These homemade keto tortillas will get you back into tacos while on a keto diet. They’re flexible and capable of holding all the ingredients.
The thing I missed the most when I started my keto diet was tortillas. My husband and I are huge taco fans. We eat tacos regularly. But I had a very difficult time finding a decent substitution in the beginning.
>> You might try these tortillas with this Low Carb Chicken Fajita Casserole.
After many failed attempted, I came across this recipe from Tasty Low Carb that used xanthan gum in the dough. It made all the difference. The tortillas that this recipe makes are firm and flexible. They act just like corn tortillas once cooked.
The addition of xanthan gum give these tortillas great flexibility. As long as you don’t overcook them, they remain flexible – or plyable – for quite a while.
They hold all the ingredients for a taco and don’t fall apart like the protein tortillas I’ve made in the past.
I now use these tortillas to make street-style tacos, as well as fully stuffed pulled pork burritos and fish tacos. They’re quite tasty.
What is Xanthan Gum?
Xanthan gum is a food additive that forms a gel-like substance when added to water. It replaces gluten in foods like these tortillas, and makes them pliable rather than stiff.
Xanthan gum is a soluble fiber so it contains no digestible carbs. Adding it to this recipe will not change the carb count.
How to Make Keto Tortillas
Don’t worry if you don’t have a tortilla press. It’s great to have and does make the job easier, but it’s not necessary to use a tortilla press.
I have a very small kitchen and don’t have room for extras like a tortilla press, but I still make these tortillas all the time using parchment paper or cling wrap, and a rolling pin.
Mixing the dough
Start by mixing all the dry ingredients in a food processor. I actually use my stick blender attachment and it works great for this much dough. If the recipe was any bigger, it wouldn’t fit.
Add the wet ingredients to the food processor and pulse it until a dough ball forms. It doesn’t have to be processed any longer than that.
Remove it from the processor and form it into a ball. Cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.
Rolling the tortillas
Take the dough from the fridge and roll it out into a log. Cut this into 10 pieces and form them into balls. This will make street-taco sized tortillas, about 5″ in diameter.
If you’ll be using these tortillas for burritos, you’ll want to cut it into 5 pieces, to make a larger tortilla.
If you have a tortilla press, put one ball of dough in and press it.
If you don’t have a tortilla press, cut two large squares of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Either is fine. I do find that the plastic wrap sticks less if you put a light layer of cooking oil on the sides that face the tortilla.
Put the dough ball between the two pieces of wrap and roll it out with a rolling pin until very thin. It might feel like it’s too thin to come off the wrap, but it’s not. The xanthan gum keeps it together.
Cooking the tortillas
Before you peel the tortilla off the paper, prepare a large skillet over medium heat. Using a paper towel, rub on a thin layer or cooking oil to keep the tortilla from sticking.
You don’t want a pool of oil in the pan, or the tortilla will fry and get crispy. If your pan is non-stick or cast iron, you should only have to oil it once.
The easiest way to extract the tortilla from the pieces of wrap is to remove the top sheet, then turn it upside down onto your hand, so the tortilla is in hand. Then very carefully peel off the back sheet.
Place the tortilla gently into the pan. Cook it for 4 minutes per side. If it looks to be browning or crisping up in the pan, turn the heat down. If it gets overcooked or crispy, it won’t be pliable enough to bend like a tortilla.
I use a flat crepe pan to cook tortillas. On this, I can cook 3 tortillas at a time. When they’re done, I just put them on a plate until they’re all done.
How Many Carbs in Keto Tortillas?
Each tortilla has 2 grams net carbs and 80 calories. Generally the serving size would be 2 tortillas. If you make 5 large tortillas, then one tortilla would be a single serving, containing 4 grams net carbs.
Can I Substitute With Coconut Flour?
Almond flour is the flour that is used in this recipe. It has a neutral taste, so it’s perfect for a tortilla. You might be tempted to substitute it with coconut flour, but that’s not possible in this recipe.
Coconut flour is a lot more absorbent than almond flour, so the ratios would be completely off. Coconut flour also has a fairly strong coconut flavor and aroma, which don’t work well here.
Can I Freeze or Store Keto Tortillas to Use Later?
These keto tortillas don’t freeze well, and they don’t really keep well in the refrigerator either. If you aren’t going to use them right away, I would suggest storing the dough in the refrigerator instead. Then roll the tortillas and cook them when you’re ready to use them.
The dough will keep in the refrigerator for several days. The dough could be frozen, if necessary, then thawed slowly in the refrigerator. It’s really much better to mix it up fresh when you need it.
Try these tortillas in our keto chicken tortilla soup for a complete meal.
Looking for other great low-carb/keto bread alternatives? Try our Easy Keto Bagel Recipe or Simple Keto Almond Flour Biscuit Recipe.
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Homemade Keto Tortillas
Ingredients
- 1 1/8 cup almond flour 115g
- 3 teaspoons xanthan gum 10g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 7g
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 2g
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 2g
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 10ml
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon water 15ml
Instructions
- Mix the almond flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, garlic powder and salt together in the base of a food processor or stick blender attachment. Pulse until mixed.
- Add the wet ingredients. Pulse until combined into a dough. Remove from the food processor and knead just to bring it into a compact ball. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
- Remove the dough and cut it into 10 pieces. Flatten one piece of dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll until very thin.
- Lightly oil a skillet and place it over medium heat. When hot, add the tortilla. Cook for 4 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Laura is dedicated to a low-carb lifestyle after losing 52 pounds on the keto diet. As many of us do, she struggles with her weight and has found that one of the only diet lifestyles that allows her to maintain a healthy weight is a low-carb diet. She shares her favorite low-carb recipes here that are both easy to make and full of flavor, so you don’t even miss the carbs.
Such a great recipe for those on a keto diet!
I’ve been keto for a while and have been craving tortillas. These did the trick – and they were easier to make than I thought they’d be! Perfect!
SO awesome that you were able to keto-ize tortillas!
This is definitely healthy . I have to try these out. Looks good.
I was just looking keto tortilla recipe. I’m so glad I found this. It’s super easy recipe and tortillas look amazing. Thanks for sharing!