This easy-peasy-no-sweat creation is a great example how the best inventions are often born by accident. Read below the story behind this wonderful low-carb & paleo tortilla recipe and naturally how to prepare it effortlessly even when you are having the busiest time in your life!
Tips for preparing the 2-Minute 3-Ingredient Low-Carb Paleo Tortilla
This tortilla is so easy to make, that it’s ready in a cinch, guaranteed! But just to make it clear and easy as pie (or should we say now easy as tortilla?), here’s how to make this
truly trouble-free tortilla:
Grease a microwave-proof plate with oil. A plate about 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter works best. I use extra light olive oil for greasing, it does its job well without giving any nasty tang. You can naturally melt some butter or coconut oil and use those for greasing, but I use olive oil as it doesn’t need melting to be fluid (and I’m lazy!) Actually, I just tried it out: butter or coconut oil work pretty well when just softened — so at room temperature — you don’t have to melt them.
But here, I just spread a dash of olive oil (maybe some 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon) on the plate with a kitchen towel.
Take all your ingredients ready. (Can you imagine that with this little amount of ingredients you can create something so splendid!) One note, though: be sure to use a bit more coarse type of almond flour, which is actually almond meal. I use Bob’s Red Mill here. Fine almond flour doesn’t work in this recipe, or actually it works but you have to add half of the amount of the more coarse flour. (You can read from the comments more about this.)
Add all dry ingredients to a small bowl…
… and just mix them together.
Add the egg…
…and mix well. Work fast so that the batter doesn’t get too thick. It’s easier to handle when it’s thin.
The batter is now ready.
Pour the batter on the greased microwave-proof plate.
Like this. You can tilt the plate to help spread the batter evenly.
Nuke on high for 1 minute. You might want to check it after 30 seconds and adjust the total baking time according to your microwave oven. I think my microwave oven gives some 1000 W, and I need 1 minute 30 seconds to achieve the best result. (Gosh this is a bad photo! Sorry about that…)
Here is the ready creation. Be careful, it’s hot! It might be a bit fragile, but it will hold better together after cooling down.
Top it with your favorite toppings and enjoy! (Oh yes, one tip: if the tortilla gets stuck to the plate, you can carefully loosen it with a cheese slicer. In my kitchen, cheese slicer is a handy tool for several kinds of small tasks, from transferring cookies onto a baking sheet to grating chocolate!)
My low-carb microwave tortilla experiments
Every day, I bring crisp bread for my son for the day care, but once I didn’t have time to bake bread in the oven, so I decided to use microwave instead. I’ve made crisp bread in the microwave several times, but my son was insisting something different than the usual microwave crisp bread I had made. Lately, his favorite crisp bread has been this one from KZ Clean Eating. However, that crisp bread (or parmesan crackers, as the product is named), contains flax seeds and I’m not too happy to give those for my son (talk about phytoestrogens!), that’s why I bake my own bread rather with chia seeds than with flax seeds.
Well, at that time, it was early morning and I certainly didn’t have time to do too many experiments, but I anyway had to bake bread for my son for the day care. So, I took 2 tablespoons almond flour (N.B. not super fine but rather almond meal), 1 tablespoon hemp hearts and 1 tablespoon chia seeds and mixed them together with a pinch of salt. I added one egg and mixed well. Then, I poured the quite thin batter on an oiled ceramic plate. The batter was so thin that I didn’t have to spread it on the plate, it just formed a nice, thin layer all by itself. I placed the plate in the microwave oven and nuked on high for 1 minute.
I was surprised when the result was quite a perfect low-carb tortilla instead of crisp bread! Well, now I had used just 1 minute for baking, usually when I make crisp bread in the microwave, I nuke it at least 3 minutes on high, flipping the bread after each minute. But this creation differed from the previous crisp bread versions that it was so thin. Usually I use much more almond flour, some 4 tablespoons, and the batter is much thicker making the bread thick as well. I definitely could use this version as tortilla!
