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! I have quite a few sourdough discard recipes here on the blog, and for good reason! It can easily accommodate sweet or savory, and is a great ingredient to add for a little gut healthy boost.
That being said, these tortillas are a guaranteed crowd pleaser!
Let’s walk through how to make them.
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
Ingredients You’ll Need

Tips for Preparing to Make This Recipe
- The extra step of letting the dough sit for 10-15 minutes really does help make a softer tortilla! This will also prevent the tortillas from shrinking down once cooked.
- 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. I used one in this recipe for whole grain tortillas, and it makes the process much more streamlined and FAST.
- 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.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below!
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 10-15 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.
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Sourdough Discard Tortillas
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.