Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add the cassava flour and sea salt to a medium mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly.
- Pour the melted coconut oil over the flour. Mix with a fork or your fingertips until the oil is evenly distributed and the flour resembles very fine, slightly damp crumbs.
- Pour in 3/4 cup warm water while stirring. Once most of the flour is hydrated, use your hands to gently knead the mixture directly in the bowl.
- The finished dough should be very soft, smooth, moist, and easy to shape without sticking heavily to your hands. If it cracks when flattened, knead in additional warm water 1 teaspoon at a time. Cassava flour varies considerably in absorbency, so judge the dough by texture rather than forcing an exact water quantity.
- Cover and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. This gives the cassava flour time to fully hydrate and makes the tortillas easier to roll without cracking.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, approximately 50–53 grams each, and roll each portion into a smooth ball. Keep the remaining dough covered while working.
- Place one dough ball between two sheets of parchment paper. Press with a tortilla press or roll with a rolling pin into a thin 7- to 8-inch tortilla, approximately 1/16 inch thick. Carefully peel away the parchment.
- Heat a cast-iron or other heavy skillet or griddle over medium to medium-high heat. Allow it to become thoroughly hot before cooking the first tortilla. No additional oil should be necessary.
- Place a tortilla onto the hot skillet and cook for approximately 45–60 seconds, until the surface begins looking dry and small bubbles appear.
- Flip and cook another 30–45 seconds. Flip once more for approximately 10–15 seconds if necessary. A few toasted brown spots are ideal, but don't cook until crisp.
- Immediately transfer the hot tortilla to a clean kitchen towel and fold the towel over it. Stack each freshly cooked tortilla underneath the towel. The trapped steam is important—it finishes softening the tortillas and helps keep them flexible.
- Allow the completed stack to sit wrapped in the towel for about 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
Flour and hydration. Use properly processed, commercially sold food-grade cassava flour from a reliable supplier, not homemade flour from raw cassava or tapioca starch. Weigh 180 grams when possible. Brands vary in absorption: start with 3/4 cup warm water, rest ten minutes and use the listed extra 1–3 tablespoons only as needed. The dough should be soft, pliable and moist without sticking heavily.
Rolling and cooking. Divide into eight portions of about 50–53 grams and roll about 7–8 inches across and 1/16 inch thick between parchment. A very light dusting of cassava flour is a listed rescue if it sticks. Use a hot skillet and cook the first side about 45–60 seconds, then the second about 30–45 seconds, with only another 10–15 seconds if needed. Golden spots and a set surface matter more than deep browning.
Softness and timing. Stack immediately under a clean towel and allow five minutes steaming before serving. The total includes the ten-minute dough rest and five-minute steaming stage. Overcooking dries the rounds; very thin edges may tear. Slightly thicker tortillas need a little longer cooking and extra covered steaming, but remain more flexible when warm.
Serving. Use warm for tacos, quesadillas or enchiladas with vegan fillings. Rewarm before folding rather than judging flexibility straight from the refrigerator. Optional fillings and accompaniments are not part of the tortilla nutrition.
Storage and reheating. Cool, cover and refrigerate within two hours; use within 3–4 days. Freeze separated with parchment in a sealed container. Reheat in a hot skillet for about 10–20 seconds per side or wrapped briefly in a damp towel in the microwave, continuing until warm and pliable; do not dry them out.