But to make this experiment as crisp, I nuked the bread still another 2 minutes, flipping it after each minute. Well, the result wasn’t really crisp, just chewy, but my son took it happily to the day care and ate everything without complaining. I guess that tells much about it!
Anyway, I wanted to continue my experiments in search for the perfect low-carb tortilla (and to improve the crisp bread recipe for my son). On the next day, I made two other experiments, one with 2 tablespoons almond flour and 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon chia seeds (naturally with egg and pinch of salt added). Another experiment I made with 4 tablespoons almond flour and 1 tablespoon chia seeds.
The first experiment with only 2 tablespoons almond flour made even thinner tortilla — no crisp bread! The second experiment with 4 tablespoons almond flour was thicker and again chewy. The edges were crispy in both creations, though, as they had sucked more of the oil from the greased plate. Lesson learned: if you want to make crisp bread in the microwave oven, it’s better to use fat in the batter (actually I have used oil in my previous microwave crisp bread recipes but now just happened to have forgotten it…)
Even the tortillas were satisfactory (and my son ate them all!), I wanted to continue experimenting. I’m a researcher by nature, as you might know. Even when I was kid, I broke my toys on purpose just to see what is inside… Guess if my mom was happy!?
Well, but I don’t want to bore you with my childhood memories, so back to this recipe. I made still several other experiments basically with different amounts of almond flour and chia seeds, but also with psyllium husk powder, to see which combination creates the best result.
Below you’ll see some of my experiments, followed by the recipe for the absolute winner (the one in the lower right corner). Enjoy!
|
| Nutrition Information | In Total (recipe makes 1 serving) |
| Protein | 10.7 g |
| Fat | 13.1 g |
| Net carbs | 1.5 g |
| kcal | 167 kcal |
It’s a good idea to make some more tortillas and store them in the fridge. They also freeze well.
Ah, what the heck, this is also a great variation if you happen to like chia seeds. They give a nice, tasty crunch. This variation is also psyllium-free, just in case your system cannot handle psyllium:
|
| Nutrition Information | In Total (recipe makes 1 serving) |
| Protein | 13.2 g |
| Fat | 15.6 g |
| Net carbs | 1.5 g |
| kcal | 200 kcal |
Tips how to use the tortillas and how to vary them
I would love to know how you like this low-carb tortilla (and which one of the two variations), and how you prefer to eat it. Do you use it as a breakfast burrito? Fajitas? (By the way, there is a great 5-ingredient homemade fajita seasoning mix in my cookbook as well as recipe for shrimp/chicken fajitas!) Or how about topping it with something sweet, like low-carb lemon curd and whipped cream? Add some vanilla stevia to the batter for an extra indulgent taste!
Here are some ideas for savory tortillas:
- Add herbs like oregano and basil, and/or 1 teaspoon powdered tomato to the batter (add them together with other dry ingredients)
- Add 1 tablespoon powdered Cheddar cheese to the batter (again, add it with other dry ingredients) for a super-duper-delicious cheese flavor!
- Use these savory tortillas as pizza crusts, for breakfast burritos, or for example for keto fajitas. Below a photo of tortilla topped with avocado, celery, shrimp and mayonnaise-based sauce.
And here are some ideas for sweet tortillas:
- Add 10 drops vanilla stevia (this one is also good) or 1 tablespoon powdered erythritol (like Confectioner’s Style Swerve) and dash of vanilla extract to the batter
- Try different flavored stevias as well! How about toffee stevia, hazelnut stevia or cinnamon stevia?
- Sprinkle some erythritol crystals and Ceylon cinnamon on top of ready, hot tortilla for a sweet and satisfying low-carb snack!
- Below is a photo of my favorite variation, tortilla sweetened with vanilla stevia, filled with chocolate-flavored whipped cream, topped with hot chocolate sauce and salted peanuts.
After reading the comments I’m definitely going to try the recipe!
Great! Hope you like it 🙂
THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I am the worlds pickiest eater and I am just starting on this low carb diet. I am a bread lover and have struggled without it. I made this this morning and was able to eat breakfast without guilt. I cant say thank you enough. It was easy and I loved it.
