Okay, you’re right—half of pretty much all tortillas are already vegan and gluten free.
But can we all agree that in the flour vs. corn debate, flour tortillas are clearly the superior taste winners? But also: those doughy and pliable rounds are all made out of refined flour and lard. Ew.
Luckily, it’s now possible to make really similar tortillas out of just chickpeas, flour and flaxseed. GET EXCITED!
The key: chickpea flour, which is also known as garbanzo bean flour, gram flour or besan. It’s just ground chickpeas and it has approximately double the nutrition of masa harina (the corn flour used in corn tortillas).
¼ cup of masa harina = 100 calories, 2g fiber, 3g protein
¼ cup of chickpea flour = 110 calories, 5g fiber, 6g protein!!!!
Chickpea flour is one of the cheapest alternative flours you can buy—if you can’t find it in your local grocery store, it’s available in a lot of ethnic markets OR you can just buy a pack of dried garbanzo beans and grind the flour yourself in a powerful blender or food processor.
These are amazing—doughy, just like flour tortillas, with the perfect amount of chew and a slightly nutty flavor. They’re just slightly less springy (they’ll crack if you happen to try to wrap an especially thick tortilla around a wet burrito filling). Instead of rolling out dough like traditional tortillas, these cook up like crepes with a runny batter. They take just a few minutes to make and then voila! A healthy, fiber-filled tortilla is ready for any number of fillings you feel like throwing at it.
If you don’t have flaxseed, you can omit it, but I highly recommend it for an extra nutritional boost. Again, these are vegan and gluten-free, but I stuffed them with the highly NOT vegan filling of steamed kale, egg whites, tomatoes, parmesan and avocado. It was delicious.
Chickpea Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed flax meal
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 cup chickpea garbanzo bean flour
- 2/3 cup water + additional if necessary
- pinch of salt
- pinch of cumin
Instructions
- Whisk together the flax meal and 2 tablespoons water in a large bowl; let sit for five minutes to thicken slightly.
- Add the chickpea flour, water, salt and cumin and whisk until there are no lumps. The mixture should be about the consistency of pancake batter. If you want thicker tortillas, use only 2/3 cup water. I liked the texture at around 1 cup of water; just add water a tablespoon or two at a time until you reach a consistency you like.
- Preheat a lightly greased 9-inch frying pan over medium heat. Pour about ½ cup of batter into the pan and swirl to coat the bottom. Let cook for 2-3 minutes or until you see the edges start to dry out. You will easily be able to slide your spatula underneath the tortilla when the bottom is fully cooked and ready to be flipped. Flip and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds, then remove from pan and repeat with another ½ cup of batter.
- I didn't need to re-grease the pan between tortillas, but if your tortillas start sticking to the pan, add a little oil to the pan and swirl it around before adding the batter. I laid the cooked tortillas flat on a plate, slightly overlapping each other. I folded a few of the last ones in two since I was running out of space, but the thicker tortillas started to break along the fold. I would recommend storing the cooked, cooled tortillas on a plate covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.
- To kale burrito your tortillas: Add 3 cups of kale to the pan over medium-high heat once you're finished cooking the tortillas. Cover and steam for 1-2 minutes. Add four egg whites--whisked until foamy--chopped tomatoes, grated parmesan, salt and pepper. Scramble everything until cooked through. Top with avocado, roll up and eat!
Notes
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Worked flawlessness!! Love it gigantically. much appreciated
Have you tried filling and baking these? Wanting to make Jamaican veggie pattie filling, roll up and bake?
I have not tried, but that sounds delicious!
Worked perfection!! Love it immensely. I have bought many gluten-free wraps in the store and their flavor has been so . Thank you, thank you, thank you! I used a non-stick crepe pan and it worked perfect. I love that I don’t need any oil!
So glad to hear this! Thanks for the great feedback Sue!
Made one of these very successfully and super happy and then then following attempts two separate times ended with messy stuck to pan disaster….upgraded to a Tefal non stick pan and work absolutely brilliant with just a minimal amount of spray oil! So if you can’t make it work it may well be your pan! xx
Great feedback, thanks Lucy!!
