Flour Tortillas (Made with Vegetable Oil)

shot from above finished flour tortillas

https://meganvskitchen.com/flour-tortillas/

Flour Tortillas (Made with Vegetable Oil)

These flour tortillas, made with vegetable oil, are easy to make with simple ingredients and no special equipment. They’re soft, flexible, and totally worth it when you have a little extra time.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Resting Time 30

Total Time 55

Servings tortillas

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour (360g)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup warm water
⅓ cup vegetable oil

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour in the vegetable oil and warm water. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.

For the most accurate measurement, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag can result in too much flour being used.

Knead the dough for 1–2 minutes, just until it forms a ball. It doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth. Don’t overwork the dough or it will be harder to roll thin.
Divide into 14 equal pieces and roll into balls.
Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 30–45 minutes. This step relaxes the gluten so the tortillas roll out easily and don’t shrink back.
Place a ball of dough on a cutting board and cover it with a piece of parchment paper (this helps prevent sticking and makes it easier to roll). Roll it into a thin circle, about 6 inches wide. If the dough springs back as you roll, let it rest for another 10–15 minutes to relax the gluten. Do not use a tortilla press, in my experience the tortillas come out too thick.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat*. Cook each tortilla for 30–45 seconds on the first side, then 15–20 seconds after flipping. Flip when bubbles form and the underside has light golden spots. If you are getting dark brown or black spots turn down the heat. If it's taking longer than a minute, increase the heat slightly.
Remove the flour tortilla and wrap it with a kitchen towel or foil. This keeps them soft and flexible while you finish the batch. Keep making the rest of the tortillas.

Notes

*I use medium-high heat for non-stick or ceramic skillets, and medium heat for cast iron skillets.

Don’t stack raw tortillas – The raw tortilla dough will stick together. Keep them separated with parchment or press & cook one at a time.

Tortillas too thick? They likely weren’t rolled thin enough. If they won’t roll thinner, the dough may have too much flour, been kneaded too long, or not rested long enough.

Black residue on your pan – If tortillas burn, you may get black carbon buildup. I was able to clean it off by using a baking soda and water paste, letting it sit for 30 minutes, then gently scrubbing.

Nutrition