Tortillas are one staple that I almost never run out of in my home. When they go on sale, I stock up! They’re relatively inexpensive as well as extremely versatile.
Wait – you didn’t know that? Yep! Tortillas aren’t just for Mexican or Tex-Mex food. They can be used in all sorts of dishes, making them a great staple to have on hand.
Here are some of my favorite ways to use tortillas.
1. Quesadillas
Okay, so quesadillas would fall into the Mexican/Tex-Mex category, but I had to include them. If I had to choose one meal to have for the rest of my life, quesadillas would probably be one of my top choices. I love quesadillas, and they’re probably my favorite way to use tortillas. They’re also simple and quick. Just toss a little cheese, meat, and even veggies on one half of a tortilla and fold it in half. Fry each side in a hot pan until the tortilla is golden brown. Slice into triangles and enjoy!
2. Bread Replacements
Another great way to use tortillas is as replacements for slices of bread. Add lunch meat, cheese, and other sandwich toppings to a tortilla and roll it up for a healthy wrap. You can pretty much use tortillas to replace any sort of bread or roll, including cheeseburger buns.
3. Thin Crust Pizza
You can also use tortillas to make very thin crust crispy pizzas. Add a little sauce, cheese, and your favorite pizza toppings before baking in the oven. You can make a snack for the family with one or two tortilla pizzas or make a few for a complete meal.
4. Chips
Out of tortilla chips? You can make some using soft flour or corn tortillas. Cut a few tortillas into triangles, and either toast them in the oven or deep fry them until they’re crispy.
5. Salad Bowl
I love taco salads, but they just aren’t complete without a tortilla salad bowl. You can buy special bowls to make these, but I’ve found that you can also use an upside down muffin pan to do the same. Place a tortilla between four muffin tins to make a bowl shape, and bake at around 375 degrees for a crispy edible bowl.
I can’t take credit for this tip. I learned this little trick- and the image – from Eating Well.
6. Salad Toppings
I love those little crispy tortilla strips that you get on your salad in the restaurants. If you love them as much as I do, you can use tortillas to make your own. Slice tortillas into strips with a sharp knife or pizza cutter, arrange them on a cookie sheet, spray them with a bit of oil, and bake until crispy. you can also deep fry them, but I hate messing with the deep fryer.
7. Elephant Ears
You know those deep fried, sugar covered blobs of dough you can’t resist when the fair comes to town? Well, you can use tortillas to make your own version! Just heat about a half inch of oil in a large skillet, and carefully add the tortilla. When it’s nice and bubbly and crispy, remove it, drain it, and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
