Looking for a simple and satisfying recipe for paleo and gluten-free tortillas that are soft and pliable? Look no further than this fantastic cassava flour tortillas recipe!
With only four easy-to-find and simple ingredients – cassava flour, water, extra virgin olive oil, and salt – you can quickly make a batch of delicious tortillas that are perfect for all sorts of dishes.
Whether you use them to make tacos, burritos, wraps, or even quesadillas, count on these soft and pliable cassava flour tortillas to make your healthy lifestyle easier.
A tortillas recipe that can accommodate many diets
I’ve been making cassava tortillas since 2017. I remember the first time; they were terrible, but I was proud. At the time, there were not many store-bought alternatives, so my only option was to make them.
In the meantime, I made them repeatedly and perfected them so you won’t have to go through the same painful process.
It does take some practice to perfect them, depending on how skilled you are at working with dough in general. But anyone can make them. They are closer in taste and texture to wheat flour tortillas than corn tortillas.
I love this cassava flour tortillas recipe because it can accommodate so many diets:
- grain-free
- nut-free
- paleo
- gluten-free
- lectin-free
- dairy-free
- vegan
- AIP (auto-immune protocol)
- whole-30
- low-histamine
Cassava flour
Cassava flour is such a great flour to work with. Cassava flour is made of yuca root, also called cassava root or manioc, a starchy root vegetable native to South America. To create the cassava flour, the root is peeled, ground, and sun-dried or slow-baked.
If you’ve ever been to a Brazilian restaurant or a churrascaria, you probably had the famous Brazilian cheese bread, Pao de Queijo, as a starter. Those are made of cassava flour.
I have two versions of Brazilian bread made with cassava flour:
- Auntie Jovita’s Brazilian Cheese Bread (made with cheese)
- Pao De Beijo – Vegan Sweet Potato Snack Bread
NOTE: cassava flour and tapioca starch or tapioca flour are not the same thing.
Check out our Quick Guide to Lectin-Free and Gluten-Free Flours.
Tools you need to make this grain-free tortilla recipe
A cast-iron skillet or griddle is best for making these tortillas. Alternatively, you can use a ceramic-coated pan.
The tortillas are cooked on medium-high heat, in a pan without oil; that’s why you need something that can withstand these conditions.
They can be made on the stove, but during summer, we even make them on the grill (with the cover), using a cast iron plate.
Don’t use non-stick pans made of Teflon or other toxic materials.
Now, I work with a Carbon Steel Crepe Pan.
de Buyer cookware
A kitchen scale
I feel is safer to measure 200 grams, as sometimes a cup measurement can be tricky due to the different textures cassava flour brands may have.
If you don’t have a scale yet, the approximate measurement is 1 cup + 1 tablespoon. Don’t worry, though; you can always adjust the quantity of water if there is too much or too little flour.
A tortilla press (or a rolling pin)
To flatten the dough, you can use a rolling pin or a tortilla press. The tortilla press method is faster, so please use it if you have one.
Victoria cookware
Victoria Cast Iron Tortilla Press, Tortilla and Roti Maker, 8 Inches
I don’t have a tortilla press. Due to our nomadic lifestyle, a tortilla press seems too much to carry around, so I stick to the old method, a rolling pin. It works very well to flatten the dough, but it takes a slightly longer time.
Other tools: mixing bowl, parchment paper, non-slippery work surface
Sometimes I can roll them without a piece of parchment paper on top; sometimes, I can’t. You can try and see what works for you.
I usually work on my kitchen table. If my table is too slippery for the parchment paper sheet, I use a silicone mat as a base.
Ingredients for 8-10 cassava tortillas
- 200 grams cassava flour (if there is an option for the type of flour, make sure it is extra-fine)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
If you roll them out and want to shape them perfectly round, with the help of a round bowl, you will have some discarded dough, which you will use at the end to make one or two extra tortillas. That’s why the number of portions can vary from 8 to 10.
The size of these tortillas is about 7-8″ or about 20cm. They are not all perfectly equal.
How to make easy cassava flour tortillas
- Add the cassava flour, extra virgin olive oil, and salt to a bowl. Add one cup of water, mix with a wooden spoon or spatula and start adding the rest of the water. When you cannot use the spatula anymore, start mixing with your hands. For me, it almost always works with 1 1/2 cup of water, but if your flour has a slightly different texture, it might require more or less. Look for a play dough texture.
- This is the secret to a very elastic dough, so don’t skip this step. Once the dough becomes homogeneous, knead it for about five minutes until it becomes very elastic and you start to hear and feel pockets of air inside it. You have to stop before it becomes sticky.
