Cassava Flour Tortillas
316 Comments
Apr 20, 2022
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These cassava flour tortillas are the best gluten-free and grain-free tortilla recipe. They’re soft, slightly chewy, and perfectly foldable for all your favorites – tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, wraps – you name it!
Fun fact – this cassava flour tortilla recipe came to fruition after chatting with the owner of Oka’s Bakery in Canggu, Bali years ago! It was there that I learned of the versatility of cassava flour in baking and cooking (cassava flour is heavily used in Indonesia). It’s used to make chips, muffins, breads, and of course, tortillas.
Inspired by my Bali trip, I tested this cassava flour tortilla recipe over and over when I returned home, until it tasted just like what I’d enjoyed in Bali! And while I might be biased, I think these homemade tortillas are better than any store-bought versions as well. They mimic that soft, pliable, chewy texture we all love, and taste utterly delicious – all thanks to cassava flour. Bonus, you can make a batch and freeze it for later use (hello meal prep).
Cassava Flour Tortilla Ingredients
Aside from cassava flour, there’s a few other ingredients you’ll need to bring these tortillas to life.
- Cassava Flour: After lots of testing, I’ve found that this flour is the best – and closest to what I used in Bali. Otherwise, your dough might be a bit gritty or sticky.
- Baking Soda: Like with most baked goods, just ¼ teaspoon is needed to help the dough rise.
- Cream of Tartar: It’s used in baked goods as a leavening agent and adds a little more fluff to the tortillas. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can leave it off. The tortillas will still turn out fine!
- Oil: You can use virtually any oil or fat in this recipe. Palm shortening was used in the original recipe (as that’s what was used in Bali). But you can use olive oil, butter, or ghee as well.
- Warm Water: Make sure the water you use is slightly warm. This will help make the kneading process so much easier for the dough to form!
Find the printable recipe with measurements below
How To Make Cassava Flour Tortillas
To make these tortillas, all you need is a large mixing bowl and a non-stick pan or griddle. But to make the process even more efficient, I highly recommend getting this tortilla press. Your tortillas will turn out more evenly sized – in diameter and thickness. Otherwise, the rest is as easy as they come!
Make the initial dough. First, mix the cassava flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Then pour in the oil and knead the dry ingredients for about one minute. Note that the mixture will be dry and crumbly!
Finalize the dough. Add warm water into the mix and knead everything together for 2 to 3 minutes. It will be a bit sticky at first, but it will slowly thicken as the cassava flour absorbs the moisture.
Roll out the dough. Roll the dough into a log shape and slice it into 6 even pieces. Then roll each piece into a ball.
Flatten the dough. If you’re using a tortilla press, make sure to use a piece of parchment paper. Without a tortilla press, take each ball of dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out into an approximate 6-inch circle.
Cook them up! Heat up a non-stick pan and cook a tortilla on one side for one minute. Then flip the tortilla, cook for an additional minute, and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat the process for the rest of the tortillas.
Use These Cassava Flour Tortillas For…
All the tacos, wraps, chips, and more! I personally love to make these anytime I whip up my Mexican recipes – such as carnitas or chicken fajitas. But there’s no wrong answer as to how you can use them.
- Tacos: If you’re a taco fanatic like I am – you’re in luck. I’ve got the best recipes for carnitas tacos, carne asada tacos, barbacoa tacos, and shrimp tacos!
- Fajitas: Fajita night is the best when you’ve got a crowd to feed – especially these chicken fajitas.
- Chips: You best believe you can slice these up into delicious herbed tortilla chips! Perfect as a snack with a dip, or use them to make sheet pan nachos!
- Wraps: From chicken burritos, to smoked salmon pinwheels, to chicken salad wraps – you’ve got endless opportunities for anything wrapped.
Ways To Store Cassava Flour Tortillas
One batch makes 6 small tortillas, which is great for a party of two or three. But if you’ve got more people, or simply want leftovers, make a double batch and freeze the rest! Here’s two ways to store them.
