What Are Flour tortillas and How Can I Use Them?

If flour tortillas have turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use them with confidence and how to choose them, cook them, store them, what to substitute, and 283 recipes to try them in.

What are flour tortillas?

The flour tortilla is probably best known in the USA as the tortilla used to make burritos, a dish originating in northern Mexico. Wheat tortillas are also a traditional staple of the peoples of north,northwest and northeast Mexican states,and many southwestern US Native Americantribes.

In Mexico, a flour tortilla or wheat tortilla is a type of thin, unleavened flatbread, made from finely ground wheat flour.

Tortillas vary in size from about 6 to over 30 cm (2.4 to over 12 in), depending on the region of the country and the dish for which it is intended.

In commercial production and even in some larger restaurants, automatic machines make tortillas from dough.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find flour tortillas: Flour tortillas are usually found in the bakery section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Flour tortillas are a member of the Baked Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

面粉玉米饼

British (UK) term

Flour tortillas

en français

tortillas de farine

en español

tortillas de harina

How much do flour tortillas weigh?

Related

Baked Products

Recipes using flour tortillas

There are 283 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Micro-Quick Quesadilla

If you're in a hurry, try this easy and delicious dish that can satisfy anyone's hunger!

Pinto Bean & Feta Cheese Quesadillas

Pinto bean and feta cheese quesadillas with a chunky bean puree seasoned with jalapeno, cumin, chili powder, and red onion. A hearty vegetarian quesadilla with a Mediterranean-Mexican mash-up.

Chile Cheese Tortilla Stacks

A crowd pleasing appetizer to take to any party or serve it with a Mexican Caesar salad for a meatless meal.

Chicken Quesadillas

Quick, easy and delicious. It's hard to go wrong with cheddar, chicken and hot sauce. A great way to have something tasty to eat within no time.

Salmon Pinwheels

Smoked salmon and cream cheese rolled up in flour tortillas with fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon, then sliced into bite-sized pinwheels. A make-ahead appetizer that's ready when you are.

Breakfast Burritos Anytime

Breakfast burritos loaded with crispy hash browns, scrambled eggs and bulk sausage rolled into warm flour tortillas, ready in 30 minutes. Serve with salsa for an anytime meal that holds up beyond the morning.

Spicy Burrito Bonanza

Loaded burritos stuffed with seasoned ground beef and spicy pork sausage, refried beans, fresh tomato, Monterey Jack cheese, and crisp lettuce. A 30-minute weeknight dinner the whole family will fight over.

Easy Bean Burritos

Easy vegetarian bean burritos: refried beans, seasoned taco filling, cheese, and taco sauce rolled in flour tortillas and warmed in minutes. A fast, freezer-friendly lunch or weeknight dinner.

Hot Black Bean Chili with Goat Cheese

Very hearty and flavorful. The goat cheese complements the chili nicely. I took the advice of the previous reviewer and let it simmer for a couple hours after I mixed everything together.

16 Minute Tortilla Pizza

These tortilla mini pizzas are very easy to make, it can be a quick and easy snack or appetizer ready in a flash.

Chicken Tortillas

Crispy fried chicken wraps rolled in warm flour tortillas with a smear of cream cheese, crunchy peppers, cucumber, onion, and fresh salad greens. A fast handheld lunch built on golden, paprika-spiced chicken strips.

Yummy Broccoli & Mushroom Quesadillas

This was my lunch today, packed with goodness and yumminess. I only made 1 quesadilla for myself, so I quartered the recipe. It was delicious, loved the oozing cheese and the flavorsome veggies. A great combination on both flavor and texture. I broiled the top for a few minutes to make it nice, brown and crispy. Will be making this more often for sure.

Double Corn Tortilla Cassarole

Layered corn tortilla casserole with Monterey Jack, sweet corn, green onions, and diced chili peppers in a tangy buttermilk-egg custard. A Tex-Mex weeknight dinner ready in 40 minutes flat.

