Best Homemade Soft Vegan Flour Tortillas
on Jan 18, 2023
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Homemade Vegan Flour Tortillas are so soft and fluffy – a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional Mexican tortillas. This easy recipe is made with only 5 simple ingredients, and can be done completely by hand. They’re healthier and taste so much better than the packaged stuff.
Summer is around the corner, and I’m making lots of meals using wraps and tortillas. They are a great base to many Mexican dishes including tacos, burritos, nachos, enchiladas and tostadas.
I’ve tried many flour tortilla recipes, and this is the easiest one with the best result!
The secret to the super soft texture is to use hot water (not boiling). The first time I made them I couldn’t believe how soft and tasty these vegan tortillas are, and it’s made without lard or butter!
How to Make Vegan Tortillas from Scratch
This recipe calls for 5 simple ingredients: all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, vegetable oil, and hot water. You can whisk everything in a bowl by hand if you don’t have a mixer.
Make the dough: Start by combining flour, salt, baking powder, and oil and mix well. Then pour in hot water and knead it into a soft dough.
Divide the dough: Cut the dough into 16 equal portions and roll each into a small ball. Let them rest for 15 minutes, and roll each one out into thin disks.
Cook the tortillas: Cook the thin disks in a hot iron skillet one by one. Cook for about 30-60 seconds and you’ll see bubbles forming on the surface, flip it and cook the other side. It takes about 1-2 minutes to cook each tortilla.
Difference Between Vegan Tortillas and Regular Flour Tortillas
Traditional flour tortilla recipe uses lard, and the vegan tortillas use vegetable oil. I have tested different types of fat, and find no significant difference in terms of texture or taste. So I highly recommend making this vegan version as it’s so much healthier.
Do I Have to Use Baking Powder to Make Flour Tortillas?
No, you don’t have to. Some flour tortilla recipes call for baking powder, and some don’t. It’s a leavening agent that makes your tortillas puffy with air bubbles.
I usually use it as it produces tortillas with a better texture, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can still make flour tortillas without baking powder.
Ways to Use Flour Tortillas
You can use them to accompany many Mexican dishes such as burritos and tacos. Add some vegan fillings such as spinach for a completely vegetarian or vegan meal. You can also make them into Tortilla Chips, or use them as wraps or in tortilla soup.
How Long Do Homemade Tortillas Last?
It’s best to eat these vegan tortillas the same day. They can be left at room temperature for about 12 hours, and you’ll need to store them in an airtight container or ziptop bag in the refrigerator and they can last for 4-5 days. Alternatively, wrap them in foil, place in a ziptop bag, and they can last up to 6 months in the freezer.
Tips for Making airy and Fluffy Tortillas
- Using hot water is key. Hot water is the secret for the super soft texture, as it allows for a higher ratio of liquid to be used, resulting a very tender dough. The water needs to be hot, but not boiling for the best results.
- Mix the ingredients well and knead the dough properly. Then take enough time to let the dough rest. This is important for making your tortillas light and fluffy.
- Adjust the heat while cooking tortillas. Heat up the skillet before adding the raw tortilla, otherwise, it could stick to the pan. Depending on the thickness of your tortilla, it can take 30-60 seconds to cook each side. Slightly increase the heat if your tortilla doesn’t form bubbles on the surface after 1 minute. Turn the heat down slightly if black spots form in less than 20 seconds or they become too crisp.
More Vegan Recipes You’ll Love
Homemade Soft Vegan Flour Tortillas Recipe (+Video)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup hot water, not boiling water
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl add all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.
- Make a well in the center, and add oil, and stir until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Pour in hot water and stir to combine. Knead it for about 2 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. (If you press your finger on the dough and it springs back and is no longer sticky, your dough is ready.
- Divide and flatten the dough: Transfer the dough to a well-flour surface, and divide it into 16 equal portions.
- Roll each piece into a small ball, and let them rest for about 15 minutes (and up to one hour).
- After resting, press down the ball with your palm. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each piece into a circle about 6 inches in diameter or until it is very thin.
- Cook the tortillas: Place a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. When it’s very hot, place one piece of uncooked tortillas into the skillet. Cook for 30-60 seconds or until bubbles start to form on the surface. (Before placing the tortilla in the skillet, shake off any excess flour. If there is any flour left in your skillet, wipe it out between cooking tortillas.)
- Flip it and you should see golden brown spots on the surface. Cook the other side for about 30-60 seconds. (If it takes longer for you to see bubbles or brown spots, increase the heat accordingly)
- Serve warm and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Don’t stack uncooked tortillas or they may stick to each other and become soggy.
- Wrap cooked tortillas in damp paper towels so they won’t dry out.
- To Reheat Tortillas: You can easily microwave them in 30-second intervals until they are warmed through. Alternatively, you can heat it up in a skillet for a few minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.
Editor note: Originally published Jan 9, 2020 and updated June 11, 2020.
This is the recipe you’ve been looking for.
Easy to make.
Simple ingredients.
Cooks beautifully. I used this recipe for stuffed mushroom flautas with guac for dipping.
Dont miss out!
Hi Danielle,
I’m so happy to hear that you like this recipe. Thanks for letting me know!
Izzy
These tortillas are delicious and they were so easy to make. They are light, fluffy and were easily foldable for the breakfast burritos we made. I will never use store bought tortillas again! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Hi Francesca,
I’m so glad that you like the recipe, and thanks for letting me know!
Izzy
Can this dough be frozen??
Yes, this dough freeze well. You can wrap it with parchment paper, and place it in freezer-friendly bag. Thaw it completely before using.
Can you freeze the cooked tortillas also?
Yes, you can freeze the cooked tortillas. It’s better to separate the tortillas with parchment paper and then putting them in a sealed bag in the freezer.
Thank you ! they were very easy to make and turned out soft and tasty
I have used baking soda with vinegar instead of baking powder.
Great to hear that your tortillas turned out tasty. Thanks for letting me know.
These are truly great. So easy to make and wonderfully soft and fluffy. Made them for vegan burritos this evening. I definitely want to make a batch and freeze them so I can grab one anytime. Thanks so much for this recipe!
I am glad you like this recipe. Thanks for letting me know!
Can you use coconut flour(its all I have on hand) and olive oil instead of the regular flour and vegetable oil?
Hi Cori, simply replacing regular flour with coconut flour won’t work for this recipe. If you only have coconut flour, you’ll need eggs and other different ingredients. Search under “Coconut Flour tortillas” for some ideas.
Can you use gluten-free flour like Bragg’s 1-to-1 Baking flour or Bragg’s All Purpose flour?
Hi Kat, if you use gluten-free flour, you’ll need to add about 1/2 cup of tapioca starch and 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the mixture. Hope this helps.
First time ever making tortillas. This recipe is easy and so DELICOUS!
Hi Jennifer, I’m glad to hear you like this recipe. Thanks for letting me know.
MADE TORTILLAS AND THEY WERE DELICIOUS WILL SAVE THIS RECIPE THANKS FOR SHARING
Hi Lydia, I’m so happy to hear that. Thanks for letting me know.
Lard is healthier than most veggie oils
more so when frying in it
Hello Brad why would a vegan use lard that defeats whole purpose of making it vegan.