Most people I know LOVE tacos. Fish, carnitas, carne asada, pollo asada, adobada… you put it on a tortilla, and they’ll eat it. Perhaps this is an artifact of being a San Diego resident. The one thing I’ve learned since moving to this beautiful city is that you just DON’T ASK for a flour tortilla, lest you risk shaming yourself – corn tortillas are the one and only gold standard around these parts. Buuuuut… what to do when you’re a taco-adoring Paleo enthusiast?!? Conundrum, indeed, my friend! Well, fret no longer. I’ve got a really fast and easy recipe for you to whip up next time your Mexican cravings start kicking in!
All you’ll need is four ingredients: egg whites, a bit of coconut flour, a bit of tapioca starch, and some unsweetened almond milk. Whisk them together, pour, and let the magic happen right on your stove top! I venture to admit that these can be a little tricky to flip when you first start making them, but if you happen to have a silicone spatula handy (one of my most-used kitchen tools ever), it will make the job practically effortless! Sorry, but a regular spatula is just too plain rough for these tortillas when they’re still cooking – once both sides are cooked, though, they are SUPER durable, just like any other tortilla!
Here’s how to perfect the flip:
1.) Gently slide the silicone spatula underneath and around the edges of each tortilla just as the first side looks like it’s about done, about 1 minute (as long as your pan is well pre-heated). You’ll know it’s ready because it starts to look bubbly in the middle, while bunching together all around at the edges (see picture on left below).
2.) Then, in two swift motions, slide your spatula under the tortilla, lift, and flip right back into the pan on the other side. Let it cook another minute, and when the tortilla starts to lift up at the edges (see picture on right below), it’s done. Transfer it to a plate, and stack them as you make them. Don’t worry about being gentle anymore, because once they’re cooked, they’re super durable and flexible!
I screw up the first one practically every time, so don’t feel bad if your first attempt is also a major fail. There’s always enough batter left over to make plenty of them, so it will be okay! Practice makes perfect… tortillas. :P*
I recommend making street-taco size tortillas with your batter (pictured above). Not only does this allow you to make more of them with what you have, but they are also quite a bit easier to flip when you’re first learning how to do it. However, if you prefer a larger size, go for it. I make the bigger ones when I want to load up my tacos with lots of stuff, and they’re just as durable! And FYI – these bad boys are a great vehicle for my insanely delicious Chipotle Chicken Tacos with Cucumber & Avocado Salsa!
- ¾ cup egg whites
- 2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch
- Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Let it sit for 10 minutes, so the coconut flour can absorb some of the moisture (but it will still be very liquidy).
- While you’re waiting on the batter, pre-heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with olive oil. (Just once; you actually don’t even need to re-spray in between tortillas.)
- Pour batter into the center of the skillet – for normal/large tortillas use ¼ cup batter, and for smaller street taco size tortillas, use just about ⅛ cup batter. No need for fancy pan-twirling action – just pour it right in the middle!
- Cook for 1 minute, then use a silicone spatula to flip it. Cook the other side for 1 minute. Transfer to a plate and continue cooking the remainder of the batter. It will make 6 to 10 tortillas, depending on the size you choose.
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