How to Make Tortillas With Only 3 Ingredients
By Burro Blanco
4 Views
Okay so this one is for everyone who thinks making tortillas at home is complicated. It is not. At all. You literally only need three ingredients and you probably already have all of them in your kitchen right now. No special equipment, no fancy techniques, no long list of things to buy. Just three simple things and about twenty minutes of your time. If you love the fresh warm tortillas you get at the best Tortilla Restaurant Dubai food lovers keep visiting — Burro Blanco — you already know how good a simple well made tortilla can be. And this recipe is going to get you surprisingly close to that experience right in your own kitchen.
The Three Ingredients
That is it. Just these three things.
Flour — two cups of regular all purpose flour. Whole wheat works too if you prefer.
Salt — one teaspoon. Just regular table salt.
Water — three quarters of a cup of warm water. Warm not cold — this matters for the texture.
That is your entire ingredient list. No oil, no baking powder, no eggs, no butter. Just flour, salt, and water. Simple as it gets.
But Wait — Is This Actually Good
Yes. Genuinely yes. A lot of people assume that fewer ingredients means worse results. But corn tortillas have been made with basically just two ingredients — masa and water — for thousands of years. The simplicity is the point. When you strip everything back to the basics what you get is a clean, honest, slightly chewy tortilla that tastes really good and works perfectly for wraps, tacos, and quesadillas.
It is not the same as a butter or lard tortilla which is softer and richer. But it is delicious in its own way and incredibly satisfying to make because of how easy it is.
How to Make It
Step 1 — Mix the Dough
Put two cups of flour and one teaspoon of salt in a bowl. Mix them together with your fingers or a spoon so the salt is evenly distributed throughout the flour.
Now slowly add the warm water. Do not pour it all in at once — add it gradually and mix as you go. Use a spoon or your hand to bring everything together. You want a soft dough that holds together without being sticky. If it feels too dry add a tiny bit more water one tablespoon at a time. If it feels sticky add a little more flour.
Step 2 — Knead the Dough
Turn the dough out onto a clean flat surface. Knead it for about three to four minutes. Push it away from you with the heel of your hand, fold it back, turn it, and repeat. The dough should become smooth and elastic after a few minutes of kneading.
You will feel the difference as you knead — it starts out a little rough and comes together into a smooth ball. That smoothness means the gluten is developing properly and your tortillas will have a good texture.
Step 3 — Rest the Dough
This step is important. Put the dough back in the bowl and cover it with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let it rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes.
During this rest the gluten relaxes completely. This makes the dough much easier to roll out and results in a softer finished tortilla. If you skip the rest the dough will keep springing back when you try to roll it and you will end up frustrated. Just wait the 20 minutes. It is worth it.
Step 4 — Divide the Dough
After resting, divide the dough into equal portions. This recipe makes about eight to ten small tortillas or six to eight medium ones depending on how thick you roll them.
Roll each portion into a smooth ball between your palms. Keep the balls you are not using covered with a damp cloth so they do not dry out while you are working.
Step 5 — Roll Them Out
Take one dough ball and place it on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin roll it out into a thin round shape. Try to get it as thin as you can — about two to three millimeters thick. The thinner you roll it the better the tortilla will be.
Do not worry if it is not a perfect circle. Slightly uneven edges and imperfect shapes are completely fine and honestly make them look more homemade and authentic. Real handmade tortillas are never perfectly round.
Step 6 — Cook Them
Heat a dry pan on medium high heat. No oil, no butter — just a dry pan. Let it get properly hot before you start cooking.
Place a rolled tortilla in the pan. Cook for about 30 to 45 seconds on the first side. You will see it start to bubble slightly and develop small golden brown spots on the bottom. Those spots are good — they mean flavor.
Flip it. Cook for another 20 to 30 seconds on the second side. The whole tortilla should have some brown spots and it might puff up slightly in the middle. That puffing is a very good sign — it means steam is building inside and the tortilla is cooking properly all the way through.
Take it off the pan and wrap it immediately in a clean kitchen towel. Stack each tortilla inside the towel as you finish cooking them. The steam keeps them soft and warm.
Tips to Make Them Even Better
The water temperature matters more than you think. Use warm water — not cold, not boiling. Warm water helps the flour absorb moisture more evenly and makes the dough smoother and easier to work with.
Do not skip the rest. This is the most important tip in the whole recipe. Twenty minutes feels like a long time when you are hungry but it makes a real difference to the final texture. Rested dough is softer, more pliable, and rolls out much more easily.
Keep everything covered. Any dough that is left uncovered will start to dry out and crack. Keep your dough ball covered, keep your rolled out tortillas covered until they go on the pan, and keep your cooked tortillas wrapped in the towel.
Get the pan hot first. A cold or warm pan will make your tortilla cook unevenly and take too long. It should be hot enough that when you place the tortilla on it you immediately hear a slight sizzle. That is the right temperature.
Cook them fast. Each tortilla should only take about one minute total. Quick cooking on high heat is better than slow cooking on low heat. Quick cooking traps the moisture inside which keeps the tortilla soft.
What to Do With Your Three Ingredient Tortillas
These simple tortillas work for everything. Use them for chicken wraps, egg breakfast rolls, quesadillas, tacos, or anything else you would normally use a tortilla for.
Because they have no added fat they are slightly chewier than butter or lard tortillas. This actually makes them really good for wraps and burritos where you want the tortilla to hold everything together firmly without tearing.
They are also great as a simple side bread — warm, fresh, and eaten alongside soup or a curry. Just like roti but with a slightly different flavor and texture.
Can You Add Anything
Yes absolutely. This three ingredient recipe is your base. Once you have it down you can start experimenting. Add garlic powder for a garlic tortilla. Add dried herbs for an herb tortilla. Add a teaspoon of cumin for a slightly spiced version. Add spinach water instead of plain water for green tortillas.
The base stays the same. You just add one thing at a time and see what you like.
How to Store Them
Let the tortillas cool completely before storing. Then put them in an airtight container or a zip lock bag and keep them in the fridge. They stay fresh for about three to four days.
To reheat, just warm them on a dry pan for twenty seconds on each side or wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave for thirty seconds. They come back to life really well.
For longer storage put them in the freezer. They keep for up to two months in the freezer and defrost quickly either at room temperature or on a warm pan straight from frozen.
Three ingredients. Twenty minutes. Fresh homemade tortillas. It really is that simple. Once you make them yourself for the first time you will understand why people who know how to make fresh tortillas at home almost never go back to buying packaged ones.
Try it this weekend and see for yourself.
For more information,
Contacts – +97144576051
Instagram: burroblancouae