- Shape it into a ball and portion it into eight equal parts, which you will shape into eight dough balls. While you are working on each tortilla, cover the rest, so they don’t dry out. If you feel they are a little dry, you can add warm water or you can lightly wet your hand and knead it a little bit before rolling it out.
- There are two ways to do this. 1. You roll them all out first and place them in between squares of parchment paper. After rolling them out, you start to cook them. 2. Roll them one by one, and while one cooks, you can prepare the next one. I use the first method when cooking them on the stove. When I make them on the grill outside, I first finish rolling them out, and then my husband is in charge of cooking them on the grill.
How to cook cassava tortillas
- Heat a dry cast-iron skillet on the stove or on the grill. It has to be hot before you add the first tortilla.
- If the dough is really pliable and elastic (which it should be if you follow all the steps above), you just take the tortilla with your hands (see photo below) and throw it in the pan. If you feel they are not that sturdy, use the bottom parchment paper to flip them onto the pan.
- Cook for about two or three minutes on each side, on medium high heat; they will start forming brown blisters and air pockets. Don’t worry if they don’t form the air pockets; they’ll still be good. Some things will come with practice. I noticed that when I use the grill, they’ll take a little longer to cook.
- Once cooked, put them on a towel and partially cover them. If you cover them entirely, steam will be formed, and they might stick to each other or get too soft. But even if that happens, you can separate them again. I actually prefer when they soften up, especially if I will reheat them. If the heat is too strong and you cook them for too long, they’ll become hard.
How to store cassava tortillas
You can eat these immediately, or you can make them in advance and quickly warm them up before serving (you can also use them cold).
You can store them overnight on the counter, wrapped in a towel, or the refrigerator for one day, in a covered container or plastic bag.
I love to make big batches, stack them with parchment paper squares and freeze them. You don’t need to thaw them. Just drop them on a hot pan, and they’ll be ready in a maximum of one minute.
They can also be warmed in the oven. Just be careful; if you warm them for too long, they’ll become chips or tostadas.
Gluten-Free Green Cassava Tortillas
I used this recipe as a base and made these beautiful and delicious Gluten-Free Green Tortillas. Try them out if you want to have more fun with color and even add more nutrition power to these lectin-free cassava flour tortillas.
How to serve cassava tortillas
Of course, they are best with tacos, but they can replace any type of bread. Use it for sandwiches, burritos, or as pita bread. Serve them with our homemade ground beef taco meat.
They are also perfect for trying the famous tortilla wrap hack. It makes for an amazing tortilla sandwich.
Let me know if you make them and how you use them! And don’t forget, practice makes perfect. My first-ever cassava flour tortillas were terrible, but they are better every time I make them. Enjoy!
A keto tortilla recipe
If you are looking for a low-carb tortilla, try our Coconut Flour Tortillas. They are soft and pliable, perfect for holding your favorite fillings, and have under 1 gram of carbs.
*This post contains affiliated links, which means I get a small commission if you choose to purchase something via one of my links, at no extra cost to you.
PrintEasy Cassava Flour Tortillas
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8
Description
These easy-to-make cassava flour tortillas only have four ingredients: cassava flour, water, extra virgin olive oil, and salt. Count on these tortillas to be soft and pliable and easy to store and reheat. Use them to make tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and tortilla wraps, or even use them as a base for a mini pizza or flatbread.
Ingredients
- 200 grams cassava flour (if there is an option for the type of flour, make sure is extra-fine)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add the cassava flour, extra virgin olive oil, and salt to a bowl. Add one cup of water, mix with a wooden spoon or spatula and start adding the rest of the water. When you cannot use the spatula anymore, start mixing with your hands. For me, it almost always works with 1 1/2 cup of water, but if your flour has a slightly different texture, it might require more or less. Look for a playdough texture.
- This is the secret to a very elastic dough, so don’t skip this step. Once the dough becomes homogeneous, knead it for about five minutes until the dough becomes very elastic, and you start to hear and feel pockets of air inside it. You have to stop before it becomes sticky.
- Shape it into a ball and portion it into eight equal parts. While you are working on each tortilla, cover the rest, so they don’t dry out. If you feel they are a little dry, you can lightly wet your hand and knead it a little bit before rolling it out.
- There are two ways to do this. 1. You roll them all out first and place them in between squares of parchment paper. After rolling them out, you start to cook them. 2. Roll them one by one, and while one cooks, you can prepare the next one. I use the first method when cooking them on the stove. When I make them on the grill outside, I first finish rolling them out, and then my husband is in charge of cooking them on the grill.
- Heat a dry cast-iron skillet on the stove or on the grill. It has to be hot before you add the first tortilla.
- If the dough is really pliable and elastic (which it should be if you follow all the steps above), you just take the tortilla with your hands (see photo above) and throw it in the pan. If you feel they are not that sturdy, use the bottom parchment paper to flip it onto the pan.
