Are tortillas vegan? Yes, the traditional ingredients used to make tortillas are vegan friendly ingredients. However, on occasion some store brands include animal derived products that are not vegan friendly.
We’ll walk you through how to make vegan tortillas, what ingredients to look for in pre-made tortillas to fit your vegetarian diet, and the proper storage for keeping your tortillas freshly soft.
What are Tortillas?
Tortillas are traditionally round, unleavened flat bread that are made of wheat flour or corn flour and are widely used throughout Latin America.
Tortillas can be served with beans, rice, vegetables, or a variety of meats. They make a great appetizer, snack, or meal.
Vegan Tortilla Brands
Brands that sell vegan tortillas include:
Mission Tortilllas
La Banderita Tortillas
Old El Paso Tortillas
Amaizin Organic Tortillas
Guerrero Corn Tortillas
Tesco Own Tortillas
Food For Life
Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Tortillas
Whole Foods 365 Tortillas
Rudi’s Gluten Free Fiesta Tortillas
WrawP Original Wraps
Engine 2 Sprouted Grain Wraps
Raw Wraps Vegan Spinach Wraps
Xtreme Wellness Tortillas
As always, we recommend reading the ingredient list on the brand packaging or contacting the company, before determining whether it will fit your dietary needs.
How to Keep Tortillas Soft
Enjoying a nice soft, fresh tortilla is one of the most delicious experiences when it comes to eating Mexican foods whether it be a burrito, enchilada, quesadilla, taco, or any other delicious dish.
But how do you keep tortillas soft? Here are some recommendations.
Keep them warm. If you’re planning to serve your tortillas soon, you can keep them warm by placing them in a foil covered pan at a low temperature such as 250F degrees in your oven.
Keep them in an airtight container. Allowing air to get to your tortillas will make them hard in a matter of a few hours. To help keep them soft, store them in an airtight container or zipped food storage bag.
Reheat them. When tortillas have been stored for a bit, they have a tendency to wear out their softness. Whether they’ve been frozen or stored at room temperature, reheating them can potentially revive their softness. See our instructions below for how to reheat vegan tortillas.
How to Store Tortillas
Tortillas can be stored at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or in the freezer depending on the length of desired shelf life.
Room Temperature. Storing tortillas at room temperature will allow them to be used for about a week. Keep them in an airtight container for the best freshness and to keep them soft.
Refrigerator. For storage for up to 2 weeks, store your tortillas in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Again, they should be stored in an airtight container to help maintain freshness.
Freezer. For the longest shelf life, you can keep tortillas in the freezer for up to 6 months when packaged properly. See our instructions here for the best ways to freeze tortillas.
How to Reheat Tortillas
For how to reheat tortillas, there are 4 methods that we recommend. They are as follows:
Tortilla press. If you have access to a tortilla press, this is a great way to reheat a tortilla. Just follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the time and temperature at which to reheat the tortilla.
Griddle on stovetop. Place a little oil in the bottom of your favorite griddle to keep the tortilla from sticking to it. Then turn the heat to medium. Add the tortilla and heat until desired. This provides a nice, browned tortilla that’s crispy if you cook it long enough.
Oven. For softer tortillas, wrap them in foil and place them in a 350F degree oven for 10 minutes to reheat them and freshen them up.
Microwave. If you’re in a hurry to reheat your tortillas, you can microwave them for 20 seconds to make them soft.
Can You Freeze Tortillas?
Yes, you can freeze tortillas to prolong their shelf life and use them later. Tortillas can be frozen for up to 6 months if packaged properly, without compromising quality.
See our step-by-step instructions for how to freeze tortillas here.
Vegan Ingredients
Traditional tortillas are made with basic vegan friendly ingredients as follows.
wheat or corn flour
salt
water
olive oil
Non-Vegan Ingredients
From time to time, it’s possible that tortillas will include non-vegan ingredients such as the ones we’ve listed below.
lard
butter
whey
white sugar
palm oil
animal enzymes
What You’ll Need to Make Vegan Flour Tortillas
The ingredients needed to make vegan flour tortillas are straight forward and are general pantry ingredients.
To make your own vegan friendly tortillas you’ll need the following:
All-purpose flour
Water
Olive oil (vegetable oil or canola oil can also be used)
Salt
How to Make Vegan Tortillas from Scratch – Step by Step
Following are our step by step instructions for how to make vegan tortillas from scratch.
Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
3/4 cup warm water
Instructions
Mix the ingredients together thoroughly until a pliable dough ball can be formed.
Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
Using a skillet or frying pan, heat some oil in the bottom of the pan over medium heat.
Roll the dough to form flat tortillas.
Fry each tortilla in the oil until browned. Flip and repeat for the reverse side.
Serve and enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Following are frequently asked questions that relate to the popular question, are tortillas vegan. If you have a question that’s not answered here, feel free to drop it to us in the comments box below and we’ll be happy to answer it.
Are Chipotle tortillas vegan?
According to their website, all of their tortillas are vegan. Whether you order tacos or burritos, corn or flour tortillas, they’re all vegetarian and vegan friendly.
Are all flour tortillas vegan?
Most flour tortillas are traditionally vegan. They’re simply made from flour, oil, salt, and warm water. None of these ingredients have animal derived products and are vegan friendly.
Are corn tortillas vegan?
Whether corn tortillas are vegan will depend on the ingredient list used. If the ingredient list includes basic items such as corn flour, salt, water, and oil, then it’s likely that the corn tortillas in question are vegan friendly.
Are spinach tortillas vegan?
It depends on the ingredients used to make the tortillas as to whether they would qualify as vegetarian.
If none of lard, butter, whey, white sugar, palm oil, or animal enzymes are included, along with any other animal derived or processed products, then the spinach tortillas are likely vegan.
Are Guerrero tortillas vegan?
Most wheat flour Guerrero tortillas are vegan, but read the packaging labels to be sure.
Are Mission Tortillas vegan?
Yes, Mission Tortillas are vegan and don’t contain any animal derived or processed ingredients.
Why are flour tortillas not vegan?
Some brands of flour tortillas aren’t vegan. You’ll want to read the ingredient list to check.
What tortillas are not vegan? Non-vegan ingredients that can potentially be found in flour tortillas include, lard, butter, whey, white sugar, palm oil, and animal enzymes.
Do tortillas have dairy in them?
Flour tortillas don’t usually include dairy. However, you’ll want to check the food brand labels to be sure.
Are tortilla chips vegan?
Yes, tortilla corn chips are often vegan. Again, check the food labels to be sure that the product doesn’t include any additives that are processed or animal derived.
Recipes That Use Tortillas:
Bacon Ranch Chicken Quesadillas Chili’s Copycat
Beef or Chicken Crispitos Recipe
Amy’s Bean and Cheese Burrito Copycat
Grilled Stuffed Nacho Recipe
Sheet pan Chicken Fajita Crunchwrap
White Chicken Enchiladas
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