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These sourdough discard tortillas are soft, chewy, and absolutely delicious. They are what every taco night dreams of! Stuff them with your favorite taco fillings or use them for a quick wrap.
Table of Contents
I recently shared a weeknight dinners from scratch video on YouTube, and in it, while making baked enchiladas, I realized that I haven’t made tortillas in a while.
Which, of course, got me craving homemade sourdough tortillas, especially since I have a fresh batch of home-canned pinto beans just waiting to be used in tacos and burritos.
I often dismiss tortillas as “too hard” or “too time-consuming” because they involve rolling dough. But every time I make these sourdough discard tortillas, I’m reminded how easy it is to make homemade tortillas.
They are just as simple as my sourdough flatbread recipe, but with fewer ingredients and no bulk fermentation, which makes them even better for days when you’re a little short on time.
Once a week, I meet with a group of ladies for a blogging mastermind. And in our last Zoom meeting, I rolled and cooked these tortillas with my daughter. That’s how easy they are!
Sure, it takes a little more time than opening a pack of store-bought tortillas. But these are so soft and delicious, it’s totally worth the minimal effort required.
We love using them for steak tacos with candied jalapeños, lunch wraps with egg salad my with Instant Pot boiled eggs, or my favorite—sourdough fried chicken tacos with French mayo and a scoop of sauerkraut.
Why You’ll Love Sourdough Tortillas
Easy: Sourdough discard tortillas are easy to make. There’s no intense kneading, bulk fermenting, windowpane test, or stretch and folds.
Sourdough: Don’t throw away the discard from your regular feedings! Using discard in recipes is a great way to prevent food waste. (Ps. If you’re new to sourdough, the first step is to make a sourdough starter.)
Freezer-Friendly: These sourdough discard tortillas freeze like a dream. I like to double or triple up the batch and freeze the extras. Batch prepping is a great scratch cooking habit to build.
Simple Ingredients: One of my favorite things about sourdough is how simple the ingredients are. These tortillas come together with basic pantry staples.
Ingredients
Flour: Regular all-purpose flour makes soft tortillas. But you can add in a little whole wheat for extra nutrition. If you are using fresh-milled flour, check out my fresh-milled flour conversion guide.
Sourdough Starter: Use active or inactive starter. Check out my active vs. inactive tutorial on YouTube to learn the difference.
Oil: I used avocado oil, but any neutral oil will do.
Get the full list of ingredients and measurements on the printable recipe card below.
Tools You Will Need
Rolling Pin: I prefer a French rolling pin because it is easier to control.
Skillet: I like to use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet for making sourdough tortillas. Check out my cast iron skillet size guide to see what it is the best option for your kitchen.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a small bowl, whisk together the water and sourdough starter. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.
Step 3: Pour the avocado oil into the flour mixture. Use your hands to combine. It will have a clumpy/sandy consistency at this point.
Step 4: Pour the water-starter mixture into the dry ingredients.
Step 5: Use a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients until they come together, with no dry flour remaining.
Step 6: Keep the dough in the bowl and knead it with your hands for 1 minute.
If the dough is very sticky, add one tablespoon of flour at a time until you can handle it. I usually need one or two additional tablespoons.
The dough should be a little sticky, but it should not make a mess of your hands.
Step 7: Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Step 8: Lightly flour the counter and a large piece of parchment paper. Then, turn the dough out onto the floured counter and divide it into 16 equal pieces.
Step 9: Shape each portion into a ball and place it on the floured parchment paper. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Step 10: Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
Working with one dough ball at a time, dust the top of the dough with flour. Then, roll it out into thin circle about 6″ or so in diameter (it doesn’t have to be a perfect circle).
Try to roll the dough as thin as possible without tearing it.
Add flour as needed to prevent sticking.
Step 11: Transfer the rolled dough to the preheated skillet. Cook until bubbles form, about 1 minute.
Then, flip it over and cook for 30 seconds or until the tortilla is cooked through and has small charred marks.
Step 12: Repeat the rolling and cooking process with the remaining dough.
Tips for Success
- If I have burritos or wraps on the menu, I divide the dough into 8 pieces rather than 16 so we have larger tortillas.
