Appearance
No-knead Tortillas
No-knead tortillas that are ready in about 90 minutes with minimal prep. Rolling is the only part that needs attention, and this dough stays soft enough to make that manageable. Use the KitchenRatio Calculator to scale to any batch.
StyleSoft, pliable flour tortillas made with hot-water gelatinization.
YieldPortion guide targets roughly 10-inch tortillas at about 45-47g each.
Best ForBurritos, tacos, and fast stovetop flatbreads with minimal hands-on work.
Background
After testing many recipes, I found most tortillas came out too thick or tore during rolling. This version uses boiling water to gelatinize the flour, keeping the dough soft and pliable.
These tortillas are perfect for burritos, soft tacos, or serving alongside green chili and beans.
Ingredients (Example Batch)
- Flour - 450g
- Water - 306g boiling water (68% hydration)
- Fat - 90g (20%)
- Baking soda - 9g (2%)
- Salt - ~7g (~1.6%)
Need a scale? KitchenAid Digital Scale.
INFO
I prefer lard, but any neutral fat works.
- If using solid fat (lard, butter, shortening), melt it before combining with the hot water to maintain temperature.
- Baking soda is used to increase the water pH and slightly reduce gluten development, which keeps the tortillas soft - it is not for leavening.
Procedure
1. Mixing
- Boil and weigh the water.
- Dissolve salt and baking soda in the hot water.
- Add the fat and stir to combine.
- Gradually add the flour while stirring until fully incorporated. The dough will be very loose.
- Transfer to a container, cover, and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Divide
- Weigh the dough, then divide by desired portion size (45-47g yields ~10-inch tortillas).
- Shape each portion into a small ball, tightening the surface against the counter, until the surface is smooth.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Roll straight from the fridge.
3. Roll
- Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Lightly flour the counter and rolling pin.
- Flatten each dough ball by hand after dusting with flour, then roll as thin as possible, rotating and flipping to maintain roundness.
- Keep tortillas from sticking by lightly flouring as needed. Stack carefully without sticking.
4. Cook
- Dust excess flour, then place individual tortillas in the cast iron pan and cook.
- Cook about 15-30 seconds per side, flipping twice per side (four flips total). Aim for a light kiss of brown on each side, and do not overcook.
- Remove to a plate and cover with foil or a kitchen towel.
- When all tortillas are finished, flip the entire stack over to prevent the bottom tortilla from getting soggy.
- Leave covered for 10-15 minutes before serving.
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