Whether tortilla dough needs time to rest in the fridge before cooking depends on a few factors. In general, resting the dough can help improve the texture, but it is not strictly necessary for basic homemade flour tortillas.
The Purpose of Resting Tortilla Dough
Resting tortilla dough serves a few purposes:
- It allows time for the gluten to relax and help prevent tough or chewy tortillas.
- It allows the dough to fully hydrate and makes it easier to roll out without cracking.
- It can develop more complex flavors as the ingredients marry.
When making tortillas with higher gluten flours like bread flour or whole wheat flour, a rest is more important to get the right texture. Resting generally ranges from 30 minutes to overnight in the fridge.
Quick Tortillas Without Resting
For simple flour tortillas made with all-purpose flour, a rest is optional. You can mix the dough and immediately roll it out to make fresh tortillas.
Without a rest, the texture may be slightly more elastic and chewy rather than tender. But for most basic homemade flour tortillas, the difference is fairly subtle.
Many authentic Mexican restaurants churn out fresh hot tortillas continuously without resting the dough. So it’s definitely possible to skip the rest, especially if you want tortillas right away.
How Long To Rest Tortilla Dough
If you do choose to rest the dough, the optimal time can vary:
- 30 minutes to 1 hour: Enough time for the dough to hydrate and gluten to relax slightly.
- 2-4 hours: Allows the dough to fully hydrate and develop more flavor.
- Overnight: The easiest for scheduling as you prepare the dough ahead.
In most cases, resting tortilla dough longer than 4-5 hours doesn’t provide much additional benefit. The texture won’t necessarily keep improving over time.
Resting Tips
To properly rest tortilla dough:
- Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
- Refrigerate the dough during the rest to inhibit yeast activity.
- Allow the dough to come nearly to room temperature before rolling out for easier handling.
Does Corn Tortilla Dough Need Resting?
Corn tortilla dough also benefits from resting, though not quite as much as flour tortillas. Some key factors:
- 30-60 minutes rest is sufficient for corn dough.
- Helps make the dough easier to press and handle.
- Allows corn flavor to develop fully.
- Can be skipped if you want to make the tortillas right away.
Signs Tortilla Dough Needs More Rest
If you try to roll out tortilla dough without adequate resting time, you may notice some issues like:
- The dough cracks or tears when rolling out.
- The tortilla shapes resist stretching and spring back.
- The rolled tortillas are overly elastic or chewy when cooked.
In these cases, wrapping the dough and allowing it to rest for 30-60 minutes can improve the texture.
Food Safety
When resting tortilla dough for more than 2-3 hours, refrigeration is important for food safety:
- The fridge prevents potential bacterial growth at room temperature.
- Tightly wrap dough to prevent drying out in the fridge.
- Limit resting to no more than 24 hours, discarding older dough.
- If desired, you can freeze dough for longer storage.
Key Takeaways
- Resting can improve the texture of tortilla dough, but isn’t strictly necessary.
- 30-60 minutes of rest is sufficient for most basic flour tortillas.
- Overnight resting in the fridge provides the easiest make-ahead option.
- Corn tortillas benefit from some rest, but don’t require as much time as flour.
- If dough cracks or resists rolling, allow it to rest before trying again.
Conclusion
While a rest in the fridge can benefit tortilla dough, the best approach depends on your timeline and type of tortilla. Quick homemade flour tortillas can be made with no rest at all. For corn tortillas or more complex recipes, a brief 30-60 minute rest delivers better handleability and texture. Overnight resting offers the maximum flavor development and tender texture, but isn’t essential for basic homemade tortillas.