- To store: Place the tortillas in a sealable bag or container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
- To freeze: Before storing in a freezer-safe bag or container, make sure to put parchment paper in between each tortilla to avoid them sticking to each other. They will keep for up to 3 months.
Cassava Flour Tortillas Recipe Video
Just wait, these cassava flour tortillas are going to be your new go-to. Give them a try and let me know how you like them in a comment below!
Note: Recently I’ve been hearing from readers that other brands of cassava flour are gritty, sticky and/or don’t perform as well. I’ve been using Otto’s Cassava Flour for years and I think in the case of cassava flour, it seems the brand really does make a difference.
Cassava Flour Tortillas (Gluten-Free Tortillas)
Description
Ingredients
- 1 cup cassava flour, lightly packed (see notes below)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, butter, ghee, or palm shortening
- ⅔ cup warm water
Instructions
- Add the cassava flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar to large bowl and mix together.
- Add the oil and knead into the dry ingredients for a minute. The mixture will be dry and crumbly.
- Add the warm water and knead together for 2 to 3 minutes. At first the dough will be wet and sticky, but as the cassava flour absorbs the water it will become dryer and more pliable. The texture should be similar to soft Play-Doh. If it's too sticky, add a bit more cassava flour. And if it's too dry, add a bit more water.
- When you have a mound of dough, roll it into a log shape in the bowl (like a tube of cookie dough). Then, slice it into 6 pieces. Take each piece and roll into a ball.
- If you have a tortilla press, take each ball of dough, place it between two pieces of parchment paper and press into a flat tortilla (this method is much easier). Without a tortilla press, take each ball of dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out into an approximate 6-inch circle.
- Heat a non-stick pan or flat griddle on medium-high heat. As the dry pan heats up, place one tortilla in the pan and cook for approximately one minute. Flip the tortilla and cook the other side for an additional minute. Continue cooking all tortillas and transfer to a plate with a paper towel.
- Eat immediately or freeze in batches for future use.
Lisa’s Tips
- The original recipe (as seen in the video) was made with palm shortening, as that’s how I learned to make them in Indonesia, but any oil/fat works.
- I scoop the cassava flour out of its container, which lightly packs it. The weight measurement of the cassava flour is 150g.
- The dough should have the texture of soft playdough. If it’s too sticky, add more cassava flour. If it’s too dry and crumbly, add more water. You can see the perfect texture in the video above.
- This is my favorite tortillas press and I’ve used it for years.
- I find it’s easiest to cook the tortillas in an enameled cast iron or ceramic non-stick pan.
- To freeze the cassava flour tortillas, let them cool, then place parchment paper in-between and place them in a food storage container in the freezer. Watch my meal prep containers video to see my favorite containers.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Note: This recipe was originally posted May 2015, but was updated to include new photos and my new video tutorial.
Hi! I made these tonight. I’ve never made anything like it so I was a bit nervous. I followed the directions exactly (except cream of tartar, I didn’t have any) and they were just the ticket for an easy, homemade soft shell taco. I really enjoyed them and wanted to say thank you for the recipe. Also, the cassava flour I had was Otto’s. Really wonderful!!
Happy to hear your tortillas turned out perfectly Lindsay!
I made cassava flour tortillas for my fish tacos. They were perfect! And, they are a great way to use up my bag of cassava flour. Thank you, Lisa!
Glad this recipe came in handy for your fish tacos Heather!
Can cassava flour replace regular flour 1:1
It really depends on the recipe. I tend to prefer blends of flours, to replace regular flour.
Recipe turned out very badly without a tortilla press. First, I needed 50% more cassava flour to get it to the play-doh consistency. I made one with batter at pancake consistency before adding more flour. It turned out best. Between two pieces of parchment, the dough stuck to one side, and if I flattened it with my hands, it didn’t get thin enough, and it crumbled in the pan. I finally tried making 3″ rounds instead of six. That was better, but I don’t have anything that turned out like a tortilla.
Hi Debra – sorry to hear you struggled with your tortillas. If you don’t mind sharing, what brand of cassava flour did you use? It seems different brands of cassava flour blend and cook differently.
