Back to Basics: How to Make Delicious Soft Flour Tortillas
One of the most popular pantry items in my kitchen are Delicious Soft Flour Tortillas. We often pick up a pack from the local grocery store during our regular weekly run. So, it wasn’t surprising that as we were sheltering at home during the pandemic over the summer, this was one of the items that were constantly being consumed and depleted.
I never ate tortillas growing up – we had plenty of other flatbreads: roti canai/pratha, roti jala, chapati, or naan. The first time I ate a “real” tortilla was probably when I first came to school here in the US. It was at a Mexican restaurant and the tortilla came with an order of sizzling chicken fajitas. I remember eating them, expecting the tortilla to taste like a chapati, which it resembles. Anyway, I was bowled over by the softness and chewiness of the tortilla. I can understand why it is so popular here in the US.
Why Flour Tortillas*?
Tortillas are extremely versatile. My daughter loves to top a tortilla round with some shredded cheese, zap it in the microwave, and voila, you have an instant quesadilla! Or you can fill it with your favorite sandwich fillings, roll it up and you have a wrap. I like to cut it into wedges and top it with cream cheese and smoked salmon for a quick appetizer. And of course, serve it with your favorite grilled veggies or meat topped with sour cream and salsa for a homemade fajita! Or, you can eat it plain, like what my son likes to do!
Just recently, my son ate the last tortilla from the pack and was asking for more. I wasn’t about to go for a grocery run or get a shopper to just deliver a packet of tortillas! So, with that in mind, I decided to make some at home, from scratch. And boy, that was a good move! Home-made tortillas taste 10x better than the store bought ones, and are so easy to make. After the first time making it from scratch, I have consciously decided to make a double batch every week or so. It’s that good!
For this post, I will walk you through how I put this soft pillowy goodness together. It just requires 5 basic ingredients and you can put this together in under an hour!
*Being a geek, I was curious about the origin of tortilla and found this short article on the origin and history of this bread. If you are interested, check out this link => http://www.historyofbread.com/bread-history/history-of-tortilla/
Ingredients for Delicious Soft Flour Tortillas
The flour tortilla uses basic pantry ingredients.
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 cup hot water, not boiling
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil, or coconut oil
You will also need a rolling pin and a large non stick pan.
Putting it together
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Next, add hot water and oil.
If using a stand mixer, fit on the dough hook and mix until a dough is formed, about 5 – 8 minutes. If mixing by hand, stir and combine all the ingredients until a dough is formed. Dough should be soft and Playdo-like in texture, but not sticky. Add more flour as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time.
When ready, tip dough onto a clean work surface and knead for 1-2 minutes till smooth. Next, cover with kitchen towel and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Then, divide the dough into 12 equal parts and roll into balls. Cover under a kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out. In the meantime, heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat.
Lightly flour the work surface and rolling pin. Use the rolling pin to roll out one piece of dough into roughly 6 to 8-inch round. Then transfer directly to heated pan.
Cook the tortilla for about 1 minute, then flip and cook for another 30 seconds. The tortilla dough will puff up slightly as it is cooking. You want the tortilla to be soft and pliable, with little brown spots on the surface. Do not overcook. Adjust the heat on the pan so that your tortilla doesn’t burn.
Repeat with the rest of the dough and keep cooked tortillas warm under a clean kitchen towel.
If not eating immediately, cool tortillas on rack before putting away in an airtight container.
Notes on Delicious Soft Flour Tortillas
- I like to sift together the all purpose flour with baking powder and salt so that they are well combined.
- You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook to make the dough. I like to start by mixing the ingredients with a spatula, and then use my hands to knead.
- This recipe doubles easily. Simply scale up the ingredients.
- To divide the dough, there are two options: a) Use a kitchen scale to weigh the entire dough and then divide into 12 so all the pieces are equal in weight or b) simply eyeball the dough, divide into 12 pieces based on size.
Postscript:
Did you like this simple and easy “Back to Basics” post? Are there any other basic recipes you would like me to share? Please comment and let me know.
Homemade Delicious Soft Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 cup hot water, not boiling
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil, or coconut oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add water and oil. Mix till a dough is formed. Dough should be soft and Playdoh-like in texture, but not sticky. Add more flour as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Tip dough onto a clean work surface knead for 1-2 minutes till smooth. Cover with kitchen towel. Rest for 10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal parts. Roll into balls. Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat.
- Roll out one piece of dough into roughly 6 to 8-inch circle. Cook the tortilla for about 1 minute then flip and and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Repeat with the rest of the dough and keep cooked tortillas warm under a clean kitchen towel until it is ready to be served.
Notes
More Fab Flavors Ideas:
If you are in the mood for something savory, check out my post on zucchini and cheese galette here => Quick Zucchini and Cheese Galette
Or if you feel like something sweet, check out this cool retro upside down citrus cake that uses 4 type of fruits => Unique Retro Upside Down Four Citrus Cake
For something that is colorful and delicious, how about the veggie blossom tart? It makes my mouth happy everytime I eat it, plus it is loaded with veggie, which is good for you too! => Colorful And Happy Veggie Blossom Tart
