How on Earth did I look at a plantain and think: Plantain Tortillas? Well here’s the story: A while back, my friend Johnny and I had a cooking day and planned on making tostones, but they turned into more of a tostada…
Plantain Tortillas
Long story short, the tostadas were pretty much an accident, due to the ripeness of the plantains I had: Green plantains are great for making chips or tostones, and ripe plantains are great for mashed plantains or used for baking. The ones I had were yellow; not quite ripe, not quite green. But it turns out they were perfect for this accident invention: Plantain tostadas!
When I decided to make fajitas with the grassfed flat iron I got at the farmers market this week, I knew I wanted to give it a coffee rub and grill it, but I wasn’t sure about the wrapper. Classic paleo problem, right? Lettuce leaves are always a good option, but let’s face it: They’re not a tortilla. Jicama is one of my favorites, but a bit of a mess with juicy fillings; better as a crispy taco shell than a stand-in for a flour tortilla. Cauliflower tortillas are delicious, and what I planned to go with on this occasion, until I got to the store and saw the yellow plantains. I wasn’t sure how they’d hold up; I wanted a tortilla that folded without breaking and was sturdy enough to hold the hearty fajita fillings. But I also wanted them to be soft like a homemade corn or flour tortilla. The result?
Perfection!
The process is a little bit messy, but extremely simple:
Everything gets pureed in the food processor and then baked in the oven.
The tortilla batter is dropped onto a baking sheet, about 2 tablespoons each.
A ladle is used to spread out the batter about half way.
Once they’re about half the size they need to be, wet fingers are used to get them as thin as possible
Like this:
Four will fit on a standard baking sheet, so you may have to cook them in batches. They reheat well, so making ahead is a good option!
Need some more tutelage? Check out this video!
video made by Jesse Kane / American Made Films
There are two types of plantains I’ve seen regularly in stores:
The more common are the larger ones, that look like bananas, and there are also shorter, fatter ones that are somewhat triangular. I tried this recipe with both, using 3 of the larger, more common kind, and 4 of the shorter, fatter ones. The recipe worked great both times. Since it’s not a baked good, and the starch in the plantains are a good part of what makes plantain tortillas work, the measurement doesn’t need to be 100% exact. I’m guessing that the color of the plantain does have a lot to do with the outcome, though; green will not puree smoothly when raw, and if it’s gotten more brown than yellow, it will likely turn the tortilla quite sweet.
Once they’re all cooked, these plantain tortillas can be grilled or slightly charred on a gas flame. Or just eaten as-is! They were perfect for our fajita spread, and I have a feeling will become a part of our regular rotation. If I was packing kids’ lunches, these would definitely be making an appearance!
Plantain Tortillas
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 tortillas 1x
- Category: breads and wraps
Ingredients
- 3 large or 4 small yellow plantains, (about 2–2.5 pounds before peeling *)
- 1/3 cup egg whites, (about 2 eggs worth)
- 3 tablespoons lard or coconut oil, (melted (I highly recommend lard if you have it!))
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
- Peel and chop your plantains and place in a food processor.
- Puree until somewhat pureed, and then add the melted lard, egg whites, salt and lime juice. Puree until smooth.
- Drop about 2 tablespoons at a time onto a baking sheet lined with a lightly greased sheet of parchment paper, 4 per standard baking sheet (spaced as shown above)
- Smooth into a circle with the bottom of a ladle, getting as thin as possible, switching to wet fingers once the ladle stops being efficient.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until dry to the touch, and just starting to brown on the edges.
Notes
These tortillas store, freeze, and reheat beautifully. Reheat them over a gas flame for 20 seconds on each side, turning as needed, or in the oven or on a grill.
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Catgross says
Do you think it would work with just regular bananas. Or do you need the starch that’s in Plantation bananas?
zenbellyblog says
Definitely need plantains. Bananas won’t hold up the way plantains do. I’m guessing they’d just turn to mush if you baked them this way…
Catgross says
Ah, that sad that regular bananas won’t work. The starch in Plantation are just too much, but that’s probably why the recipe works. 🙁
Cristina says
Is this recipe in your book? 🙂
zenbellyblog says
Yup! About 10 or 12 of my most popular recipes from the blog made it in there!
Orlando Satchell says
nice idea ,i have be doing it for while in Saint Lucia , in your photo ,you have family mamber of the banan , which is call macbo ,its like a plantain but dose not get as sweet when ripe, the main part of the family is banana ,plantain and macbo , i am sure they many various around the world
Celebrine says
I’ve been making pancakes lately using just bananas and eggs. The texture is very much like a crepe but they do have a tendency to crack when you fold them. If you don’t mind that, I’d think you could use banana instead of plantain in these and get similar results.
A sprinkle of arrowroot might help, but I haven’t played around with that.
Meg says
Yes! Taco nights are fun again! I will definitely make these, thanks for the recipe!
grassfedgirl says
looks amazeballs! Way to go!