- The consistency of your dough depends on the hydration of your starter, the brand of flour, and other factors. While kneading, add one tablespoon of flour at a time as needed.
- The dough needs to rest so the gluten can relax. Otherwise, the tortillas will be hard to roll out. Once divided, you can let the dough rest for up to two hours.
- Don’t worry about rolling perfectly shaped tortillas. Mine are rarely perfectly shaped. I think it gives them a rustic homemade aesthetic.
- If the dough shrinks back, let it rest a little longer before rolling.
- If you have to oil the pan to prevent sticking, that’s fine. But don’t get heavyhanded with the oil. The first time I made tortillas, I used too much oil and ended up with greasy, fried tortillas.
Storing and Reheating
Room Temperature: Store cooled tortillas in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 2 days.
Fridge: For longer storage (up to 1 week), store leftover sourdough tortillas in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Freezer: Stack the tortillas with parchment paper between each one, then store them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Warm tortillas in a dry skillet for 15-30 seconds per side, microwave them in a damp paper towel for 10-15 seconds, or wrap them in foil and heat in a 300° F oven for 5-10 minutes.
FAQs
Yes! To long ferment, mix all the ingredients together, except the salt and baking powder. Let the dough sit, covered, at room temperature for 8 hours or in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready, incorporate the salt and baking powder and follow the recipe as usual.
Absolutely. I prefer a blend of hard white and kamut. Also, fresh-milled flour absorbs liquid more slowly. During the initial rest, let the dough autolyse for about an hour.
Definitely! Sourdough dough can stay in the fridge for up to three days. Make the dough, but hold on the salt and baking powder. When you are ready, let the dough come to room temperature. Mix in the baking powder and salt and proceed as usual.
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Sourdough Discard Tortillas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 190 g water
- 100 g sourdough starter, active or inactive
- 350 g all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 7 g coarse kosher salt
- 5 g baking powder
- 60 g avocado oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the water and sourdough starter. Set aside.190 g (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) water, 100 g (1/2 cup) sourdough starter
- In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the flour, salt, and baking powder.350 g (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour, 7 g (1 tsp) coarse kosher salt, 5 g (1 tsp) baking powder
- Pour the avocado oil into the flour mixture. Use your hands to combine. It will have a clumpy/sandy consistency at this point.60 g (1/4 cups) avocado oil
- Pour the water-starter mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Use a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients until they come together, with no dry flour remaining.
- Keep the dough in the bowl and knead it with your hands for 1 minute. If the dough is very sticky, add one tablespoon of flour at a time until you can handle it. I usually need one or 2 additional tablespoons. The dough should be a little sticky, but it should not make a mess of your hands.
- Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Lightly flour the counter and a large piece of parchment paper. Then, turn the dough out onto the floured counter.
- Divide the dough into 16 equal portions.
- Shape each portion into a ball and place it on the floured parchment paper. Cover the dough with a towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat.
- Working with one dough ball at a time, dust the top of the dough with flour. Then, roll it out into thin circle about 6" or so in diameter (it doesn't have to be a perfect circle). Try to roll the dough as thin as possible without tearing it. Add flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Transfer the rolled dough to the preheated skillet. Cook until bubbles form, about 1 minute. Then, flip it over and cook for 30 seconds or until the tortilla is cooked through and has small char marks.
- Repeat with the rolling and cooking process with the remaining dough.
Notes
- If I had burritos or wraps on the menu, I divide the dough into 8 pieces rather than 16 so we have larger tortillas.
- If the dough shrinks back, let it rest a little longer before rolling.
- The consistency of your dough depends on the hydration of your starter, the brand of flour, and other factors. While kneading, add one tablespoon of flour at a time as needed.
- The dough needs to rest so the gluten can relax. Otherwise, the tortillas will be hard to roll out. Once divided, you can let the dough rest for up to two hours.
- If you have to oil the pan to prevent sticking, that’s fine. But don’t get heavyhanded with the oil. The first time I made tortillas, I used too much oil and ended up with greasy, fried tortillas.