Sourdough Discard Tortilla Recipe (2024)

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This is one of those items that you never think you'll make - but it's really simple and tastes SO much better than running to the store! Homemade Sourdough Discard Tortillas are ready in a pinch!

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This is my sister's go-to recipe. Molly is the sourdough QUEEN and tortilla master. I can't quite manage round tortillas like her...but she throws down round after round one. It must be all the practice!

She swears by only using her rye starter and a fresh ground whole grain, but I've made them with my white/all-purpose starter and white/all-purpose flour and they're just as delicious. Just dont tell her I cheat on her recipe and use white flour. I promise they're just as delicious, even if you can't roll a round tortilla like me.

I often choose to make items that are "easy to pick up" from the store. But I believe my family's health is worth the time it takes to make things like hamburger buns and hot dog buns. It also lets you control ingredients in mixes like ranch dressing and hot chocolate.

Why You Need This Recipe

  • tortillas have a simple ingredient list!
  • the rustic look of rolling them out adds charm to the dinner table.
  • kids can make these from start to finish.

Key Ingredients

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Starter - If you've got sourdough going, you've got discard! You can use the starter at any stage, whether it's doubled or ready to feed.

Flour - See the recipe card for details, but I've used basically any flour in my kitchen with good results.

Fat - Butter, lard, oil, anything in liquid state will work here.

Liquid - Water or milk to pull things together.

How to Make Whole Grain Tortillas

***See recipe card below for precise measurements and instructions.***

Step 1: Combine wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls.

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Step 2: Add wet to dry and stir with a wooden spoon or just your hands.

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Step 3: Let dough rest to ferment for several hours or overnight. Then divide into golf-ball-sized balls.

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Step 4: Roll 'em out as thin as you can! Shape does NOT matter here, friends!

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Step 5: Cook in a cast iron skillet until dry and bubbly. You can use fat or not in the skillet. It depends on the pan, more often than not I use a dry pan.

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Tips and Tricks

  • Not eating right away? Wrap fresh tortillas in a tea towel to rest until cooled.
  • Reheat tortillas quickly in a dry skillet so they fold nicely.
  • If leaving the dough for up to 8 hours, you can leave it on the counter. But for overnight or up to 24 hours, store the dough in the fridge the whole time.

Substitutions

I've literally used just about any flour you can think of. Especially because the dough is resting to ferment it will hydrate nicely if using fresh ground. If you've only got store bought, that's great, too! And my sister loves rye flour, I've used kamut and spelt. Really the sky's the limit here.

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FAQs

Can I make these vegan?

Absolutely! While traditional tortillas use lard, you can use truly any oil here. And while I always have milk to use up, water works just as well, or any unsweetened plain vegan alternative is great. This means they will work for just about any diet as they can be dairy-free or vegetarian/vegan.

How do I store tortillas?

Wrap them in a lint-free towel immediately after removing from the pan. Once completely cooled, you can then place in a plastic bag or container for storage. If freezing, only freeze in stacks you will thaw all at once because you won't be able to separate them.

What to Serve with Sourdough Tortillas

You can obviously go straight to filling with taco meat, but another great idea is grill some chicken and wrap up with Caesar salad! Of course quesadillas with homemade cheese don't get any better than when the meal is 100% farm-fresh.

Photos by Dante from Shire by the Sea

More Sourdough Discard Recipes

  • Dairy Free Sourdough Discard Pancake Recipe
  • Sourdough Bread Sticks
  • Sourdough Puff Pastry
  • Sourdough Pumpkin Muffins

Hey friends, don't forget to follow me over on Instagram, cause if you like me here, I post there a LOT! I'm also on YouTube with tutorials and Facebook for all sorts of things.

If you like this recipe, I’d love if you reviewed it so others can find it easier. Sharing this recipe on Facebook or Pinterest is another way you can help us out at no cost to you. Thanks, xo Kate

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Sourdough Discard Tortillas

Kate Schat

Make use of that discard with this versatile tortilla recipe. So many different flour, fat and milk options to make soft tortillas.

4.88 from 32 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Bread

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 12 tortillas

Calories 112 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour*
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, melted lard, or melted butter
  • ½ cup water or milk
  • ½ cup sourdough starter This can be at any stage as long as it has doubled. So it could be nice and doubled, or fallen and ready to discard.

Instructions

  • Mix flour, salt, and oil/lard together.

  • In a measuring cup, combine starter and water/milk.

  • Combine the wet and dry ingredients and gently knead into a uniform dough.

  • Let sit 6-18 hours; but 12 is best. If you want to push it to 24 hours, leave it in the fridge for the full 24 hours.

  • Divide into golf ball-sized balls, and roll thin as you can.

  • In a cast iron frying pan on medium heat with no oil, cook for 30-60 seconds a side, until there are little brown spots/bubbles.

Notes

  • These keep really well! Our preferred method is to wrap in a cotton or linen tea towel right away after they're cooked. When they're cooled, put the whole bundle in a plastic bag.
  • To eat after they're cold, we prefer a refresh in the toaster oven or on a hot skillet.
  • *Any of the following have been tested and work out dandy: all-purpose, soft white wheat, hard red wheat, hard white wheat, khorasan/kamut, red fife, einkorn, or spelt.

