than others) and the hydration of the starter used. It’s looking like a pretty good dough now. I have high hopes for this recipe ?
Joy
I've been using Einkorn for a while now. I would recommend 96 grams per cup if using whole grain Einkorn and add enough flour to the needing process to work the dough. I did that with this recipe and it came together nicely. Einkorn is a very thirsty flour and generally you need to use 96 grams per cup and increase the liquid by 5%, but I found keeping the liquid to the recipe just fine. Hope this helps!
Nicole
Why would dough need be stored in fridge if doing overnight? I've left at room temp 24 hours as well.
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It can be left on the counter for up to 18 hours. Up to that it's best put in the fridge. In a cool house it can be up to 24 hours on the counter.
Teresa
I don’t have a cast iron, can I use a grill instead?
kateschat
A Griddle?
Tara
These were so easy to make and delicious!
Jeanne
I've made a few times and they are delicious and quick. I usually make 6 but have started making 12 since they go so fast. I make using Kamut. I've made Jaime cashew milk or water - Thanks
Savannah
I was skeptical of this recipe because I have tried numerous and they have never turned out well, HOWEVER, this recipe is amazing and I have made them several times. My husband has requested we never buy tortillas again ?? 🙂 good sign.
Katy Clark
Those are some beautiful tortillas, kudos Molly!
Tammy
These were so easy to make and the dough rolled out so nicely. I will add a bit more salt next time. Great use of my discard. Thank you.
Jessica B.
I feel so fancy every time I make these! Like it shouldn't be so easy. Breakfast wraps on repeat over here, they freeze great too!
Rebecca
Love finding new sourdough recipes! Tortillas was one thing I would always buy at the store and I would always cringe at the ingredient list, but not now.
Steph
We make these all the time as they freeze well. I also add powdered spinach from OM foods to make spinach wraps. Kids love them, very very easy to make
Shannon Gardner
I made these with fresh ground wheat and my guys couldn’t get enough of them! I love how good they are and how easy they are to make. Thank you for another great recipe!
Shana
My go to recipe for tortillas! I have only ever made a single batch once. Always, always make extra for the freezer!
Annette
I tried several tortilla recipes before this and had little success, This recipe worked out beautifully. I love that it uses sourdough starter. The flavor and texture are great.
Abby
This is now my go to recipe for tortillas. So easy and so happy to have a good use for discard. I’ve used discard at any stage and it still works great. The only miss was when I tried a 1/2 c of einkorn flour and the dough became sticky and unworkable. So back to AP and WW.
Laurie Rogers
I was never able to successfully start and keep a sourdough starter alive, but since I followed your instructions, I had enough discard to make tortillas. My kids are picky about their tortillas, but these were popular with all but one of them. (She's a super picky girl, anyway. Lol) Thanks, Kate's sister Molly, for the recipe!
Jaclyn
I have printed this recipe 3 or 4 times and keep forgetting to make them! Today is the day I will finally try these!!! I will repot back with my (I'm sure wonderful) results!
Laura Roberts
This is my go to tortilla recipe! I have tried A LOT, and this one is our family favorite! Before I had my ninth baby I made a batch and froze them (separated by parchment) in a ziplock so the boys could easily make BRC burritos for lunch. The best!
RachelC
Wanted to share that I successfully made gf sourdough tortillas from your recipe! I used 1 c each buckwheat and white corn flour; ended up needing 3/4-1 c discard total and maybe 3/4 c liquid (used goat whey) as it was a bit dry with the original measurements (due to gf flours). Needed tapioca to roll them out nice and thin. Edges got a little crispy when dry frying but that’s probably because I wasn’t watching the pan very well. Lol all that to say most of my family (Husband is the hardest critic) enjoyed them! Thanks for a great recipe! Will make again for sure ?
Cagan Sarialtun
I made them with fresh ground spelt, they were easy to make and delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Katie Mills
Do these need to be refrigerated after? Or can they stay on the counter for a few days?
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They can stay on the counter for a few days then refrigerate. They also freeze well.
Noemie Kodiak
I just made these Tortillas, they were FANTASTIC!
Thank you so much
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Glad you liked them so much!!! We do too.
Melissa
Will a stainless steel pan work instead of cast iron?
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There is no reason why it wouldn't it's just a well seasoned cast iron pan doesn't tend to stick.
Karen
They turned out perfect and delicious! Thank you
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They are so good aren't they!!
Tara
These were incredible. I will be making this recipe regularly now. Thank you.
Lynn
Good morning,
Do I make these using discard sourdough starter from the fridge?
Thanks, I am new to sourdough, but love it so far.
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Yes, It is just from the discard in the fridge.
Sol
Thanks for this great recipe Kate. I've tried many recipes but yours is the best.
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These are delicious for sure and so easy to make!
Jami
I maybe dumb but I followed these directions. Had to have dough in fridge for 24 hours do to work schedule. Now trying to roll into balls and roll out. Dough is sticking EVERYWHERE! How do you do this without flour?
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You can use flour for rolling out. (I just checked the recipe and it doesn't mention NOT using it.) I make these regularly and they are delicious. Made them last night and using the leftover tortillas for quesadillas tonight.
Jami
I maybe dumb but I followed these directions. Had to have dough in fridge for 24 hours do to work schedule. Now trying to roll into balls and roll out. Dough is sticking EVERYWHERE! To my hands the rolling pin. How do you do this without flour? Because this made a HUGE mess I had to dump the entire thing as I tried rolling out while in the hot pan. My tortillas we awful.
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We usually use flour to roll it out. I didn't see on the recipe where it said to avoid flour. I just made these last night and they are delicious. A favourite of ours. Using the leftovers for quesadillas tonight. I hope you try them again. I would say that it's best to make them with regular all purpose flour the first time you make them. Then branch our to other flours if desired.
Jin
Can this be made with corn (Mazeca) flour?
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That is a good question. Kate hasn't tried it with that type of flour yet.