How to Make Sourdough Discard Tortillas
This easy recipe for sourdough tortillas utilizes the power of sourdough discard to create soft and fluffy tortillas that are boosted with gut healthy fermented grains. They require only 6 ingredients and will quickly become a household staple.
One of our family’s favorite recipes is homemade tortillas, especially served up with shredded beef and all the yummy toppings! They are delicious, convenient, and completely eliminate the need for any kind of store-bought tortilla.
I have recently done a deep dive into the world of sourdough, and its safe to say I’m hooked! After a lot of trial and error, I finally conquered sourdough bread. Since I have been maintaining an active starter, with that also comes a lot of sourdough discard!
What is Sourdough Discard?
Discard is the part of the sourdough starter that is removed before feeding the starter. Not true to its name, sourdough discard is actually a wonderful thing! Although not active enough to rise a loaf of bread, it is still a great ingredient to add to many different recipes for some extra nutrition and flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Wholesome Ingredients: This sourdough tortilla recipe is made with simple, wholesome ingredients you can feel good about. No chemicals, preservatives, or other added yucky stuff.
- Easy to make: These tortillas come together easily and cook up on a hot skillet in a minute or less.
- Freezer friendly: Cooked tortillas will easily store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 3 cups all purpose flour– Whole wheat flour will also work for this recipe. For lighter and fluffier tortillas, I use organic unbleached all purpose flour.
- 1/2 cup discard– Active sourdough starter will also work.
- 2 tbsp oil– Use a neutral flavored oil. I prefer avocado oil!
- 1 tsp salt– I use mineral salt.
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup hot water– Hot water helps the dough mix together better.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Tortillas
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine flour, sourdough discard, oil, salt, baking powder and water. Turn the mixer on low and mix until combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and begin to knead until the dough is nice and smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for a few minutes.
- Once the dough has had a chance to rest, use a bench scraper or sharp knife to divide the dough into 16 equal portions. Turn each piece to lightly coat with flour. Form each piece of dough into a ball and flatten with the palm of your hand.
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat (I always use my trusty cast iron skillet).
- Use a light amount of flour and rolling pin to roll each dough piece into a rough circle, about 5-6 inches in diameter.
- When the skillet is hot, place one tortilla in the hot skillet and cook for 30-60 seconds. You should start to see golden brown spots and air bubbles forming. If you start to see bubbles, this is a good sign! Using tongs, flip the tortilla and cook for another 30-60 seconds. If they are browning too fast, turn the heat down. It can take a little adjusting to find the perfect temperature.
- Remove the cooked tortilla and immediately wrap with a damp paper towel or place in a covered container. This will keep them nice and soft!
- Enjoy warm or allow them to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container on the counter for a few days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Tips for Successful Tortillas
- I recommend not stacking uncooked tortillas on top of each other- they will stick together!
- To make this process even easier, you could always invest in a tortilla press.
- Make sure to use a neutral flavored oil in the dough. My go-to is always avocado oil, but canola or vegetable oil will also work. I have also used refined coconut oil!
- This recipe easily doubles. Sometimes I will make a double batch and freeze half of the tortillas for use at a later time.
FAQs
Yes! Although not “active” enough to rise bread, sourdough discard still contains loads of probiotics, making it a gut healthy choice.
Sourdough discard tortillas do not have to be stored in the fridge, although they will last longer. Store homemade tortillas in an airtight container for up to 5 days, and in the fridge for up to a week.
Yep! To freeze, line the tortillas on a cookie sheet without overlapping. Once frozen, you can stack them and then place them in a gallon sized Ziploc bag to freeze for up to 3 months.
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Sourdough Discard Tortillas
This easy recipe for sourdough tortillas utilizes the power of sourdough discard to create soft and fluffy tortillas that are boosted with gut healthy fermented grains. They require only 6 ingredients and will quickly become a household staple.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard (active starter also works)
- 2 tbsp neutral flavored oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup hot water
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine flour, sourdough discard, oil, salt, baking powder and water. Turn the mixer on low and mix until combined.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and begin to knead until the dough is nice and smooth, about 5 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for a few minutes.
- Once the dough has had a chance to rest, use a bench scraper or sharp knife to divide the dough into 16 equal portions. Turn each piece to lightly coat with flour. Form each piece of dough into a ball and flatten with the palm of your hand.
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat (I always use my trusty cast iron skillet).
- Use a light amount of flour and rolling pin to roll each dough piece into a rough circle, about 5-6 inches in diameter.
- When the skillet is hot, place one tortilla in the hot skillet and cook for 30-60 seconds. You should start to see golden brown spots and air bubbles forming. If you start to see bubbles, this is a good sign! Using tongs, flip the tortilla and cook for another 30-60 seconds. If they are browning too fast, turn the heat down. It can take a little adjusting to find the perfect temperature.
- Remove the cooked tortilla and immediately wrap with a damp paper towel or place in a covered container. This will keep them nice and soft!
- Enjoy warm or allow them to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
If you enjoyed this recipe for homemade sourdough discard tortillas, make sure to come back and leave a rating and a comment! I would love to know how this recipe turned out for you.
