Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 42 minutes
Flour Tortillas from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 7, Episode 3 "Ensenada’s Epic Seafood"
Ingredients
- 1 pound all-purpose flour or about 4 cups, plus more to roll out tortillas
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- 2/3 cup vegetable shortening or lard
- 1 cup lukewarm water
To Prepare
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and vegetable shortening with your hands, slowly incorporate the lukewarm water and mix until it can come together into a ball. Transfer to the counter and knead for about 2 to 4 minutes, until it is smooth like play dough.
- Divide the dough into halves until you have 16 balls of dough. Place them on a floured sheet or board, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let them rest for 25 to 35 minutes.
- Heat your comal or ungreased cast iron or non-stick skillet over low heat. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball with a floured rolling pin, rotating 5 or 6 times until you get a 7” round.
- Place the tortilla on the already heated comal or skillet. You will hear a faint sizzle. After 40 to 50 seconds, when there are brown freckles on the bottom side and there are air bubbles puffed up all over the tortilla, flip over. Cook for 40 to 50 seconds more, until the other side is freckled and the tortilla puffs up even more, like pita bread.
Ok, so I read a lot of comments about this recipe and I will add a few of my own. When I watched Pati make these they were transparent when she held them up. I made 2 tortillas after the dough rested for about 30 min and I used one of the 16 dough balls for each. They did not seem as pliable as when she made them. About two hours after I made the dough(dinner time) I cut the dough balls in half and rolled them as thin as I could. Perfect! Soft, pliable and delicious! I personally think they just needed to be thinner than I was rolling when I made the first two. Thank you Pati!!
Thanks to you Kurt! I am super happy to read that your tortillas were perfect 🙂
I noticed there is no baking powder in your flour tortillas, my mom did about a teaspoon to 4-5 cups of flour. Her tortillas were always soft even when cold and pliable. My mom measured with her hand or visual measurements.
I really like the way the Flour Tortillas come out without baking powder, but I know what you mean that they are more pliable with a bit 😉
Can these tortilla be made substituting flour with gluten free flour?
Give it a try, and let me know how it goes, Nat!
I’m from the U.K. Thank you so much for your flour tortilla recipe. It’s my first time tortilla making. Only had rice bran oil instead of vegetable shortening and it worked well. Huge fan of yours and learning so much about mexican food from your tv programmes, Will you ever come to the UK?
Oh I was in London last year…I hope to come again soon, Simon. In the meantime, I hope you have lots of fun kitchen adventures!
What is the main step that causes tortillas to be soft? Mine keep coming out kind of hard. I joke and call them crackers
Oh I hope you enjoyed the crackers anyways, Rosie 😉. It sounds like the dough didn’t have enough fat or water. They’re tricky, so keep practicing!
I want to make these, seems so much easier than other recipes I tried. My question is.. Will and how do I keep for later serving?
If you don’t eat them within the hour, you can wrap them in a plastic bag and refrigerate. Then when you are ready to use them, reheat the tortillas on a hot comal or skillet. Enjoy, Gail!
This recipe is missing baking powder!
I like to make my tortillas without baking powder…that’s how I learned to make them.
I was raised to add baking powder to my tortillas to help them rise,and they do and they don’t get hard
I like to use no baking powder…but everyone has their own recipe!
My 94 year old abuelita showed me how to make flour tortillas from scratch the other day and it was all by eye. I had an idea in my mind of what the recipe was by “eyeing it” and your recipe here Is pretty much what I guessed (minus a pinch of baking soda!)Now I can share it with family who want the recipe as well, and by doing so, continue a tradition that has passed from generation to generation!
Thank you for sharing our beautiful culture and food!
I love to hear that the tradition will continue, Aaron.
This recipe looks great! I was wondering if you can use a tortilla press for these, or does that only work with corn tortillas?
A tortilla press only works with corn tortillas…but you can use an electric tortilla maker if you wish, Kay.
Can you use a tortilla press for flour tortillas or is that just used for corn tortillas?
