Name: Soft Sourdough Flour Tortillas (Active Starter or Discard)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 1 min
Total time: 606 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all purpose white flour; 1/2 teaspoon of salt; 1/2 cup warm water; 1/2 cup sourdough starter (active starter or discard); 2 tablespoons oil (or butter)

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white flour tortillas on a counter with a blue and white stripe towel

Homemade tortillas are the best beginner sourdough recipe because they are so easy to make and have so many uses!

The dough comes together in about 5 minutes using a stand mixer. After a short rest in the fridge they are ready to cook and use!

You will never want to buy tortillas again.

Why Make Sourdough Tortillas?

Sourdough tortillas have the classic tangy sourdough flavor that regular white flour tortillas lack, while also remaining soft and flexible.

This is because sourdough tortilla dough is leavened by wild yeast instead of commercial yeast. Wild yeasts require a bit of a longer rise time, but provide many benefits that are worth the wait!

Like most sourdough recipes, homemade sourdough tortillas can be long fermented to make them easier to digest, lower the gluten content, and add many wonderful nutrients to your food. Read more about the benefits of long fermented sourdough here.

This recipe is incredibly flexible! Short on time? Reduce the fermentation time to 10 hours and let the tortilla dough rest at room temperature on the counter instead of letting the dough rise slowly in the fridge.

Homemade sourdough tortillas are not limited to just taco night, they can be used many different ways! Use this master tortilla recipe to whip up naan, gyros, thin pizza crusts and more!

A Note on Using Sourdough Discard In This Recipe:

This recipe can be made with either active sourdough starter or recently fed discard (fed a few days before using). However, I recommend using active sourdough starter if you are opting for a shorter rise time.

Unless your starter is very active, older discard might struggle to rise in such a short window of time. It’s always worth a try though! Sourdough rules are meant to be broken in my book.

If you are opting for a longer fermentation process recently fed discard should work just fine!

What You’ll Need:

Bench Scraper or Knife
Rolling Pin or Tortilla Press (totally optional, I don’t use one)
Stand Mixer with a Dough Hook (optional but easier)
Plastic Wrap
Cast Iron Skillet or Griddle

Ingredients:

All Purpose Flour
Salt
Oil (olive oil, avocado oil or even butter)
Sourdough Starter (active sourdough starter or discard)
Warm Water

How to Make Homemade Sourdough Tortillas:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine sourdough starter, oil and warm water.
Mix in flour and salt until a soft dough forms.
Remove the dough from the bowl of the stand mixer and wrap in plastic wrap. Alternatively, lightly oil the top of the dough and place it in a bowl covered with a wet tea towel or plastic wrap.
Choose your fermentation method:

For a faster rise time: Let the covered tortilla dough sit on the counter at room temperature for 10 hours (or up to 12 hours) and let it rise.

For long fermentation (slower rise time): Wrap the tortilla dough in plastic wrap or place in a covered bowl and put in the fridge for 12-24 hours. I have extended this all the way to 36 hours and still had success, though you technically do risk over fermentation. I, however, have never had this issue.

5. When the tortilla dough has completed the fermentation process, uncover the dough and place on a lightly floured work surface.

6. Using a bench knife or a kitchen knife, carefully divide the ball of dough into 8 equal pieces. This will create a larger burrito size tortilla.

If you would like smaller taco sized tortillas, divide into 10 or even 12 equal pieces.

7. Using a tortilla press or a rolling pin, roll a piece of dough as thinly as possible without tearing. Repeat with remaining dough balls.

8. You can use a piece of parchment paper to stack tortillas and keep them from sticking, or just lay them out side by side.

9. In a large cast iron skillet or griddle cook tortillas on medium high heat with no oil for 30 seconds on each side. They are done when golden brown spots appear on both sides and the tortilla puffs up slightly.

10. Immediately butter the tortillas lightly when you remove them from the skillet to keep them soft and flexible. Continue cooking the remaining tortillas.

11. Store leftover tortillas in a Ziplock bag being sure to squeeze out any air. You could also store in an airtight container.

Leftover tortillas can also be stored in the freezer in an air tight baggy for longer storage. Flash freeze on a sheet pan before bagging or separate them with wax paper to prevent sticking. Use within 3 months for best results.

Sample Baking Schedule For Both Long and Short Fermentation:

For a Short Rise Time:

7 AM Mix together ingredients for the homemade sourdough tortillas. Cover with plastic wrap and set out on the counter at room temperature to ferment.

5 PM Divide and roll out the dough. Cook the tortillas.

5:30 PM Eat.

For a Longer Fermentation Process:

5 PM Mix together ingredients for the homemade sourdough tortillas. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator.

5 PM The Next Day: Remove the tortilla dough from the fridge. Divide and roll out the dough. Cook the tortillas.

5:30 PM Eat.