Nutrition

Calories: 112kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 4mgPotassium: 38mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 16IUCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Sourdough Discard Tortilla Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What happens if I use self rising flour in my sourdough starter? ›

Accidentally adding Self Rising Flour, Salt, Sugar or something similar - we've all been in a hurry and sometimes people accidentally feed their starter something they shouldn't. These types of things won't kill your starter (as long as it's only one feed).

Why don t my homemade tortillas puff up? ›

You need ample moisture that can react with the heat in order for it to ultimately convert to steam and puff. If your masa has too little moisture, the tortilla in development will dry out before it can ever puff. A proper mixing/kneading process is critical to ensuring well-distributed and even moisture.

How long is sourdough discard good for in the fridge? ›

You can store mature sourdough discard in the refrigerator indefinitely. As long as there is no mold, it is good to use. It may develop a grayish liquid on top called “hooch” which can be poured off before use or stirred in.

What happens if you overwork tortilla dough? ›

The reward is a homemade tortilla that's fluffy, pliable, and elastic, perfect for making the best burritos you've ever had. The most important part of making a great tortilla is to not overwork the dough and to make sure it is hydrated enough. If the dough is overworked, then it will be difficult to roll out.

How do I know if I killed my sourdough starter? ›

How to tell if your sourdough starter is dead?
  1. Even after 5 refreshing periods the starter isn't bubbling or showing signs of activity.
  2. If the starter smells rotten. ...
  3. If mold is growing.
May 18, 2021

What is the best flour for sourdough starter? ›

All-purpose Flour

It strikes a perfect balance of softness and structure, making it an ideal choice for various recipes. Due to its wide availability and affordability, all-purpose flour is often my top recommendation for creating and maintaining a sourdough starter.

How long to let flour tortilla dough rest? ›

Place all of the dough in your bowl and cover with a warm, damp paper towel or place a lid on the bowl. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes. Heat a griddle to medium heat. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the dough balls one at a time with a rolling pin.

Why do homemade flour tortillas get hard? ›

What makes flour tortillas hard is not adding enough lard or oil and water and not kneading the dough for the required amount of time, and NOT allowing the dough to rest in a warm place at least 30 minutes before making flour tortillas.

How to make flour tortillas puff? ›

In a dry iron skillet or comal heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it's done. Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat. Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame or in the oven wrapped in foil.

How do I know if my discard is bad? ›

If you see any streaks of pink or orange on your discard, this is a sign of mold and it is best to toss it.

Can you use 2 week old sourdough discard? ›

Can I Use Old Sourdough Discard? You can use old sourdough discard if it's been stored in the fridge, however, you really want to use it up within a week - 2 weeks max. It's better to use "fresh" discard in a sweet sourdough discard recipe.

What happens if I forgot to discard starter before feeding? ›

If you didn't discard a portion of your starter each time you feed it, two things would happen: Your starter would grow to an enormous, unmanageable size. Your starter would likely become more and more inhospitable to the bacteria and yeast we want as the mixture would become ever more acidic.

What does baking soda do in tortillas? ›

TORTILLA BLENDTM Sodium Bicarbonate can specifically target the attributes of height and volume, uniform cell structure, bready texture, toast point color and reduced translucency. Sodium Bicarbonate: Timing of the leavening reaction is key to obtaining the best tortilla texture, height and opacity.

Do you need baking soda or baking powder for tortillas? ›

I tested a few different variations and found that just a little bit of baking powder yielded the best texture albeit a very minor difference compared to the version without baking powder. So, if you don't have baking powder then you can omit it altogether. The tortillas will be just as good!

Can you let tortilla dough rest overnight? ›

Some tortilla makers cover their dough and rest it overnight in the fridge, making it even easier to work with. There are a few reasons why this is so critical. It allows the dough to thoroughly and evenly hydrate, creating a consistent mix that cooks the same way every time.

Do you use plain or self raising flour for sourdough bread? ›

We recommend using High Grade Plain Flour, or Strong Bread Flour as the sourdough culture is a mix of culture and yeast.

What happens if you use self rising flour with yeast? ›

When using self rising flour the bread proofs much faster. Therefore, if you also add yeast to it you will need to wait for it to act. What is this? As a result your bread will be way over-proofed and will most likely collapse while baking.

Why do you have to use unbleached flour for sourdough starter? ›

You need to use unbleached flour to make a starter, preferably a whole wheat or whole rye. The process of bleaching destroys any wild yeast naturally present on the grain, and stripping the outer layer of the kernels to make white flour removes a large percentage of those same yeasts.

How do you increase yeast in sourdough starter? ›

If you do want to add a pinch of yeast to your sourdough starter, I highly recommend just using a tiny pinch. This will be plenty. I also recommend keeping your starter on the stiffer side. The increased activity that comes from the commercial yeast will tend to make your sourdough starter too runny.

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