Soft and flavorful gluten-free tortilla made with cassava flour, these are so similar to regular tortillas. They are grain-free, Vegan and so easy to make.
These tortillas are flaky, soft and pliable. Super flavorful with just 4 ingredients including water!
Making home-made flatbreads are the best! Soft, super fresh and easy to customize, these flatbreads are delicious. Naan, pita, roti, parathas, puri etc. are the popular flatbreads we make at home.
When making flatbreads at home we can use multiple flours, different add-ins and varying thickness.
I make Indian breads day in and day out for almost every meal. However pita and tortillas are not made as often.
But when I make tortillas, I like to make them with different flours. While blue corn flour is my personal favorite to make them, here is a gluten-free, grain-free and Vegan version that we enjoy.
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What is Tortilla
Tortilla is a Mexican thin unleavened flatbread that is used to make tacos, quesadillas, tostadas etc.
Generally made with all purpose flour, corn or other flours; these flatbreads are fairly easy and quick to make.
They need only a handful of ingredients, a tortilla press and a thick pan to come together. They need no proofing, no pre-preparation or baking. It is a pretty easy recipe and the resulting gluten-free tortillas are always soft and delicious.
This flatbread is perfect for so many other recipes or to serve with fajita, beans or Mexican rice.
Why this recipe works
- It is made with just Cassava flour as the base.
- We do not need any other flour to make this recipe.
- This tortilla recipe is gluten-free, paleo friendly, grain-free and Vegan.
- We only need four ingredients to make this recipe.
- These can be made before hand and served as needed.
- This recipe is great for meal prep and for any party or get together.
- The texture of the tortillas is pretty similar to the regular ones; no one would guess they are made with cassava flour.
- The resulting tortilla are perfectly pliable, soft and delicious.
- Make a big batch or a small one, this recipe works perfectly well either way.
Using Cassava Flour in this recipe
In order to make these gluten-free tortillas we use Cassava flour. It is grain-free and paleo friendly. The texture of these tortillas is very different from other gluten-free tortillas.
Cassava root has a lot of fibre and so the tortillas made with this flour do retain its shape and do not crumble. They are strong for filling as tacos or using in other recipes.
From all the different brands that make cassava flour, this cassava flour brand is my favorite. I love the freshness of the flour in every packet.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Gluten-free flour: For this recipe I use gluten-free cassava flour. It is easy to work with, grain-free and Vegan. Various gluten-free flours work for the recipe. The amount of water and oil will vary based on the flour used.
- Olive Oil: I like to use Olive oil to make the tortilla. Sunflower oil is a great option too.
- Salt: A little bit of salt makes the dough tasty. I like to add some to the flour for all tortilla and flat bread recipes.
- Water: I use warm water for the dough. It helps bring the dough well. Given that the flour does not have gluten, warm water is the game-changer for the recipe. Cold water does not make the dough supple. Stick to warm water for this recipe.
- Apart from these basic ingredients it is easy to add some spices or seeds in the recipe. From dried oregano or chili flakes to sesame seeds and carom seeds; they all make great additions. Plus a dash of turmeric powder makes the gluten-free tortilla super amazing.
See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.
How to make this recipe
1- Add flour, salt and oil in a bowl. Mix together.
2- Add warm water and mix.
3- Knead the dough together till it is smooth. It might take 10-12 minutes to get the dough together.
4- Then divide the dough into 6 equal parts.
5- Then place a parchment paper on a tortilla press. And press a dough ball on it.
6- Cover with another parchment paper. Close the press and flatten the dough to make the tortilla.
7- Open and remove the tortilla.
8- Heat a non-stick pan on medium high flame. Once it is hot, place the tortilla on it.
9- Turn the tortilla over once you see small bubbles (in about 1 minute) and cook the other other side.
10- Remove from flame and set aside. Then use the gluten-free tortilla as required.
Expert Tips and Notes
- Use warm water to knead the dough. Boiling water will cook the cassava flour immediately and cold will not help with building gluten. So ensure it is just warm.
