Español
It is possible to make a pliable paleo tortilla or wrap without grains, starches, or even eggs, using flaxseeds. I especially love these vegan flaxseed paleo tortillas for making salad wraps.
Lately, I’ve been looking for new ways to make grain free and/or paleo tortillas and sandwich wraps that aren’t made mostly of tapioca and/or almond flour. While I’m not on a low carb diet, I’d like to keep my carb count relatively low. That’s something that is normally relatively hard to do if you like to eat things like breads and tortillas. Somewhat by accident one day, though, I found that flaxseeds make a wonderful base for several different types of low carb, paleo tortillas.
Flaxseed tortillas without eggs
As I kept adapting the recipe, I was amazed by how versatile flaxseeds are, and how they allow you to make a pliable wrap with few other ingredients. My curiosity was piqued.
I wanted to try to make a simple, grain-free wrap that didn’t use any other binders like eggs because I have a friend, Krystal from Natural Fit Foodie, who can’t eat them and I thought she would be interested. (She has a substitute guide to baking without eggs for those of you who don’t tolerate them well.) Plus, I just like a good challenge every once in a while!
Are flaxseeds paleo?
I will note that while most people will say that flaxseeds are paleo, a lot of stricter followers of the diet prefer to avoid flaxseeds and other seeds. It is a gray area paleo food, but for those who aren’t avoiding them, I think they’re a good option to use, especially for those who need to avoid eggs.
Grinding up the flaxseeds
When using flaxseeds for something like paleo tortillas, I prefer to grind the flaxseeds in my blender right before using them. Flaxseeds are a source of Omega 3 fats, but when you grind them up, they can go rancid quite quickly. That’s why I never buy them already ground. I sometimes grind up to a week’s worth of flaxseeds and keep them in the fridge until I’m ready to use them.
(If you are having problems griding the flaxseeds, here’s a tip: I tried grinding them in my food processor unsuccessfully, but found that it is very simple to grind flaxseeds in either a blender or a coffee grinder. They now make coffee grinders with removable bowls for easy cleaning! I have and use the one in the link.)
Making flaxseed tortilla chips
Thanks to one of my readers who told me that she had baked these in the oven to make them crispy, I found a new favorite snack!
This dough can easily be adapted to make flaxseed tortilla chips and/or taco shells. For those who are having issues with the tortillas sticking to the pan while making them, the technique I use in that recipe for rolling out the dough may be slightly easier for you.
I also shared a recipe for a Doritos-like seasoning blend that can be used on the paleo tortilla chips to make them more like the famous snack chips. I absolutely love them!
Video:
Flaxseed Tortillas (Paleo, Vegan)
So, yes, you can make a thin, pliable, paleo tortilla or sandwich wrap that is low carb, grain free, and egg and dairy free! They have a slightly nutty taste that I think works particularly well for salad wraps.
The method of making them is a bit different than what you may be used to, but once you get the hang of it, they really aren’t difficult to make!
Vegan Flaxseed Paleo Tortillas
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup flaxseeds (Either golden or brown flaxseeds work well.)
- salt (Optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Grind some flaxseeds in your blender, enough to end up with 1/2 cup of ground flaxseeds.
- Boil the water in a small saucepan, and immediately stir in your ground flaxseeds and remove the mixture from the heat source.
- As you mix the ingredients together, they should come together into a dough-like ball.
- Separate the dough into two parts.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat. I like to lightly grease the pan with a little coconut oil before beginning the process.
- Add your ball of “dough” to the pan and press it into a tortilla shape with the bottom of your spatula. I keep pressing down on the dough and extending it as far as I can to get a very thin tortilla. You want to heat the mixture as you press down on it and shape it. When I first made this recipe in a non-stick pan, I never had issues with the tortilla sticking to the pan, probably because the flaxseeds have oils of their own. I’ve since switched to all stainless or iron pans, though, and occasionally have issues with sticking. This will improve as the tortilla starts drying out and eventually they won’t stick anymore. You can take the dough out and roll it thinner to help with the process too.
- Continue to flip the tortilla and press down on it. If it isn’t thin enough (or big enough) for your taste, you can now remove the tortilla temporarily and use a rolling pin to extend it. This is actually the point where I usually sprinkle on a little bit of salt, and use the rolling pin to press it into place. Once you’ve thinned it out a little more, you can remove it from your counter with a spatula and return it to your frying pan for a little while longer to finish drying up the newly exposed parts of the dough. (If you have issues with sticking, you can roll between 2 sheets of parchment paper.)
- You are now ready to remove your tortilla and make the rest of them. As the tortilla rests on the plate, it usually becomes more pliable, especially if you have a small stack of these made. You want to cook them long enough to dry them and keep them from being sticky, but not so long as to dry them into tortilla chips.