These turned out great! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed these cassava flour tortillas!
I used all of the ingredients and branded cassava flour you recommended, with a sub of ghee for palm shortening. I believe I had the perfect consistency and play dough like texture but wasn’t able to get the tortillas evenly rolled. I think this is why the tortillas began ro tear when I tried to release them into the preheated pan. I’m thinking of ordering the tortilla press you recommended, but want to be sure of which size to buy. Is it the 6.5” or 8”?
Hi Michele – I have the 8″ tortilla press.
I’ve been happily using your Cassava flour tortilla recipe for years now. Thank you! I’d like to make enchiladas, green or red, but think these tortillas would be too thick and possibly break. I noticed store cassava tortillas used in online enchilada recipes but these have coconut flour and look thinner and more supple. I have an intolerance to gum additives so I cannot use these. I’m wondering if you’d had success using your recipe for enchiladas, or if you would consider designing a new recipe for tortillas that would work well for enchiladas? Thanks.
Hi Amnily – glad you have been enjoying these tortillas! As for enchiladas, I would recommend using a different version as these ones might break.
Epic failure for my first attempt. Tortillas stuck to wax and parchment paper. Tried adding more flour but then fell apart. I got a couple that turned out OK. I have Anthony’s organic Cassava Flour and a red palm-coconut oil. I’m going to try again today……..any suggestions?
Hi Lisa – It’s hard to say, but unfortunately I’ve heard mixed results with Anthony’s cassava flour. So it may be due to the brand.
I’m sure this might be okay if you had a tortilla maker but it didn’t work for me using a rolling pin. I did use the flour suggested but it’s very gritty as well.
Hi Brooke – that’s strange as Otto’s cassava flour is not at all gritty, it has a really fine texture more similar to arrowroot flour. And while it’s certainly easier to use a tortilla maker, I’ve also used a rolling pin myself. Did you roll it between parchment paper?
Very grateful for this recipe. They hold up, quick to cook, nice to freeze and reheat. I’ve learned the right texture now and how to handle them. It’s funny how they are fragile before cooking, sturdy after! I share this with everyone I know who is avoiding gluten.
Happy to hear your tortillas turned out perfectly and thanks for sharing with your friends and family who are also gluten-free :)
Can I replace the cassava flour with almond flour? I don’t have cassava flour near me and have a big bag of almond flour in my pantry. I also would like to make low carb tortillas and I know that cassava has a lot of carbs
Hi Michelle – no, unfortunately this recipe was written specifically for cassava flour (and all flours cook very differently).
Wow!! These are sooo good! I followed your recipe exactly and used the same flour and palm shortening that you recommended. I doubled the batch to freeze the rest and I’m glad I did! I ate a couple right away with left over ground turkey taco meat and they were the most perfect, soft texture and held together perfectly! As many commenters said, store bought gluten free tortillas always break through. These did not. I’m so impressed and will always make these from here on out!
Glad these turned out great Christine! Always a good idea to make more and freeze :)
Hi, what to use instead of cream of tartar?
You can leave that off if you don’t have it.
I don’t typically comment but wanted to emphasize the recommendation of Otto’s flour. I’ve typically dismissed when cooks have used one brand but I happened to buy Otto’s on sale and made 3 flawless batches of tortillas. I couldn’t find it I stock for the 4th and mixed it in with Pamela’s brand (50/50). I struggled immensely with the texture and fragility of the batch I made. Frustrated, I ended up having to make them 1/3 thicker and ended up with less tortillas that still cracked and are broken on the sides. Apparently Otto’s is the way to go. Lesson learned.
Thank you for this recipe!
We made these tortillas tonight with Bob’s Red Mill Cassava flour, avocado oil and used ingredients true to the rest of the recipe. The recipe worked well–we enjoyed them with beans, rice and all the taco fixings (avocado, cilantro, lettuce, red onion, an avocado/lime/garlic crema…).
