How to Make Flour Tortillas
This lard-free homemade flour tortilla recipe tastes just like the real thing. Learn how to make flour tortillas with our easy to follow flour tortilla recipe. Use them to make Cheese Quesadilla and air fryer tortilla chips! Sometimes to switch it up we use them for Pollo Asado Tacos using grilled pollo asado.
My gravestone is going to be inscribed with the words “Life’s Not Fair.” I remember hearing it for the first time when I was 5. It was time to leave Disneyland and I didn’t want to go. It’s kinda been my mantra since then.
Today’s “Life’s Not Fair” moment? The fact I can’t eat Mexican food everyday. Imagine what size jeans I’d be kicking it in if breakfast consisted of guacamole, carne asada and chips. I’d start the day off with a smile, but it would quickly vanish when I stepped on the scale.
Having lived in San Diego for over 30 years (side bar – I TOTALLY just dated myself) I’m extremely picky with Mexican Food. For the record, Tex-mex is NOT Mexican Food. As much as they think it is here in Texas. Northern Cali doesn’t quite make the grade either. Instead of whining “Life’s Not Fair” anytime I craved authentic Mexican Food, I decided to make it myself.
The first staple I needed to master? How to make flour tortillas, of course. To keep these are healthy as possible, I forgo the lard and use vegetable oil instead. Feel free to use lard if you prefer, but we’re not going there. I buy lard-free refried beans for a reason.
These homemade flour tortillas are much healthier than the preservative-laden tortillas at the store and it doesn’t taste like plastic. We can’t imagine going back to store-bought tortillas.
These are super easy to make and can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
On our wish list is this Chef’s Pro Tortilla Press, but for now we use a rolling pin. It’s the same way we make our Arepa Con Queso!
NOTE– We like to roll them as thin as possible. The dough will be almost translucent. Practice makes perfect when it comes to finding the thickness you prefer and the cook time you like.
MORE DELICIOUS MEXICAN RECIPES:
- San Diego Style Carne Asada
- Easy Steak Tacos
- Carne Asada Tacos
- Slow Cooker Refried Beans
- Chili Verde Recipe (Chicken or Pork)
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
- Frijoles Charra
- Pickled Peppers
- Pickled Banana Peppers
- Pickled Red Onions

Ingredients
- 3 cup Flour
- ⅓ cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Hot Water
Instructions
- Whisk flour and salt together in a bowl.
- Add vegetable oil and mix with your hands. Mix until you see small crumbles.
- Add hot water and stir with a wooden spoon. Stir until everything is mixed and the dough forms a ball.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes. This step isn't necessary but we find the dough more pliable.
- Break apart into 8-10 pieces and form balls. Roll out each ball to the desired size.
- Heat up cast-iron pan on medium high. Once heated place rolled out tortilla on grill.
- Cook about 30 seconds per side (Watch out they burn easy!) Repeat until all tortillas are cooked.
Mariam
Tuesday 23rd of May 2023
Thank you for the recipe.. but what kind of flour is being used here? Thanks!
Darcey Olson
Tuesday 23rd of May 2023
All purpose flour!!