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This Chickpea Flour Tortilla recipe makes soft, flexible, gluten-free tortillas perfect for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and more!
Whether you are embracing a gluten-free lifestyle or simply craving a nutritious twist, these homemade tortillas are a real game changer. From Jackfruit Tacos to Smoky Cauliflower Tacos, these tortillas are a canvas to a world of flavors.
This gluten free tortilla recipe makes tortillas that are a great substitute for homemade vegan flour tortillas. These tortilla shells perfectly balance softness, flexibility, and durability.
Looking for a quick and healthy lunch? Make wraps with Chickpea Chicken Salad or Vegan Chicken Salad with soy curls atop these gluten-free vegan tortillas!
Or maybe you want some chips instead... these make delicious Chickpea Chips, perfect for all your favorite dips!
This recipe is super versatile. Feel free to play around with different flavors in the tortillas! Add spices, herbs, or sweetener to the batter, depending on how you use the tortillas.
These tortillas are great to make ahead! Double or triple the recipe to make a large batch all at once. They store well in the refrigerator or freezer, perfect for later use.
Ingredients
There are just 4 simple ingredients in these homemade gluten-free tortillas:
- Chickpea Flour AKA garbanzo bean flour, gram flour, or besan flour, is the main ingredient. This flour is just ground chickpeas, so you could even make it at home!
- Chickpea flour is popular in Middle Eastern and Indian cooking and baking. Its nutty flavor is perfect for dishes like flatbreads, vegan zucchini fritters, and, in this case… tortillas!
- Tapioca Flour AKA tapioca starch. It helps improve the texture and flexibility of the tortillas, making them more pliable and similar to traditional wheat-based tortillas.
- Sea Salt enhances the overall flavor profile of the tortillas.
- You can also experiment with other spices to flavor the tortilla, depending on how you plan to use it.
- Water binds it all together to make the tortilla batter!
Please refer to the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and detailed instructions.
Tortilla Sizes
Decide what size tortillas you want to make:
- For a 6-inch - Use a scant ¼ cup or about 3 tablespoons.
- Taco-sized tortilla
- For an 8-inch - Use a full ¼ cup.
- Small burrito-sized tortilla
- For a 10-inch - Use a scant ⅓ cup.
- Large burrito-sized tortilla
Directions with Pictures
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make homemade gluten-free tortillas with chickpea flour:
- Whisk chickpea flour, tapioca flour, and a pinch of salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- Add water and whisk until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour batter using a ¼ measuring cup into a pan preheated to medium heat. Quickly pick up the pan and swirl the batter into a circle, spreading it as thin as possible.
- Return to the stove and allow to cook for a couple of minutes or until lightly browned on the underside. The edges of the tortilla should start to release from the pan. Flip the tortilla and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown.
- Remove the tortilla from the pan and let cool on a wire rack.
- Repeat with the remaining batter and enjoy!
Top Tips
- Use a non-stick pan for best results. If using a regular skillet, lightly oil the pan so the tortillas can be released easily.
- You want your batter to be very runny and liquidy. This helps when pouring the batter into the pan.
- Be careful when swirling the pan! Tilt the pan at about a 25° angle. Any more and your tortilla batter will run too fast and create a misshaped tortilla.
- Pouring the batter and swirling the pan is similar to making crepes. This takes a bit of practice, so don't worry if the first few turn out more oval-shaped.
Ways to Use
Tortilla shells are a blank canvas for creativity in cooking. Here are some ideas for how to use chickpea tortillas:
- Enchiladas - Elevate your sweet potato black bean enchiladas with chickpea flour tortillas as the foundation for a satisfying blend of flavors.
- Wrap or Burrito - Fill chickpea flour wraps with protein, vegetables, and sauces for a nutritious and gluten-free meal. Substitute the lettuce for tortillas in chickpea lettuce wraps with peanut sauce.
- Tacos - Make them into taco shells and add garlic powder to the batter. Use them as a base for flavorful and satisfying jackfruit tacos or chickpea cauliflower tacos.
- Quesadillas - Create mouthwatering quesadillas by layering vegan cheese, veggies, and other fillings between two chickpea flour tortillas, cooking until the cheese is melted and gooey.