- Cook for about two or three minutes on each side, on medium high heat; they will start forming brown blisters and air pockets. Don’t worry if they don’t form the air pockets; they’ll still be good. Some things will come with practice. I noticed that when I use the grill, they’ll take a little longer to cook.
- Once cooked, put them on a towel and partially cover. If you cover them entirely, steam will be formed, and they might stick to each other or get too soft. But even if that happens, you can separate them again. I actually prefer when they soften up, especially if I will reheat them. If the heat is too strong and you cook them for too long, they’ll become hard.
- You can eat these straight away, or you can make them in advance and quickly warm them up before serving (you can also use them cold). You can store them overnight on the counter, wrapped in a towel, or in the refrigerator for one day, in a covered container or plastic bag.
- I love to make big batches, stack them with parchment paper squares and freeze them. You don’t need to thaw them. Just drop them on a hot pan, and they’ll be ready in a maximum of one minute. They can also be warmed in the oven. Just be careful; if you warm them for too long, they’ll become chips or tostadas.
Notes
I recommend reading the entire post and seeing the picture guide before starting.
36 Comments
Maiangela
February 7, 2022 at 11:03 amAwesome recipe! Trying it now. It seems that with a little tweaking maybe, this could make a great pasta recipe, or pizza dough recipe. Thank you so much for all the wonderful recipes Claudia. It’s made my lectin free diet so much more fun and delicious!
Claudia
February 8, 2022 at 4:33 amThank you so much, and you are right, the sky is the limit with this dough. Hugs, xx
Roxana
February 4, 2022 at 8:03 amHi Claudia,
Can cassava flour be substituted with teff flour? I bought some teff flour and I do not know how to use it. 🙂
Thanks!
Claudia
February 6, 2022 at 10:32 amHi Roxana, not at all in this case. These two flours have different properties. xx
Jon
August 25, 2021 at 6:07 pmHello Claudia!
I love tortillas, but I noticed the pillowing in the tortillas in your photos. I love that!
I am on a quest to make pita bread. I want to open these up to put fillings in them.
What changes do you suppose would consistently create a pita?
Claudia
August 30, 2021 at 1:47 amHi Jon, have you tried my pita bread recipe? I think that one makes better pita-style bread. Otherwise, try to roll these tortillas thicker. You may need to finish cooking in the oven, I’m not sure. But if you want that pocket, maybe try the pita recipe first. xx
Amy g
May 22, 2021 at 5:27 pmWorked beautifully for me Claudia, awesome recipe I even sub butter for the evoo for a rich butter flavor and it was nice for scrambled eggs in the tortilla. Appreciate your techniques and recipes
Claudia
May 23, 2021 at 3:30 amSo happy it worked, thank you for letting us know about the substitution too, it’s great to know it works with butter. CC
Marilyn Francis
February 28, 2021 at 8:33 amhow much olive oil ??????not a mind reader
Claudia
February 28, 2021 at 9:34 amHi Marilyn, you don’t need to be a mind reader, you just need to take the time to read the entire post. As stated above: Quantities for 8-10 tortillas
You need 200 grams of cassava flour, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt and start with about 1/2 cup lukewarm water (the chances are you will add much more, but it also depends on your flour). You will add water until the dough will become homogeneous, well hydrated and pliable, but will stay hard. Knead it well for about 10 minutes, adding more water if necessary (like you would knead a normal bread), the dough will get elastic and sticky and it won’t break when you will roll out the tortillas.
Melissa
March 17, 2022 at 6:36 pmI think the blog say to use 1 and 1/2 cups of water at least that’s how I read it… I had soupy dough but still got it to work
Claudia
March 20, 2022 at 7:22 amHi Melissa, yes, that’s the quantity you need for this recipe, but the water (at least the last 1/2 cup) is added gradually, as you are kneading the dough. I always end up adding 1 1/2 cup of water in the end, hence why I said you need about 1 1/2 cups. Cassava flour types and brands might differ, hence you might need more or less. If by any chance you end up with a watery consistency, just add more flour, it’s a forgiving recipe. Just keep in mind that it might take some time for the flour to absorb all the water (which you will notice when you are kneading). xx
Nina
May 23, 2023 at 3:33 amI love this recipe because it is so easy! Do you have a recipe of a lectin free bread/bun option that is as easy but you make it in the oven? Thanks!
Claudia
May 23, 2023 at 4:06 amHi Nina! I’m glad you love it and find it easy to make. I do have quite a few recipes, use the search bar and type “bread” and look the ones that are not sourdough. There is Sorghum Bread Rolls, Hamburger Buns, Everyday Lectin-Free Bread, and Keto Walnut Rolls. I hope this helps xx. Claudia