These sourdough discard tortillas are soft, tangy, and waste-free! Short rest time, makes 8 medium sized tortillas in less than an hour.
Sourdough tortillas are SO GOOD with perfectly seasoned grilled chicken (with homemade chicken taco seasoning), and of course very flavorful Instant Pot black beans piled on.
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Sourdough discard is the leftover sourdough starter that results from dividing it prior to feeding it. Despite being called "discard" it's very valuable! You can add it to SO many recipes like these easy discard tortillas to add flavor, improve texture, and reduce waste.
This post includes step-by-step instructions, variations, storage tips, and frequently asked questions to help you have success making the homemade tortillas.
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🫓 Why Use Sourdough Discard in Tortillas?
Reduce Kitchen Waste
- You can use up that extra sourdough starter in a very tasty way instead of throwing it away.
Enhances Flavor
- Adds a subtle tang from the discard and improves the texture of the tortillas, they turn out more soft with discard when I make them versus making them without.
Beginner Friendly!
- Discard is super easy to use, it's a lot quicker and easier than a regular sourdough recipe since there isn't a long fermentation time. I don't use a tortilla press, just a rolling pin. No need for special equipment here!
What To Expect
- Taste: Salty, soft, and a slight tang from the discard. Delicious!
- Ease: Beginner friendly! No special equipment needed except a rolling pin.
- Time: Takes 5 minutes to whip up the dough and knead it, 30 minutes to rest (to relax the gluten and make it easier to roll out), and 10-15 minutes to cook them.
🛒 Key Ingredients
- Sourdough discard - unfed, I use cold from the fridge or room temperature.
- All-purpose flour - easiest to use for these, no need to buy special flour.
- Fat - any mild flavored oil can be used for these. I prefer olive or avocado oil. Lard or butter can also be used, but once cooked after being left overnight can cause the tortillas to stiffen up.
- Warm water - helps to activate the sourdough discard and promotes gluten hydration.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- Whole wheat tortillas - Substitute half or all of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor. You may need to add a little more water to the dough if using whole wheat flour.
- Herb infused tortillas - add dried herbs like oregano or rosemary to the tortilla dough for more flavor.
- Dairy free / vegan - make sure you use plant-based oil instead of butter or lard.
- Gluten free - use a gluten-free flour blend (such as Cup for Cup) and sourdough discard from a gluten - free starter.
- Use different fats - common choices are lard, butter, or oil. I prefer olive oil, but flavored oils like toasted sesame oil or avocado oil would be fun!
Pro Tip: When using whole wheat or gluten-free flours, you may need to adjust the water content to achieve the desired dough consistency.
🧑🍳 Instructions
- Step 1. In a medium sized bowl combine the flour, oil, sourdough discard, salt, and water.
- Step 2. Mix until combined and then knead for 2-3 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
- Step 3. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, between 66-70 grams each. Weigh your dough for accuracy.
- Step 4. Roll the dough into round balls, spray with baking spray, cover, and let them rest for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours at room temperature. I usually put them on a plate and cover with a towel or plastic wrap.
Pro Tip: Resting the dough for 30 minutes after dividing it helps to make softer and more pliable tortillas by relaxing the gluten in the dough.
The more you work the dough after resting the harder it is to roll out thin, so make sure to rest it AFTER you divide it into sections.
- Step 5. Spread out a little bit of flour on a work surface. Roll each tortilla out to 9-10 inches wide with a rolling pin, very thin. They should be almost the thickness of a penny.
- Step 6. Preheat a skillet or griddle on medium/high heat with a little oil. Cook each tortilla for 30-45 seconds on each side until barely golden brown. Overcooking can cause them to be crispy and stiff.
- Step 7. Let rest in a dish towel covered or on a plate covered until ready to serve warm or use in New Mexican Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas.
🚫 Common Mistakes & Troubleshooting
- Tortillas are too stiff
- 1. You may be rolling the tortillas too thick: make sure they are rolled to a penny thickness, thin enough to see light through. Remember: working the dough too much makes it tough and harder to roll out. Resting it long enough matters!
- 2. Overcooking: just cook until barely golden spots appear on each side. Otherwise they can end up crispy and stiff.
- Dough is too sticky or too dry
- Adjust by adding small amounts of flour or water as needed during mixing, a teaspoon of either at a time.
- Weigh your ingredients for accurate, consistent results!
- Lack of puffiness
- Make sure your skillet or griddle is properly preheated and the dough is rolled out evenly.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Baking powder acts as a leavening agent, but it is not needed here since we use sourdough discard which adds a little bit of volume.
- Use spices (like garlic or onion powder), herbs, or flavored oils (toasted sesame, garlic oil) into the dough.
- Using more mature discard can increase the tangy flavor as well.
Yes. After kneading, you can refrigerate the dough overnight to allow fermentation, which will help the tortillas have a more pronounced sourdough taste.
- I would bring the dough to room temperature before trying to roll it out however, cold dough tends to be more stiff.
🍽️ Serving & Storage
Ways to Serve Discard Tortillas
- Classic Burritos: fill with Cilantro Lime Brown Rice & your favorite latin flavored proteins, vegetables, and sauces like Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing.
- Wraps: fill with less traditional fillings like sliced lunchmeats, cheeses, and veggies.
- Homemade Tortilla Chips: cut into triangles, season, and bake at 350℉ until crispy, 10-15 minutes.
- Make New Mexican Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas! So delicious!
Storing & Reheating
- Room Temperature: in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: in a freezer safe container/bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Reheat on a skillet over medium heat until warm. Or wrap in foil and warm in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
🥣 More Easy Sourdough Discard Recipes
Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!
📝 Printable Recipe
Easy Soft Sourdough Discard Tortillas
Equipment
- 1 skillet or griddle
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all purpose flour 240 g
- ½ cup sourdough discard (unfed) 137 g
- ½ cup warm water 118 mL
- ¼ cup olive oil 50 g
- ½ teaspoon salt 4 g
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl combine the flour, sourdough discard, warm water, oil, and salt.
- Mix with a spoon until combined and then knead for 2-3 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, between 66-70 grams each.
- Roll the dough into round balls, spray with baking spray, cover, and let them rest for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours at room temperature.
- Spread out a little bit of flour on a work surface. Roll each tortilla out to 9-10 inches wide with a rolling pin, very thin. They should be almost the thickness of a penny.
- Preheat a skillet or griddle on medium/high heat with a little oil. Cook each tortilla for 30-45 seconds on each side until barely golden brown. Overcooking can cause them to be crispy and stiff.
- Let rest in a dish towel covered or on a plate covered until ready to serve warm.
Notes
- Tortillas are too stiff
- 1. You may be rolling the tortillas too thick: make sure they are rolled to a penny thickness, thin enough to see light through. Remember: working the dough too much makes it tough and harder to roll out. Resting it long enough matters!
- 2. Overcooking: just cook until barely golden spots appear on each side. Otherwise they can end up crispy and stiff.
- Dough is too sticky or too dry
- Adjust by adding small amounts of flour or water as needed during mixing, a teaspoon of either at a time.
- Weigh your ingredients for accurate, consistent results!
- Lack of puffiness
- Make sure your skillet or griddle is properly preheated and the dough is rolled out evenly.
- Room Temperature: in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: in a freezer safe container/bag for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Reheat on a skillet over medium heat until warm. Or wrap in foil and warm in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes.
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sara!
Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.
Jill Y says
I failed at these. I made them really thin and they were still doughy. I’ll try again. Very easy recipe. I only had avocado oil.
Kyson says
These make great quesadillas