- Tortilla Chips - Cut chickpea flour tortillas into a triangle shape, bake them until crispy. Enjoy chickpea chips with your favorite dips like guacamole, fresh mango salsa, cranberry jalapeño salsa, cashew cheese queso, or hummus.
- Pizza Crust - Transform chickpea flour tortillas into a gluten-free pizza crust. Add your favorite pizza toppings and bake until the crust is crispy and the cheese is bubbly.
- Tortilla Strips - Slice chickpea flour tortillas into thin strips, lightly fry or bake until crispy, and use them as crunchy toppings for salads, soups, or bowls.
- Sweet Crepes - Make sweet crepes by adding a touch of sweetness and vanilla extract to the batter. Fill them with fresh fruits, yogurt, or other sweet fillings for a delightful dessert or breakfast option.
Storage
Store the tortillas in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week. Keep them in the refrigerator to prevent them from drying out or becoming stale.
If stacking tortillas, place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper between each tortilla to prevent sticking and make separating them easier.
For extended storage or if making ahead, you can freeze the tortillas in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Frozen chickpea flour tortillas can be thawed in the refrigerator or heated directly from the freezer.
Reheating
These chickpea flour tortillas are still great the next day. Just make sure you reheat them properly!
- Microwave - Wrap a stack of tortillas in a damp paper towel or cloth and microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds on a microwave-safe plate. The moisture helps prevent them from drying out.
- Stovetop - Heat a dry skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat. Place a tortilla on the hot skillet for about 15 to 20 seconds, then flip it and heat for another 15 to 20 seconds. This method helps revive their flexibility and adds a hint of toasty flavor.
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a rating and tell us how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Chickpea Flour Tortillas (Vegan + Gluten-Free Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup chickpea flour also called garbanzo bean or besan flour
- ½ cup tapioca starch also called tapioca flour
- 1 ⅓ cup water more if needed to thin batter
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt more to taste
Instructions
- Whisk chickpea flour, tapioca flour, and a pinch of salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- Add water and whisk until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour batter onto a preheated pan using a measuring cup.
- Quickly pick up the pan and swirl the batter into a circle, spreading it as thin as possible.
- Return to the stove and allow to cook for a couple of minutes or until lightly browned on the underside.
- Flip the tortilla and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until lightly browned.
- Remove the tortilla from the pan and let cool on a wire rack.
- Repeat with the remaining batter and enjoy!
Notes
- Use a non-stick pan for best results. If using a regular skillet, you will need to lightly oil the pan so the tortillas can release easily.
- If you are having trouble getting the batter completely smooth, use an immersion blender or food processor. I find that just whisking does the trick, though.
- The process of pouring the batter and swirling the pan is very similar to making crepes. This takes a bit of practice, so don't worry if the first few turn out a bit more oval-shaped. Once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll be whipping up multiple tortillas a minute!
- For a 6-inch - Use a scant ¼ cup or about 3 tablespoons.
- Taco-sized tortilla
- For an 8-inch - Use a full ¼ cup.
- Small burrito-sized tortilla
- For a 10-inch - Use a scant ⅓ cup.
- Large burrito-sized tortilla
- Microwave - Wrap a stack of tortillas in a damp paper towel or cloth and microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds on a microwave-safe plate. The moisture helps prevent them from drying out.
- Stovetop - Heat a dry skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat. Place a tortilla on the hot skillet for about 15 to 20 seconds, then flip it and heat for another 15 to 20 seconds. This method helps revive their flexibility and adds a hint of toasty flavor.
Nutrition
This recipe has been updated with additional pictures and tips. It was adapted from Maggie's recipe that was posted on April 3, 2020.
Kimbra says
Brilliant. exactly the recipe I have been looking for! super easy to whip together just as you said. And, so many ways to dress the recipe up! everybody needs options! However, I will need more practice, I think mine were a bit thicker as I didnt get as many you did per batch...but I also did not use an immersion blender this first time so that might have made a bit of a difference too, not sure. But, this will be a regular go to recipe for us for sure! The whole family loved this recipe, my daughter is eating it as a peanut butter and jelly vessel as I type!! Thanks Maggie!!
Maggie says
I'm so glad you loved these! We love them for peanut butter and jelly too. You can play around with the amount of water if they seem too thick. Try adding a tablespoon at a time until you find the perfect amount for your tortillas. Happy tortilla eating to you!