- You can now use them to wrap up your salads, fajitas, burritos, etc. Just roll up your ingredients and enjoy!
These use up a lot of flaxseeds, of course. Sometimes, though, I’d prefer to use up a lot of eggs. (I do have hens, as you may know.) That’s why I also like to make a different kind of paleo tortilla using eggs and flaxseeds. I find that one a bit easier to make because the technique is similar to making a “normal” pancake. Both are pretty simple, though, once you get the hang of it.
Should you use brown or golden flaxseeds?
I have successfully used both brown and golden flaxseeds. Here is one I made with the brown ones:
If you are curious about the salad wraps that I’ve shown in the pictures above, they are basically just simple salads made with greens and some berries. One of my favorite dressings for simple salads like these is to drizzle them with a homemade balsamic reduction. (The store-bought ones usually have thickeners, added sugar, and other ingredients that I’d prefer to avoid.) Homemade balsamic reductions are perfect in combination with salads with fruits like my salad with bacon roses and strawberry hearts, or my caramelized goat cheese salad.
I hope you’ll give these tortillas a try and that you enjoy them as much as I do.
Non Comedogenic DIY Blush Stick
Michal
Great recipe, so simple and so powerful!
And sooo healthy! 🙂
Thank You so much.
Greetings from Poland! 🙂
Tracy Ariza
Hi Michal,
Greetings from Spain. 🙂
I’m happy you liked it, and you’re very welcome!
Sonya Davidson
I want to thank you for posting your recipe for flax pita bread/tortillas. I love flax seed and they are a great alternative to eggs which if I eat too much they disagree with me. Also, flax seed has been known to be a good source of healthy fats/nutrients for middle aged and older women 🙂
I appreciate the idea recipe to go with these little goodies too. I love fruits and veggies, thank you for the good paleo recipe freebie 🙂
Tracy Ariza
Hi Sonya,
You’re very welcome!
I hope they work well for you and that you enjoy them!
They’re great for making tortilla chips and taco shells too! (That’s my favorite way to eat them.)
Lori Franklin
Thank You for this amazing recipe! I will be making these this week.
Tracy Ariza
You’re very welcome, Lori!
I hope they go well for you and that you like them as much as I do!
Cindy
I have Borellia and Babesia it goes with Lyme’s disease and can’t have any gluten dairy grain or soy So REALLY looking for something to eat.
Tracy Ariza
Hi Cindy,
That sounds rough.
I hope these work well for you, and that you enjoy them!
Nicolle
Not gonna lie, I was having reservations about these wraps tasting different than cardboard until last night. My husband decided a couple months ago that we were going to cut out carbs as much as possible, but since I’m normally the chef in our house, I told him if he wanted carb free, he would be doing the cooking. Well between this recipe & my hubbys perseverance, our fajita dinner turned out fabulous last night and have me singing a new toon today! Thanks for your part in helping us enjoy new twists on good old reliable meals! 🙂
Tracy Ariza
Yay!
Thanks so much for your comment, Nicolle!
I’m so happy to hear it!
I’m always afraid when I get comments on this post because some people have problems making them. It depends so much on your pan and how much you are able to press them into a thin tortilla.
That said, once they are successfully made, I think most people really do love them. I personally love the flavor and even the texture.
If you haven’t tried making them into chips or taco shells, you must. They are my favorite! (And flavoring them like Doritos may even be better.) 😉
Jennifer Neto
I am so excited about cooking my own paleo cuisine. I spend a lot of money on high protein low carb pitas and tortillas, but this is better for me and my digestion issues. I have been struggling for years with bloating and fullness after eating barely nothing. The digestion problems have been so severe that I ended up being hospitalized twice. Before and after I had my daughter who is now two, I have tried to go gluten free, but I just can not afford it. Now,I am fed up and I am putting my best foot forward to change my entire lifestyle and or diet. Your site is a game changer for me because now I am using your recipes to save money and eat they way I am sapposed to. Furthermore, I seen all your diy lotions and soaps and I’m just thrilled about making these products. Thank you
Tracy Ariza
I’m so sorry to hear about your issues, and so happy to see you here. I really hope you enjoy the recipes and that they help you!
I was starting to eat a lot more varied diet again, but just went back to a more strict paleo myself because I wasn’t feeling that great lately either, and I have to say that it really does help me too. Luckily my issues haven’t been as severe as yours, but I can relate to your frustration on a lower level.
I started removing all dairy, grains, legumes, and sugar this week. (I’m mostly eating meat, eggs, and veggies.) And I want to keep it up for a few weeks before introducing new foods little by little to see how I react to each. So far I’m feeling great. 😉
I wish you the best of luck on your journey!
Patricia Schmidt
Jennifer…..check out “Official Wheat Belly Detox Group”…..FB group. No grains and no sugar. I joined in January and so many issues have been resolved. A new 10 day detox is starting May 30th. Check it out. You won’t be sorry!