Michelle Scott says
I am in awe!!! The one thing I’ve missed is something to make wraps/tacos in… I am soooo making these!!! I bow to your cooking creativeness!
Alexandra Jabr says
Fantastic! Do they taste sweet at all?
zenbellyblog says
They’re a tiny bit sweet, but not overpoweringly at all. I made them once with lard and once with coconut oil, and the lard version was definitely less sweet than the coconut oil.
Tammy says
Do you think clarified butter would work?
zenbellyblog says
Probably! I have made them with coconut oil and lard; both worked well. The difference I noticed was really just in the flavor, so I think any kind of fat would work great. Let me know how they turn out if you try it!
primalporvida says
I can’t wait to try these out. My wedding is coming up and i would love to have these as a tortilla option for myself and some of our paleo guests:)
Kim says
Any chance you could measure the volume of mashed plantain? Or weigh it on a kitchen scale? just saying that leaving the amount of plantain to your and my estimate of ‘large’ or ‘small’ leaves a lot of wiggle room… 🙂
zenbellyblog says
I did just that with my banana bread recipe, for that very reason. But I didn’t mash these before I pureed them in the food processor, so didn’t get a good cup measurement. I would estimate weight to be about 1.5 pounds. I used the plantains (4 small) pictured above one time, and 3 large plantains the other, and they came out exactly the same.
MrsPistachio says
I used two large plantains that came to over a pound with skins. The recipe came out great though I did make them a little thick, I think. I found out about this recipe from the latest Paleo magazine. The instructions are good and so is the flavor. I used some rendered fat from pork. I thought mine had enough black in the skin but they were really firm so I was nervous that they wouldn’t turn out right. I’m going to try to riff off of this with some herbs and such.
Sheryl Peters says
I love all your recipes! I made these tonight for our soft tacos, and they turned out great!! I appreciate having a nut free paleo tortilla!! Thank-you thank-you!!!
zenbellyblog says
Thanks Sheryl! I’m so glad you loved them!
The Saffron Girl says
Wow! these are genius!! Love them and will definitely try this! Thank you for sharing.
C.M. Cole says
1. Could another starchy veg (like say cassava/taro) work?
2. Could you give grams/weight for ingredients (3 small is not a very exact measure, and my impression of small or medium may be different than yours)
zenbellyblog says
I have no idea how another starchy vegetable would work, I’ve only tried plantains. Let me know if you try it!
I’m guessing about 1.5 pounds. I used the plantains (4 small) pictured above one time, and 3 large plantains the other, and they came out exactly the same.
zenbellyblog says
Actually, let’s go with 2-2.5 pounds. I’ll make the edits in the post. 🙂
katie teresi says
that is pretty genius!
joy says
Hi, we have weekly taco night at my house and I am so excited to try the plantain tortillas. I LOVE anything that involves a palntain! I do have a question, if I was to make these a day or two before I eat them, how do I store them, the fridge or dry? and will they even last a few days, or should I just plan on eating them right after I make them? Thanks for the recipe!
zenbellyblog says
I hope these are a great addition to your taco night! They store beautifully; just put them in either a ziploc bag or in an airtight container, and store them in the fridge. I actually just ate the last two from a batch I made 4 days ago, and they were still really good. You can reheat them by steaming, grilling, over a gas burner, in the oven, or in a pan. I’ve done almost all of these options to reheat them, and they all work great!
Andrea @Pencils and Pancakes says
Could you cut the recipe in half?
zenbellyblog says
I don’t see why not! Just go with about a pound of plantains and cut the rest in half.
Susy says
Hi there, what would happen if i used the whole egg?
zenbellyblog says
They’d be more…. eggy? 🙂 I honestly can’t say for sure without trying it. I didn’t leave out the yolk because I avoid them (I know they’re the healthiest part), but for taste / texture purposes. They should still work though, but the end result will be a bit different, I’m guessing.
Susy says
Thank you for the reply. My sister made them this evening, with the whole egg and from what I could tell, they turned out great 🙂 so she loved your recipe. I’ll have to try next!
Aimee says
This would be great to make at the same time as mayo or chocolate pudding so I can use the whites and yolks both right away 🙂 I love my tacos with fried tortillas. Do you think these would be good fried or just weird?
zenbellyblog says
For sure! I always feel pressured to make something with the yolks when I only use the whites. Good to go in with a plan 🙂 As for frying: I definitely thought about how they’d turn out, but haven’t tried it yet. If it works, they’ll be GOOD. Please let me know how it goes it you try it before I do!
MrsPistachio says
I save my egg whites (use the yokes for some other baking recipes) in the fridge for just such an occasion. Now I have a great way to move the egg whites out of the fridge. 😀 Thanks. These are nice and firm and don’t tear like lettuce leaves do.
Sophie says
Your recipe worked beautifully! It’s a keeper!
