ᐅ 3 Easy and Quick Ways to Store Tortillas •【 2024 】

As a lover of this Mexican delicacy that has crossed borders, I’m pretty sure you will wonder how store tortillas for a long time without being damaged? I got you!

You can keep the tortillas in the pantry for about five days. However, to extend their shelf life a little, they should be kept in the fridge for up to 1 week. Long-term storage is achieved by freezing, with results of up to 3 months.

If you want to enjoy your tortillas for several more days, continue reading and learn the easy and quick ways to preserve them.

How to preserve tortillas in the pantry

The characteristic of the tortilla is its softness and texture, so there is no better time than to eat them when it is freshly made; that’s the reason behind the storage guidelines.

One of the ways to preserve tortillas is by keeping them in the pantry, although we must use some tips so that they do not damage quickly.

Let’s go over what the steps below are.

Step 1. Separate tortillas with absorbent paper

Before storing, place paper towels between some of them, protecting the tortillas from getting wet and acquiring mold.

Step 2. Stack the tortillas

While placing the paper in the middle of each tortilla, you must stack them in small portions, such as ten tortillas.

Step 3. Store inside a plastic bag

Store them in a plastic one with an airtight closure when the stack is ready.

Step 4. Store in the pantry

Place the tortillas inside the pantry to make it a cool, dry place.

When you keep tortillas in the pantry using this method, they will stay fresh and in good condition for 3-5 days.

How to store tortillas in the fridge

Another way to preserve tortillas is by keeping them in the fridge. Experts clarify that it is the best method since it prevents their deterioration quickly.

So, how to keep tortillas in the refrigerator? Here are the steps to get you done quickly.

Step 1. Separate tortillas with paper towels

Like the previous method, you must separate the tortillas with paper towels, so they do not contract mold between them.

Step 2. Stack the tortillas

You need to make a stack of 8-10 tortillas.

Step 3. Wrap the tortillas

Wrap the tortilla stack using a plastic film to increase the protection against moisture.

Step 4. Find a plastic container

Place each stack in a plastic container. It would help if you closed it tightly.

Step 5. Store in the fridge

Put the container with the tortillas in the fridge.

Keeping tortillas in the fridge will keep them soft and fresh for about one week.

How to freeze tortillas

Indeed, you will be surprised to know that you can freeze tortillas; it is the only method that allows you to preserve this food for a long time. However, it is essential to follow some steps and tips so that they do not spoil. [1]

So how to keep tortillas in the freezer? Continue reading, and we will give you the instructions to do it correctly.

Step 1. Place waxed paper between the tortillas

Arrange the tortillas in a tower and insert the waxed paper into some of them (ideally each of them).

Each stack of tortillas must contain a maximum of 10. This will prevent them from sticking and keep it in better condition.

Step 2. Store in a plastic bag

Place the tortillas with the waxed paper in the middle inside a plastic bag and close tightly.

Step 3. Store in the freezer

Place the bag with the tortillas inside the freezer. Try to avoid placing heavy things on top because they can spoil.

This preservation method keeps the tortillas intact for 3-5 months in the freezer.

Advice for thawing tortillas

To thaw the tortillas, you must remove the ones you will use from the bag and take them to the microwave on wax paper for 1-2 minutes. You will keep your tortillas warm, so you should eat them immediately after heating since they can become dry and rigid after a few hours at room temperature.

How do you know when tortillas are bad?

It is vital to recognize when the tortillas are not in perfect condition so that it does not produce any disease when consuming them. So how do you know when tortillas are bad? Here are some signs that tell you that tortillas are bad.

Tortillas have a different color than when you prepared them.
The texture of the tortilla is dry.

When you eat it, it has an earthy taste.
It has black or green colorations indicating that it has contracted mold.
The smell of the tortilla is rotten.

How long do tortillas last?

Applying any of the methods above will modify the shelf life of the tortillas. Therefore, this is not a question with a single answer because it depends on other factors, which I summarized below.

Storage method	Duration time
Tortillas at room temperature	3-5 days.
Tortillas in the refrigerator	1 week.
Frozen tortillas	3-5 months.

What is the best way to preserve tortillas?

When you want to keep tortillas in the short term, it is best to refrigerate them. This method keeps tortillas fresh for up to a week. It is straightforward to do, just be aware of mold by following our guidelines.

You can freeze the tortillas for the long term, extending the shelf life up to 3 months.

When you want to thaw them, you should only place them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes and eat them immediately because they tend to get stiff and dry.

Wanna learn more about the storage methods applied to different foods? Here we have it for you.