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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
Can I make these vegan?
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.
How do I store tortillas?
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
- Dairy Free Sourdough Discard Pancake Recipe
- Sourdough Bread Sticks
- Sourdough Puff Pastry
- Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins
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
Kate Schat
Make use of that discard with this versatile tortilla recipe. So many different flour, fat and milk options to make soft tortillas.
4.88 from 32 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Bread
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 12 tortillas
Calories 112 kcal
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 112kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 4mgPotassium: 38mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 16IUCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
