There are many, many dishes you can cook with tortillas (see what to make with tortillas). You can make delicious breakfasts, such as huevos divorciados; tasty lunches, such as tacos dorados; and amazing dinners, such as quesadillas.
If there’s any possible downside to tortillas, particularly corn ones, it’s the fact that they’re sold in pack so having leftover tortillas is a very real outcome.
If you love tortillas, that’s not a problem. Tortillas can be eaten every day, often in more than one meal so you can go through a pack of tortillas relatively quickly but what if that’s not the case?
What if you don’t feel like eating the entire pack?
Can you store tortillas? And, if you can store them, how long do tortillas last?
To get an answer to those questions, as well as suggestions on how to store them, keep reading!
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The first thing you need to know about tortillas is that there are two kinds: Flour and Corn.
Flour are sold in sealed packaging with 24 or less tortillas in it.
Corn tortillas, on the other hand, can be sold in sealed packaging but can also be handmade and sold “in the open”, usually wrapped in hard paper and some plastic.
How Long Do Tortillas Last?
How long tortillas last depends entirely on what kind of tortillas you purchased as well as the storage method you choose, but you can follow this rule of thumb:
Flour Tortillas. (Including wheat)
- If stored in the pantry, they can last up to a week after the best by date.
- If store in the fridge, they can last up to 4 weeks after the best by date.
- If stored in the freezer, they can last up to 8 months after the best by date.
Corn Tortillas
- If stored in the pantry, they can last up to ten days after the best by date.
- If store in the fridge, they can last up to eight weeks after the best by date.
- If stored in the freezer, they can last up to 8 months after the best by date.
Handmade Tortillas
Most handmade tortillas are made with corn, but the rules change a bit since they’re usually not packaged.
- If stored in the pantry, they can last just a couple of days after purchased, unless packaged.
- If store in the fridge, they can last up to a week after purchased, unless packaged.
Tortillas Expiration Date
| (Unopened) | Pantry | Refrigerator | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Past Printed Date | Past Printed Date | Past Printed Date | |
| Flour Tortillas last for | 1 Week | 3-4 Weeks | 6-8 Months |
| Corn Tortillas last for | 7-10 Days | 6-8 Weeks | 6-8 Months |
| Spinach Tortillas last for | 1 Week | 3-4 Weeks | 6-8 Months |
| Whole Wheat Tortillas last | 1 Week | 3-4 Weeks | 6-8 Months |
| Homemade Tortillas last | 2-3 Days | 5-7 Days | 6-8 Months |
Now that you know how long tortillas last, it’s time to talk about the various ways you can store tortillas, particularly ones that have been removed out of their packaging.
How to Store Tortillas
Once again, we need to divide tortillas in handmade or packaged.
Packaged Tortillas
Packaged tortillas are rather easy to store. Just keep them in your pantry, fridge or freezer.
The important thing is that you keep them away from fluctuating temperatures so, if you’re keeping them in the fridge, place them on the inside, as opposed to the door.
If you’ve opened your tortillas, just make sure the packaging is closed. If the packaging isn’t resealable consider using a freezer bag. The important thing is that the tortillas are away from the fridge’s air.
Homemade Tortillas
Homemade tortillas are a bit more complicated, mostly because they’re usually sold either hot or warm.
Because of this, they shouldn’t be stored in the pantry for more than a couple of days after being purchased, otherwise they’ll go bad.
If you plan on storing them in the fridge, here’s what you have to do:
- Start by separating the tortillas while they’re still warm, one by one. You can put them in a pile again, the important part is to unstick them.
- Let the tortillas cool at room temperature, covering them with a soft cloth.
- Separate the tortillas once they’re cold, making sure to unstick them.
- Wrap the tortillas with a paper towel. (They don’t need to be perfectly wrapped, just make sure the top and bottom tortillas are covered)
- Place the tortillas inside a freezer bag or a sealed container.
You can also follow these steps to freeze tortillas, just skip the paper towel.
How do I Know When Tortillas Have Gone Bad?
Let’s face it, there are many factors that rules of thumb don’t cover which is why it pays to know if your tortillas have gone bad, even when the rule of thumb says they should still be fresh.
To know if your tortillas are spoiled or not, keep this in mind:
- Stiffness: As time passes, tortillas will start to grow stiff. While this doesn’t necessarily means that they’ve gone bad, it does mean it’ll be very hard to eat them, even reheated, so you can either toss them away or make something like chilaquiles.
- Texture: Both flour and corn tortillas will start feeling slippery and somewhat slimy once they start to mold, but you’ll notice this with flour tortillas much sooner. You can usually get away with discarding the top and bottom tortillas and eating the rest, but make sure to check the texture before eating anything.
- Colors: Tortillas shouldn’t change color once stored so be wary of any color changes. Color changes can be remarkably hard to notice in corn tortillas, particularly to the untrained eye, but if you notice a slight green or neon yellowish tint to your tortillas, even if it’s very faint, it’s not your eyes playing a trick to you. Those tortillas have gone bad.
- Spotting: Spotting can also be a sign of mold in both types of tortillas, but keep in mind that some tortillas, flour tortillas in particular, have spots to begin with so you should take a good look at them to see what ‘good spotting’ looks like. (As a rule of thumb, good spotting is brown and look like small burn marks)
How To Make Tortillas
You will love this recipe because the tortillas are not only delicious and soft, but they are even soft the day after. Yes, bacon fat, butter-flavored Crisco and boiling water make all the difference in this wonderful recipe. It's easy to follow, you will have a delicious recipe with tortillas by using a red copper pan.
Now that you know how long tortillas last, how to store them and how to tell if they’ve spoiled or not, you’re ready to buy tortillas without fear of letting them go to waste so what are you waiting for?
Go buy some delicious tortillas!