I made these to accompany daal last night and I was so impressed. Very easy to make, tasty and flexible. Best gluten free wrap ever!
Thank you for this recipe! I didn’t have any flax meal so I decided to use two tablespoons of chia seeds and grind them up in my coffee grinder. I added 6 tablespoons of water. I added some smoked paprika and onion powder to the cumin for a bit more of a savoury flavour… and needed considerably more water to get it to the desired consistency. But the finished pancakes are absolutely delicious and so pliable so they can easily be filled. I’m bowled over by the possibilities. Many thanks for posting and hope some of the substitutions may be helpful for other readers.
That sounds fabulous, great to know that chia seeds work as well! Thanks for the feedback Andrea!
Hello! I hope that you’re well.
I wanted to thank you ever so kindly for generously sharing this recipe with us all. I made the tortillas last night and they were lovely—just a wonderful texture and they rolled beautifully, though differently from “regular” flour tortillas. As my husband emphasized over and over, their texture allowed for filling to stay in and they didn’t crack at all. I will definitely be making these again—and they’re so easy to make!
Thank you : ) Cheers to you!
Hi Christina–thank you so much for the very kind comment!! So happy to hear that you and your husband enjoyed them, this totally made my day! <3333
I found your recipe this morning before work so headed to the Amish store to buy chickpea flour. I made them after work but found in order to get the mix to roll around skillet (like a crepe would) I ended up using 2 cups of water. I tried it with one cup and it was nearly as thick as a pancake and I had to spread with a spatula to get it that good. After I adjusted the amount of water, they are more like a tortilla shell, however, I don’t know if it’s the flour itself, as I’ve never used it alone before, or if it’s the cumin but the taste is not quite right for me. I will keep playing, thanks for a starting point.
Hi Pam, thanks for the comment! Hmm I wonder why your batter ended up so thick…it could be a different grind of chickpea flour perhaps? I will agree that it’s not the exact same taste as a typical flour tortilla, but glad you find it useful as a starting point–best wishes for you finding your ideal tortilla recipe!! 🙂
I much prefer the flavor of corn tortillas and am looking for a corn substitute that tastes similar to corn chips for nachos. Any ideas on that?
Hmmm fascinating question, Bernadette! I honestly think chickpea has a bit of the nutty taste that corn sort of has, so these might be close to what you’re looking for…after a quick google, I found these: http://www.creatingsilverlinings.com/nut-pulp-tortillas/ The combination of nut flour, chickpea flour and some starch sounds promising to me! Let me know if you end up finding a good recipe, and good luck!!
Thanks Erika, I will check it out.
Just wanted to thank you for these recipes! Just made the tortillias and I couldn’t be more excited!! They turned out great, was so easy, taste amazing and I can’t wait to check out more of your recipes. I LOVE wraps and tortillias but with Celiac, Lupus, Diverticulitis and Paleo diet to help my RA…I thought I would have to give up some of my favorite foods. Thank you, thank you, thank you for making cooking and eating good healthy food-DELICIOUS!!! Valerie
Valerie, thank you so much for your lovely comment!! SO thrilled they turned out well for you and that you enjoyed them!! Totally made my day <333
Hi,
I haven’t tried grinding it into a flour, but I popped sorghum in the microwave for my kiddo and it tasted so much like corn. I was surprised. Maybe you could find it in flour form or grind some in a coffee mill?
Hi! I make a corn free “cornbread” using millet, and it’s actually quite good. Similar taste and texture to corn, so you might try that! Also, I happened upon this recipe last night for homemade tortilla chips using amaranth. https://www.healthfulpursuit.com/2013/07/corn-free-tortilla-chips/ I haven’t tried it yet, but it sounds promising. If you give either the millet or amaranth a try, please report back! I’d love to hear if they worked. Cheers! : )
Ooh that sounds like a great idea! Thanks for sharing Bernadette!!
I added oil to my batter and they were soft and pliable whether thick or thin. I cooked them on a screaming hot cast iron to get a nice blister on them.
That’s a great tip–thanks Autumn, and glad to hear they worked out well for you!
I just made these and used 1 regular egg instead of the flax and they turned out AWESOME!!! They are extremely bendable and the flavor is good. Thanks for a great (and super easy) recipe!