A tortillas press is just for corn tortillas. I like to make my flour tortillas with a rolling pin.
Hola Pati,
I tried making these twice and my tortillas never rise and tend to get hard after a couple minutes, do you have any advice on what I could do better? The tortillas did come out better the second time, but they are still not rising.
Thank you in advance!
Hmm it sounds like the texture may have to do with them not having enough fat or enough water. They are tricky, so keep giving them a try, Valeria!
Las mejore que he probado
Gracias!
I came from a large family,13! Our Mom would make dozens of tortillas to feed us all!
She did use baking powder and lard. Canola oil works well too. What a treat!
I watch your show often. Thanks for sharing Pati .Will try your recipe tomorrow.
Oh I hope you love it as much as your mom’s, Mary.
Loved ur receipe n the simplicity of it. They were delicious!!!
So glad you enjoyed the tortillas, Diana!
Hola Pati!
My nana used to make sweet flour tortillas but I dont remember the recipe. I looked online but they are either really chubby gorditas, or they add things like vanilla, sweet condensed milk, cinnamon and they look nothing like the ones we had. Can you help me find a recipe? I believe they were from northern Mexico and had butter, lard, milk and sugar but I don’t know the measurements.
Thanks!
Oh, yes, I know what you are talking about, Angie…like gorditas de nata. I don’t have a recipe for those yet, but I will try to test one soon.
Hola Pati,
My mom used to make flour tortillas for our family of 9 almost every day! If there were leftovers, we would make a tortilla with peanut butter and jelly! So good! She used to put baking powder though. I made some a few weeks ago and used baking powder and they were hard and crumbly. I made yours today and they were soft and pliable! They are really good and my family loved making breakfast tacos with them. I reduced the recipe to half since we are a family of three. We had three left over tortillas and I made my family the peanut butter and jelly taco! I was immediately transformed to my childhood! Thank you do much for sharing your recipe! I watch your show religiously and enjoy it immensly!
Oh I’m so happy the tortillas brought back such a fun and yum memory, Yvette! Thank you for sharing your PB and J taco story with me.
Hi Pati, I love your shows. My children and I watch you all the time. You inspire me. I’m going to try the recipe but I wanted to ask if and what would you suggest to substitute the lard/veg. shortening with if I wanted to make them more healthier.
Thank you guys for tuning in, Veronica! The alternative for lard here is butter… and you can also try it with other oils and fats like coconut oil and see how you like it.
I made them but they came out really dry and when they cooled they started breaking when do I need to do now
You can try them with a bit more fat and water, Lisa. I hope you give them another go!
I just watched your show for the first time and I loved it. I’m so excited to make homemade tortillas and my husband is too! He is especially interested in the salsa recipe.
I’m so glad you found me, Martha! Have lots of fun cooking the tortillas.
Hi Pati
Making some flour tortillas right now. I use unbleached flour for every recipe. I use baking powder, because my mom did, otherwise I use the following you use. I am heating up my beans, resting the tortilla dough. Waiting patiently to come together. Simple evening dinner. I have to shop tomorrow for groceries. Yum. I hope to make corn tortillas next, I have corn meal, I have fine corn flour, I’ll look for your recipe.
Thank you
Sounds like a yum meal, Rosie! Here’s my corn tortilla recipe for next time: https://patijinich.com/recipe/homemade-corn-tortillas/
Hi Pati. I love your show! You’ve inspired me, I love your enchilada sauce recipe, my family loved it!
My son Sy and I are working on flour tortillas (1st time) the first was too thick, 2nd better & 3rd much better, but they have a strong floury taste, did I use too much flour?
Thanks! Keya
Hm, my guess is you needed to knead the dough a little longer so it transforms and maybe, cook them over lower heat but a bit longer as well.
Hi,
I just made these for the very first time today.
The taste was wonderful. I think maybe I need to work on the cooking part though, they didn’t seem to be as pliable and I would have liked.
