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A stack of freshly made einkorn and sourdough tortillas on a white plate with lime wedges and corn in the background.

Sourdough Tortillas

These flour tortillas are soft and flexible. If you are searching for the perfect sourdough tortillas recipe, this is it!
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
rest time 2 hours
Course Appetizer, bread, brunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 12 tortillas
Calories 136 kcal

Equipment

  • tortilla press or heavy pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Mixing bowl
  • cast iron skillet

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 6 tablespoons butter chilled
  • ½ cup sourdough starter active or discard
  • ½ cup water warm

Instructions
 

  1. If you have a food processor, add einkorn flour, salt and cubed unsalted butter.  Pulse until mixture resembles coarse, crumbly sand.  To combine by hand, add the three ingredients to a large mixing bowl and use a pastry cutter to work the mixture until well incorporated.  Pea sized crumbs are okay, but the smaller the better.  
  2. In a small bowl, stir together the warm water and sourdough starter.  
  3. Add the flour mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the middle to pour in the sourdough starter mixture.  Work the dough until it forms a ball that no longer feels sticky. If the dough is sticky, add a small amount of flour one tablespoon at a time.
  4. Knead the dough by hand or in a stand mixer on a low speed for three minutes.  The dough will feel very soft.
  5. Use the same bowl that the dough was mixed in to let the tortilla dough raise covered in a warm area for a minimum of two hours.  For a long fermentation, place the covered dough in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours.
  6. When ready to bake, preheat a cast iron skillet to medium heat.  The skillet should be very hot but not quite smoking.  
  7. Divide the dough into an even amount of balls.  For easy reference, 12 dough balls will make approximately thee inch tortillas, while 6 dough balls will make approximately eight inches tortillas.  I am making 8 six-inch tortillas today. The goal is for the tortillas to be as thin as possible.
  8. Use a tortilla press to shape the tortillas.  I do not have a press, so I used the bottom of a heavy pan to flatten my dough balls.  Using parchment paper to sandwich the dough will make life so much easier!
  9. These tortillas cook fast! Using the preheated skillet, cook each tortilla for about thirty seconds on each side.  The tortilla will puff up slightly and release easily from the skillet.  If the tortillas are becoming too brown or blackened, turn the heat down and take a break until the skillet cools a bit.
  10. Serve the tortillas warm and fresh. Tortillas can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to one week.

Notes

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT AMOUNT OF TORTILLAS

For easy reference, this recipe can be divided into 12 dough balls, which will make approximately three inch tortillas. For eight inch tortillas, divide the dough into six balls.

HOW TO MAKE TORTILLAS WITHOUT A TORTILLA PRESS

A tortilla press would be very helpful for making these sourdough tortillas, but if you don't have one, rest assured it isn't necessary! I don't have one, either!
If you want to make tortillas, find a heavy skillet or pan. Place the tortilla dough ball in between two sheets of parchment paper and press straight down with the bottom of the pan flattening the dough. To make it even thinner, you can gently roll it with a rolling pin after using the pan. I do this with the parchment still on the dough to prevent sticking.

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER TORTILLAS

Let the tortillas cool completely before storing in a beeswax wrap, plastic wrap, or an air tight container. The tortillas are best enjoyed fresh, but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.

THE BEST WAY TO FREEZE TORTILLAS

I also had good luck freezing a batch of tortillas for a future meal! Let the tortillas cool, then freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once the tortillas are frozen, after about thirty minutes, they can be separated by sheets of parchment paper and put in a freezer bag or vacuum sealed and stored for up to three months. When you are ready to thaw the tortillas, set them out at room temperature about one hour before the meal.

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 240mgPotassium: 24mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 175IUCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg
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