Great to hear, thanks for the feedback Bunni!!
So quick and easy! No more store-bought tortillas in this household. Served them with The Minimalist Baker’s “Spicy Plantain Black Bean Tacos.” Wonderful combination. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
That sounds amazing!!! Thanks for the lovely feedback Kristen! 🙂
We are “free” of so many things due to food allergies. These tortillas fit the bill and we’re delicious! Fantastic texture (I ended up using about 1 1/4 cups of water), so easy, and almost taste like a corn tortilla with the texture of a flour tortilla! After MANY failed attempts at various recipes, this will be our new staple. Wet burritos for dinner tonight!
This is an amazing little wrap! delish! and the pictures are amazing!
Thanks so much Cheryl!! 🙂
Thanks for this recipe. I just made a batch and they were pretty darn tasty! I did have trouble with them sticking when I made them big and thin though, even with oil and a nonstick. I think it might be because I added almost 2 cups of water because my batter was so thick (maybe I let the flax gel a little too long… I kinda forgot about it for 30 min) … When I try again I might do a little less flax and maybe try a higher heat like someone else said. The small thick ones were def tasty just corn-sized and breakable.
Awesome! Thanks for the great feedback Casey!
Since the water and flax is often a substitute for egg, can I just use an egg instead? I’m not vegan, but am gluten free due to Celiac Disease.
Yes, that may cause the tortillas to turn out a little thicker, but they should still hold together!
yum! i just made the tortillas and they were perfect! the thicker ones started to crack a bit (like you mentioned they might…), but they were still sturdy enough such that they didn’t break! thanks 🙂
Awesome!! Thanks for reporting back, Jessica! So happy they worked out for you :))
I made these tonight for my special needs son and everything turned out beautifully! thank u for the recipe!
So glad to hear it, Tara! Thanks for reporting back! 🙂
Thank you for this amazing recipe! I recently was diagnosed with multiple food allergies and with a full diet overhaul this has been just one of the recipes that has helped keep me sane and healthy. The flaxseed was good, but caused severe stomach pains. The next go round I tried the tortillas with Ener-G egg replacer and loved them equally as much. Thanks again!
So glad to hear it, Loren! Thanks for reporting back on using the egg replacer! 🙂 Best of luck to you in battling those food allergies–I think I recently developed a dairy allergy and I know how frustrating those can be!
Hello Erica,
Is it possible to substitute flax seed for Chia flour? I assume the flax was the bonding agent for the tortilla correct?
Thanks!
Hi Patrick–yes, the flax serves as a bit of a binding agent, so I don’t see why chia flour wouldn’t work. Please let me know how it goes if you try it out! 🙂
Just made these with garlic powder and dried rosemary…….beautiful
They stuck at first but I turned the heat up and it did the trick
Hi Lee! So glad to hear these turned out well for you and thanks for the tip!! 🙂
Yikes I tried making but they stuck so badly to pan that I was unable to flip. Ditched the first one, cleaned my ceramic crepe pan, added coconut oil and started again. Same problem. I believe the heat was med low. Is it my pan or am I doing something wrong? Would like to give another go. Thanks!
Hi Brenda–sorry that these didn’t work out well for you the first time! Hmm–is your ceramic pan nonstick? Did you end up using the flaxseed and how much water did you end up adding? I think you were exactly right in using medium low heat if they started to stick. Let me know what you did and I can try to puzzle this out some more.
My first one was cemented down too. The trick though, is simply waiting paitiently and occasionally trying to slide the spatula under. Only when the bottom is sufficiently cooked will they unstick! Crank up the heat if it takes too long.
That’s great advice! Thanks for the feedback!
just made this! amazing! thanks a million!
i also just found the recipes for socca and panelle on NY Times, and will def be making both versions soon! ^_^ excited!
Woowoo so glad you liked it!! Omg I LOVE that panelle recipe. If you’re looking for more chickpea flour recipes, you might want to give the chickpea taco “meat” I just posted a try…not to toot my own horn or anything 😉 Thanks for commenting, Mariana!!
thanks for replying! and for the taco meat recipe, sounds amazing – i’ll let you know when i try it out!