The texture was good. We tend to like things a little charred/carmelized in our house. I didn’t push the browning too much–we didn’t get the toasty flavor we like, but we can live with that. These were great and we will make them again.
oops, meant to say “avocado mayo/garlic/lime” crema (plus a bit of salt)
I’m not convinced. It was an epic fail. Read all the comments and feedback and then tried it myself. It was a disaster.
Hi Debi – Did you use Otto’s brand of cassava flour or a different brand? Given that your email address is from South Africa, I’m assuming you used a different brand. And as mentioned above, certain brands just don’t work as well. Sorry it didn’t turn out for you.
I can not wait to try these. I buy the Siete almond or cassava flour tortillas for my husband and I but they are so expensive. I would love to be able to make these at home. Just came across your YouTube channel today. Love love your content and meal prep videos!! Thank you!
Hi Samantha! Welcome to the Downshiftology community. Hope you enjoy these cassava flour tortillas!
Hello,
When you freeze the tortillas, do you heat them first or should they be frozen uncooked?
Thank you in advance.
Hi Lisa – I would make them and then freeze it.
What an amazing recipe! I actually cut it in half for my first go and used coconut oil instead of palm oil and white vinegar instead of cream of tartar and they turned out great! Next time I think I’ll use lemon or lime instead of cream of tartar and see how it changes the flavor. But these are the first cassava flour tortillas I was able to make that are actually capably of bending and not breaking. Thank you for all of your amazing recipes and dedication to your craft. You are truly amazing and I use your recipes so often!
Happy to hear this recipe was a success!
Hi Lisa,
Where do you buy this cassava flour in South africa? Or can i use some other flour instead?
Love your recipes.
Unfortunately, I don’t know. And other flours won’t work in this recipe, as it’s specifically written for cassava flour. Sorry!
Hi Gerbie
I bought mine from Spar. I live in Ladismith in the Western Cape off Route 62 which is a small town, but they had it in the health section with all the other Nature’s Choice products.
Hope you find some. I made Pizza dough with Cassava yesterday and it turned out great. I am making tortillas today.
Debi
The dough came out too wet for me, even using Ottos Cassava Flour and following the directions. I had to add about 1/2 cup more flour for the right consistency. Not sure what went wrong there. Oh well, I got myself 8 tortillas instead of 6.
Hi Monique – I’m glad you were able to add a little bit more flour for the right consistency. That’s what’s most important. And a couple extra tortillas is always a good thing! ;)
Other then sticking a tearing I like these tortillas. Troubleshooting a bit with this. I got a press for xmas. I’ve tried a couple times and think perhaps it is too wet? They stick to the parchment and then tear a bit when I go to put them in the pan. I’ll try more flour than previously tried and maybe press them thicker. But the taste is good! And they stay pretty pliable with some stretch once they cool down.
These came out great and were very sturdy. So much better than the almond flour tortillas I tried in the past.
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed these tortillas :)
Hello,
Do you think I could add Greek yogurt instead of tartar cream? Or any other cream?
Because in the UAE I cannot find cream of tartar.
Thank you in advance
Hi Abi – cream of tartar is actually a powder. You could leave it off in this recipe though and you should still be fine. Enjoy!
Can I use almond flour instead of Cassava?
Unfortunately, no. Not in this recipe.
Hi Lisa!
I’ve made these few times and I love them (like every other recipe of yours: thank you!!!)!
Question: do you think I can make a much bigger batch and kneed it in my Kitchen Aid instead of by hand?
Thank you!
Daniela
Hi Daniela – so happy you’re loving all of my recipes! :) Yes, I don’t see any problem with that. Enjoy!
First off, thank you for sharing this recipe. It’s one of my favorites. I even invested in a tortilla press which is a game changer. When you freeze the tortillas, how long do they last frozen? Also, how do you reheat them after they’ve been frozen?
Hi Diane- I will normally freeze them for 1-2 months! But, you can reheat by either microwaving it or giving it a quick pan fry on the stovetop.