Thanks for the recipe. I will keep at it until I get it rights.
Love your show..
Randy in Salina, Kansas.
Tortillas can take some practice…keep going, Randy!
feliz ano,me encanta tu programa,pero donde puedo conseguir las cazuelas ,platos,y utensilios que usas en tu programa gracias
Hola Gina! Uy en diferentes lugares pero muchas cazuelas son Le Creuset y muchos platos son de un pueblo llamado Tlaquepaque.
Are you using all-purpose flour or self rising flour, Thanks, my first time trying Tortillas, used store bought before.
I use all-purpose flour. Have fun making your first tortillas, Yeede!
My husband and I, truly love your show! I come from first generation of Mexican descent and many of your recipes are inspiring and nostalgic. I love how you’ve created or intertwined both the American type foods with traditional ingredients and combine such classic recipes into awesome Mexican food that is simple and most delicious. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and inspiring us to cook and create wonderful meals for our families. I have a question, I’ve been making flour tortillas since I was 8 years old and my measurements come from what is learned not measured, haha, however, in your segment on making flour tortillas, your ingredients didn’t list baking powder for leavening the dough? Is it an important ingredient or it really doesn’t matter.
Oh thank you for your lovely message, Sylvia! No need for baking powder…enjoy the tortillas.
Can you make this on a griddle? If so, what temperature should I set it on?
Sure! Heat your griddle to a low heat, Eric.
It is always a special treat when I make flour tortillas. I would like to make them in advance for the Christmas Holidays. When is a good time to put them in the freezer? Rolled out, right before I cook them?
You can freeze them made…just wrap them really well, and then reheat them on a hot comal or skillet. Have a Merry Christmas, Laura!
Using a recipie for flour tortillas but slightly modified (not sure how) my mom would make Empanadas filled with gound beef,raisins and chili seasoning. That she slightly fried, not baked, on each side until golden. Soo yummy! Do you know a recipie for these empanadas? Or what modification she made so the dough was soft not crisp.
That sounds very similar to my Empanadas of the Immaculate Conception: https://patijinich.com/recipe/picadillo-empanadas-of-the-immaculate-conception/ Or you can use the dough from some of my other empanadas: https://patijinich.com/recipe/five-spice-pecan-plum-empanadas/ https://patijinich.com/recipe/sardine-empanadas-2/
Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank YOU Erica.
Thank you Pati for cooking with manteca. It’s just the best. I am Cuban and we cooked everything with Manteca. So delish. Even the Cuban crackers. No substitute for this glorious taste.
It’s soooo good…glad it brings back good memories for you Ana.
Hi Pati,
Your other recipe for ‘Homemade Flour Tortillas’ calls for 1/2 cup lard while this recipe (and your video) calls for 2/3 cup lard. (Both recipes call for the same amount of flour.) So, 1/2 cup or 2/3 cup lard?
Thank you!
It’s 2/3 cups of lard. Thanks for catching that Dana!
Thank you so much for this recipe and video! Can’t wait to try them? Do you have any advice on storing them? Do they keep in the fridge or freeze well?
Thank YOU for trying the recipe, Jennifer. As soon as you make them, place them in a tortilla warmer or clean kitchen towel. If you will not eat them within the hour, wrap them in a plastic bag and refrigerate, and then reheat them on a hot comal or skillet. And yes you can freeze them…just wrap them really well.
Thank you, I got my first smart phone and I found you.finely.
Glad you found me, Theresa!
Don’t you have to add baking powder to this recipe? And about how much?
I don’t add any baking powder…
Part, I love your show!im looking for a very old fashion recipe for Mexican hot chocolate, I know there’s some kind of peppers and other ingredients but I can’t find the recipe for it, help would like it for the holidays, thank you so much!
Hmm this isn’t an ancient recipe but here you go, Patricia: https://patijinich.com/recipe/ancient_ways_for_comfort_in_cold_days_mexican_hot_chocolate/ And you can add ground chipotle, ancho or guajillo chiles to it.