Rookie question, but can I omit the flaxseed and the cumin? I don’t have flaxseed and I’m avoiding cumin because I think it’s been causing the stomach aches I’ve been having.
Hi Sharada! Yes, you can definitely omit the cumin–that’s purely for flavor (you might try another spice if you like instead). You can also omit the flax, although your results may differ slightly. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Great recipe find thank you! I was looking for things to make with gram flour for my dairy and, newly, gluten free daughter. It turned out well – I am used to making English pancakes, which are thin crepe style and have a special flat bottom pan. I am also used to the quick swirl action that is needed to get a nice thin and even coverage. The taste when raw was very ‘beany’ but this became much more muted when cooked. We have all just enjoyed them as small wraps around salad for lunch 🙂
Oh awesome! That quick swirl action is the trickiest part, so if you have that down, you’re golden 🙂 Isn’t it strange how strong that bean taste is when it’s raw vs. cooked? So glad you guys enjoyed them and thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Hi, can I mix 1/2 cup white rice flour with 1/2 chickpea flour? I like chickpea flour but I don’t like it alone. Would the texture not work out well for the recipe?
Hi Raisha! It’s actually never occurred to me to try that combination so unfortunately I can’t say whether it’d work out or not! My hunch is that the tortillas might be a bit crumblier with the white rice flour. If you are not gluten-intolerant, I might try mixing half chickpea flour with half spelt flour–I think that should work. Hope that helps!
Okay, also, do you think that adding like 2 parts chickpea flour plus 1 1/2 parts rice flour plus 1/2 part and using the mix of flour would stabilize the flour to make is less crumbly? I always have these flours at home so I want to ask for your opinion if you don’t mind, thank you for all the advice. 🙂
~Raisha
Hi Raisha–not sure if you left out a word after “1/2 part.” If you meant 1/2 part spelt, I think that would definitely help make it less crumbly, but still not sure whether it would stand up to being tortilla-ed. I’ll have to experiment and let you know! (Are you working with sweet white rice flour or just white rice flour?)
Oh, I’m sorry, I meant potato starch. ^^; I was thinking 1 cup chickpea flour, and 1/2 cup each white rice flour and potato starch or something like this for a flour blend. I was worried that starch wasn’t an option.
I’m pretty sure starch could only help the consistency, but I’m not a big starch user when I bake gluten-free, so I can’t say for sure!
PS. The chickpea taste really isn’t that strong in these tortillas if you want to try a half-batch or something as written… 🙂
I am always on the look out for new GF pancakey-type ideas. Have got besan flour in the pantry but never known what to use it with. You have solved my problem! Thanks lass!
Yay!!! I also have a huge sack of besan flour that I’ve desperately been trying to use up. Have you ever made chickpea fries? I use the ny times recipe usually (I think–i just google and use one of the first recipes that comes up) and they are SO GOOD and great for using up chickpea flour!!
Anyone tried this with garfava flour? I haven’t seen chickpea flour at my grocery but I do have garfava flour that I use in other recipes. Curious.
Interesting! I can’t see why that wouldn’t work, but I hope you hear back from some other readers! 🙂
Mine came out like a pancake 🙁
Oh no! Have you ever made crepes before? The trick to making these is to cook them like a crepe (i.e your batter should be runny and should be swirled around the pan in a very thin layer). I’m sorry these didn’t quite turn out for you–let me know if you have any specific questions on how to improve your results!
Yeah I made it a little too thick and didn’t thin it out very well. But I just piled my guac and sauted veggies on top of the “pancake” and ate it like that. It was still really delicious just wasn’t a wrap. Tomorrow’s wrap will be better I’m sure 🙂 I’ll make it every day until it’s perfect!!
Success! I made it and it worked! Thanks!! 🙂
Oh YAY!!!!! Thanks for reporting back Paul 🙂 (Although your guac + veggie pancake creation also sounds fabulous!)
