I am a HUGE fan of homemade tortillas / flatbreads/ roti. Store bought ones have so many additives! Therefore, increasingly, I find myself avoiding store bought flatbreads. I mean, why should I, when making them at home is so easy! This vibrant and beautiful flour tortillas recipe is up there in the list of my favourite flatbreads, ever, closely followed by this spicy flatbread and gluten free naan. If you are not already, I urge you to switch to making tortillas at home. It may sound complicated and time-consuming to make them, but trust me, it is not difficult at all! The aroma of homemade tortillas is so comforting!
Ingredients for making vegan tortillas
The flours: You might be familiar with corn tortillas. You might also be familiar with flour tortilla. These ones are extra special as there are two flours in this recipe - whole wheat and chickpea. The whole wheat flour is the base while the chickpea flour adds additional flavor and nutrition to the tortillas. Herbs: Fresh cilantro it is for me! Use the leaves and the stems for that extra crunch, flavor and fiber! You can use other herbs if you wish (see the notes section below for more details on that). Spices: All the wonderful gut-healing spices (read the section below for more about the goodness of these spices) - carom / caraway seeds; turmeric; coriander and black pepper…..your house will be filled with their lovely aroma. So good! 😋
The healing spices in this tortilla recipe
Carom / Caraway Seeds: Also known as Ajwain in Hindi, these tiny seeds look like miniature cumin seeds. They are strong in flavor and can take some getting used to! However, they are such a powerhouse of goodness and especially good for the gut.
Turmeric: This spice is more than just a spice for me (as for most Indians!) - it is an emotion! The distinctive bright hue that turmeric adds to a dish is something that my cooking is incomplete without! Curcumin - the active ingredient in this spice - has numerous health benefits.
Coriander: Ubiquitous to Indian cooking, I love the earthy aroma of coriander seeds! Ayurveda, the ancient healing science, hails coriander seeds as a spice that has a cooling effect on the gut.
Black pepper: This spice does not need any introduction! Apart from adding that spicy punch to this dish, as mentioned in the sweet potatoes soup post, black pepper and turmeric together in any dish are so good!
Sesame seeds: These tiny, off-white seeds are filled with good oils! Sesame seeds add a delicious nuttiness to these tortillas. You can skip this ingredient if you have any allergies with sesame.
What is so good about this recipe?
For starters, this recipe is a flavor bomb! And then these reasons: Quick Easy Warm and soft Gorgeous colour Savoury Yeast free No baking powder No dairy or eggs Packed with healing spices and herbs Kid friendly Can be made in bulk If you have struggled with making bread in the past then tortillas or flatbreads is a great place to start.
Making these tortillas
Let’s get in the kitchen and make these delicious and easy vegan, no yeast tortillas together, shall we? The detailed recipe is below in a separate, printable recipe card. STEP 1: Measure all the ingredients. To make the dough, start by setting 100 ml of water to boil. While the water is boiling, in a large bowl, add the herbs and spices - chopped cilantro, turmeric, salt, carom seeds, ground coriander, crushed black pepper and sesame seeds. Mix them. Crush the carom seeds between your palms before adding them to the bowl. This will help release their oils and aroma of the seeds. Step 2: The salt will begin to extract the water from the cilantro. That is exactly what we want! Now add in the two flours - whole wheat and chickpea - and mix them well. Add the (hot) water. While the mixture is hot, begin by mixing it with a ladle. When it is cool enough to handle, get your hands in and give the dough a good mix. The dough should come together with the amount of water we measured. Add in a little bit more water, if needed, to make a dough that is soft, yet firm. Cover and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. Step 3: While the dough is resting, let us do two things:
- Set a skillet / frying pan on medium-low heat and
- Set up the counter space to roll out the tortillas. We will need some extra whole wheat flour for dusting and rolling them. Step 4: After the dough has rested for about 5 minutes, knead it with the base of your palm for 3 - 4 minutes. This is important. Step 5: Pinch the dough into equal portions. Roll each portion, between your palms, to a smooth ball. Dip the dough ball in some flour and on a well dusted surface, roll out each ball to a round shape. Do not roll them out too thin - 5 inches diameter should be good enough. Step 6: The pan should be evenly hot by now. Turn the heat up (from medium-low) to medium. Place the rolled out tortilla to the pan. Roast the tortillas on one side for 40 - 50 seconds. Flip over (when you see bubbles appear) and drizzle 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Roast again for 40 - 50 seconds (press with a spatula to help the sides cook well. When you see brown spots appear on both sides, that is a sign that the tortilla is well roasted. On a plate place a clean tea towel. Place the cooked tortilla on the tea towel and wrap it up. The steam will keep them soft and warm. That’s it, easy and quick homemade tortillas are ready for you to enjoy with your family! 😎 Serve with dip, curry, soup or stew of your choice. See serving suggestions below.
Tips, notes and substitutions
Follow these tips and notes to make super soft, failproof homemade tortillas. Water: Use hot water for mixing the dough. The hot water will help release the gluten from the flour and the make tortillas super soft. So do not forget this step. Roasting the tortillas: One of the critical steps to making tortillas that will stay soft for long, is to get the pan evenly and well heated. So make sure you heat your pan enough. Kneading the dough: Kneading the dough well will work the gluten and give us soft flatbreads. Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes. consider it as arm exercise 😀 While kneading, apply the pressure from your shoulder. You will know that the dough is well kneaded when it is smooth and without any cracks. No wheat flour? You can use all purpose flour instead. Herbs: You can use other herbs such as dill, oregano or mint in place of cilantro. You can also add chopped spinach. How to keep the tortillas soft? The best way to keep them soft is to wrap them in a tea towel. The steam will help keep them soft and warm. The best way to avoid cracked, dry tortillas: is to knead the dough well. This will help make the dough soft and pliable.
Storage and reheating
These fresh homemade tortillas will stay good at room temperature for 1 day and in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Wrap them in a tea towel (as mentioned above) and while they are stills warm, place them in a zip lock bag (or a box with tight lid) and keep them in the fridge.
Reheat the tortillas: The tortillas will become hard and stiff in the refrigerator and therefore your must reheat to soften them. You can reheat them in a microwave or in a skillet.
To reheat them in a microwave, place them on a damp paper towel, cover them with another damp paper towel and microwave them on high for 30 - 40 seconds.
To reheat them in a skillet, place them on a hot skillet. Dab them with a damp tea towel and let them heat gently on medium heat. Flip them over, dab them again with a damp towel and reheat for another 30-40 seconds.
Serving suggestions
These tortillas are so handy one for everyday use and can be enjoyed in so many ways! I love rolling it up and having it, on its own, with a cup of steaming hot chai (Indian tea). If you want to make it more wholesome, use it as a wrap with a filling of garlic butter mushroom stir fry. or with this crunchy carrots and daikon pickle……so yummy! This flatbread makes a perfect based for dipping into this delicious cucumber raita. Lush! If you have made these vegan tortillas, please take a moment to leave a comment and /or a rating below. This will make me super happy and motivate me to create more good content for you! xx Padma
📖 Recipe
Disclosure: The nutritional information is calculated using an online calculator and is based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionists’ advice. Changing the quantities and cooking technique will alter the nutritional calculations.
