Homemade tortillas are a surefire way to amp up any taco or sizzling fajita recipe. They’re soft, fluffy, and perfectly chewy, and there’s nothing like rolling your favorite fillings up in a warm homemade tortilla fresh off the pan. There’s really no comparing such an experience to the store-bought tortilla brands we’re all used to, and given how simple tortillas are to make, there’s no excuse for not making your own when you have time. The ingredients and instructions are simple, but there is one step you can’t skip: Resting the dough.
Resting tortilla dough after kneading it will not only help you roll it out into thin, symmetrical circles, but it will also improve the texture of your tortillas. This is because the flour or masa needs time to absorb the water in the recipe, and once it has, the dough will be much easier to work with. As the dough rests, the gluten in the flour will relax, resulting in fluffy, tender tortillas.
Rest tortilla dough for about 30 minutes
There’s a lot of guidance out there for easy flour tortillas, but the general rule of thumb is to let the dough rest for about 30 minutes. This timeline also works for corn tortillas. Some people find they can rest their dough for less time, but it will be even easier to roll if you leave it in the fridge overnight. Just make sure it’s covered so it doesn’t develop a crust. You can rest the dough after you’ve finished kneading it or after you’ve already shaped it into balls.
To see if it’s ready, tear off a small piece and try rolling it. If the dough shrinks back, it needs more time –– even five more minutes can really help. The reason the dough is shrinking is that the gluten is still all worked up from kneading, and it hasn’t yet relaxed. It should feel soft and pliable when it’s ready, and stretch easily when lifted out of the bowl. Once you’ve rolled the dough out, all you need to do is fire up the pan, and you’ll be on your way to perfect tortillas in no time.
