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.
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.
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. 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. I recommend reading the entire post and seeing the picture guide before starting. Easy Cassava Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
36 Comments
Erin
March 29, 2023 at 3:56 pmAhhhhh lol! What am I doing wrong? Too much water and it runs all over (like cornstarch and water); too little water and it is ever so crumbly – even with persistent kneading. I started w/1 C of flour (PuroRaw Organic) and it was still super runny. I bet I added up to 2 more cups and didnt even use all the water before it got playdoh like – but still wouldnt hold together. Any ideas? Right now I am just test cookin the super runny mixture 🤪
Claudia
March 30, 2023 at 3:32 amHi Erin, I’m as puzzled as you are. The recipe is so easy, I don’t think there is room for big mistakes. There were a couple of people who had this problem, and the only thing I can think of is that there was a problem with the flour. Try Otto’s cassava flour and see how things change. Claudia
Claudia
March 30, 2023 at 3:35 amAlso, please weigh the flour; you need 200 grams of flour, for these types of flour, using a cup measurement is not accurate. Still, adding 3 times more flour is puzzling… It should not be the case, unless something is wrong with the flour.
Gazelle
December 18, 2022 at 1:05 pmThank you so much for this great recipe. I used Otto’s Cassava flour and only needed 1 cup warm water to get a nice play dough consistency. My first ones were a bit too wet, I couldn’t roll them but pat them down with my fingers but came out great. My later ones were perfect consistency, rolled them out over some parchment paper, but when cooked became too dry. Like chips.
Do you think I should just add more water next time? Or just shorter cooking time?
Also in order to freeze them, can I roll them out and freeze? Or do I have to cook them before freezing?
Thank you for your advice.
Claudia
December 18, 2022 at 1:19 pmHi Gazelle, good call to add just enough water to get that consistency. Cassava flour brands can be so different. They get crispy only when you cook them for too long. Next time take them out earlier. And you should freeze them cooked, not raw. Although I don’t think that’s entirely wrong, I never tried, and I think it makes sense to have them ready to eat; just warm them up a little bit in a pan or the even. Just be careful; time makes the difference between a tortilla and tostada or tortilla chips. Also, maybe try with one or two extra tablespoons of water; it’s possible the dough was a little drier than it should be. Please let me know how it works next time. It takes a little bit of practice. I remember my first-ever cassava tortillas were also dry 😀
Lisa
September 18, 2022 at 7:41 pmHi Claudia! Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. Just went on lectin-free diet & was missing bread so much, now I make these tortillas & they are a God send to me,! Couldn’t get the dough to come out elasticy, I used 1.6 cups of the cassava flour which I believe is 200 grams & only needed 1 cup of the water or it would have been soupy. The dough was sticky & it stuck to the rolling pin so I ended up just pressing it flat with my fingers. But they came out great, just like you said with brown blisters & air pockets. Your recipes have saved my gut, thank you thank you thank you!!!!!
Claudia
September 20, 2022 at 4:04 amHi Lisa, so glad I can be of help. That’s so strange what happened to the tortillas. 200g of cassava flour is about 1 cup and 1 tablespoon. For this quantity, we need 1 1/2 cup of water. I wonder if there is something wrong with the flour you used? Can you tell me which brand you used? Maybe you used tapioca flour instead of cassava flour?
Lisa
September 29, 2022 at 10:26 amI used Food to Live cassava flour. I’m making more today, will see how it goes! What brand of cassava flour do you use?
Claudia
September 30, 2022 at 2:51 amI made these tortillas with many brands of cassava flour. But if I had a choice, I would use Otto’s. It is the best cassava flour I’ve tried so far, but unfortunately, hard to get in Europe. Please let me know how it goes, let’s troubleshoot this problem for you. xx
Donna
May 10, 2022 at 3:31 pmEasy Cassava Flour Tortillas Recipe (4-Ingredients)
I can’t find a concise copy of the recipe anywhere on the recipe page, just your narrative down a very long page. Can you please send me the recipe itself? I’m going to struggle with the “grams” instead of “cups” and not having the recipe itself, outside your text. Please help
Thanks,
Donna
Claudia
May 12, 2022 at 4:45 amHi Donna, everything you need to know to make these tortillas is in this post. You have to read it carefully to understand what elements you need to be able to make this recipe. A concise recipe card will not be enough for the first time you make these tortillas, that’s why I didn’t add one to the post. This is a very easy recipe, but you need to be aware of some things before you start. After you make it once, it will be very easy. Let’s say, the success of this recipe is more about the technique and the tools you use than the recipe itself. I hope this is helpful.
Angelica Barrera
February 8, 2022 at 10:51 amHi, how many calories per serving?
Claudia
February 8, 2022 at 11:19 amHi Angelica, counting calories is not part of how I approach my diet unless I’m doing a 5-day fasting-mimicking diet. You can insert the ingredients in one of those apps that will tell you how many calories.
Angelica Barrera
February 8, 2022 at 1:49 pmThank you