Abby says
I love plantains, and these look delicious! Do you think this recipe could also work with pre-cooked sweet potatoes?
zenbellyblog says
Maybe! I think a lot of what makes this recipe work is the starchiness of the plantains. So if sweet potatoes have a similar starchiness, they should work. Not sure if they’ll wind up with the same elastic quality as when plantains are used, though. LEt me know how they turn out if you try!
Haley Stene says
I made them with plantains that sadly turned brown before I used them. They are indeed much sweeter than I would expect the yellow plantains to have turned out. But they aren’t bad at all. It was a nice accent to my shredded beef tacos. 🙂
zenbellyblog says
Yes, ripe vs yellow makes a big difference… I made them with pretty ripe plantains and they were a bit banana tasting. Glad they still worked, though!
Naked Paleo (@MyPaleoLife) says
Awesome!! I do something similar for Tamales. I didn’t have enough plantain so used a banana and some plantain flour I have which worked out well. Do not use banana unless you want them to taste like banana bread lol
http://instagram.com/p/dsuGa0AZ43/
Jen says
My husband asked me three times why I was so happy last night. He said the goofy grin and contented sighs were too much. I had to keep telling him how happy I was to have finally found a paleo tortilla that holds together and keeps well. You have changed my life! True story.
zenbellyblog says
Oh my goodness Jen, this comment made me so happy, and maybe even tear up a little. Thanks so much!
Milliann Johnson says
great recipe i used two huge yellow plantains the rest per ur recipe for soft tacos, they were realllllllllly good, held together…& i believe the flavor was better than a flour tortilla………thx
Nichole says
Wonder if flax eggs would work in place of the egg whites? My son has an egg allergy. Otherwise though, these look great. Love plantains!
Rawria says
Did you try them with flax eggs yet ? My daughter also has an egg allergy and I was wondering if this would work. 🙂
Nichole says
I haven’t yet, but I probably will this week. Have you tried it yet?
Nichole says
I don’t know how these turn out with real eggs, but they turn out great with flax eggs. Go for it!
zenbellyblog says
Awesome! Thanks so much for trying that out. Lots of people are going to be VERY excited to hear this.
Rawria says
Thank you Nichole!!
Ann says
Hi – how many flax eggs did you use? 1 or 2 TBS and how much water? Thanks – can’t wait to try these!
Nichole says
The ratio for a flax egg is 1 T flax to 3 T water. I mixed them up in a big liquid measure and poured off the little bit of excess to ensure I had the 1/3 Cup called for.
Jen says
Made these with 1 1/2 tablespoon ground chia and 3 1/2 tablespoon plus on teaspoon warm water. I also used olive oil and applecider vinagar and they turned out great! i also made it following the recipe and it is great either way.
Amy Fox says
I made these last night and they were great! Texture was incredible! My plantains were really ripe so they came out pretty sweet, but ended up being a really good compliment to the Kalua pork I served them with. Even the gluten eaters in the group proclaimed them better than the corn & flour tortillas also on offer!!!
clintncindy says
I don’t have an oven. Just curious if anyone has made these in a pan on the stove. Do you think it would work?
zenbellyblog says
I’m fairly certain they would stick to a pan… I don’t often recommend using non-stick, but that might be what you need for these! I’d try a half recipe to test it, so you don’t waste too many ingredients if it doesn’t work out. Please report back if you do try it! I’d love to know how it works.
Larry says
Lay a piece of parchemnt paper down in the pan and then cook them on the parchment paper. That will keep them from sticking.
Dillon Ross (@burlapdesign) says
Have done this about 3 times now and the kids usually finish it before the rest of us can get to this. Made a bigger batch today and took on our outing and it was great. Thanks for this.
Theresa Diaz Gray says
It looks like you use ripe plantains but not overripe ones in your photo, but you say something about mushy in the recipe. How ripe are they? Yellow but no black spots? I have been looking for a tortilla substitute to serve guests, these will work well.
I’m a big fan of plantains, I buy them green and use them for tostones, also called patacones or aplastados depending on where in Latin America you are from. When I was in Panama, they made big patacones and served them with cheese or other toppings as and appetizer.
You can sub them for potatoes in stews too. As they get riper they go into fufu which is similar to Puerto Rican mofungo. Ot I bake them. When they get really ripe then they are sliced into rounds, fried and served as maduros.
Here you can buy them on the street as either chips or fried as a dessert served with cream on top.
zenbellyblog says
You’ll get the best results if you use yellow plantains with no brown spots. The tortillas will still work if the plantains are a bit riper, but will be sweeter. I love plantains, too! There’s a Puerto Rican place I love that serves tostones with melted cheese, avocado, and a perfect slice of tomato. One of my favorite things! It sounds like you’ve got a great plantain repertoire. I’ll have to use them in a stew instead of potato next time I make one. Thanks, Theresa!
Katherine says
These were a total winner. I’d never worked with plantains before, and was making carnitas for the first time this weekend, so thought I’d pair them together. It was fantastic, and just made me so happy to have something to capture the goodness vs. just making it into a salad/plate! Thank you!