Thank you again,
Dana
Wonderful!! So happy to hear you liked it so much!
Could you make these with egg whites instead of whole egg?
I haven’t tried, but it should work.
Does anyone cook without a microwave anymore?
I really wish these recipes, which are wonderful, would have alternative (which is kinda strance to say, as microwave s came after regular cooking) to make these items.
I guess i could make it like a crepe, right?
Yes, preparing it in the skillet should work.
Nice Recipe!
Ever since trying the low carb tamales (http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=758900) that use ground baby corn I’ve been meaning to try adding it to a low carb tortilla recipe. I may have to try adding just a tiny bit of it to this recipe to see if I can get it to taste almost like a corn tortilla.
Hi Shay, thanks for your comment! I’m eager to hear how the tortilla turns out with ground baby corn 🙂
HI- would love to know more about phytoestrogens in flax? this is the first Im hearing of them!
Hi Laura, Judy Baker has written some excellent articles about flax: http://www.carbwarscookbooks.com/wheat-belly-cookbook-review-is-flax-the-new-wheat/ and this one: http://www.carbwarscookbooks.com/have-you-lost-your-period-on-a-low-carb-diet-its-not-the-diet-its-the-flax/
Hi Elviira, do you take the olive oil into account when calculating calories and nutritional macros?
Hi Annita, no, it’s not included. If it’s one milliliter it adds 1 gram so 9 kcal more fat. To be honest, I never oil my plate (and I don’t have any problems), but the oiling is here included just to ensure that the tortilla doesn’t get stuck to the plate. Actually it’s not even sure how much the tortilla absorbs from the fat and how much is left on the plate.
I am completely intrigued; going to try this soon!
Thanks, Kalyn! Hope you like it!
I wanted to come back and record my thoughts. These are absolutely the best wrap/tortilla in the low carb world. I have now made them about a dozen times and they come out perfect. Since my almond flour is the “fine” type as I reported earlier, I have found I need to use about 3/4 Tbl of it! I made 5 before I got them perfect. Egg size makes a difference too! Mine are unclassified so very in size.
The other thing that works better for me instead of the micro is my 6″ iron fry pan. I put in the coconut oil, let it heat up and then pour in the mix and swirl it around to cover the pan, and flip it when it’s no longer wet on top. Perfect every time. I’ve used them for a number of different fillings…messy ones…over-filled, etc. and they never break!
I can’t thank you enough for figuring this out as I’ve really missed “bread” things…and never found another recipe that was worth making and eating!! (there’s probably some out there, but I never found them!) Now, I have to try the dessert ones!
Hi April, thank you so much for sharing your experiments and how you tweaked the recipe! I bet others find it helpful, too. So happy that you like it!!
Is the psyllium husk essential to the recipe? It’s very hard on my daughter’s stomach. Any substitutions suggestions? Thank you!!
…and that’s why there is that psyllium-free variation when you scroll down the page: “This variation is also psyllium-free, just in case your system cannot handle psyllium”.
I sent a comment earlier on but have not seen it … I tried the tortillas but didn’t get them to cook in the middle. About a small saucer-sized spot never cooked properly and stuck to the plate, while the outside got too cooked. What did I do wrong?
Hi Gun, I’m sorry that you cannot see the comment and my reply. I try to delete the cache and then let’s see if it appears. Anyway, this is how I replied: “Hi Gun, sounds like a problem with the microwave oven.”
Thank you for you answer! I’ll try another kind of plate first, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll try using a skillet.
I made these today and they were delicious! I accidentally used the 2 tablespoons of fine almond flour, but they were still good. I ate them as an open-faced quesadilla with fajita-style veggies on top. Question, though – it did seem a little cakey (as in, fluffy), and typically think of tortillas as more dense and thin. Was this because of the finer flour that I used? Would adding a tiny bit of water make them thin out a bit more? Thanks.