Hello,
I’m finding that my tortillas aren’t evenly cooked throughout. Their are patches that seem soft/doughy and the ends are a bit crispy. Could this be the result of a dough that’s too wet? I was using Bob’s cassava flour then tried Otto’s and there wasn’t much of a difference. The dough was also a bit difficult to remove from the parchment paper as well. Thanks for your thoughts.
Hi Raymond – if your dough is sticking to your parchment paper, I’d say that your dough is likely too wet. You can just add another tablespoon or so of cassava flour next time for a better texture.
I tried it and it was too much water. I had to keep adding and adding more flour. Then it was getting stuck on the parchment paper, so I added more flour. When I finally was able to make them they came out too small even though I used the tortilla press. Does that mean It needed more oil, since I added more flour?
Hi Ruth – usually if the dough sticks on the parchment paper that just means they’re too wet. Did you use Otto’s cassava flour or a different brand?
What brand palm oil do you use? It wouldn’t show me on Amazon…
I use Spectrum Organics.
Do you have the 6IN or 8 IN press?
I have the 8-inch press.
What weight would the coconut oil be please?
I did 150g ottos cassava and 28g coconut oil solid (is that right weight?) but mine were a disaster. Cracked a little on rolling but not terrible but cooking they went a brown colour, chewy inedible :( Strangely I tried again with olive oil (but I’d rather use coconut anyway) but even these were brown, bubbled and cracked and same texture. Thanks!
I really love spinach tortillas and roasted red pepper tortillas….can spinach and/or roasted red peppers be added to this recipe?
Yes! I’ve tried adding spinach before and it turned out great. I haven’t tried red peppers yet, but that sounds amazing. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Would you recommend corn tortillas for some of your recipes?
Hi Liz – yes, you can certainly use corn tortillas. Many in this community are grain-free, which is why I typically avoid corn.
I have tried several recipes for cassava tortillas, some of which produced a tough product. I made this successfully in a food processor, pulsing in Nutiva red palm oil and then used extremely hot water as that is what I have always used for using corn masa harina for tortillas. I doubled the recipe to have extra to freeze and cooled the extras on a wire rack. This is now my go-to recipe for tortillas as it is hard to find masa harina that is properly nixtamalized, making it unhealthy to eat.
Hi Deborah – I’m so glad you found a tortilla recipe that works for you! These will be great to have on hand :)
How do you make the tortilla burrito size? I love burritos but other gluten-free tortillas fall apart or don’t have good flavor.
Hi Dana – you can make the tortillas larger with a rolling pin and parchment paper.
Oh yum. Yum. I’ve tried a few AIP recipes for tortillas and this recipes is amazing! I didn’t have a tortilla press… but used parchment paper between two dinner plates. Not perfect, but it worked!
These were great! I used a flat bottomed heavier pot as my tortilla press, turned out perfect, just need to press down and twist a little. I used Anthony’s cassava flour (amazon)
Wonderful! Glad you loved this tortilla recipe :)
My first attempt was a little rough. :-) The tortilla didn’t really want to come off of the parchment paper and cracked and broke a little when trying to get it off. The dough really seemed moist and like the perfect play dough texture so not sure what I’m doing wrong. I used Otto’s flour, avocado oil and cut down a little on the water. Wondering if maybe I cut back a little too much on the water? Have you had this happen at all? I bought a press and very excited about making my own. Also, have you noticed any difference in texture using the different oils versus shortening? Thanks so much for all your help. We love your recipes. :-)
Hi Shae – usually when the tortilla won’t come off the parchment paper that means it’s too wet. So it sounds like you may need to cut back the water a little more still. And no, I haven’t noticed much texture difference with different oils. It’s a pretty flexible recipe, but sometimes it does take a few tries to get the hang of it. :)
Weird question! Can you use lard in place of palm?
Yep! You could use any fat or oil in this recipe.
even butter would work?
Yes
Lisa I tried making these and they are delicious. However, they are not as fluffy as your look. Any suggestions. I did used avocado oil instead of the palm shortening, and since I live in Merida, Yucatan I could not find cream of tartar. I also tried your carnitas and your cilantro lime rice and they are both yummy 🤤.