Kristine says
Made these bad boys tonight. Will be making them again. Next time I will be bolder about thinning them out. I only got 10 and they were on the thick side.
Thanks for another great idea!
Maura says
That’s funny Kristine – I was thinking the opposite. I think I made mine a little too thin because I was worried they’d be fluffy. But I ended up using 2 together like you sometimes see with fresh tortillas, and it worked like a charm.
paleohuntress says
My husband is Latino and grew up eating green plantains in place of potatoes. (Tostones!) Anyway, it’s my understanding that when green, the starch in plantains is mostly the resistant variety, so very little impact on BG. I’m not into the idea of a sweet wrap, but I’d love to try one from a green plantain instead. Thoughts?
zenbellyblog says
I try to use plantains that are just yellow, barely. They just have a tiny bit of sweetness, but not much. You could probably make them with green plantains, as long as they could be pureed. Let me know if you try it!
Martin says
When I make fufu I boil the green plantain to make it soft enough to pound. The boiling should work here too and the green ones are of course less sweet.
Katy D says
For all who were wondering-I tried them with sweet potatoes!!
Close, very close, and delicious, but no tortilla. they will roll but will not withstand food on top of them without crumbling. Sweet potatoes need a little more help (and I even tried adding a friendly 1/2 tsp of guar gum).
Moral of this story: Stick to Plantains! I will next time 🙂
Cait C says
Oh man…these are freaking AMAZING!! Mine are a bit more yellow and slightly sweet, but still delicious. Even the picky, no-paleo hubby gave his seal of approval!! Thank you!!
zenbellyblog says
Awesome! Glad you loved them!
jessica says
I used the whole egg and didn’t flatten as much and they made good pancakes.
Ellen Christian (@scentednights) says
This is a great idea. I have been searching for a tortilla alternative.
M Viquez says
These were amazing tonight! The whole family loved them. Perfect finger food for my 1 year old too!
Matt says
Ugh. I guess I’m the only person who failed at this recipe. Tried them last night, and despite using copious amount of coconut oil cooking spray on the wax, I couldn’t separate the plantillas from the wax paper. Will give them another shot at some point, because what I scraped off was tasty. But that was frustrating.
NicholeK says
Try parchment paper instead. It’s different from wax paper, which melts and bonds to the food when heated.
zenbellyblog says
Yeah, wax paper is probably the problem here… Like Nichole said, it melts, which is probably why your tortillas stuck. Sorry it didn’t work out, but definitely try them with parchment paper next time!
Maura says
I used a silpat and a fish spatula and was able to get them all up easily – to me Silpats pay for themselves in just one use!
Mara Martinez says
Oh my. Can I just say I’m addicted? I have done these twice and every time I eat them all by myself. I’m a tortilla lover, backed by my latin background, and these are just amazing. Thank you for this recipe.
zenbellyblog says
Thanks Mara! I’m so glad you can have tortillas in your life again 🙂
jag says
It worked!!!! I didn’t want to get my hopes up, even after reading all the comments but these are absolutely like having what I remember = GAME CHANGER. My fiancee is so excited & Mexican father said they remind him off how homemade corn tortillas use to taste!
My notes: used bacon grease instead of lard & worked wonderfully. Don’t forget to lightly grease the parchment paper with each batch 🙂 make enough cause these puppies go quick. Fast & easy to make again but will most likely double my next batch to freeze extras.
So many ideas- savory & sweet now swimming through my imagination/taste buds. Thank you
vin says
ever consider just buying plantain flour to make these?
zenbellyblog says
That’s funny, I actually have a bunch! I didn’t think of using it here, though. It would be a whole new recipe, but would be worth experimenting with!
Vinny says
cool… there are some recipes online that look like they could use some tweaking..
Jordan says
made these, and they were the bomb!
Jessica Kim says
So I just made these for dinner and they’re a gift from the foodie god!! I just started the paleo lifestyle a month ago and have been searching for a tortilla that’s paleo approved. I’ve tried the cauliflower and sweet potato but wasn’t big on the way they formed. These are perfect and they’re quenching my tortiwrap ( tortilla + wrap lol! ) fix!
Side note: my first batch on these stuck to my parchment paper do you think it’s because I went too thin?
zenbellyblog says
So glad you love them! The sticking could have been b/c they were too thin, or possibly the parchment needed a bit more oil. I find each batch varies a bit, depending on the starchiness of the particular batch of plantains… I’ve had some difficult first batches too, like pancakes 🙂
Anna Przychodzki says
These are excellent. They really fill a void in my diet and I make them regularly now. Thank you SO much for sharing this recipe! You are very generous.
Sheryl says
I love these! As an endurance athlete I rely on yams but these take things to a different level for me. Thank you so much!
