My love for all things Mexican food has led me on a never-ending search for the perfect grain-free tortillas, and I think I’ve found them! These ONE INGREDIENT plantain tortillas are SO easy and taste very similar to corn tortillas. You’ll feel great about eating these plantain tacos because they taste amazing and they are paleo. And, you just might just be on the search for more plantain recipes after you try this one…
I’ve used them for paleo enchiladas, tacos, burrito wraps, and even dough for pizza & pizza poppers! They may not be Mexican, but that just shows how versatile the dough really is!
How To Make Grain-Free Tortillas
These paleo plantain tortillas are seriously one of the best ways to eat a taco! You wouldn’t guess that using just one ingredient, plantain tortillas would turn out so perfectly.
Try out these simple steps to make your own plantain tacos:
- Cut plantains and boil. When the plantains are done boiling, you should be able to pierce them with a fork easily.
TIP: It’s important that you use green plantains. The plantains need to be really hard, so that they are starchy. Sweet plantains just don’t make the best tortillas.
- Remove the skin off the plantains and blend. The peels should slide right off, and the pieces of plantain can be tossed into the blender.
- Blend plantains until they become a dough-like texture.
- Take the dough and roll it into 12 balls. They’ll be roughly the size of golf balls.
- Place dough between 2 pieces of plastic and flatten. You can use a tortilla press or a rolling pin.
TIP: Use parchment paper or plastic to prevent sticking if necessary.
- Brown tortillas in a dry cast-ironed skillet. Once the plantain tortillas are browned, they are ready to serve.
That’s all you need to do; now you can stuff with whatever filling you want and grab a margarita! (Obviously!)
Plantain vs. Banana
If you aren’t experienced with these two foods, you may be wondering what the differences are between plantains and bananas. Here’s the difference:
- Plantains – While plantains do look very much like bananas, they are very different. First of all, the flavor of plantain is much different. The skin tends to be a lot thicker than a banana. Also, plantains are bigger in size and overall tougher than bananas too, not suitable for eating raw. They should always be cooked first!
- Bananas – They are sweet and delicious fruit that you can eat cold or hot. You can simply peel them and eat it without doing anything extra. They make look similar, but they taste very different.
How Do You Know If A Plantain Is Ripe?
You can tell a plantain is ripe by the color of the peel, just like you would a banana. Plantain skins will slowly change colors as they ripen from green to black.
For most plantain recipes, you are looking for green skin. Green plantains have a starchy flavor to them that is delicious when cooked. This healthy plantain recipe will be way too sweet if you use them when the peel is black.
Are Plantains Healthy?
Yes, if you carb handle the carbs, plantains are healthy. Check out these amazing plantain benefits:
- Potassium
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B6
- Fiber
How Many Calories Are In A Plantain?
There are approximately 179 calories per medium plantain. If you make 4 tortillas per plantain, then you will have around 45 calories per plaintain taco shell.
How Do You Store Grain-Free Tortillas?
These grain-free tortillas should be stored in an airtight container. Keep them in the refrigerator for 8-10 days.
You can warm them up in the microwave with a damp paper towel on them. Another option is to warm the plantain tacos in a cast-ironed skillet, but be careful not to get them too crispy or they will break.
Can You Freeze Grain-Free Tortillas?
Yes, you can freeze plantain tortillas. Freeze them with parchment or wax paper in between the layers, so that they don’t stick together. Then, place the grain-free tortillas in a freezer-safe container for 1-2 months.
When you are ready to use, thaw them in the fridge overnight then heat when ready to serve.
More Paleo Mexican Recipes
All of these amazing paleo Mexican recipes are just what you need in your life! Dinner never tasted so good.
- Easy Chorizo Mexican Meatloaf – This dinner idea is packed with flavor.
- Mexican Sweet Potato Egg Boats – Perfect for a light dinner or lunch.
- The Best Huevos Rancheros – This is technically a breakfast dish, but breakfast for dinner is a must!
RECIPE CARD
Plantain Grain-Free Tortillas Recipe
One ingredient grain-free tortillas are EASY and SO versatile. Plantain tortillas make amazing and delicious plantain tacos! It will be one of your favorite plantain recipes.
Ingredients
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- 3 medium Plantains
- piece of plastic
Instructions
More TIPS about this paleo recipe in the post above!
