How to Make Sourdough Discard Tortillas

These Sourdough Discard Tortillas are soft, fluffy, and perfect for taco or burrito night. The recipe is written for unfed sourdough discard at room temperature, but you can also use an active sourdough starter if you prefer. Use butter or oil depending on your taste; both work well and produce tender, pliable tortillas.

Like the Sourdough Discard Pizza Dough, these tortillas are versatile and make a great base for all your favorite fillings and toppings.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick and easy: This recipe has less than 30 minutes of hands-on time, making it a great option for weeknights.
• No special equipment needed: Skip the tortilla press—use a rolling pin for best results.
• Butter or oil: Use melted unsalted butter, olive oil, or a neutral oil depending on flavor preference.
• Custom sizes: Make small tortillas for street tacos or larger ones for hearty burritos—divide the dough as desired.
• Make ahead: Prepare in advance and keep wrapped in a clean towel to stay soft, or reheat briefly when ready to serve.

Ingredients

Only a few simple ingredients are required to make these delicious tortillas.

• Sourdough discard: 200g unfed discard at room temperature. This recipe assumes a 1:1 starter feeding ratio. If your starter uses a different ratio, you may need to adjust liquid or flour slightly.
• Fat: 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil—choose based on preferred flavor.
• Flour and leavening: 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder.
• Salt: 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
• Hot water: 1/3 cup hot water to bring the dough together.

See the instructions below for full step-by-step directions and tips.

Substitutions & Variations

This recipe is flexible. Here are a few easy swaps and ideas:

• Butter or oil: Either works—unsalted butter gives a richer flavor while olive or vegetable oil keeps them simple and neutral.
• Active starter: To use an active sourdough starter instead of discard, replace the discard with 200g active starter. No other ingredient changes are necessary.
• Sizes: Divide the dough into 16+ pieces for small street-taco tortillas or 12 pieces for larger burrito-sized rounds.
• Other breads: If you enjoy this recipe, similar sourdough discard recipes like discard naan or pull-apart bread are excellent options to try next.

If you experiment with other variations, share your results—home cooks’ adjustments are great sources of new ideas.

How to Make Sourdough Discard Tortillas

Follow these straightforward steps to make tender, flexible tortillas from sourdough discard.

1. Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the sourdough discard, hot water, and melted butter or oil. Stir until a rough dough forms, then turn it out and knead 1–2 minutes until smooth—avoid over-kneading.

2. Step 2: Divide the dough into 12–16 pieces depending on the size you want. Shape each piece into a ball, flatten slightly, and cover. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes so the gluten relaxes—this makes rolling easier.

3. Step 3: Working one ball at a time, use a rolling pin to roll each piece into a very thin 8-inch round. Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat (cast iron works well) and cook each tortilla 30–45 seconds per side, until the surface bubbles and golden brown spots appear.

4. Step 4: Stack the cooked tortillas and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft. Serve immediately, or cool completely before storing.

Expert Baking Tips

• Don’t over-knead: Knead just until the dough is smooth. Overworking develops excess gluten and makes rolling difficult.
• Rest the dough: The 30-minute rest relaxes the gluten so the dough rolls flat without springing back.
• Use a rolling pin: A rolling pin yields thin, even tortillas; a tortilla press tends to make the dough bounce back and lose shape.
• Adjust size: For street tacos divide into more pieces; for burritos divide into fewer. A kitchen scale can help keep pieces uniform.

Storage

Room temperature: If you plan to eat them within a few hours, wrap tortillas in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Reheat for 10–15 seconds in the microwave if they firm up.

• You can store tortillas at room temperature in an airtight container or zip-top bag for 2–3 days.

Refrigerator: Keep cooled tortillas in an airtight container or bag for 5–7 days. Reheat for 15–30 seconds in the microwave to restore softness.

Freezer: Freeze cooled tortillas in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat in the microwave for about 30 seconds to warm and soften.

Recipe FAQs

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Sourdough Discard Tortillas

A simple, flavorful recipe for Sourdough Discard Tortillas—ideal for making small street tacos or large burritos.

Equipment

• Kitchen scale (recommended for consistent sizes)
• Rolling pin
• Large skillet or cast iron pan

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 200 grams sourdough discard (about ¾ cup), unfed, at room temperature
• ⅓ cup hot water
• ¼ cup melted unsalted butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the sourdough discard, hot water, and melted butter or oil. Stir until a rough dough forms.
2. Turn the dough onto a smooth surface and knead 1–2 minutes until smooth. Avoid over-kneading.
3. Divide the dough into 12–16 pieces depending on the desired tortilla size. Shape each piece into a ball, flatten slightly, and cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Let rest for 30 minutes.
4. Working one piece at a time, roll each ball into a very thin 8-inch round. Keep unused pieces covered to prevent drying.
5. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook each tortilla 30–45 seconds per side, until bubbles form and golden brown spots appear. Stack cooked tortillas and wrap in a clean towel to keep warm.
6. Serve warm, or cool completely before storing.

Notes

Nutrition information is based on 16 tortillas (one per serving). You can make the dough in a stand mixer—mix until a rough dough forms, then knead by hand briefly to smooth it. To use active starter instead of discard, swap in 200g active starter and follow the recipe unchanged.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 94 kcal • Carbohydrates: 14 g • Protein: 2 g • Fat: 3 g