Soft & Chewy Sourdough Discard Tortillas | Easy Homemade Tortilla Recipe

My beautiful friends, I’ve been thinking about this one for a while.

I’ve wanted to make homemade tortillas forever but, for some reason, they absolutely terrified me. Which is ridiculous, honestly. I make naan and other flatbreads all the time. Easy peasy. Barely a second thought.

But tortillas? Tortillas had me acting like I was preparing for an Olympic event.

Maybe it’s the fact that you’ve got to roll the dough paper thin. Maybe it’s because mine are definitely not totally authentic. Maybe it’s because I know for a fact that they are never, ever going to be perfectly round. I see those gorgeous stacks of flawless tortillas online and immediately think, “Well, mine are going to look like the state of Nevada.”

Still, I finally decided to jump in.

And you know what pushed me over the edge? A brand spanking new French rolling pin from a restaurant supply store. Friends. FRIENDS. I am absolutely in love with this thing. Suddenly I was out here rolling dough like I had my own tiny tortilla factory in the kitchen. Was I dramatically whispering “paper thin, paper thin” to myself while flour exploded everywhere? Possibly.

I used olive oil as the fat this time because that’s what I had on hand, though I’m already thinking butter could be absolutely dreamy next round. I also tossed in some sourdough discard because apparently I cannot leave well enough alone and I wanted that little bit of tangy goodness.

And now I’m sharing them with you because if you suffer from the same knee-buckling fear of homemade tortillas that I did, I am here for you.

I did it. You can too. And you’ll be so glad you did.

Because it turns out homemade tortillas are actually way tasty and not terrifying at all.

Even if they do occasionally resemble abstract art.

Why You’ll Love These Tortillas

• They use sourdough discard so you can feel wildly resourceful.
• They’re soft, chewy, and just a little tangy.
• They make taco night feel unnecessarily impressive.
• They freeze beautifully.
• Nobody at your table is going to care if they aren’t perfectly round. Especially once they’re full of cheese.

Sourdough Discard Homemade Tortillas

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup sourdough discard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3/4 cup warm water

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
2. Add the sourdough discard, olive oil, and warm water. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3–4 minutes until smooth. If the dough feels sticky, add a tiny bit more flour. If it feels dry, add a splash of water.
4. Cover the dough and let it rest for about 30 minutes. This helps the gluten relax so rolling them out doesn’t become an upper body workout.
5. Divide the dough into 10–12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball as thin as humanly possible. This is where I fully fell in love with my French rolling pin. Don’t stress about perfect circles. Your tortillas are allowed to have personality.
7. Heat a dry skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat.
8. Cook each tortilla for about 30–45 seconds per side, until bubbly spots form and little golden patches appear.
9. Stack cooked tortillas in a clean kitchen towel to keep them soft and warm.

A Few Cozy Tips

• If your tortillas are shrinking while rolling, let the dough rest for another 10 minutes.
• Don’t overcook them or they’ll get crisp instead of soft.
• These are incredible for tacos, quesadillas, wraps, or standing in the kitchen eating one with butter while questioning your life choices.

I genuinely cannot believe I waited this long to make homemade tortillas. They felt so intimidating in my brain and then turned out to be surprisingly forgiving and cozy and delicious.

Which honestly feels like a metaphor for a lot of things in life.

So if homemade tortillas have been lurking on your “maybe someday” list, this is your sign. Grab the rolling pin. Embrace the weird shapes. Flour your countertops with reckless abandon.

You’ve got this, my friends.