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Slice the ends off of the plantains and cut into 5-6 rounds. Boil for about 15-20 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a fork. Drain.
- Peel the outer peel off of the plantains and toss the plantains into a blender. Blend just until they come together into a dough. Remove the dough and place in a bowl. Knead once or twice and then divide into 12 balls.
- Place a piece of plastic (I use a cut ziploc bag) on a tortilla press and place a piece of dough on the press. Top with another piece of plastic and press. **You can also use a rolling pin if you don't have a press.
Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over high heat and cook one tortilla at a time about 1 minute on each side until lightly browned and toasted. Repeat until you've cooked all of the tortillas.
Recipe Notes
Serving Size: 1 tortilla
Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols (though the latter are rarely seen on this site), because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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38 Comments
Carrie
I love these! I used a food processor instead of a blender and it worked great. The only recommendation I have is to add salt to the mixture. Otherwise, I highly recommend!
EJ
These are so easy and taste great! they stay flexible after being made & kept warm in the oven!
Karen
I tried to make these tonight and it did not work out for me unfortunately. The dough was too sticky to work with my hands. To workaround, I formed rough balls with a spoon, scraped off with a rubber spatula, and was able to roll between two parchment sheets with no problem. But then getting it off the parchment and onto the pan while remaining the shape of a tortilla just didn’t work for me. 🙁 Became more of a dumpling. A couple of ideas on why although I really don’t know: (i) I mistakenly peeled before boiling; (ii) perhaps I should have blended longer? I got nervous and maybe stopped too soon (iii) perhaps the plantains were not green enough.
Christine
How do I get them to not taste so ‘green’. They taste very earthy and unripe. Not sure which state to use the plantain to have them taste neutral
Dellece G.
Thank you so much for this recipe. They were delicious. I don’t have any dietary restrictions, the thought just came to see if anyone successfully made tortillas out of plain plantains and came across yours. It’s not that too time consuming. I used a mini food processor to bind it after mashing them with a fork and pressed them out with my hands. I cut up a small plastic sandwich bag and placed a ball between the two. Smashed it down with my palm and used my fingers to spread them. They held up to all the added topics pretty well too. I thought it would have a tostones taste, but it was more similar to corn tortillas.
Jennie
How would I make these into taco shells?
Lauren
Hi Jennie, Do you mean like crispy ones? I haven’t tried that yet, but you may be able to do it like regular shells – drape them over a bar in the oven and heat until crispy.
Madison Caruso
I’m hooked! I am currently living in Accra, Ghana where plantains are plentiful. Most other recipes had additives, but I simply boil and process the cut up green plantains then roll with a little coconut oil in hands for easy pressing and no stickiness! About to try baking them too instead of my usual skillet.
Kofi
Maddie, how did they turn out? also how about storage for commercial purposes thanks
Kim
Thanks for the recipe. I want to add more resistant starch to my diet, so these plantain tortillas look ideal. My worry is that I’ve heard that resistant starch becomes non-resistant when cooked. Is this the case with plantains?
Yetunde Rodriguez
For those having trouble with blending, I suggest using a food processor. There’s a lot more surface area to work with. I have successfully done this in a food processor for Dominican Mangu, and it would be the same process really.
RAR
Perfect! The key is to have very green plantains and use a food processor. Don’t overload the processor when blending and they will be perfect. Also, the ziploc bag worked like a charm. Great recipe!
aud
These are my new favorite thing! I used a food processor instead, but hubs and I loved every bite!
Have you ever tried freezing them? I’d love to make a bunch ahead of time…
Thanks for a great new addition to my Paleo kitchen!
Lauren
Hi Aud! Yes, I have frozen them before. They do dry out and break easier but they’re still great!
Jeremy
I would suggest changing this recipe to “fastest way to completely ruin a blender.” This does NOT work, at all. Adding some coconut flour, olive oil, and salt to the “dough” (also known as a glue ball) helped salvage this — but just boiled plantains is not the answer. Hot, cold, somewhere in the middle — it didn’t matter. It was literally like a ball of adhesive that stuck to me, the blender, the bowl, the suggested plastic bags, the counter, the trash can, the floor and walls (when you panic and begin flailing your hands about hoping it will come off somehow) and anything else it came into contact with. AND I’m not new to plantains — new to boiled plantains — and I’m guessing the suggestion of completely unripened plantains might be the issue? I don’t know but my afternoon experience has me compelled to warn everyone.