Jemena says
Hooray! I JUST made these, haven’t taken a bite yet, waiting for the hubby to get home from the store with the rest of the taco fixins. 🙂
1 comment and 1 question:
#1 – on my 2nd batch I used a wet rubber spatula to smear out the batter (the little kind that fits into small-mouth jars) and it worked AMAZINGLY.
#2 – have you (or any other commenters) ever tried making them bigger?
(Sorry, both of these may have been addressed already, I didn’t read through all the comments.
Yea! He’s home! Time to try them!!
zenbellyblog says
Hooray! How’d they come out?
1: Wet rubber spatula: GREAT idea! I’ll have to try that.
2: I HAVE made them bigger, and made super burritos out of them! Amazing. We wrapped them in foil and everything, and my native SF burrito loving boyfriend was in heaven, and he’s picky about that type of thing. I’ve also made them medium and used them for breakfast burritos. Also amazing. They’re really versatile!
Jemena says
Awesome – glad to know they still turn out good when big! They were a delicious new alternative to lettuce wraps! Thank you so much for posting this!
Kate says
I am glad I kept reading. I’m cool with my lettuce wrap tacos, but I seriously crave the occasional wrap/burrito. 🙂
Whaddya say, double up the portion for each tortilla to make a burrito wrap size?
I’m pumped to try these sometime!
zenbellyblog says
oh my gosh, I have totally made these huge and made then super burritos. They were amazing. My native San Franciscan burrito loving fiancé was even blown away. Definitely try it! I still have to post my recipe for refried squash…
Kate says
Omgosh, refried squash sounds AMAZING. Please share!!
Beans are the one part of my tacos I have trouble sacrificing most, even more than cheese.
Kimm says
I have been dying to try this recipe and finally did today…. I was so disappointed when they stuck to the paper! I couldn’t for the life of me get one to come out whole. If I lightly grease then it’s a nightmare to get them to spread. .. help?
zenbellyblog says
The parchment needs to be greased! It’s sort of messy, but if you use a rubber spatula and oiled hands, you should be able to get them to spread them thin enough. I’m SO sorry it didn’t work out for you! I know how disappointing that is. 🙁
kimm says
I tried them on a silicone cake pan liner I had and they came out great! I’m going to try these with lime/cilantro tomorrow. Yay! Thanks so much!
Jemena says
Weird – I didn’t grease my parchment paper at all and they didn’t stick in the slightest. I wonder what the difference was. Did you use coconut oil? Green plantains? Any deviations?
kimm says
No deviation, I used lard…
Jemena says
Also, Kimm – you used PARCHMENT paper, right? (Not wax) Dumb question, I’m sure. They would definitely stick to waxed paper.
Mikhail says
Glad I’m reading this as mine are in the oven on wax paper. I’m new to this whole cooking thing. Well, sounds like test batch 1 will be stuck. At least I can taste them right?
zenbellyblog says
Glad the silicone liner worked! In regards to the parchment and greasing / not greasing: I’m willing to bet that there’s a bit of a variation in parchment papers… Some are likely to be more non-stick than others. I’m going to buy a few different kinds and check them out.
Hunts Brook Farm says
I used 2 large plantains, 1 whole egg, lemon juice (didn’t have lime), and salt and these were absolutely, fantastic!! Genius. I am so happy about this recipe!!
Ann says
I made these tonight, perfect!! I used 2 yellow and 1 green plantain and bacon flavored lard. I ate them with slow cooked pork shoulder with cilantro and lime and avocado. Delicious! I also used 2 flax eggs and they turned out great. I will use all green plantains for a more neutral flavor and the resistant starch.
Amanda says
I have the actual flour, but not the ripe plantains. Any idea how much flour you would use?
zenbellyblog says
I have no idea, that makes it a whole new recipe!
Mikhail says
So I’m trying this recipe, and I used 2 whole eggs (I think maybe I should have used only whites) and 3 relatively large Green Plantains. My puree came out rather thick and hard to spread, I’m curious if maybe I put too much or too little of something in it. I have 3 in the oven now as a test batch.
Melissa Hughes, Vitality Enthusiast says
Unreal!!! Simple. Perfect. Thank you!
Tamie says
Can’t wait to try these. Has anyone tried making tortilla chips with them?
Megan Rose says
Not having a tortilla or wrap of some kind has been a major obstacle to me going for paleo- I can’t thank you enough!!!
michael says
I learned about plantains in puerto rico this past summer, eating Mofongo and I love this, so now will try this…
AJ says
I had to make these to go with our paleo chili because for some reason chili makes me want bread – any kind – corn bread, tortillas, white bread and butter doesn’t matter… first night I made them into tortillas but I don’t think I made them thin enough and cooked them long enough. My plantains also weren’t quite ripe enough but it worked (with a little water added to thin it out a touch). tonight when I had leftover chili I was in the mood for something crunchy and scoopable to go with. I made the tortillas (but I cooked them at 400 and flipped when the tops started to dry out, and then cut with a pizza cutter into chips and then put back on my pizza rack (open weave tray) and let them crisp up to chip state. They were quite good and held their own against the chili and really satisfied that urge for crunchy and bread. Thanks so much for posting this. i look forward to more of your recipes.
zenbellyblog says
Ooooh I’m glad they worked as chips! I wish it weren’t such a finicky recipe, but I really do think that the ripeness of the plantains has a lot to do with how well it works… And I hear you about the chili + bread combo… Something about it is so satisfying. Thanks for stopping by, AJ, and I hope you enjoy the recipes!
