These cassava flour tortillas are the perfect vessel for all your favorite taco, quesadilla, and Mexican recipes! These gluten-free tortillas are so soft and pliable -- seriously so GOOD!
Recipe: $4.23 | Per Serving: $0.14 | Yield: 30
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Although I'm glad I'm able to eat corn masa again, I'm also so glad to have discovered these amazing cassava flour tortillas when my gut hated all things corn. They're so delicious, and we like them better than wheat flour tortillas!
Cassava flour is almost as magical as cauliflower because it is also extremely versatile. It works great as breading, for muffins and pancakes and waffles, for tortilla chips, and for these perfect tortillas.
Why You Will Love These Gluten-Free Flour Tortillas
There's so much to love!
- Non-Allergenic: Free from nuts, wheat, corn, and coconut, cassava flour is the perfect addition to an allergy-friendly kitchen.
- AIP-Friendly: Yes! These cassava flour tortillas are also AIP tortillas!
- Pliable & Stretchy: If there's one thing missing from most gluten-free flour tortillas it's that coveted stretchy chewiness. Cassava is a great option because it is super stretchy! This keeps them from breaking like many whole wheat and corn tortillas do.
- Versatile: Serve these with tacos, gyros, or alongside my favorite black bean dip! We also use them for migas, quesadillas, and anywhere you'd use tortillas!
Ingredients
This gluten-free flour tortilla recipe is made using four simple ingredients. Here's what you need.
- Cassava flour: Cassava goes by many names - yuca, yucca, or tapioca - but the flours are prepared differently. Tapioca flour in the US (usually the same as tapioca starch) is made just from the starch extracted from the cassava root, while the cassava flour is made from the entire root. If you're in Brazil, there are even more options!
- Coconut oil: This adds a bit of fat to the tortillas. I also sometimes use a little oil during cooking as well. I have not yet tried anything other than coconut oil, but I think you might have luck with refined avocado oil, softened butter, or even ghee.
- Water and salt: The water moistens the cassava flour and the salt adds necessary seasoning.
Which Brand of Cassava Flour is Best?
I recently emailed with a rep at Otto’s to find out why their flour works differently from (and more consistently than) other cassava flours and it turns out that they actually bake their cassava root rather than allowing it to dry in the sun. This creates a more consistent and uniform product that is more reliable.
And secondly, the age of the cassava when harvested can impact the starch-to-fiber ratio. They harvest their flour at a specific time in its growth cycle in order to optimize this ratio to mimic the function of wheat flour as closely as possible.
PRO TIP: Use Otto's Cassava Flour or Thrive Market (affiliate link) Cassava Flour for best results! For other brands, you may need to use more water (up to double the amount).
How to Make Cassava Flour Tortillas
This cassava flour tortillas recipe is actually really straightforward. Working with the dough is a bit tricky at first, but after a few practice tortillas it is a piece of cake! Here's a look at the main steps for how to make gluten-free tortillas, but I've also got a full video if you'd prefer!.
Step 1: Make the dough. Combine the cassava flour, coconut oil, salt, and water in a bowl. Mix it first with a fork and then finish with your hands to smooth it out. Add more water if needed.
Step 2: Divide out the dough. Split up the dough into even-sized balls. I usually go for golf-ball sized you can make them larger if you pan and tortilla press will work. Keep the dough covered to prevent it from drying out while your making the tortillas.
PRO TIP: Test the dough! Roll or press one portion into a tortilla. If it sticks together, it's ready. If it falls apart, it needs a little more water. If it is wet, it needs more flour.
Step 3: Flatten with a tortilla press. Line the press with parchment paper and then press as usual. It works much better than plastic wrap! You can press, rotate, and press again, or just press once for a slightly thicker tortilla.
Step 4: Keep pressing. It's helpful to shape them all into tortillas first or at least have several ready before you start cooking.
Step 5: Cooking the tortillas. Cook them in a dry OR lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for approximately 1-3 minutes on each side, and that's it! My stove burners are all a little different, but I find that temperature 4-5 (out of 10) is best for these.
Step 6: Continue cooking and serve. Continue cooking your tortillas until you finish with all the dough. Serve them and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Be Patient. Making these tortillas does take a little bit of skill. The dough is a bit fragile at first, and if you add too much water or roll them out too thin, the raw tortillas can break apart easily. But they're easily fixed!
- Roll With Parchment: I recommend pressing them or rolling them out between parchment paper to prevent tearing before you cook them. You can find If You Care unbleached parchment paper on Amazon.