Lauren
Hey there Jeremy, I can assure you that this recipe does indeed work. I’ve made them dozens of times and have even made them on Instagram stories and Snapchat live so folks could follow along. What type of blender are you using? Also, did you cool the plantains before blending? I’d love to help you figure out what went wrong. And no, you definitely want to have totally green plantains, not ripe ones which would be too mushy and sweet for a tortilla.
Kathrin
Can I peel them before boiling? The boiling process brings out all the pesticides and dirt and the water usually looks nasty….
Lauren
I’ve never had this issue, do you wash your plantains before boiling? I assume you could peel them before as well.
Celeste
I tried making these for a client who is AIP and also on a zero added fat diet for her pancreatitis, and they were so sticky I couldn’t press them. I have the same press and used a plastic bag. I followed the directions precisely, but I ended up adding a cup of arrowroot, which still didn’t help, and oiling my hands to form balls, which was not optimal. Can you help me troubleshoot what went wrong? The plantains were very green, I cut them like you did, and boiled for 20 min. The only thing I might have done differently was to let them cool too long before processing?
Lauren
Hi Celeste, So sorry you had issues with these tortillas! I usually blend and press them right after boiling so letting them cool may have been the issue.
Terry
I had the same problem and I blended while hot, so there must be something else that we are not doing.
Sahithi
I love these tortillas. I added some salt, cilantro, roasted cumin and a little olive oil to the dough. Rolled them between parchment paper in my tortilla press. They are just perfect. I love tacos and ever since I have started following AIP protocol, I have been looking for easy tortilla recipes. Thank you so much for this recipe.
Heather
Do these hold together better than coconut flour tortillas? When I made coconut flour tortillas they soaked up everything and fell apart. They also took on a sponge texture. Do these do that?
Lauren
Yes! They don’t get soggy at all and if you keep them warm wrapped in a kitchen towel before eating they’re nice and soft.
Diane McQuay
I’ve been pinning for about three years and even have a board of Hispanic foods, but I’ve never seen this before, FANTASTIC!! I will definitely be following you!
Lauren
Hi Diane! I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for stopping by!
Nas
would it be possible to cook in the oven instead ?
thanks!
Lauren
Hi Nas! Possibly, I haven’t tried it but I assume it would be fine. Let me know if you try it!
Nancy
Have you had the time to experiment with it cut up as a pasta noodle or layered in a lasagna?
Lauren
Hi Nancy, no I haven’t. Let me know if you try it!
Ken Wortley
Can you make a big batch of this and freeze it?
Lauren
Yes! They do dry out a bit but you’ll just need to warm them up. If you have a microwave you can wrap them in a damp kitchen towel and microwave for a few seconds to get some moisture back in them. Otherwise just heat up in a dry skillet.
Eileen
I LOVE these- and I’d like to add my 2 cents. I had to add water when I processed the plantains, used a food processor as I think it would have been difficult in a blender.
I DID use parchment- just sprayed some coconut oil on the paper and they peeled off ok
I put some coconut oil in my skillet- came out more crispy and golden.
Leftover ‘batter’- I put my leftover mash into a 2-cup measuring glass. It was a congealed clump the next day- tried to make a fistful and squish it into submission- pretty messy.
So! Instead I got the clump out of the measuring glass- it came out like a cylinder, sliced rounds out of it and fried lightly just till it started to soften- then I put the round between parchment paper and used the tortilla press to squish it out to a thinner tortilla. I put that back on my cast iron pan to finish cooking- worked great and tasted great! Good with a pinch of salt.
Thanks!!
Eileen
Chrisy
I’ve never had plantain, but I’m loving the whole idea behind this recipe – so creative! A change from corn tortillas would be very welcome 🙂
Michelle
These plantain tortillas look just like a corn tortilla. I have has plantains in sort of similar way with Haitian food. These look great.
Alisa Fleming
By far the most amazing recipe I’ve seen all week! Pinning and DEFINITELY trying. My husband is tired of corn tortillas!
Lauren
haha thanks Alisa!
Heather
I have never tried a plantain, but your tortillas look simply perfect! I need a press ASAP