Many home cooks are moving from shop-bought to homemade tortillas. The reasons are clear. You can choose better ingredients, skip additives, save money, and enjoy far better flavour. You need only a few basics, like flour, water, salt, and a drop of oil. Once you learn the rhythm of mixing, resting, and rolling, you’ll have a reliable staple for weekday dinners and weekend treats.
These homemade tortillas (Ela Vegan) are ideal for your vegan Mexican meals. And not only are they homemade and affordable, but heart-healthy (due to oats) and free from palm oil and plastic packaging. Made with just oats, salt (and water, you can also customise them with herbs, spices or even grated vegan cheese.
Keep fresh dough away from young children and pets. Read more on food safety for people and pets.
Healthier Options, Better Ingredients
Homemade tortillas give you direct control over your food. You choose the flour, the fat, and the salt. You can keep it simple with white flour tortillas, or switch to wholemeal flour for more fibre and a fuller flavour. You can also try corn masa harina for a naturally gluten-free option, as long as the packet states it is gluten-free.
Shop tortillas often rely on preservatives and stabilisers so they last longer on shelves. By making your own, you skip ingredients you don’t need. You also decide the salt level and the type of oil. A mild olive oil works well in flour tortillas and keeps the texture tender.
You can boost nutrition with small tweaks. Stir in chopped spinach, grated carrot, or finely chopped herbs for extra colour and vitamins. Add a spoon of ground flaxseed for fibre, or a pinch of turmeric for a warm hue. Keep the dough balanced so it still rolls easily.
For special diets, homemade unleashes flexibility. If you need low sodium, use less salt and let fresh fillings bring flavour. If you’re gluten-free, use certified masa harina for corn tortillas, or a tested gluten-free flour blend designed for flatbreads. If you’re low-carb, almond flour can work with binding help, such as eggs or psyllium, in recipes built for it.
Fewer Additives for Better Wellbeing
Many packed tortillas include preservatives such as calcium propionate, plus emulsifiers and gums for softness. Some people report bloating or mild discomfort after eating products with these additives. Others, especially those with allergies or sensitivities, prefer to avoid them.
Homemade tortillas rely on flour, water, salt, and fat. That is clean eating in practice. If you usually use lard, try olive oil or a neutral oil for a lighter profile. Choose wholemeal flour for fibre and a gentle, nutty taste.
A shorter ingredient list supports better habits across the family. You know what went in, you cooked it, and you serve it hot. That simple chain can make weeknight meals feel calmer and more mindful.
Custom Nutrition to Fit Your Needs
Tailoring tortillas is simple. You can mix wholemeal and white flour for balance, or keep to a single flour for a specific goal. For more protein, add a spoon of vegan Greek yoghurt to the dough for softness and extra body.
Try this easy tweak: add a handful of finely chopped spinach and a teaspoon of olive oil to your usual flour tortilla dough. The colour looks fresh, and the taste is mild. It pairs well with beans. You get extra vitamins and a neat way to slip greens into everyday meals.
Cost Savings and Fresher Taste at Home
Making tortillas at home costs less than most shop packs, especially if you cook often. Flour, water, salt, and oil are low-cost staples. A single batch can feed a family, and the ingredients store well in a cupboard. If you cook in bulk, you save more by freezing extra tortillas for later.
The taste is your reward. Fresh tortillas have a soft bite and a warm aroma that shop packs struggle to match. They bend without cracking, which makes wraps and tacos easier to fill. Use a hot, dry pan and cook each one until it bubbles and lifts in places. That is when you get those tasty brown spots and a light chew.
To keep them soft, stack cooked tortillas in a clean tea towel as you go. The steam keeps them pliable. Store cooled tortillas in a sealed bag in the fridge for up to three days, or freeze with baking paper between each one. Reheat in a dry pan for 20 to 30 seconds per side.
Affordable Ingredients for Everyday Meals
Here is a simple cost picture based on UK averages:
- Plain flour: about £1.00 for 1.5 kg. A batch of 10 tortillas uses around 300 g, about 20p.
- Oil and salt: around 10p per batch.
- Energy cost: depends on your hob, but a short cook adds only a few pence.
That puts a homemade batch of 10 tortillas at roughly 35p to 50p in ingredients. Shop packs of 8 to 10 tortillas often range from £1.00 to £2.00, and sometimes more for premium brands. If you make two batches a week, you could save £50 to £80 a year, with fresher results.
For regular users, buying flour in larger bags and oil in larger bottles increases savings over time.
Enhanced Flavour That Elevates Dishes
Fresh dough gives a soft, warm texture that flatters almost any filling. You get a gentle wheat aroma and a tender chew that wraps well and holds its shape. Pre-packaged versions can taste flat by comparison.
Try a quick taste test. Cook one tortilla at home and warm a shop one side by side. Fill both with refried beans, lime, and a sprinkle of cheese. The homemade tortilla will likely taste fuller, with a nicer bite and a clean finish. Serve with vegan fajitas for breakfast!
The better the base, the better the meal. Homemade tortillas lift simple food, which means you can keep fillings modest and still feel satisfied.
Creative Ways to Personalise Tortillas
Cooking tortillas is more than a task. It is a small ritual you can enjoy alone or share. The rolling and flipping are simple, and you’ll get faster with practice. It is a useful skill that pays off every week, and it adds variety without fuss.
You can play with flavours to match your dishes. A pinch of smoked paprika adds warmth. Chopped coriander gives a fresh kick. A spoon of vegan grated cheese in the dough melts into golden spots on the pan. Colour changes are fun too, like beetroot powder for pink or turmeric for gold.
Tortillas fit into many meals. Tacos are obvious, but you can also make wraps, quesadillas, tostadas, or even sweet versions with cinnamon sugar and yoghurt. The same batch supports several dinners across the week.
Endless Variations for Unique Meals
Here are easy ideas to try:
- Herb-infused: parsley, coriander, or chives in the dough for freshness.
- Cheese-speckled: fine grated cheddar mixed in for savoury spots.
- Spiced: cumin, smoked paprika, or garlic granules for depth.
- Veg-coloured: spinach for green, beetroot for pink, turmeric for gold.
- Corn and flour blend: a half-and-half mix for a soft texture with corn flavour.
Use them in wraps, tacos, quesadillas, and breakfast burritos. For dessert, brush with a little vegan butter (Flora has no palm oil), dust with cinnamon sugar, and serve with sliced fruit and vegan yoghurt. Choose one variation this week and see how it changes your usual meal.