I never normally post anything, but I have to THANK YOU and tell you how incredibly happy I am to find this recipe!! I’m allergic to gluten, yeast, tapioca, dairy, eggs, banana and pumpkin, so needless to say normal baked goods are totally off limits, and even GF or vegan doesn’t usually fit the bill. I’ve tried so many recipes that called for a long list of hard to find ingredients, or tried adapting recipes, and the end result is typically a sad, gummy or dry, terrible disappointment! But this was SO EASY, looked just like the picture, and was delicious!! I also tried it without cumin and less water and made regular pancakes! I’m so happy-these will definitely be a new staple recipe!! Great job! 🙂
Amy!!!! You made me smile so big when I read this. I am so happy you liked these + they turned out well for you 🙂 Thanks for making my day and happy tortilla-ing! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! Just what I was after. I love making wraps but it’s very hard to find good soft gluten free tortilla breads, let a alone egg free!
I tried these ones tonight and it was a bit tricky to get the right consistency and also fry them to the right softness. I found that adding more water made them thinner like I want them, and the pan can not be too hot! They start to get stiff and it will get harder to spread it out. I’ve got a gas stove so it’s a bit tricky to stay on a low even temperature. But when I got the hang of it they were great! Altough they didn’t look as good as yours 🙂
Thanks again!
Sandra
Hi Sandra! Thanks so much for your comment. You’re right–these are a bit tricky, so thanks for adding your input! I’ve never tried making these on a gas stove, but that does sound a bit difficult–I’m so glad you stuck with it and got the hang of it!
Honestly, I’m still torn on whether to call these tortillas or flatbreads (texture-wise, it seems like a toss-up), but for now–happy tortilla eating! 🙂
Made these last night; great corn tortilla substitute! I haven’t had tacos in years! Now I just have to perfect the consistency so I can roll/ wrap them up like you did in the pictures.
YAY! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 I’m curious–how did your consistency turn out? I know these are a little tricky to spread + flip in the pan!
Omg gurl! These are like an answer to my prayers! Will try them after work tomorrow. Thanks!
Hi, I like the taste of falafel. They are made of chickpeas but unfortunately deep fried. So I make this pancakes with the spice of falafel and wrapped around a raw vegan salad.
That sounds like a great compromise! 🙂
not sure why, but mine did not turn out and I tried several times 🙁
Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that! What happened when you tried making them?
I LOVE the flavour of chickpea flour. I usually make them into a fluffy pancake using whisked egg whites (I have the recipe on my blog). But I am totally excited to try your recipe using flaxseeds to make more of a tortilla style pancake.
I was just wondering what’s the best way to store any leftover batter or cooked wraps of the chickpea wraps, to make it quick and easy to just grab one already prepared and go?
Hi Stacy! If you wanted to store leftover batter, I would suggest refrigerating it in a covered container and giving it a whisk again before you make it. I cooked mine all at once and kept them folded in a tupperware (which I actually don’t recommend because some of them tore along the fold). What I WOULD suggest is, once they’re cool, layering them flat on a plate and cover that with plastic wrap. That should make it easy to grab and go!
Thanks for the question–I’ll add that to the instructions 🙂
These look so amazing and simple to make! Would it be possible to substitute the chickpea flour for whole wheat flour or oat flour?
Since I haven’t tried it, I can’t say for sure…I think whole wheat flour would definitely work, but you might want to cut down on the water since chickpea flour really sucks up moisture more than other flours. If you try oat flour, I would try half oat flour and half wheat flour first before doing all oat just because it tends to be crumbly. Let me know how they turn out!! 🙂
I think I will give whole wheat a try this weekend! Will definitely let you know how they come out! Thanks for this awesome recipe 🙂
This looks amazing! I have been vegan for about a year now, but I have been struggling to transition to a gluten free diet at my doctor’s suggestion. I am definitely going to try these! How yummy 🙂 Thanks for sharing!!
Yay! Let me know how you like them!
Girl, you fancy. Making your own tortillas? That’s chef status right there.
🙂 YOU fancy!
I have NO focus for studying either, unless it’s something that really interests me…
like these tortillas! I love, love, LOVE the convenience and deliciousness of flour tortillas, but you’re totally right – most brands use some really nasty stuff in theirs. Have you ever made pancakes with chickpea flour? The beany taste is a little too strong for sweet pancakes, but savory pancakes…with Indian curries…mhm!
