Homemade Sourdough Tortillas From Scratch

If you have a sourdough starter, you probably already know how quickly that discard can pile up. These homemade sourdough tortillas are one of my favorite ways to use it!

They’re soft, flexible, and have just a little bit of that delicious sourdough tang. And unlike a loaf of sourdough bread, you don’t have to wait all day for them to rise.

Mix the dough, let it rest, roll it out, and cook the tortillas in a hot skillet.

They’re perfect for tacos, quesadillas, burritos, breakfast wraps, or just keeping in the refrigerator for an easy homemade meal.

Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Tortillas

These tortillas are simple enough for a beginner but useful enough that you’ll probably find yourself making them regularly.

• A great way to use sourdough discard
• Made with simple pantry ingredients
• No long fermentation required
• Soft and flexible enough for tacos and wraps
• Cook in just a few minutes
• Easy to make ahead
• Freeze well for later

If you’re building a collection of easy sourdough recipes, tortillas are a great one to add. They’re another practical way to use your starter without making another loaf of bread.

Sourdough Tortilla Ingredients

You only need a handful of basic ingredients.

• Sourdough starter or discard: You can use unfed discard or active starter.
• All-purpose flour: This gives the tortillas a soft, flexible texture.
• Water: Warm water helps bring the dough together.
• Butter, olive oil, or lard: The fat helps keep the tortillas tender and pliable.
• Salt: Adds flavor to the dough.

I like using butter for a little extra richness, but olive oil or lard work well too. Similar sourdough tortilla recipes use a simple combination of flour, starter, water, fat, and salt.

Sourdough Tortillas Recipe

Makes: 8 large tortillas
Prep time: 15 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough starter or discard
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup melted butter or olive oil
• 1/4 cup warm water, plus more if needed

Instructions

1. Mix the dough.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sourdough starter, melted butter or oil, and warm water.

Add the flour and salt and stir until a shaggy dough forms.

2. Knead briefly.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1–2 minutes, just until the dough becomes smooth and comes together.

You don’t need to knead it like bread dough. You’re simply looking for a soft, workable dough.

3. Let the dough rest.
Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

This short resting period gives the flour time to hydrate and allows the dough to relax, which makes it much easier to roll out.

4. Divide the dough.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball.

Cover the dough balls while you work so they don’t dry out.

5. Roll out the tortillas.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll each ball into a thin circle, approximately 7–8 inches across.

Try to roll them as evenly and thinly as possible. If the dough keeps shrinking back, let it rest for another 5–10 minutes before trying again.

6. Cook the tortillas.
Heat a dry cast-iron skillet or heavy skillet over medium-high heat.

Place one tortilla in the hot skillet and cook for about 30–60 seconds, or until bubbles begin to form and you see a few golden-brown spots underneath.

Flip and cook the other side for another 30–60 seconds.

You don’t want to overcook them or they’ll become crisp instead of soft and flexible.

7. Keep them warm.
Transfer each cooked tortilla to a clean kitchen towel and cover it as you continue cooking. Keeping them covered helps them stay soft and pliable.

How to Use Sourdough Tortillas

There are so many ways to use homemade tortillas.

Try them for:

• Tacos
• Burritos
• Quesadillas
• Breakfast burritos
• Chicken wraps
• Fajitas
• Enchiladas
• Sandwich wraps
• Homemade tortilla chips

They’re also handy to have in the refrigerator for those nights when you need to put dinner together quickly.

Tips for Making Soft Sourdough Tortillas

Don’t add too much flour.
The dough should be soft and workable. Adding too much extra flour can result in stiff tortillas.

Let the dough rest.
If the dough is difficult to roll or keeps springing back, give it a few more minutes to relax.

Don’t overcook them.
Tortillas only need a short time in the skillet. Once you see a few brown spots, flip them.

Keep cooked tortillas covered.
A clean kitchen towel works perfectly. The trapped warmth helps keep them soft.

Can I Use Active Sourdough Starter?

Yes! You can use either active starter or sourdough discard for this recipe.

Since the tortillas don’t depend on the starter to rise like a loaf of sourdough bread does, discard works especially well here.

The starter primarily adds flavor and contributes flour and water to the dough. Other tested sourdough tortilla recipes also use unfed discard successfully.

How to Store Sourdough Tortillas

Let the tortillas cool completely, then store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the refrigerator.

To serve, warm them briefly in a dry skillet or microwave until soft and flexible. Homemade sourdough tortillas can also be frozen with parchment paper between them so you can pull out just what you need.

More Sourdough Recipes to Try

If you’re enjoying using your starter for more than just bread, I’ve got plenty of other recipes to try.

For pizza night, try my Easy Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough. It’s another quick way to turn your starter into something the whole family will enjoy.

My Flaky Sourdough Discard Biscuits are another easy discard recipe that’s perfect for breakfast or dinner.

For a more traditional sourdough loaf, try my Easy Sourdough Bread Dutch Oven Recipe.

And don’t forget breakfast! These Fluffy Quick Sourdough Discard Pancakes are an easy way to use up extra starter.

For something sweet, try my Sourdough Discard Coffee Cake or sourdough banana bread. My Easy Sourdough Recipes for Beginners roundup has the banana bread and focaccia recipes along with several other sourdough favorites.

Once you start looking for ways to use your sourdough starter, you’ll find there are so many possibilities beyond a traditional loaf of bread.

These tortillas are one of those recipes that are simple enough to make often—and useful enough that you’ll be glad to have them in your homemade recipe collection.

Follow my Sourdough Recipes board on Pinterest.