Debbi Robertson says
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! These are my new FAVE!
Maggie says
Yay!! I am so happy these were a hit. I am looking forward to using them to make your enchiladas!
Danielle Couture says
I have yet to try these, as I need to gather up the ingredients first. But I am wondering how durable these are? I'm recently gluten free and I find corn, rice and cauliflower tortillas fall apart. I miss having egg wraps every morning. Hoping these are my fix!
Maggie says
Hi Danielle, These hold up amazingly well. The first day they are very pliable and can be eaten as is right after cooking. These store best in the fridge. When I use them out of the fridge I put them in the pan with whatever I am cooking and put the lid on top to steam them for about a minute. You can also just put in a pan with a teaspoon of water, cover and steam about one minute. This will make them soft and pliable again. Hope this helps!
Abby says
Just tried it today with cornstarch and it worked perfectly fine. I used it for quesadilla and it so delicious thanks for this recipe.
Maggie says
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed these! They're just the best as quesadillas. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your feedback.
Liz says
Thanks so much for this recipe! How should we cook if we don't have a non stick pan? Can we oil a pan to avoid sticking?
Maggie says
I haven’t tried it in a pan that’s non-stick, but I would try oiling the pan really good. I have used cast iron and oiled the bottom with a paper towel and that works well. Good luck!
Trish says
I feel like I found a needle in a haystack! I’ve tried so many store-bought gf/vegan tortillas and recipes for them and they either have oil in them (I don’t eat oil) or they are like cardboard. Or they fall apart or break when I tried to roll them.
This recipe is not only easy to make, but they actually come out flexible and strong! The taste is mild and made the perfect complement to my homemade refried beans and all the other burrito fillings! I can’t wait to try them with other fillings. Thank you!!!
Maggie says
Yeah! So glad you had such great success with these Trish! These were a game changer in our household too. To finally be able to have burritos again....that was a treat. So glad you've found your "needle in the haystack" with these tortillas. Thanks for sharing your success.
Leah says
I've really missed flour tortillas and was so happy when I found this recipe as these remind me so much of them....nice and soft & easy to fold or wrap around your favourite fillings. I made them for my family on our Friday night taco fest and they were a huge hit with both the celiac folk and the regular foodies. In fact I had made some back up corn tortillas just in case and they were left mostly un-eaten as everyone was so excited to eat up these tortillas! The next day I used them to make myself a wrap for my work lunch and they were still as good as the night before. So happy to have found this recipe - thank you!
Maggie says
Hi Leah! I am so glad you enjoyed these tortillas! We love them around our house as well for taco night and wraps. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Lori says
I did a Bob Ross “happy accident” by inadvertently adding more water than the recipe called for. I could have sworn I saw 1.5 cups, but when the batter was runny I peaked at the recipe again and saw my faux pas.
But no worries, because the thinner batter negated the need to swirl, which is exactly what I needed since the only non-stick item I own is a fitted griddle that came with my range, and swirling something so large, without handles, would be tricky, if not dangerous.
Naturally, I couldn’t help but play with spices. I added onion powder, garlic powder, dried tarragon, and a pinch of kala namak aka black salt and the result was absolute delish! They’re tasty enough to enjoy straight up, stuffed with all manner of traditional fillings, and/or used as crepes.
Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. This recipe is flexible, delicious and definitely make-again worthy.
Sarah Pilley says
Hi Lori! Thank you for your kind comment! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. I love all your additions, I definitely need to try it with kala namak next time because that sounds delicious 🙂
Denise says
Hello how long do they keep in fridge and freezer? Thanks
Sarah Pilley says
Hi Denise! They keep for about a week in the fridge or for 2-3 months in the freezer.
Denise says
Are the tortillas still going to be gooeyish in the middle? Not sure if that's normal for gluten free
Sarah Pilley says
Hi Denise! The tortillas shouldn't be gooey in the middle. If you find they aren't cooking all the way through, the batter may be a bit too thick. But with a bit extra water they should be able to be poured into a thin layer which will help them cook evenly 🙂
Tyler says
sub a half the chickpea flour with pea protein powder and they come out fluffy like flour tortillas and have more protein!
Sarah Pilley says
I love this idea Tyler! I'll have to try that the next time I make them 🙂