Tortillas have been a beloved staple in Latin American cuisine for centuries, symbolizing the heart and soul of many traditional meals. Originating primarily in Mesoamerica, where indigenous peoples cultivated maize (corn) thousands of years ago, tortillas were once created solely from masa harina—nixtamalized corn flour.
Nixtamalization is a process for the preparation of maize, or other grain, in which the grain is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater (but sometimes aqueous alkali metal carbonates), washed, and then hulled. The term can also refer to the removal via an alkali process of the pericarp from other grains such as sorghum. –Wikipedia
Over time, flour tortillas, influenced by Spanish colonization and the introduction of wheat, also took root. Today, both corn and flour tortillas thrive across the Americas, each bringing its unique texture and flavor profile to dishes worldwide.
All around the globe, you can find breads and flatbreads that share many similarities with tortillas. India’s rotis and chapatis, for example, are unleavened flatbreads that use wheat flour and pair beautifully with a variety of rich curries. In the Middle East, pita bread and lavash serve as versatile wraps, while in East Asia, thin wheat pancakes often accompany savory duck or egg-based dishes. These global cousins of the tortilla show how many cultures embrace the simplicity and versatility of a rolled-out bread to hold and enhance the flavors of their favorite foods.
One of the best things about making your own flour tortillas is that you’ll know exactly what’s going into them. Our homemade tortilla recipe requires only five ingredients: flour, water, lard, salt, and baking powder. By handcrafting these simple flatbreads, you can control their texture, flavor, and thickness, resulting in warm, pliable tortillas that are perfect for wrapping, dunking, or simply enjoying on their own. The texture you achieve at home is often lighter and more tender than many store-bought varieties, allowing for a more authentic dining experience.
These homemade tortillas truly shine when paired with vibrant and flavorful dishes from our kitchen. Consider them as the perfect vehicle for our Fish Taco Recipe—cradling delicate, marinated fish fillets, crunchy cabbage, pico de gallo, and creamy white sauce. The soft, pillowy tortillas provide just the right balance against the tangy and spicy elements. They also complement our other Mexican inspired/TexMex recipes, like our Pulled Pork, Spanish Rice, and Refried Beans recipes beautifully, helping to hold the most delicious ingredients. Paired together, these sides and mains can transport you straight into a cozy Southwestern American kitchen.
If you’ve never tried making flour tortillas from scratch, now is the perfect time to roll up your sleeves. Not only is the process deeply gratifying, but the end result is the perfect canvas for a whole range of colorful, flavor-packed recipes. Whether you’re branching out into new international cuisines or simply looking to enrich your family’s favorite dishes, these tortillas promise to bring warmth, authenticity, and delicious comfort to your table.
Homemade Tortillas
Ingredients
- 6 cups flour all purpose white
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ⅔ cup lard (recommended) or olive oil
- 2 cups warm water 100-105°
Instructions
Using Lard without Mixer (recommended)
- Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in large bowl, whisk to blend.
- Add lard to bowl, and using clean (or gloved) hands, "squish" the flour mixture into the lard repeatedly until it resembled coarse crumbs (I like to take handfuls of the flour/lard and rub my hands together, it does a great job breaking up the lard into the flour).
- Pour warm water into bowl and mix by hand until well incorporated, then turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead until dough ball is smooth. Instructions continue in "Now that it's dough" below...
Using Olive Oil with Countertop Mixer
- Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a counter top mixer, stir to combine.
- Turn mixer on and add oil and water, let run until dough comes together and forms a ball, then mix for another minute just until smooth; approximately 1-2 minutes. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface.
Now that it's dough....
- Divide dough into 32 equal portions* (see note), forming each into a smooth ball. Let balls rest on the counter, covered with a clean tea towel, for 20-60 minutes. If the dough ball keeps trying to shrink when you try to roll it out, let them rest for another 15 minutes. The longer they rest, the easier they'll roll out, but don't let them sit so long that they dry out.
- After resting, roll out each dough ball.
- You're going to be rolling them very, very thin - so that they are almost transparent. Use enough extra flour so the dough doesn't stick to the rolling pin.**
- Heat a 10-12" nonstick pan over medium high heat (adjust as necessary). Place one raw tortilla in pan and let cook for 15-30 seconds, until bubbly, then flip over and let cook for another ~10 seconds.
- You want the "bubble spots" lightly brown within that first 15-30 seconds, otherwise they'll overcook and be tough and chewy.
- Remove from pan and serve warm, or allow to cool for a few minutes and quickly store in a gallon/large zip lock bag for up to a week in the fridge. Makes approximately 32, 8-9" tortillas.
Notes
Authentic Recipes
We guarantee that all of our recipes are authentic recipes; they're developed, cooked or prepared, and enjoyed in our home. We are not professional, or even mediocre, photographers, and occasionally create AI images when photos don't turn out. None of the recipes on this website are created or modified using AI, and they never will be.
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