Chicken of the Caesar Wraps

Tuna (chicken of the sea) Caesar wraps. A crunchy healthy version of a Caesar salad wrapped up in a flour tortilla.

Huevos Con Chorizo

Eggs with Chorizo sausage, wrapped in a tortilla and topped with bubbly cheese and salsa.

Broccoli & Mushroom Quesadillas

Made this recipe for lunch today, and these quesadillas turned out cheesy and tasty, I used the fresh basil, parsely and dried oregano, I also put some minced garlic before I spread mixture, and at the end of the baking, I turned up the oven to 400 F degree, gave the tortillas a little bit brown on the edges, but watch them carefully, only took 2 to 3 minutes, and result was outstanding, I think this is a very flexible recipe too, you can put whatever vegetables you want, the flavour should be still excellent!

California Quesadillas

Made this California quesadillas for breakfast this morning. It came out surprisingly delicious. As the photos show, they came out cheesy, oozy but not too sweet. The sweetness from the pear and figs balanced greatly with the brie cheese. It's a quick, easy and tasty recipe.

Asian Beef Tacos

The idea of Korean Tacos trucks and the delicious tacos they produce intrigued me. I developed this as my own version of an Asian flavored taco.

Chunky Tuna Salad Roll-Ups

These quick-easy roll-ups taste delicious and are also very nutritious. Use whole grain tortillas for a even heartier result.

BLT Quesadillas

A sophisticated French American twist on Quesadillas - Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato with some creamy goat cheese... num num.

Chicken & Black Bean Quesadillas

We made these quick and easy quesadillas for supper, they were delicious and filling. Used whole wheat tortillas, which made it even healthier. Great texture, a yummy-nutritious combination, definitely a keeper for a quick meal.

Philly Cheese Steak Wraps

The combination of sauteed sweet bell peppers, onions, roasted beef and gooey-melted cheese was super tasty, then wrapped with a whole-grain flour tortilla. A quick and well balanced meal on both flavor and nutrients is ideal for a busy week day.

Easy Ranch Tortilla Roll-Ups

Pretty pinwheel appetizers that are layered with ham & savoury ranch cream cheese. Only 5 ingredients with quick and easy prep.

Favorite Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Cheesy chicken enchiladas filled with chili-spiced chicken, rolled in browned tortillas, smothered in a tomato and kidney bean sauce, and baked under a three-cheese blanket. A hearty Mexican main.

Chicken Tortilla Wraps

These wraps are made with soft tortilla shells and filled with juicy chicken, fresh vegetables, and a generous drizzle of creamy dressing.

Bean Tortilla Casserole

Smoky chipotle pinto bean puree blanketing chicken-stuffed tortillas, baked with sour cream, Monterey Jack, and scallions. A Mexican casserole that feeds a crowd.

Shrimp Tostadas with Guacamole

Build-your-own grilled shrimp tostadas on crispy fried tortillas with refried beans, fresh guacamole, salsa, lettuce, and Mexican cheese. A fun, hands-on Mexican dinner that feeds a crowd in 40 minutes.

Club Burrito

A club sandwich meets a burrito: ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese rolled up in a flour tortilla with lettuce and sprouts. A 5-minute no-cook lunch wrap that's light, fresh, and totally portable.

Chicken Ole

Slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole layered with flour tortillas, creamy soup sauce, green chili salsa, sour cream, and melted cheddar. Feeds a crowd of 12.

Tex-Mex Chicken Roll

Tex-Mex chicken wraps rolled with cilantro mayo, salsa-tossed chicken, crunchy red peppers, and romaine. Make ahead and refrigerate up to 2 days for easy lunches.

Crockpot Chicken Tortillas

Crockpot chicken tortilla casserole layers shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, green chili salsa, tortillas, and cheese. Hands-off slow cooker enchilada-style dinner.

