Easy Sourdough Discard Tortillas

These Sourdough Discard Tortillas are made with butter for a soft, fluffy, and flavorful tortilla that's perfect for taco night. Made with only 5 ingredients and ready in just over an hour, these homemade sourdough tortillas require no kneading and are make ahead-friendly.

Tortillas are one of those foods where there is such a big difference between the homemade and store-bought versions. And with how easy homemade tortillas are to make, I guarantee you'll never want store-bought tortillas again after you try this recipe.

I love making my homemade flour tortillas with sourdough discard. Not only is it a fantastic way to use up some of your starter discard, but it also adds a unique tangy flavor to the tortillas.

This sourdough discard tortilla recipe is made with butter for a soft, fluffy, and flavorful tortilla that pairs well with all of your favorite taco, burrito, and quesadilla fillings.

So, if you're ready to upgrade your tortilla game, grab some sourdough discard, and let's get rolling!

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Why Use Sourdough Discard to Make Tortillas?

If you're a sourdough bread baker, you likely have excess sourdough starter discard in your fridge from time to time. Instead of throwing it out, use it to make homemade flour tortillas!

Sourdough discard adds a subtle tangy flavor to tortillas that's hard to beat. Plus, this recipe doubles easily and can be made ahead and frozen as dough balls or cooked tortillas.

So, if you want to reduce food waste in your kitchen and make the best homemade tortillas ever, try adding sourdough discard to your dough. You won't regret it!

Don't have your own sourdough starter? Check out my guide on How To Make Sourdough Starter From Scratch.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Only 5 Ingredients- Tortillas are a simple flatbread. They don't require baking powder or any other fancy ingredients to be soft, fluffy, and delicious. Just flour, water, salt, butter, and sourdough discard.
• No Kneading- These sourdough starter discard tortillas couldn't be easier to make. Just mix for a few minutes, and that's it! No need to pull out the stand mixer or give your arm a workout with lots of kneading.
• Ready in About One Hour- From start to finish, this sourdough tortilla recipe takes just over an hour to make. Not bad for fresh, homemade tortillas you can brag about making from scratch on taco night.
• Make Ahead Friendly- This sourdough flour tortilla recipe is easy to work into your schedule because it's so flexible. The dough can be prepared and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance or frozen for up to 3 months.

Ingredient Notes

Here are some notes on the key ingredients. For the full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.

• All-Purpose Flour- This versatile pantry staple makes the best sourdough tortillas. Perfectly soft and fluffy with just the right amount of chewiness.
• Sourdough Discard- I use my 100% hydration sourdough starter to make these tortillas. Both active sourdough starter and unfed sourdough starter discard can be used in this recipe.
• Butter- I prefer to use butter instead oil or shortening for both flavor and health reasons. The butter should be softened to room temperature for easier mixing.
• Kosher Salt- Adds flavor. I use kosher salt because there are typically no other added ingredients. Table salt sometimes has added sugar and anti-caking agents.
• Water- Filtered water is best. The temperature of the water doesn't matter much, as long as it's not too warm.

Substitutions and Variations

Here are a few ways you can try customizing this sourdough discard tortilla recipe to fit your diet and taste preferences.

Substitutions

• All-Purpose Flour- While I haven't tried it myself, you can try swapping half of the all-purpose flour in this recipe for whole wheat flour. If the dough seems dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until the dough is soft, cohesive, and slightly sticky.
• Butter- Replace the butter with an equal amount of olive oil, vegetable shortening, lard, or reserved bacon fat.
• Kosher Salt- Substitute kosher salt for table salt, sea salt, or pink Himalayan salt.

Variations

• Herbed- Add a few tablespoons of dried or finely chopped fresh herbs to your tortilla dough. Cilantro, parsley, basil, or oregano are great choices.
• Garlic- Mix in a few cloves of finely minced or roasted garlic for a delicious garlic-flavored flour tortilla.
• Spiced- Cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or chili powder make lovely additions to homemade tortillas.
• Cheesy- A little grated cheddar cheese or parmesan cheese makes for a cheesy twist on these sourdough discard tortillas.
• Spinach- Purée a handful of baby spinach and add it to the tortilla dough for a fun and healthy way to get some extra leafy greens.

Equipment Notes

Here are some notes on any special equipment I used to make this recipe.

• Cast Iron Skillet- Hands down, a cast iron skillet is the best skillet to cook homemade tortillas. It retains heat well and cooks the tortillas very evenly. A heavy-bottomed stainless steel skillet works as well.
• Rolling Pin- A small, wooden rolling pin is perfect for rolling out homemade sourdough tortillas.
• Food Scale- Any time I bake, I pull out my trusty food scale to make sure my measurements are as accurate as possible. Accurately measuring your ingredients ensures the dough ends up with the right consistency.