Victoria Sorrels says
I made these this evening, but used 2 large green plantains, they worked great but A) were not anywhere near the color of yours, b)did not roll as tightly/as pliable as yours. Thinking it may have been the raw vs ripe plantain. Thoughts? THey were delicious nonetheless
zenbellyblog says
I think you’re spot on about the ripeness. Green, yellow and brown plantains all behave quite differently, more so than one might think. When they’re still green, they work better in crispy applications, like chips and tostones. They might not be starchy enough at that point to get that pliability that makes these tortillas work so well. I’m glad they were still tasty, and I hope they work better for you next time!
Jessie says
Looking forward to trying these! A quick tip for those of you wondering what to do with the yolks: last time I had a yolk I didn’t want to waste (and I’d already made mayo), I just lightly fried it in butter and ate it. It was delicious, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of that solution sooner. 🙂
Elaine Sharpe says
Would rendered duck fat work the same way as tallow/schmaltz/bacon fat?
Dennis says
Just made these and they were awesome. Used the recipe exactly as written, but instead of baking, I pressed them between sheets of parchment in my old wooden tortilla press. I then put the whole assembly (parchment and pressed plantain) in a dry hot skillet and cooked it for about a minute. When flipped, the first piece of parchment came off easily. I flipped over again and removed the other piece of parchment.and finished the tortilla the way i used to when i made corn tortillas. Result? Perfectly thin pliable little rounds of tortilla goodness!!
Thank you so much for the great recipe!
samuel holder says
I was pretty skeptical about these, but wow was a I wrong! I actually found 3 larger fairly green plantains. They were very dry during the peeling process, but the tortillas turned out great. Very moveable. Have you ever tried doubling the size for a chipotle style burrito? I was also wondering if I could add more lime/salt to kill more of the plantain-ness?
Thanks again, they were epic!
Ryan says
I have made these a few times now and add garlic powder, cumin and a dash if chipotle powder. Those seasonings help make them more savory by cutting a little bit of the sweeter plantain flavor. I have also added chopped jalepeno before too, worked very well.
samuelholder says
Thanks Ryan, I’ll definitely check out chopped jalapeno and chipotle powder.
Viola says
I just made these and they were delicious! A local question: where in the Bay Area do you find the short, fat plantains? I much prefer them over the longer ones but I have never seen them here.
zenbellyblog says
There’s a random little market near me in the outer sunset on Taraval and 41st Ave that has them; if you’re not out this way, I think a lot of the little produce markets in the Mission have them! I don’t know which ones specifically, I just know I’ve seen them…
Jennifer says
These were so amazing! I used a blender, since I don’t have a food processor. It came out a little chunky, but still held together. I just started a GAPS diet, so I made it with an egg substitute, which worked great. This is a game-changer for my restricted diet. I plan on making many and freezing them. Thanks for this delicious recipe!
Viola says
Jennifer, what egg substitute did you use?
zenbellyblog says
So glad you love them! They reheat beautifully, so making a large batch is a great idea.
Magda says
Jennifer, you might wnat to check on this but I don’t think plaintains are allowed on GAPS (too starchy).
Amy Ruddock says
What if I used plantain flour instead of fresh plantains? Do you know about how much flour to put in? We saw it online and just had to get some
zenbellyblog says
It is on my list to figure out a recipe for these that uses plantain flour, but until then, I have no idea! It totally changes the recipe, so I wouldn’t know what to tell you… I’m guessing you’d need more liquid and fat for starters. Let me know if you experiment and come up with something good!
Wesley says
Can you use whole eggs instead of egg whites?
zenbellyblog says
You can. They might taste a bit more eggy with the whole egg, which is what I was trying to avoid. I didn’t leave out the yolks because I’m yolk-phobic, but for flavor purposes. I save the yolks for mayo!
Sarah L says
I made these last night and OMG, they were delish! My flour tortilla loving husband even approved. Thanks for a great recipe!
zenbellyblog says
So good to hear, thanks Sarah! 🙂
Sade says
Can you also use olive oil?
zenbellyblog says
Sure! Any oil / fat works.
yvette says
Thanks for the recipe. How ripe were your plantains?
The color leads me to believe they were fairly unripe?
I made some using super ripe plantains that were about to turn and they were very yellow an sweet but still very good!
zenbellyblog says
Yellow plantains work perfectly for this recipe, so not super ripe, but not super green, either.