Amazing Grilled Pork Tacos & Papaya Salsa

Amazing Grilled Pork Tacos and Papaya Salsa recipe

Mole De Guajolote (Turkey in Mole Sauce)

Mole de guajolote is a traditional Mexican turkey in mole sauce made from scratch with ancho, mulato, and pasilla chilies, chocolate, sesame seeds, peanuts, and warm spices.

Lazy Enchiladas

A deconstructed enchilada with black beans, corn, mushrooms, and stewed tomatoes in a cumin-chili broth spooned over warm flour tortillas. Naturally vegan and ready in 30 minutes.

Hot Spicy Chicken Tortillas

Cajun chicken tortillas stuffed with bell peppers, yellow squash, chickpeas, and a hit of hot sauce. A 30-minute spicy weeknight wrap.

La Marada

Tex-Mex tostadas with deep-fried flour tortillas piled with pork, Rotel tomatoes, refried beans, shredded cheese, lettuce, avocado, and sour cream. Family-style Southwest dinner.

Huachinango En Tostado (Tostadas with Red Snappers)

Mexican red snapper tostadas with herb-poached fish, fried tomato-olive topping, and shredded lettuce on crispy tortillas. A traditional Huachinango preparation from scratch.

Chicken-Chili Enchiladas

Rolled tortillas stuffed with chicken, cheddar, and Monterey Jack, smothered in a chili-bean and green enchilada sauce, then baked bubbly. Freezer friendly and ready in one hour.

Easy Beef Fajitas

Sirloin strips sautéed with mushrooms, serrano chiles, cumin, and a splash of dry sherry. Wrapped in warm flour tortillas with salsa, avocado, and yogurt. Fajitas in 20 minutes flat.

Cheesy Tortillas

This cheesy and delicious dish is fun to make and perfect for lunch!

Turkey & Cranberry Chili

Turkey and cranberry chili: a sweet-tart cranberry-vinegar base braised with turkey until it shreds into a rich, fall-spiced chili. Served with warm tortillas and sour cream. A festive twist on turkey chili.

Yo Ho! Let's Go! Bacon Roll-Up

Creamy peanut butter, crispy bacon, and crunchy chopped apple wrapped in a flour tortilla. This 3-ingredient roll-up takes 10 minutes and hits every flavor note kids and grown-ups crave.

Sweet Onion Fajitas

Vegetarian sweet onion fajitas loaded with Vidalia onions, new potatoes, roma tomatoes, and carrots simmered in white wine with jalapeño and cilantro. Rolled up with Monterey Jack and yogurt in warm flour tortillas.

Smoked Chicken Tortilla

Smoky grilled chicken thighs served sliced on warm flour tortillas with fresh tomato salsa and avocado relish. A simple, wood-fired Mexican-inspired dinner for 8.

Ranch Style Fajitas

Ranch-style fajitas with flank steak marinated overnight in ranch dressing mix, lime juice, and cumin. Grilled, sliced thin, and rolled in warm flour tortillas.

Mexican Bean Sandwich

This combination of raw vegetables and seasonings makes a tasty sandwich that's high in fiber and low in fat.

Nose Blow Burritos

Spicy ground beef burritos with refried beans, fresh tomatoes, and taco seasoning served in flour tortillas with guacamole and sour cream. A fun, fiery burrito the whole family can build at the table.

Egg Burrito

Loaded breakfast egg burrito with buttermilk scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, refried beans, chili verde, and mixed cheeses in a grilled flour tortilla. Smothered in green chile sauce.

Tostadas De Pollo Y Frijoles

Crispy chicken tostadas piled high with mashed black beans, shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, and a kick of hot sauce. A 30-minute Mexican dinner for two that's loaded with fresh toppings and bold flavor.

Favorite Mexican Lasagna

Mexican lasagna layers taco-seasoned ground beef, flour tortillas, black olives and a blanket of mozzarella and cheddar into a cheesy baked casserole. Lasagna meets taco night in one easy 13x9 dish.

All 283 recipes