Egg Based Grain Free Tortillas Recipe (Holds Together!)

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Finally, gluten and grain-free tortillas that are easy to make and hold their shape perfectly! This recipe for grain free tortillas is also egg based giving it extra protein and nutrients. 

10 years ago, when we began a journey of eliminating processed foods to heal our bodies, we started by doing a mainly paleo diet. This meant we were consuming no grains. Many of our staple meals like tacos and pasta became much more challenging!

I embarked on the fun challenge of finding ways to make a lot of the foods that we loved work with this new lifestyle. A paleo tortillas recipe for taco night was high on my list.

The early attempts were lackluster. The tortillas either fell apart when cooking or they wouldn’t hold up when you began to fill them with meat and all of the fixings. Then, I stumbled upon these amazing tortillas. 

My search for a great recipe for homemade tortillas was over!

Now, 10 years later, while we don’t follow as strict of dietary restrictions and stick to eating real, whole food, these grain and gluten-free tortillas are still a staple in our home!

Grain-Free Tortilla Recipe Ingredients

When you start down the rabbit hole of cooking or baking for food allergies or specific diets, it can mean stocking your cupboards with some pretty funky ingredients you probably otherwise never would have heard of. All of the sudden xanthan gum and psyllium husk are part of your vernacular.

My goal is to always keep our recipes as simple and nutritious as possible. This means that I try to avoid recipes with these more obscure items and stick to easy recipes with simple ingredients. My favorite combination of gluten-free flours for baking is using tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour) with coconut flour.

I’ve found these two flours together have given us the best results when it comes to gluten and grain free or paleo recipes. 

Tip: The best part is that I don’t have to worry about stocking my pantry with a million different flours that rarely get used but I stick to using these two in most baking recipes. I buy tapioca starch and coconut flour in bulk and that’s all I need for the yummiest gluten free creations!

What do you need?

Eggs – Stick to using whole, large eggs for this recipe. I wouldn’t recommend substituting flax eggs or another egg substitute.

Coconut oil – You could substitute butter for the coconut oil in this recipe if dairy isn’t a concern.

Tapioca starch – We have started buying tapioca starch in 5 lb bags because of how much we go through it. Arrowroot flour substitutes perfectly for tapioca starch.

Coconut flour – Coconut flour is a unique flour that absorbs tons of moisture. Typically, recipes with coconut flour will have more eggs than recipes with wheat flour because of how much moisture it absorbs. Without so many eggs, the end product would be dry and crumbly. I haven’t found anything that makes a good substitute for coconut flour.

Tip: A bonus to the extra eggs required for coconut flour is the additional protein and nutrients your eggs give your baked goods!

Water

Salt

How to Make Grain Free Tortillas

Most traditional tortillas involve making a ball of dough that requires a tortilla press or rolling pin. This simple recipe, however, has a similar consistency to pancake batter and is made more like you would make a very thin pancake or crepe.

To make, mix eggs, melted coconut oil, and water in a medium bowl. Add tapioca starch, coconut flour, and salt. Mix thoroughly using a whisk so that the flour is completely combined and there are no clumps. 

You could also mix all ingredients together in a blender or food processor.

Once mixed heat a pan over medium heat. We prefer to use an 8” cast iron pan to make tortillas that are roughly 8” in diameter.

Tip: Make sure you have a hot skillet before adding your batter to the pan. You do not need to add any oil or fat to the pan but a hot pan will ensure that your batter does not stick.

Scoop roughly ¼ cup of batter onto your pan (we use a ¼ cup measuring cup for this). Immediately pick up your pan and swirl the batter around the pan until it completely covers the bottom of the pan and there are no holes. If there are holes, simply scoop a tiny bit more batter and fill in any remaining gaps or holes.

The tortillas will be ready to flip after only 1-2 minutes. You will know when it’s ready when the edges begin to curl up from the pan. The easiest way to flip is to work a large spatula underneath the tortilla. After flipping, cook on the other side for an additional minute.

The first tortilla may not come out perfect. But stick with it and I promise it will get easier as you go!

Continue to make tortillas this way until you have used all of your batter. Cool to room temperature and either serve immediately, or store in the fridge in an airtight container or bag. 

Tip: The best way to freeze these tortillas is to place in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Once frozen, store in a freezer bag for long term storage.

Grain Free Tortillas Recipe

Yield: 12-14, 8-inch Tortillas

Ingredients:

8 eggs
1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter, melted
¼ cup water
1 cup tapioca starch (or arrowroot flour)
1 tbsp coconut flour
1 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Mix eggs, melted coconut oil, and water in a mixing bowl.

2. Add tapioca starch, coconut flour, and salt. Using a whisk or blender, beat well until combined and no flour clumps remain.

3. Heat stove to medium heat and heat a dry skillet (we use an 8-inch cast iron skillet).

4. Once pan is hot, scoop roughly ¼ cup of batter onto the hot pan. 

5. Using a hot pad, pick up the pan and swirl it around so that the batter completely covers the bottom of the pan in a thin layer. If any holes or gaps remain, scoop a small amount of batter and fill those in.

6. The first side is ready to flip when the edges of the tortilla begin to curl (roughly 1-2 minutes).

7. To flip, work a large spatula underneath the tortilla and flip to the other side. Cook the other side for an additional minute.

8. Remove from heat, set aside, and continue following the same instructions until you’ve used all of the batter.

How to use these egg-based grain-free tortillas?

These tortillas are great for using for tacos, wraps, or even as crepes. As is they have a very neutral flavor. But you can add spices to them depending on how you plan to use them.

However, because eggs are the base of these tortillas, they have a different texture than other tortillas recipes. They have a great chewy texture but they do not absorb moisture the same way that tortillas made primarily with flour would. This means that they do not work well in casseroles, quesadillas, or turning into tortilla chips.

Can you freeze these tortillas and how do they store best?

These grain free tortillas will store great in an airtight container or plastic bag or up to 5 days in the fridge. Just pull them out and serve them at room temperature or slightly heat them up if desired.

To freeze, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Store in a freezer bag for up to 6 months.

In fact, we love to make a double batch of these tortillas to have on hand for later use!

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More grain free recipes you will love:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cake
Dutch Baby Pancake
Cinnamon Apple Bread
Pumpkin Buckwheat Brownies

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