Gaby says
is the lime neccessary??
zenbellyblog says
I think it’s good for flavor purposes, but shouldn’t be necessary to the success of the recipe.
Kellie says
Thank you soooooo much. I made these for the first time tonight and I love them!!! I used 3 large green plantain and I used ghee instead of lard or oil (because that is what I had), and then followed your instructions.
I used parchment paper lightly oiled, and spread the mixture with a spoon, and then my wet fingers. On my first pan, I had them a little too thick. The second (larger) pan they turned out better. But the third pan – I used a bowl scraping spatula to get all of the plantain mixture out of the bowl – and that spatula was the TRICK to getting the tortillas very thin and very even!!!! The mixture didn’t stick to the spatula at all.
I will definitely make these again – and I will probably add the cumin and garlic that Ryan suggested above (and more salt).
I also extra fried one of them to make chips – I will try baking them longer next time because the fried ones were chewy!!!
Double Thanks because I also used your trick for making guac not turn brown!!! I used the chips to eat the guac, and we will see what it looks like tomorrow morning!!
Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!
SB says
Made these last night w/ some of the short stubby plantains. Pretty tasty, a bit sweet though, maybe I’d like them better for a dessert (cream cheese wraps w/ fruit perhaps? I’ll report back… Unfortunately, they are a bit messy and time consuming to make, so this will be a special treat. Thanks for posting!
Beesting says
This have given me hope! If you’re questioning if you should try this, just do it!! I’m Hispanic and I’ve always had some sort of tortilla or bread with my meals. Recently I’ve been eating almost entirely paleo. Tortillas are what I miss the most. Quick google search and couldn’t believe a paleo tortilla recipe existed!
I used:
3 large plantains two green & one ripe yellow with some brown.
2 eggs one whole & one only egg whites
3 tablespoons of ghee
garlic salt
Onion powder
And pepper all to taste
Came out perfectly baked they were not too sweet and I really couldn’t be happier, I’m totally motivated to keep going and stay strong! Thank you so much!
In case anyone was wondering these hold together BETTER than corn or flour tortillas. My fajitas guacamole and salsa all stood in place and the tortilla didn’t break down!!
Beesting says
Just altered this recipe to make pancakes! 2 large ripe yellow and brown plantains one half a banana 2 whole eggs and 1 tablespoon of ghee! Blueberry and blackberry compote instead of syrup! In the pan and they look just like pancakes!!!(: yay!!! Delicious!
tiffany gallehugh says
Could you freeze these for later use? I would like to make alot and freeze.
Jen says
I freeze them. They are not as good frozen, but they work out of necessity.
Renee says
I just made a huge batch of NomNom Paleo’s kalua pork to take on our camping trip to feed 35 people and these would have been perfect. I even saved the fat I skimmed off the juices which I have in the refrigerator waiting for a purpose. I think the fat just found its purpose, but will have to wait until we get back. My mouth is watering!
zenbellyblog says
YES. Kalua pork and these tortillas are BFFs. 🙂
Jennifer says
I’m new to your blog. I knew I had to try this recipe when I saw your pic of the blackened salmon tacos on ig. I’ve made them twice, and they are awesome!!!!! Thank you!!!!!! I’ve been eating salmon tacos for lunch for the past two weeks. Can’t stop! Won’t stop! I will say the recipe is very forgiving. The first time I made them i measured out 2 lbs of plantains, but then forgot to use one of them. But they turned out fine. I’m not very familiar with plantains, and I freaked out a little when I tasted the batter at how banana-y it tasted. So I added cumin, garlic and chipotle like another commenter said. Once you cook them, though, they have a very neutral flavor. It doesn’t scream plantain to me. And the texture! I love it. As long as you spread them evenly, they hold together awesomely.
Normally, I stick to things that are naturally paleo. I don’t usually try to re-create things, like bread, crackers, tortillas, etc, For me they’re not worth the time, effort, and expense. But these?!? So easy! and for $3 worth of plantains. I’m happy to be eating fish tacos again! Life is good! Thank you!
zenbellyblog says
Welcome, Jennifer! I’m glad you’re here 🙂 And I’m so glad you love the tortillas. Thanks for stopping by and leaving the sweet note!
Kerry says
can I freeze these?
zenbellyblog says
Yes! I’ve only refrigerated them personally, but I know others have frozen them with good results. They reheat really well; my favorite way is in a dry pan, or over a gas flame.
Natashalh says
I am very excited to share these with my husband soon! He loves plantains and is a big fan of lard (he’s Cuban!), and he’s been begging for homemade tortillas ever since I made them a few months ago. Thanks for the recipe and I’m glad I found your blog recently!
zenbellyblog says
I hope your husband loves them! Let me know what you both think! Glad you found me! 🙂
KarraLynn says
I made the batter for these a week or so ago, and couldn’t bake them right away. So I put the batter in the fridge overnight, and the next day scooped some out, used a wet spoon to shape/thin them and baked as directed. They were AMAZING. I went to make more last night, intending to bake them after mixing up the batter. I found it much more difficult to work with (I have the patience and attention span of a gnat) so I put the batter in the fridge to make tonight. Just a tip!
zenbellyblog says
Interesting! That is very good to know! I’ll have to experiment that that. Thanks so much!