Jammie
Hi Tracy, is it possible to use sprouted flax seed powder instead?
Tracy Ariza
Hi Jammie,
I have never tried using sprouted flax seed powder as its not something that is easily found around here.
So, to be honest, I don’t know.
If it normally behaves like regular ground flaxseeds, then I can’t see why not.
I’d try experimenting first with the tortilla chips recipe because it’s an easier recipe that seems to turn out great for everybody. This recipe, if made in the pan, really depends a lot on the type of pan you have, your patience level, etc. When I first made them, I didn’t have any problems with sticking, etc., but since switching pans, they still work, but are trickier to make. If I hadn’t successfully made them before, I could see where somebody would give up with certain pans.
The other method heats the dough, and then you roll it out with a rolling pin. You can experiment with just a fraction of the recipe to see if the dough holds together well.
I’d love to hear how it goes!
Gladys Higgins
This is great! May I ask,can I make these ahead of time and store in the refrigerator? Do you know you long they’d last? Also, how long does the tortilla chips made with flax seeds last? How do I store these? Ziplock bag maybe? Sorry for all of the questions.
Tracy Ariza
Hi Gladys,
I can’t remember if I ever stored these when using them as tortillas. I did make extra of the flaxseed tortillas with egg, and stored several together in a ziplock bag in the fridge for several days (maybe up to a week?). Those stored really well, so I imagine that these would too. Make sure they are in a well sealed bag so that they don’t dry out, or they will lose their flexibility.
As for the tortilla chips, it really depends on how well you dried them in the oven. If you let them get nice and dry and crispy, they should store well. I’ve made them into “Doritos”, and stored them in a well sealed tupperware like container (so they wouldn’t get smashed), and they were fine for at least a day or two. I’ve honestly always eaten them too quickly to know how long they really last. 😉
If they get soft, though, you could always quickly re-crisp them in the oven using a low temperature, especially if you’ve coated them like Doritos.
How log they last is going to have a lot to do with the humidity, so making sure they are fully dry, and keeping humidity away from them, is what is going to keep them crispy and chip-like (and keep mold from forming) for as long as possible.
I hope that helps a little.
Melanie
Hi Tracey, would it be possible to mention the nutritional values per tortilla? That would be great. So glad I found your website. Just in time to save my dinner!
Tracy Ariza
Hi Melanie,
Thanks!
the recipe makes around 2 tortillas. Let me look into it, and I’ll try to get back to you as soon as I can!
Chris
For anyone trying this recipe and finding their wrap is falling apart in the pan, not flattening out, or becoming a chunky mess in general- Make sure you have used plain flax seeds and not roasted flax.
The first batch I made consisted of normal-looking dough, but fell to sticky bits once I put it in the pan. Then I realised the milled seeds I’d used were roasted, not raw.
Tracy Ariza
Wow, Chris!
I didn’t even realize that could be an issue!
Thanks so much for your comment. I’ll have to add the info to the recipe notes.
Tom
I’m sorry but I cannot get this to work to save my life – I get to the dough part, but after that it does not spread the way that it says it will.
Tracy Ariza
Hi Tom,
If this method isn’t working for you, it’s likely to do with the type of pan and spatula you are using. I switched pans at one point, after being able to make them successfully for a long time, and I was having a hard time making them the same way using the new pan. I got sticking, and it wasn’t turning out right. You really need a large, thin, smooth spatula with which to press the tortillas flat (and very thin) too.
I’d suggest that if this method isn’t working for you, you try the method I use when making “tortilla chips” and taco shells with this recipe. You would roll out the dough with a rolling pin over parchment paper, to prevent sticking, and then can cook the rolled out tortilla for a short while on each side. The cooking stage in this way would also be shorter.
The only problem with this method is that the tortillas don’t come out as perfectly round as they do when you are pressing them into shape in the pan, but you can cut them to the shape you need.
I hope that helps!!
Amanda
Not sure if I missed this anywhere, but is this the updated recipe (in the comments you mentioned you were going to update it with less water and rolling it out). Also, how long do they last after being made? I don’t have much time in the morning, so making them a day or two ahead of time is ideal.
Thanks!
Tracy Ariza
Hi Amanda,
I have a recipe and video up for flaxseed tortilla chips which basically shows the method/updated amounts to use with that method. Instead of baking them to make them crispy, you can just lightly brown them in a frying pan for a short period on each side to keep it pliable like a tortilla.
The only thing tricky about that method is to cut it into a round shape. Using my original method, the pan itself sort of forms the round tortilla for you. (I hope that makes sense.)
Thanks for a the heads up on having forgotten to update the recipe…
I need to add it to a list of recipes to fix when I have a little more time in September and my son is back in school. 😉