5 Easy Vegan Tortilla Recipes (Plus 3 Mouthwatering Filling Ideas)

These vegan tortilla recipes are so easy, even the most kitchen-averse among you will manage.

Of course, first prize is to have them made for you. Preferably by someone who knows what they’re doing.

In Tlaxiaco, Mexico, the city’s handmade tortilla producers are fighting to keep tradition alive.

If you ever find yourself in that part of the world, they’re the ones to buy your tortillas from.  Made from heirloom corn and cooked over an open fire, their quality is far superior to that of the tortillería shops that have sprung up all over the city.

But, what if you live in, say, Cape Town, South Africa, and flying anywhere is verboten right now? Your vegan bean burrito craving‘s not going to wait for leisure travel to be a thing again. So what do you do?

You make your own vegan tortillas from scratch, that’s what. It’s ridiculously easy and the result forms the basis for a host of Mexican favorites, including burritos, tacos, enchilados, nachos and quesadillas.

Traditionally, tortillas are made from masa harina (corn flour), but you can use other flours too. In northern Mexico, where wheat has been cultivated for 400 years, sonoran-style flour tortillas are common.

Vegan Tortilla Recipes That Anyone Can Make

Each of the tortilla recipes below uses a different flour. While they may vary in taste, texture and consistency, they’re all simple to make and require only a few ingredients. It’s a matter of taste as well as what works for your body. Experiment and have fun.

Remember, unless you’re a little (or a lot) Type A, you don’t need a tortilla press to create perfectly round tortillas. Use a pot lid or better yet, go rustic and shape them by hand. What is nice to have though, is a tortilla warmer. (For obvious reasons, but also because it can double as a pancake warmer.)

Win/win. Just saying.

1. Corn Tortillas (No Salt + Vegan Filling)

Krista Lee’s one-ingredient corn tortilla recipe is about as simple as it gets. All you need are masa harina and water. The trick, she says, is in rolling out the dough to the perfect thickness and cooking it for exactly 50 seconds on either side.

Here’s the recipe Krista posted on her YouTube channel. It’s super technical. Ha ha.

1 cup masa
3/4 cup water
Med/high heat 50 seconds each side

2. Corn Tortillas (With Arrowroot Powder)

These vegan corn tortillas are also made with masa harina, however Jill has added arrowroot powder to make the dough more elastic. Purists might balk at the idea, but I’m all for a little help in the kitchen. Even if it does mean tampering with tradition.

3. 4-Ingredient Spinach Tortillas

Photo credit: A Sweetie Chef

Lacey uses a combination of fresh spinach and spelt flour to liven up her tortilla recipe. They’re slightly more work, since you have to cook and puree the spinach before making the dough. They’re still super easy, though. Plus, they’re green. How cool!?

She also has recipes for sweet potato tortillas and cauliflower tortillas. While they both look yummy, the cauliflower option isn’t as straightforward. On the other hand, it is gluten-free and extremely low in calories. So, maybe it’s worth the extra effort?

4. Gluten-free Vegan Tortillas with Chickpea Flour

Chickpea flour, herbs, salt and water are all you need to whip up a batch of these gluten-free vegan tortillas. If you prefer something sweet, Claudia suggests swapping out the herbs and salt with cinnamon or cacao powder.

Pre-lockdown I’d have been skeptical about how well that would work with the strong flavor of the chickpea flour. However, if I’ve learnt anything during my time inside it’s that it’s good to keep an open mind in the kitchen.

Case in point, these vegan chickpea flour chocolate chip cookies. It turns out chickpea flour is the stealthy kitchen bomb (in a good way). I also made chickpea scrambled eggs and they were super tasty.

While we’re singing Señor Chickpea’s praises, did you know you can make vegan meringues from the water (brine) from a can of chickpeas? Aquafaba (as it’s known by vegan foodies), acts pretty much exactly like egg whites when whipped.

5. Cheap & Easy Flour Tortillas

If you’re a kitchen newbie, this is the perfect recipe to hone your tortilla-making skills. Wheat flour is more elastic and therefore more forgiving to work with. If you’re not gluten intolerant (or a purist), you’re going to love how easy these flour tortillas are.

3 Mouthwatering Vegan Tortilla Wrap Fillings

Now that you have your pile of tortillas at hand, it’s time to fill them with whatever deliciousness your taste buds demand. Typical filling ingredients include vegan ground beef (Saffers, you can find the full Beyond meat range at Woolies), refried beans, rice, salsa, fresh veggies (lettuce, onion, peppers, etc.) and avocado.

But, really, it’s a matter of taste. If there’s something you’d like to add, go for it. It’s your burrito, after all. Nobody’s judging. If you’re in need of inspiration, these recipes will help you get started.

1. Better Than Chipotle Vegan Burrito

Better than chipotle? Really? Yip, these babies promise a flavor punch bar none. Packed with key traditional Mexican ingredients—we’re talking brown rice, refried pinto beans, Serrano peppers, organic corn, guacamole, hot sauce and more— don’t be surprised if your friends keep inviting themselves for dinner. >> Recipe

2. BBQ Tempeh Vegan Burrito

Super simple to put together and boasting a deliciously smoky flavor thanks to the BBQ tempeh, this vegan burrito from The Stingy Vegan gets its crunch from an array of fresh vegetables. Diced jalapeño, cilantro and the juice of half a lime enhance the taste party happening in your mouth. >> Recipe

3. Vegan Burrito with Homemade Salsa

Ania from The Lazy Cat Kitchen is all about ‘from scratch’ with this vegan burrito. If you’re new to the kitchen or in a hurry, you can go the store-bought route. But, the way I see it, you went to the trouble of making your own tortillas, why not fill them with homemade ingredients? >> Recipe

Learning to make your own tortillas will open you up to a whole new world. When you’re bored of burritos, try your hand at nachos or quesadillas. Heck, you could even go all out and have a vegan taco party. 

Talk about a great way to impress your friends.

Let’s Get This Vegan Taco Party Started

Alrighty then. All that’s left is for you to decide which of the vegan tortilla recipes you’ll be making first. After that, choose yourself a filling (or two) and you’re all set.

Head to the kitchen and check if you have everything you need for your Mexican adventure. If you don’t, make a list and get thee hence to the store. You don’t have to overthink things, but at the same time don’t just buy any old ingredients.

It’s important to at least give the label on the back of whatever you’re buying a cursory glance. You want to make sure there aren’t any dodgy ingredients and you also need to ensure it’s vegan-friendly.

If you’d like to better inform your self about what you’re buying, Felicity Lawrence’s book Not On the Label is an eye-opening read.

Once you have everything you need, I find it’s always a good idea to regroup with an almond flat white (or something stronger, depending on the time of day).

Why? Well, why not? 

With your veins pulsating gently with caffeine (or alcohol), it’s time to get this tortilla party started. Clear the kitchen counter so you have ample working space. (You don’t want to get flour and chipotle sauce all of your unopened mail.)

Read the recipe through carefully and gather everything you need. This might sound lame, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve left something out of a dish because I was in too much of a hurry.

Take a deep breath and remind yourself that whatever the outcome, you’re an amazing vegan Nigella in the making, and get busy. The more relaxed your are, the more fun you’ll have.

Oh, and one more thing, round up your friends to help. Vegan taco parties are way more fun when everyone gets involved. If someone can’t cook, give them a jar drink and force them to entertain you.

If you ended up making once of these vegan tortilla recipes please leave a comment and let me know how it went. Better yet, leave a comment on the blog the recipe came from.

Have fun. 😉