- Size of the Tortillas: Golf-sized balls of dough will make about 30-32 street taco sized tortillas or you can make them larger and get about 15.
What to Serve with Cassava Tortillas
- Tacos: Enjoy these gluten-free taco shells with all your favorite taco fillings such as shredded pork, roasted veggie tacos, or black bean tacos. I also stuff them with eggs, beans, and veggies for a tasty breakfast taco.
- Side Dish: These wheat-free tortillas make a tasty side for a chicken burrito bowl or a bowl of pumpkin turkey chili.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, I've successfully rolled these out by placing the dough inside a large freezer gallon bag (or placing between two gallon bags). It's a little finicky, but it works! I would not recommend using plastic wrap because it sticks to the dough.
Of course! The one downside with cassava flour is that it's essentially pure starch, so it isn't quite as nutrient dense as, say, heirloom corn or other starchy options like sweet potatoes or whole wheat. However, cassava is a GREAT gluten-free, grain-free, Paleo replacement, especially for those with sensitive tummies.
Place the ball of dough on a piece of parchment paper. Lightly flatten the dough with your hands and then cover it with a second piece of parchment paper and gently roll it out with a rolling pin. This method may take a little longer than using a press.
Storing Directions
Since these babies are primarily starch, they will stick together if you stack them, especially while they're still hot.
I recommend letting them cool completely. Once cool, wrap them in a single layer in a dish towel or between layers of parchment paper. I fold the dish towel along the gaps between tortillas and then place it in a plastic bag, Stasher bag, or in a storage container. Store these cassava tortillas in the fridge or in the freezer.
When you're ready to eat them, they'll be a little firm from the coconut oil. You can nuke them, toss them in a toaster oven, or just reheat them briefly on a skillet and then stuff them as usual.
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Cassava Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 cups cassava flour
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 to 1 ¼ cups water or coconut milk
Instructions
- Making the Dough: First, you want to combine the cassava flour, melted coconut oil, salt, and warm water in a large bowl. I prefer to start with a fork and then use my hands to smooth it out.
- As you mix, the dough will start out crumbly, but you can smooth it by rolling it with your hands. Do a simple dough test by pressing or rolling one tortilla - if it is still crumbly or it falls apart, add a little more water.
- Divide the dough into even-sized balls. I usually go for golf-ball sized, but go with whatever works for your pan (and your tortilla press if you're using one). This should make about 30 small street taco-sized tortillas, or 15 larger ones. Also - there's nothing wrong with making several different sizes! (See blog post for the scooper I use.)
- Be sure to cover the dough with a towel to prevent it from drying out as you start the processing of making your fancy cassava flour tortillas. I find that letting the dough rest about 3-5 minutes before scooping yields the best results!
- Rolling Out the Tortillas: Now, here's the tricky part. Place the ball of dough on a piece of parchment paper. Lightly flatten the dough with your hands and then cover it with a second piece of parchment paper and gently roll it out with a rolling pin. Gently encourage the tortilla off of the parchment to prevent breaking.
- Pressing the Tortillas: If using a tortilla press, you want to line the press with parchment paper. It works much better than plastic wrap! Gently encourage the tortilla off of the parchment to prevent breaking. (See video for more guidance!)
- I recommend rolling out several tortillas before you start cooking to make it a smoother process (this is also when it's great to have two people)!
- Cooking the Tortillas: (This is easiest with two people - one to roll out the tortillas and one to cook them.) Pre-heat your pan to medium-ish heat for about 1-2 minutes before adding the first tortilla. (I use 4-5 out of 10 on my burner.) - Be sure to adjust heat as needed for your stove / pan.
- Place the tortilla on a dry or lightly oiled skillet and cook until it starts to get fluffy or you see a couple of bubbles form on top, then flip. You want your tortillas to have a nice touch of dark brown on each side. You'll have to adjust your timing and temperature as you get used to the process.
- Once you've cooked all your tortillas - enjoy! I like them warm from the skillet with a little butter, or I just use them as I would any other tortillas.
Notes
Nutrition
I've tried many tortilla recipes, and this is my favorite! I did use a tortilla press, but with plastic instead of parchment, and it worked great. Has anyone tried substituting the coconut oil with a plant-based butter?
Love to hear that, Gayle! I personally haven't used a plant-based butter here, but I have used a mix of coconut oil and regular butter when I was low on coconut oil and that worked well.