Hi Jo-Ann – it might just be the brand of cassava flour you’re using. I’ve found that there can be quite of bit of texture difference between brands. Happy they still tasted delicious though! :)
Have you tried cooking a batch in the oven on a cookie sheet? Trying to save some time…
Hi Sara – I haven’t tried that.
I just made these and though they taste great they seem to be a little gummy on the inside when you bend them, like they’re not cooked all the way. I used about 125 g of flour and when I mix the dough with the water it seems super soft. So I added one to two tablespoons flour. They were five to six inches when I cooked them, and I had to turn down the heat to medium or a little less because they were browning too fast. Any ideas why they might be gummy?
Hi Liz – that usually happens when they’re undercooked. They will be stretchy, but they shouldn’t be gummy. On your stove, you might need to turn the temperature down even more (if you’re using a large burner) and cook them a little slower.
Thank you!
these are super delish, reminds me of those restaurants where they make their own corn tortillas, these are even better! I have tried them using liquid avocado oil and also with some cooled bacon fat (I rarely keep palm shortening at home) and they turned out great both times. Really delicious and super satisfying.
Hi Jessica – Definitely restaurant-worthy tortillas :) I’m glad you loved them and that they turned out well with avocado oil ad bacon fat!
Beautiful recipe, just like you. Your a very pretty lady😍
Hi Sap – Glad you enjoyed this recipe :)
Hello Lisa
Do you need to use tartar ?
Thanks :)
You can omit, but it does help to make them a little fluffier.
I used olive oil and followed the recipe and the mixture it very liquidy. I can’t figure out where I went wrong?
Hi Rachael – did you read the tips on the post? Did you use Otto’s Cassava Flour?
I used coconut oil in the solid form not melted, I was concerned about texture but went ahead and proceded with the recipe. It was a perfect attempt!! My guest were amazed !! Thank you for having this website!! Its super nice to have these recipies recipes available!
Hi Tim – So happy your guests enjoyed these tortillas! And thanks so much for your support.
Hi, regarding the tortilla press, some people on Amazon complained that the tortillas were thinner on the side where the handles is. I guess due to more pressure there. Did you find it to be the case? Thank you in advance.
Hi Alina – yes, that can happen depending on how hard you press. So I press down and create the tortilla, then rotate the tortilla in the parchment paper 180 degrees and press down again. It’s perfectly flat that way. :)
This is one of my favorite recipes. The tortillas come out soft and delicious. They are also not very time consuming to make. Much better flavor than store bought!
This is such an easy and tadty way to make tortillas! I’ve decided it’s now time to invest in an actual press. But the nice thing is you don’t need one to make these. I live in a country where we don’t have access to healthy gluten free tortilla alternatives, so I’m most thankful for Lisa’s delicious recipe!
Hi Kathy – I’m glad you were able to find an alternative and make it yourself right at home with this recipe!
what is alternative to cream of tartar
Hi Fred – if you don’t have it, you can just leave it off. For the tortillas, it just helps to make them a little fluffier. :)
I made this recipe 2x in a week: ate 1x as tortillas & 1x as chapati (Indian flat bread). I love the taste & texture of cassava flour over corn or wheat. I had to add a bit more oil to keep the tortillas from breaking apart; that had more to do with learning how to work with the dough & tortilla press. Will definitely become a staple in my kitchen. :)
Hi Manjula – So glad these tortillas worked out for you :)
Just made these Cassava tortillas. Used ghee. Nice flavor tortilla. When I pressed them to 6 inches, getting them off the plastic was difficult, they easily broke apart. I then pressed them to 5 inches and they worked fine. what is the trick to get them to 6 inches without breaking? let the dough rest to absorb more water? less water? Will try again. Thank you so much. Delicious.
Hi Patricia – If you use olive oil first, start with 1/2 cup of water and add as needed to achieve a good consistency and stretch. Hope that helps and glad you loved these tortillas :)