Maura says
I totally agree with another commenter that these spread more easily when they’ve been in the fridge overnight. Also, I had the brilliant idea of using an offset spatula to spread my second batch and it was a dream. My fingers made the tortillas too inconsistent, but the spatula makes them perfectly even and flat. I’ve been using them as a wrap for shredded chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and avocado mayo. It’s SO good!! Thank you!!
zenbellyblog says
Awesome! That is a great idea 🙂 And those wraps sound amazing!
Lydia miller says
I have my first three in the oven…however, I forgot to lightly grease the parchment paper. Ha!!
Lydia miller says
Ok, turns out I didn’t need to grease the parchment paper, they didn’t stick 🙂 however, I think they are too sweet for me. My plantains were yellow. They are good, just not for tacos in my opinion:)
Debbie Madison says
Wow! I just made these for soft tacos for dinner tonight. Soooooo awesomely good! My husband, who hates plantains, loved them! I have your cookbook on my Kindle – LOVE the loaded banana bread!
Donna says
Sorry to be so dense here, but when you said two eggs worth, do you mean 2 whole eggs, or 2 eggs of just whites?? I really want to try. Not crazy about addition of egg as I’m allergic. One would be a little better for me. Can one be omitted by any chance?? Thanks for post. I’ve recently found that banana flour is a great option for baking and cooking. Haven’t found a tortilla recipe tho. I am interested in bread, tortillas , muffins and pancakes using a replacement for flour and NOT almond flour. Thanks again.
zenbellyblog says
Just whites- you need a quarter cup of whites, and it will take about 2 eggs to get that amount. If you’re allergic to eggs, I’d recommend not eating them? I’m not sure if they can be omitted in this recipe, I haven’t tried it. They help with the texture, but you could try without and see how it works!
nicholek says
I routinely make this recipe without eggs, and it works beautifully. Just substitute flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flax +3 tbsp water= 1 egg) for the eggs/egg whites.
Jessie says
I made these yesterday for the first time. They were an epic win, and I felt like a kitchen goddess. In fact, it was such an ego boost that last night I dreamed Anthony Bourdain fell in love with me for my mad cooking skills.
zenbellyblog says
OMG best dream ever! I’m totally jealous. But don’t think that’s happening in real life, because Bourdain is MINE 😉
YV says
These are pretty amazing! I made a batch a few months ago and forgot about them in the freezer. Found them last night, defrosted for a few hours in the fridge and nuked for 40 seconds. They held up (folded in half for a soft shell taco to hold carnitas) and tasted great.
zenbellyblog says
That’s so great! I love how well they freeze and reheat. Finding tortillas in your freezer- score! 🙂
Olivia says
Now that’s a unique recipe! How long would the tortillas last? A week in the fridge? Freezer? Or just leave it outside?
zenbellyblog says
They last for several days in the fridge, and months in the freezer. They reheat wonderfully, ideally over a gas flame or on a grill, or in the oven if those aren’t options.
BRENDA DUNN says
When I was in Hawaii I had taro tortillas. Do you have a recipe for this?
zenbellyblog says
I haven’t, but would love to figure them out!
pete says
Sorry if this was answered already there’s a lot of comments and I may have missed it. Can these be made in a cast iron pan instead of the oven?
zenbellyblog says
I don’t see why not! You’d just to play with the temp to get them crispy and cooked through.
Chris says
This recipe, the first I read here, made me a subscriber! These sound like they’d be fabulous with pork and poultry, and they encourage me to try paleo much more than a cauliflower version!
jason zachman says
Just got done eating tacos with these and they turned out great. I normally make my shells with green plantains boiled then rolled out and cooked on stove top. But my plantain got to ripe for that so I thought I would try this. I used one plantain and did not measure out the egg maybe used 75% of one egg white and I did not use salt or lime. I was able to take these out of the oven after they set up and roll them out a bit. I think I will make these with greener plantains next because I think I will like them even more that way and they are easier than my other shell recipes.
★★★★★
Charlotte Rhoads says
Great recipe! The tortillas turned out great and I didn’t have any significant problems spreading them out..Really, really happy with the Reich. Will stuff them with roasted shrimp tonight. Thank you!
★★★★★
zenbelly says
Thanks, Charlotte! I’m so glad you loved them!
Nakia L Alfter-Maxey says
These tortila’s look good. Am on the hunts for some recipes; Just coming into a more similar to paleo (after the whole30) way of eating. Can these be made any bigger and still hold together, do you think? Thanks >^..^<
zenbelly says
Yup! They can be made as big as you want. I’ve made them into large shells and used them for super burritos.