Hi Cynthia, thanks for trying out the recipe! Great that it worked also with finer flour. I guess the finer flour is also behind the cakey texture, since my tortillas (which are made with more coarse flour/meal) turn out very flat and dense. I wonder if longer cooking time and reducing the amount of fine almond flour helps get the tortillas thin and dense…?
I found when I used a fine flour, I had to reduce the amount to 1 TBL..and slightly scant at that. It turned out great for a thin tortilla that folded and held up to an egg, sausage and cheese. A real “keeper” recipe. 🙂
Wonderful!
Any idea why mine won’t cook in the middle? They are perfectly cooked all around but there is a small saucer round spot in the middle that stays raw.
Hi Gun, sounds like a problem with the microwave oven.
what is on top of the tortilla with the black liquid sauce? and what is that tortilla stuffed with? You are so creative..I really appreciate your work. Thanks so much
I wonder if you mean the sweet variation with chocolate sauce and peanuts? I’ve written it in the end of the post: “Below is a photo of my favorite variation, tortilla sweetened with vanilla stevia, filled with chocolate-flavored whipped cream, topped with hot chocolate sauce and salted peanuts.”
I was really disappointed. I followed the directions exactly, but as soon as I put in the flour it set up in a “glob”, nothing liquid about it., I pressed it out on the plate with the palm of my hand to get it as thin as possible. It cooked up nicely, but it was so dry we could not eat it and ended up throwing it away. I sure wish I could find one that works. I’m glad others liked it! 🙂
Hi April, sorry to hear about your bad experience! The batter should be really runny as you can see from the progress photos, so I wonder what went wrong. Which measurements did you use? (One tablespoon is 15 ml) Did you use psyllium husk powder? The recipe says only 1/2 teaspoon.
I used measuring spoons and measured carefully, since I have used almond flour for years and know it can be finicky. I doubt even weighing would have made a difference. I suspect it was the difference in the flour from what you and others have used. It is fine and not mealy, and I used a large egg (and psyllium). I think I will try it again with only 1 Tbl of flour. That would be the only way it could begin to look like yours. It would be so nice to have tortilla!! I’ll let you know. Thanks….
Hi April, thanks for coming back to me! It sounds like the culprit is the almond flour. I use more coarse almond flour/meal (Bob’s Red Mill type) so usually you need approximately half less finer (Honeyville-type) almond flour. I’m excited to hear how your new experiment turned out if you try it!
Yes, that was the problem! The fine flour would measure 2x as much! I made it with 1 TBL and it came out nice. I think next time, I’ll even scant it a bit more because it still had to be smoothed out. It is so nice to have a tortilla again! It wrapped the ham and eggs nicely and didn’t fall apart at all. YEA.
I hope others that are having a problem will read the comment. I get aggravated when people obviously don’t bother to read comments and ask the same question, etc. over and over….and you have to answer them. 🙁 Maybe you can specify that the flour you use is more of an almond meal and not fine flour. I didn’t bother to click on it and see the real name is Almond Meal Flour.
Thanks for a great recipe (with alterations)!!
Yay! Thanks for testing it again! So great that it worked! In the recipe, I have the link to the flour/meal, but I guess I should emphasize it also in the text so that people know (you’re right, people don’t click those links often!) so I think I will also add it in the text.
It would be great if you could update the recipe/instructions to mention almond meal. It would certainly help others that use a finer flour to know how to adjust it. I rarely bake/make anything with almond (or coconut flour) because most recipes have too many ingredients…and servings…and I don’t like to make them to find they are not good! That’s why “3 ingredient” really caught my eye. It will be a keeper. Thank you Elviira
You’re welcome! I’ve updated the recipe now.
I tried the Low -Carb Tortillos for dinner this evening. I was very surprised at the texture. It was delicious. I do believe I will be making them again, an they are so easy to make…
Wonderful, thank you for trying them!
They look like an awesome alternative! Thank you for sharing, I can’t wait to try them.
You’re welcome! Hope you like them 🙂
Okay, I will ask the question a lot of us may have…how to cook without a microwave? Will it work in a saucepan?
I would try to cook it in a non-stick skillet.