Cassava Tortillas: My New Favorite Paleo Kitchen Staple

September 29, 2026

As much as I love writing articles about how to get organized, I also love writing about all the wonderful things you can do in an organized home, like actually enjoying cooking in your kitchen!

Years ago, a good friend introduced me to cassava flour. She gave me a wonderful cassava cookie recipe and taught me how to make homemade cassava tortillas. I tried making the tortillas at home without a tortilla press, and while they were okay, they were never quite as good as hers.

Eating Paleo is, by far, what seems to work best for my body. But over time, corn and white flour have increasingly crept back into my diet. Recently, I decided I wanted to recommit to eating Paleo, and I finally bought myself a tortilla press.

What an absolute difference!

I’m hooked. Making cassava tortillas is incredibly easy, they’re delicious, and suddenly I have a quick Paleo-friendly base for all kinds of meals. Lately, I’ve been eating them for breakfast and dinner.

What Is Cassava Flour?

Cassava flour is made from the cassava root, a starchy root vegetable native to South America that’s also a staple food in many parts of the world.

Unlike tapioca starch, which is also derived from cassava but contains primarily the extracted starch, cassava flour is made using more of the whole root. That gives it different cooking properties and makes it surprisingly versatile as a grain-free flour.

One of my favorite things about cassava flour is its relatively neutral flavor. Some alternative flours announce themselves immediately when you bite into something. Cassava doesn’t tend to overpower whatever you’re making, which makes it particularly good for tortillas.

Why Cassava?

Cassava flour is naturally gluten-free and grain-free, so it’s a great option for people following Paleo diets or simply looking for alternatives to wheat and corn.

Because it’s primarily a carbohydrate-rich, starchy food, I wouldn’t necessarily think of cassava as a nutritional powerhouse. For me, its biggest benefit is practical: it gives me a simple way to make foods I love while avoiding ingredients I don’t want to eat.

And that’s important! A way of eating has to be enjoyable and sustainable if you’re going to stick with it.

Having a warm homemade tortilla wrapped around scrambled eggs, avocado and salsa makes eating Paleo feel a whole lot less restrictive.

Easy Cassava Flour Tortillas

Single-Serving Cassava Tortillas

Makes approximately 2 small tortillas (1 serving)

Ingredients

¼ cup cassava flour
Pinch of salt
Splash of avocado oil
3 tablespoons warm water, added gradually

Directions

Combine the cassava flour and salt in a bowl. Add the avocado oil and mix.

Slowly add the warm water, mixing as you go, until the dough is soft and pliable. You want something that holds together easily without being overly wet or sticky. Because cassava flour can vary a little by brand, don’t feel obligated to use every drop of water, or be afraid to add a little more if the dough seems dry.

Divide the dough into small balls.

Place a ball between two pieces of parchment paper (or plastic sheets intended for a tortilla press) and press it into a thin tortilla (it works much better with a tortilla press, but you can use a rolling pin if you don’t have a press).

Heat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Cook each tortilla until it begins to develop some browned spots and releases easily from the pan, then flip and cook the other side. It doesn’t take long!

Keep the finished tortillas covered with a clean kitchen towel while you cook the rest. This helps keep them warm and flexible.

And yes, you can make these without a tortilla press. I did for years. But after finally buying one, I understand why my friend’s tortillas were always better than mine. It makes getting them evenly thin so much easier.

What Can You Put in Cassava Tortillas?

This is where I’ve really been having fun. They’re neutral enough that they work for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

For breakfast, I’ve been loving scrambled eggs with avocado and green salsa. Pine nuts are surprisingly delicious with scrambled eggs, too.

For dinner, I’ll make simple tacos with ground beef, sautéed onion and Chimayó peppers. Adding a little rich chicken broth while the onions and peppers cook gives the filling even more flavor.

A few other combinations I’d try:

Shredded chicken, avocado and tomatillo salsa
Eggs, roasted sweet potato and salsa
Ground beef, avocado, cilantro and lime
Breakfast tacos with eggs and leftover roasted vegetables
Chicken with sautéed peppers and onions
Fish tacos with cabbage, avocado and lime
Leftover roasted meat with greens and salsa

And honestly, sometimes the best combination is simply whatever needs to be used up in the refrigerator.

An Organized Kitchen Should Make Your Life Better

This is one of the reasons I love talking about organizing beyond simply having tidy cabinets.

The goal of an organized kitchen isn’t an organized kitchen. The goal is what that kitchen allows you to do.

When your counters are usable, you can find your ingredients, your cooking tools are accessible, and you actually have room to prepare food, making something from scratch doesn’t feel like such an undertaking.

For me lately, that looks like pulling out my tortilla press, mixing together a few ingredients, and having fresh tortillas on the table within minutes.

And that’s a pretty wonderful thing to be able to do in your home.