YES! And they were awful! Haha…yes, I’ve discovered sweet pancakes with chickpea flour–not so much. But I’m totally excited to try some savory ones!!
Okay, I JUST bought garbanzo bean flour for the first time last week, so clearly you posted this just for me, right? 🙂 I’m really not a huge fan of store-bought tortillas, but making them myself seems so involved. But these? These I can totally do!
Ooh exciting! Clearly, of course 🙂 I was really debating calling these tortillas or wraps because the consistency isn’t exactly like a traditional tortilla…but I really love the nutty (or is it beany?) flavor! Also, you should make chickpea fries. THEY ARE ADDICTING. I used this recipe: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/chickpea-fries but baked them instead of frying. SO GOOD! Popped em like…french fries 🙂
Damn! These would have been puuuurfect with my kale and black bean breakfast tacos! And masa harina is darn near impossible to find where I live (as in, I’ve never found it), but chickpea flour has suddenly appeared all over the place. I’ll definitely be giving these a try! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Oh yum that sounds like a perfect breakfast. Sad about masa harina, but yay for chickpea flour! It’s probably more nutritious, right? Hope you like these! They’re so easy; I think I’m going to end up making a batch a week!
I love the idea of using besan! It’s something that sits around in my pantry and doesn’t get used often enough, so I will have to try this recipe.
Same here! Also: you should make chickpea fries. OMG DIE. So good!
How long do they last in the fridge? I’d like to make a batch for the week but I just wanna know how well they store, have you tried freezing them? They look great, I plan on using my Dosa pan to make them!
Hi Gabby–I made these Tuesday and they’re still going strong in the fridge. I’d guess they’d last about a week in the fridge stored in a tupperware of some sort. I think freezing them might be a little tricky since they’re rather delicate, but with a batch this small I’d be surprised if you need to! Hope you like em 🙂
So I tried making some and it worked out amazing. I posted some pictures on my blog. Fantastic option for those of us who have celiac and miss giant tortillas. Saturday I made a falafel wrap, this morning I made a breakfast wrap. I had no idea how much I missed wraps…
Ahh Gaby your wraps look so good!! I was thinking about making a hummus + veggie wrap with mine but I was like “too much chickpea?” Obviously not, since your falafel wrap looks AMAZING (I wish I could comment on your blog but I don’t have a tumblr so I don’t think i can 🙁 ) Thanks for letting me know how they turned out!
I’m so making these…..!!
:))
Chickpea tortillas = amazing! Beautiful photos! I’ve been trying to find some tortillas at the local groceries – so far, no good! Do you know that tortillas are known as omelets in Spain while tortillas are just tortillas in Latin America?
Thanks Rika! That is so interesting–even flour/corn tortillas are known as omelets? And wait, where do you live? How do they not carry tortillas???
Wow I didn’t know tortillas are so simple, such simple ingredients. I have to get my hands on chickpea flour and make some of these myself! I love tortillas. Well done!
Yes they are super simple!! Hope you like em 🙂
Aw! Eric! Not cool dude lol
I agree, flour tortillas are the best–and it is SO cool that you made these with chickpea. For serial. Amazing.
Hahaha thanks Kayle 🙂 Glad SOMEONE’S on my side!
Oooh, WELL DONE. These look amazing, Erika! It’s always tricky to make tender tortillas that are whole wheat, so maybe I’ll give these guys a try. I love working with chickpea flour, and luckily I love the taste of it too.
Thanks Irina! Yeah I think these are definite winners both taste and texture wise–chickpeas are the best!
I’ve been meaning to try chickpea flour since I’ve seen it so much on vegan blogs and it produces that eggy texture. I’ve seen it in pancakes and crepes but I’ve heard it can taste really off, so I’m scared of it, lol! But your tortillas look delish! I’m sure enough spices could camaflouge the weird bean taste! With all those yummy fillings, I bet it’s fab!
Ooh yeah I had a bad experience with it in pancakes once when I was mixing a bunch of flours (it just soaks up alllll the moisture and the flavor can be kind of funky when you combine it with chocolate) but I really like the pure, nutty/beany flavor on its own. You should try it! I got a huge bag for cheap at Fiesta–so good.