These Sourdough Discard Tortillas are soft and fluffy and great for a taco or burrito night! This recipe uses sourdough discard, but can also be made with active sourdough starter, and can be made with either butter or oil to suit your taste!
Much like my Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough, these tortillas are a great base for your favorite fillings and toppings!
Why you'll love this recipe
- This easy recipe comes together with less than 30 minutes of hands-on time.
- Looking for other quick sourdough discard recipes? Try this Sourdough Discard Cornbread.
- You don't need any special equipment - I actually recommend not using a tortilla press! A rolling pin will be best!
- If you're looking for a fun recipe you can flatten with your hands instead, try this Sourdough Discard Garlic Pull Apart Bread.
- You can make this recipe using either butter or oil, whichever suits your taste.
- Make these sourdough discard tortillas as big or as small as you like: perfect for small street tacos, or big, hearty burritos.
- You can make these Sourdough Discard Tortillas ahead of time and either keep them warm and soft in a clean kitchen towel or reheat for a few seconds in the microwave when you're ready to serve.
Jump to:
Ingredients
There are only a few ingredients you'll need to bring these tortillas together!
- Sourdough discard: The sourdough discard should be unfed and at room temperature for this recipe. This recipe is designed for a sourdough starter that uses a 1:1 ratio (when you feed your starter, it's with 1 part flour and 1 part water). If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust some of the ingredients in this recipe.
- Learn more about how to make a sourdough starter.
- Olive oil, vegetable oil, or unsalted butter: You can use oil or butter, depending on your taste preference. I like to use either olive oil or butter, but a neutral oil like vegetable oil will work, too.
See full recipe below for detailed directions.
Substitutions & Variations
This is a very adaptable recipe and below are a few easy substitutions and variations you can try.
- Use butter or oil - Depending on your taste preferences, use unsalted butter, olive oil, vegetable oil, or another neutral oil. Thse are interchangeable in this recipe.
- Use active sourdough starter - If you'd like to use active sourdough starter, you can. To do so, replace the sourdough discard with active starter (200g). You will not need to change any other ingredients in the recipe.
- Make different sizes - Make small street tacos, or big tortillas for a hearty burrito!
- You might also love this Sourdough Discard Naan, perfect for a snack with hummus or a side dish for any meal.
I have not tested this recipe with other variations, but if you do, let us know how it turns out in the comments! I always love to hear how you're adapting these recipes and use those as ideas for future recipes as well!
How to Make Sourdough Discard Tortillas
There are just a few easy steps to bring these homemade tortillas together!
- Step 1: Combine all the dough ingredients in a bowl. Knead 1-2 minutes until smooth, but be careful not to overwork the dough.
- Step 2: Divide into 12-16 pieces. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Step 3: Roll into a roughly 8-inch round using a rolling pin. Cook in a skillet over medium-high heat until bubbly and golden brown spots form on the bottom.
- Step 4: Wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm. Serve warm, or let cool fully for stroage.
Expert Baking Tips
- Don't over-knead the dough! You want to knead just until the dough is smooth. Overworking the dough activates the gluten and makes it harder to roll out the tortillas.
- Let the dough rest. This isn't to let the dough rise. We want the dough to rest so that the gluten structures relax and the tortillas are easier to roll and shape.
- If you don't have time for the rest, that's ok, just know that the tortillas may be harder to roll out.
- Don't use a tortilla press. The dough will continue to "bounce back" and will not keep its shape. Use a rolling pin and roll them out very thin!
- Make your tortillas as big or small as you like. Dividing the dough into 16+ pieces will make smaller tortillas for street tacos. Dividing the dough into 12 pieces will make larger tortillas for burritos. I recommend using a kitchen scale!
Storage
Room Temperature Storage: If you're using the tortillas within the next few hours, wrap them loosely in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Reheat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before serving, if needed to make them soft again.
- You can also store the tortillas in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Refrigerator Storage: Store the cooled tortillas in an airtight container or a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. Reheat in the microwave for 15-30 seconds before serving to make them warm and soft again.
Freezer Storage: Store the cooled tortillas in an airtight container or freezer-safe storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat them in the microwave for about 30 seconds before serving to make them warm and soft again.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe uses sourdough discard, but yes, you can also make tortillas with active sourdough starter. To do so, replace the sourdough discard with active starter (200g). All other ingredients will remain the same.
Dividing the dough into 16+ pieces will make smaller tortillas for street tacos. Dividing the dough into 12 pieces will make larger tortillas for burritos. I recommend using a kitchen scale!
Do not use a tortilla press (this is really made for corn tortillas and does not work well for flour tortillas). Instead, roll the dough into a thin circle using a rolling pin. You want this to be as thin as possible!
This depends on how quickly you want to use the tortillas. You can store them at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the fridge for 5-7 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you're making them just a few hours before serving, keep the tortillas wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft. If needed, you can always reheat the tortillas for a few seconds in the microwave before serving.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
If you tried this Sourdough Discard Tortillas Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I'd love to hear from you! Happy Baking!
Sourdough Discard Tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 200 grams (about ¾ cup) sourdough discard unfed, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup hot water
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, olive oil or vegetable oil melted
Instructions
- In a large bowl*, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Add the sourdough discard, hot water, and melted butter (or oil). Mix with a wooden spoon or by hand until the dough starts to come together. Transfer to a smooth work surface and knead for 1-2 minutes until the dough is smooth.
- Divide the dough into 12-16 pieces (16 pieces for smaller street tacos, 12 pieces for larger burritos). Shape each piece into a ball in the palm of your hand, then flatten slightly. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or piece of plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Working with one piece at a time (and keeping the others covered), use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a roughly 8-inch round. You want these to be very thin!If you have someone cooking with you, it may be easiest to have one person rolling and one person cooking the tortillas.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat (a cast iron skillet is great for this). Cook the tortillas for 30-45 seconds on each side, until the dough is bubbly and golden brown spots appear on the bottom.
- Wrap the cooked tortillas in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft. Serve while warm, or let them cool fully for storage.
Jessica Vogl says
These are so soft and fluffy - delicious for our family taco night!