Homemade Flour Tortillas with Olive Oil

Soft, tender, and surprisingly easy to make, these Homemade Flour Tortillas use olive oil instead of lard or shortening for a simple, flavorful twist. With just a few pantry ingredients and about 30 minutes, you can have warm, flexible tortillas ready for tacos, wraps, burritos, and more.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Homemade Flour Tortillas
• The Story Behind This Recipe
• Tortilla Ingredients (No Lard or Shortening!)
• Why Olive Oil Works So Well in Tortillas
• How to Make Homemade Flour Tortillas
• Tips for Soft, Flexible Flour Tortillas
• Why Are My Homemade Tortillas Tough?
• How to Store and Reheat Homemade Tortillas
• Can I Use Olive Oil Instead of Lard in Tortillas?
• Common Questions
• Serving Ideas
• More Easy Tex-Mex Recipes
• Homemade Flour Tortillas

Homemade flour tortillas are one of those things I avoided making for a long time; I had no one to teach me how, and on some level, I thought that was a requirement. And they seemed complicated. But once you make them the first time, you realize they just require a handful of pantry staples, warm water, and a little patience.

This easy homemade tortilla recipe skips the lard and shortening entirely, using olive oil instead. The result is a soft, flavorful tortilla that stays tender and pliable long after it comes off the skillet.

And the smell? Warm flour and toasted dough drifting through the kitchen like somebody's Abuelita has been cooking all afternoon - not bad for something you can pull together in about 30 minutes!

Why You'll Love These Homemade Flour Tortillas

• No lard or shortening
• Made with simple pantry staples
• Soft and flexible enough for burritos and wraps
• Ready in about half an hour
• Easy to freeze and reheat
• Great for tacos, quesadillas, and breakfast burritos
• Tender even after they cool

The Story Behind This Recipe

It's been more than twenty years since I had first ate a warm, homemade flour tortilla. The memory is as fresh as if it had happened yesterday.

Our cousin Leah - the Mexican-born daughter of missionaries - stands at the counter rolling tortillas one after another as a cloud of flour motes dance in the sunlight streaming in the kitchen window. In well-practiced rhythm, she flips, turns, and fries each circle; quickly building a stack of warm, floury flat-breads tall enough to feed our small army of children.

Watching her work was a moment of pure grace, and I remember feeling immense gratitude for her efforts.

The tortillas puffed and blistered in the pan before being stacked into warm floury towers wrapped in towels on the table. Soft, chewy, tender, they were nothing like the dry grocery store tortillas I'd grown up eating.

And here's the big secret I learned that day: homemade flour tortillas are actually incredibly easy to make - all you need is a bowl, a rolling pin, a hot skillet, and a half an hour.

Tortilla Ingredients (No Lard or Shortening!)

You only need a handful of basic ingredients:

• All-purpose flour
• Kosher salt
• Baking powder
• Light olive oil (or avocado oil)
• Warm water: The water should be lukewarm, 105°F - 115°F (40°C - 48°C), something you can comfortably wash your hands in. 

Why Olive Oil Works So Well in Tortillas

Traditional flour tortillas are often made with lard or shortening, both of which create tenderness in the dough. Olive oil does the same job beautifully, while keeping the ingredient list simple and a little lighter.

It also happens to be one of those ingredients most of us already have in the kitchen.

The olive oil gives these tortillas a soft texture and helps keep them flexible after cooking, which makes them especially good for wraps and burritos. No cracking. No stiff edges. No sad tortilla shattering across your plate halfway through dinner.

How to Make Homemade Flour Tortillas

Make the Dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.

Drizzle in the olive oil and mix until the flour looks crumbly. You can use your hands or a fork here - either works.

Add the warm water a little at a time, mixing until a soft dough forms. The dough should feel soft and smooth, but not sticky.

Turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, adding a little flour only if needed.

Let the Dough Rest

Form the dough into a ball and cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.

Let the dough rest on the counter for about 20 minutes. This step makes a huge difference. Resting relaxes the gluten so the tortillas roll out much more easily later on. (If you skip it, the dough tends to spring back like a rubber band while you're rolling.)

Roll Out the Tortillas

Divide the dough into golf ball-sized pieces and roll each piece into a smooth ball. Keep them covered while you work so they don't dry out.

Flatten each dough ball slightly with your palm, dust lightly with flour, and roll into a thin 5-6 inch circle. Turn and flip the dough occasionally while rolling to help keep the shape even. They do not need to be perfect circles.

Cook the Tortillas

Heat a dry skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cast iron works especially well here. Do not grease the pan.

Place one tortilla into the hot skillet and cook for about 20-30 seconds, until bubbles begin to form and light golden spots appear underneath.

Flip and cook the second side another 20-30 seconds.

The tortillas should stay soft with scattered golden brown spots. If they become crisp, the pan is probably too hot or they cooked too long.

TIP: It takes about the same amount of time to roll out a tortilla as it does for to fry one, so after you roll the first few, it is easy to get into a rhythm of cooking one and rolling the next at the same time.

Keep Tortillas Soft and Warm

This little step makes all the difference.

As the tortillas finish cooking, stack them immediately inside a folded kitchen towel or tortilla warmer. The trapped steam keeps them soft and pliable.

Tips for Soft, Flexible Flour Tortillas

A few simple things help homemade tortillas turn out especially tender:

• Don't add too much flour while kneading
• Let the dough rest before rolling
• Roll the tortillas fairly thin
• Keep the skillet hot but not smoking
• Slightly undercook rather than overcook
• Stack cooked tortillas immediately to trap steam

The first tortilla is usually the "practice tortilla" (like the first pancake). That's just part of the process.

Why Are My Homemade Tortillas Tough?

Too Much Flour

Adding too much flour while kneading creates a drier dough and tougher tortillas.

The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky, not dry.

Overcooking

Tortillas cook very quickly. Even an extra 20-30 seconds can make them stiff instead of tender.

Not Enough Rest Time

If the dough doesn't rest, the gluten stays tight and the tortillas tend to cook up chewy.

How to Store and Reheat Homemade Tortillas

Once cooled, store tortillas in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

To reheat:

• Warm briefly in a dry skillet
• Wrap in a damp towel and microwave for a few seconds
• Heat directly over a gas flame for light charring

Homemade tortillas also freeze surprisingly well. Place parchment paper between them, tuck into a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 2 months.

Can I Use Olive Oil Instead of Lard in Tortillas?

Absolutely! Olive oil works beautifully in homemade flour tortillas and creates a dough that's soft, flavorful, and easy to work with. It's also a great option for vegetarian households or for anyone who simply doesn't keep shortening or lard in the pantry.

The flavor is mild, and once cooked, the tortillas still have that familiar chewy tenderness people expect from a good flour tortilla.

Common Questions

Serving Ideas

These homemade flour tortillas are perfect for:

• Tacos
• Breakfast burritos
• Chicken wraps
• Quesadillas
• Fajitas
• Soup and chili nights
• Huevos Rancheros
• Greek Tacos
• Creamy Seafood Enchiladas
• Freshly fried and slathered with butter and honey

(That last one may be the best option of all. 😉)

More Easy Tex-Mex Recipes

• Calypso Mango Chili (Award Winner!)
• Old-School Tamale Pie
• Mexican Street Corn (Elotes Mexicanos) Compound Butter
• Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Sweet & Spicy Black Beans

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POST UPDATED 2.15.2020 - This post was originally published June 30, 2014.