Cassava Flour Tortillas

Cassava Flour Tortillas make an ideal grain-free, Paleo-friendly, and nut-free wrap. The addition of ground flaxseed in this recipe gives them an earthy taste and delightful texture.

After preparing, the tortillas will last about a week if you store them in the fridge.

You can even freeze cassava flour tortillas. Just separate them with pieces of parchment paper before placing them in a freezer bag. Thaw them at room temperature when you’re ready to use.

I also use these versatile cassava flour tortillas as a staple for Paleo backpacking meals. They’ll last for several days in my pack and still taste just fine.

What is Cassava?

Cassava is a tuberous root vegetable that is a diet staple for many people who live in tropical regions. It is a starchy source of fiber, Vitamin C, manganese, and potassium.

Cassava is also known in some regions as yuca, possibly as a reference to the fact that the plant might first have been cultivated by the Mayans of the Yucatan peninsula.

Yucca, on the other hand, is an entirely different plant. It is a shrub mainly grown for ornamental purposes.

If that’s not confusing enough, cassava is also the source of tapioca. This can sometimes be a little confusing when looking at product labels.

• Cassava Flour: made by grinding dried, whole cassava root. The flour has a dense texture similar to wheat flour.

• Tapioca Flour (or Starch): made by the process of extracting pure starch from the pulp of cassava root. It has a very fine texture similar to corn starch.

The bottom line is even though cassava flour and tapioca are made from cassava root, they are not the same thing.

These tortillas require cassava flour. I’m a big fan of Otto’s Cassava Flour which you can find on Amazon here.

How to Make Cassava Flour Tortillas

Start by whisking together the cassava flour, arrowroot powder, ground flax seed, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.

Add two tablespoons of oil and mix until crumbles start to form. I’ve used olive oil, coconut oil, and ghee here and they all work great.

Gradually add the warm water and start working the mixture into a dough. You want the dough to be moist, but not too sticky.

Divided the dough into 8 equal portions.

Place each dough ball in between two sheets of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to flatten each ball into a thin tortilla.

Heat a heavy, dry skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in and cook for 1-2 minutes, until it starts to bubble. Flip it over and cook for another 1-2 minutes until it is browned an just firm.

Repeat with the rest of the tortillas and enjoy.

If you’re looking for something to fill these tortillas with, check out these Buttery Cholula Chicken Tacos or Curried Tuna Salad recipes!

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