Step by Step Instructions

Here is how to make these sourdough discard tortillas.

Step 1: Cut the butter into the flour. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Using your fingertips, cut the softened butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand. It should stick together slightly when pressed between your fingers.

Step 2: Make the dough. Add the sourdough discard and water to the mixing bowl. Mix and knead lightly until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.

Step 3: Portion the dough. Divide the dough into 8 or 12 equal-sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, cover lightly, and allow them to rest for about 20 minutes or up to 2 hours at room temperature. Alternatively, ferment them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Step 4: Roll out the tortillas. On a lightly floured work surface, roll each ball out into a round tortilla, making sure to roll them out as thinly as possible. I recommend rolling out most or all of the tortillas before you start cooking them. Tortillas cook very quickly so it's best to have them ready to go.

Step 5: Cook the tortillas. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Do not add any oil to the skillet. Once the skillet is very hot, add your first tortilla. Cook for about 30 seconds or until bubbles begin to form on the surface of the tortilla. Flip and cook for an additional 30 seconds on the other side. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Place the cooked tortillas on a plate and cover them lightly with a clean tea towel to keep them warm and moist. Serve with your favorite taco, burrito, or quesadilla fillings and enjoy!

Note: The first few tortillas are usually paler and don't puff up quite as nicely. This happens when the skillet isn't quite up to the right temperature yet. Cook a few and adjust the temperature of your burner accordingly.

Tips for Success

• Measure ingredients by weight. For best results, measure each ingredient using a food scale. In particular, flour is easy to over-measure, which leaves you with dry tortillas.
• Roll the tortillas out thin. When rolling out the tortillas, you should be able to almost see the counter through the tortilla. This allows them to puff up nicely and cook through quickly.
• Pre-roll some of the tortillas. Or get a friend to help you roll them out as they cook. Each tortilla only takes about 60 seconds to cook so it's helpful to have some or all of them ready to go.
• Don't use too much flour. Excess flour will burn in the hot skillet, giving your tortillas a burnt flavor and creating a smoky kitchen.
• Get your skillet hot. A very hot skillet is a must if you want the tortillas to puff up and char slightly. Don't be alarmed if your skillet starts to smoke a little when cooking your tortillas.
• Use multiple skillets. If you have more than one skillet, why not heat them all up to make the cooking process go even faster?

Quick Tip: Turn on your ventilation hood or open a window before you start cooking the tortillas to help alleviate any smoke.

What to Serve With Sourdough Discard Tortillas

These quick sourdough tortillas can be used the same way store-bought flour tortillas are used. I love making Chipotle Chicken Tacos, Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos, or Honey-Chipotle Shrimp Tacos with these sourdough discard tortillas.

In the morning, I enjoy making breakfast tacos with these sourdough starter tortillas and some Scrambled Eggs.

Or try dipping them in fresh Cucumber Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, or Black Bean Corn Feta Dip for a fun party appetizer.

Of course, sourdough flour tortillas are also perfect for quesadillas, burritos, enchiladas, sourdough tortilla chips, nachos, and more.

Storage and Reheating

How to Store

• Room Temperature- Allow the tortillas to cool completely. Then, store them in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 5 days at room temperature.
• Freezer- Freeze cooked tortillas in a freezer-safe plastic bag or container for up to 3 months. Use parchment paper or wax paper in between each tortilla to prevent sticking.

How to Reheat

If frozen, allow the tortillas to defrost at room temperature for about an hour before reheating.

• Stovetop- Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add your tortilla and warm it for 15-30 seconds on each side.
• Oven- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and heat for 10 minutes or until all of the tortillas are warmed through. This method works well when you need to heat up lots of tortillas at once.
• Microwave- Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and place them on a microwave-safe plate. Heat on HIGH in 20-second intervals until fully warmed through.

Make Ahead

Both the dough and the cooked tortillas can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the freezer. I love doing this because it means I get to enjoy fresh, homemade tortillas whenever I want them.

• Dough- Prepare the dough and portion it into balls. Place the tortilla dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and flash-freeze them in the freezer for one hour. Then, place the frozen dough balls in a freezer-safe plastic bag or storage container for up to 3 months.
• Cooked Tortillas- Allow the sourdough discard tortillas to cool completely before transferring them to a freezer-safe plastic bag or storage container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let's Connect!

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