Hi Caitlin. Mine turned out gummy, as well. I made some cassava ‘pancakes’ and they turned out the same way. I used Bob’s cassava flour and measured everything correctly. I tried very thin. I tried a bit thicker, and all were the same. I’m frustrated as I am missing ‘bread’ and plus the waste of flour! I’m new into the AIP diet and just can’t figure out what I’m doing wrong!
Hi Lisa, that's annoying! I have never used Bob's Red Mill cassava flour, so it is possible that they do something differently with how they process their cassava. (This recipe was tested with Otto's and Thrive brands.) I do think Cassava is a little on the gummy side in general - that's just the nature of it being almost purely starch (no protein for structure). I know Against All Grain and Elana's Pantry both have really good AIP recipes so they might have some bread-like options. Also - Downshiftology has a cassava flour tortilla recipe that uses cream of tartar, baking soda, and olive oil so perhaps her recipe might work with your brand of flour?
Thanks for posting the video, it helped. I likely wouldn't have succeeded without seeing a few things. My "discards" were so delicious that I wasn't hungry and have to wait to use the successful ones. My ONLY problem was pressing them TOO THIN. Until I figured out I was squishing them too thin they would fall apart as I was peeling them from the parchment paper. I used the Otto flour, avocado oil, and added an egg white before I figured out that it was the pressure on the press that was my issue. This was my first ever try at making tortillas and your post helped me a lot. Thank you!
Hi Ernie! Thanks so much for sharing! We can all learn from your experience, but I'm glad the tortillas worked out for you in the end. The flavor of these tortillas are so so good, and I'm glad you also enjoyed them!
Tried to make these for the first time and they’re completely gummy and definitely not right :(
Hi Brittany! So sorry to hear that - I just made them today myself so I'd love to help you troubleshoot if I can. If they're gummy...I'm wondering if you used cassava flour or if you had a cassava starch instead? That would be a very different product! But please let us know - these have never failed me, even with several different brands of flour - so I always want to know why!
I get so excited about these GF recipes. And after spending $7 for a bag of 10 oz flour and $4 for coconut oil, it looks horrible.
Well that is extremely disappointing! Can you share which brand of cassava flour you purchased? Or what looks horrible about it? I'd love to help you troubleshoot if I can, and make sure others don't have any issues.
How long do these last in fridge?!
My rule of thumb is 5-7 days! But you want them to be in a sealed container. They will solidify in the fridge (coconut oil solidifies) but soften as soon as you warm them up!
I am working on these now. I am not the best cook, so wanted to see if you could help me troubleshoot…
I can not handle them like you in the video - they fall apart very easily. I added more water but the dough was getting runny and no longer looking like yours.
And they are coming out hard - not pliable…
I used a different brand a cassava but it was very powdery like the one you show in the video.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Hi Lyn, Sorry for the difficulties - what brand of cassava flour did you use? I can try to access it and test it. It sounds like you did all the right things so I'm not entirely sure why this recipe didn't work for you unless it was the brand of cassava flour! Perhaps it needed to rest a bit or needed more oil? Did you end up getting it to work?
Hello, I’ve read the whole page here. I seen where it said if your dough falls apart add more cassava flour not more water. Hopefully this will work for you.
Thanks for pointing this out, Kris!
I made these to be more burrito sized and used a rolling pin. I found I had to make them a little thick so I could get them off the parchment paper without tearing them. They worked! My husband and I were able to eat our tacos without them falling apart. And they were delicious!
Hi Val! So happy to hear that - and thanks for the tip. I haven't made them burrito-sized, but I like the idea of making them a bit bigger to prevent that tearing. Sounds delicious! Thanks for commenting!
I love these! I’m doing whole 30 and was sad to not have any sort of tortilla options. This is my first time making tortillas from scratch, and they were so delicious! I did use olive oil in the batter and a bit when cooking, and they turned out a bit oily. The next time I think I will use less oil and sub more water as needed in the batter and fry without oil. Overall- amazing. So delicious & I’m so happy I gave this recipe a try! Certainly a new staple- whole 30 or not!
Hi Rachel! Thanks so much for sharing - and I'm glad they worked with olive oil. I haven't tried that, but it does have a lower smoke point and is monounsaturated so liquid at room temperature, which may explain the oil leaking out. Either way, so glad to know that's an option! :)
I cannot believe I waited so long to make these! There were so easy to make and so delicious! Instead of rolling them I hand-pressed them which worked fine.I can see using them as flatbread and as a tortilla. Cannot wait to make these again!
Thanks Courtnay! I'm so glad you loved them and thank you for the tip about hand pressing - great for when we don't have a tortilla press or rolling pin!
These are easy and delicious!
Yay! Thanks! :)