- The dough in the recipe is very important. Make it smooth and soft just like play doh. If it is firmer, the tortilla will not come out well. Moreover, an extra soft dough will spread in every direction and not give us a good tortilla.
- This tortilla recipe works better for small taco size tortillas. The recipe does not work 100% well for larger burrito style tortilla as it is a little difficult to make an even tortilla and transfer to the pan.
- These gluten-free tortillas are best made with a tortilla press. It is a little difficult to roll these with a rolling pin. I like this press for my tortillas. However, if you do not have that, simply place a dough round on a parchment paper and press hard with a cast iron pan. This does the trick well.
- Season the flour with garlic powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder or spices if you like. It can also be made with just salt. Moreover, adding some dried oregano or chili flakes work well too.
- Do not cook the tortilla for a long time as they will turn crisp. Remove from pan when it is still pliable and soft.
- Keep everything covered while working. Whether it is the dough, the dough balls, rolled tortillas or cooked tortillas; they all need to remain covered. This ensures they do not dry out.
Storage
These tortillas taste great when just made. Serve it straight off the pan. Use them in tacos, burritos or as you like.
However, the prepared tortilla are easy to store as well. Simply pop into a tortilla warmer and use through the day. The tortilla can be refrigerated and used over the next couple of days. Simply warm before serving.
Besides, the tortilla freeze wonderfully as well. To freeze, cool cooked tortilla completely. Then layer them with parchment papers between them. Then pop into a freezer bag and freeze up to 6 months. To use them, remove and defrost on the counter for a few minutes before heating them through.
Recipe FAQs
Cassava flour is a neutral flour in taste, smell and color. This sets it apart from most other gluten-free flours.
Cassava flour is Vegan, gluten-free, paleo friendly and grain-free. It does not cause any harm in its cooked form. However, one should not eat it in its raw form, as it contains cyanogenic glycosides, which can turn into cyanide in the body.
These tortillas are great to use in tacos, to make nacho chips, in small burritos or enchiladas. Moreover, it is great to use as a side for other Mexican dishes.
Add some more warm water to the dough. The dough texture will often vary based on the brand of cassava flour used. So adjust the amount of water based on the consistency you desire.
More Delicious Flatbread Recipes
This recipe is from the Otto's Naturals blog page.
Gluten-Free Tortilla
Equipment
- 1 tortilla press
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Otto's cassava flour
- ⅓ cup warm water
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add flour, salt and oil in a bowl. Mix together.
- Add warm water and mix.
- Knead the dough together till it is smooth. It might take 10-12 minutes to get the dough together.
- Then divide the dough into 6 equal parts.
- Then place a parchment paper on a tortilla press.
- Place a dough ball and cover with another parchment paper.
- Close the press and flatten the dough to make the tortilla.
- Open and remove the tortilla.
- Heat a non-stick pan on medium high flame. Once it is hot, place the tortilla on it.
- Turn the tortilla over once you see small bubbles (in about 1 minute) and cook the other other side.
- Remove from flame and set aside. Then use as required.
Video
Notes
- Use warm water to knead the dough. Boiling water will cook the cassava flour immediately and cold will not help with building gluten. So ensure it is just warm.
- The dough in the recipe is very important. Make it smooth and soft just like play doh. If it is firmer, the tortilla will not come out well. Moreover, an extra soft dough will spread in every direction and not give us a good tortilla.
- This tortilla recipe works better for small taco size tortillas. The recipe does not work 100% well for larger burrito style tortilla as it is a little difficult to make an even tortilla and transfer to the pan.
- These gluten-free tortillas are best made with a tortilla press. It is a little difficult to roll these with a rolling pin. I like this press for my tortillas. If you do not have that, simply place a dough round on a parchment paper and press hard with a cast iron pan. This does the trick well.
- Season the flour with garlic powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder or spices if you like. It can also be made with just salt. Plus, adding some dried oregano or chili flakes work well too.
- Do not cook the tortilla for a long time as they will turn crisp. Remove from pan when it is still pliable and soft.
- Keep everything covered while working. Whether it is the dough, the dough balls, rolled tortillas or cooked tortillas; they all need to remain covered. This ensures they do not dry out.
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