I’m just going to say it up front: I have found the gold standard for gluten-free flour tortillas. They are soft, they wrap around food without a problem, they smell amazing when you heat them, and, yes, they last for over a week on the counter (sealed up tightly in their original packaging). For a GF product, this is an amazing feat!
(Before you get much further, I don’t see this product listed on Mission’s website. I’m hoping it’s just due to slow updates, but here’s a link to their contact page so you can encourage their efforts to make more products gluten free.)
When I first tried a gluten-free tortilla — one that wasn’t a traditional corn tortilla, which, I will remind you, are generally naturally gluten free — to say I was underwhelmed is to understate my reaction. It was awful. It turned me off to the concept for years.
Still, every now an then, I thought I should give GF tortillas a try. I was pleasantly surprised by the tortilla used by Evol for their burritos (review here), but haven’t been that excited by frozen products offered by other companies.
Then, one evening, I stopped to pick up tortillas for taco night when a new product caught my eye. I picked up the package, noted the weight and the softness of the product. Needless to say, I was skeptical.
I skipped the corn tortillas that night, a risky move for sure, and bought the flour ones. We had amazing tacos that night, if I do say so myself. Later that week, I tried the tortillas as wrap — it worked like a charm. My previous experiences had lead to broken tortillas/wraps.
Then I subjected this fine product to the ultimate test: quesadillas. The tortillas crisped up perfectly, while the cheese and filling melted and heated to a delicious, gooey mess.
So yes, this tortilla passed all of my tests with flying colors. My only issue is that if you’re using the tortilla as a wrap, you should still heat it first — the toasted versus “raw” flavor made a difference.
A package of eight sells for $5.99 at my local grocery store, a pretty huge difference over corn tortillas. Still, Mission put a lot of time and effort into developing a great gluten-free product that offers up the great flavor and flexibility of its wheat counterpart — tortillas so good I kept thinking it was a trick and I was secretly eating gluten!
Tip of the Week
The trick to a perfect quesadilla is balancing the crisping and browning of the tortillas with the melting and heating of the fillings. Don’t overfill your quesadilla and cook it in a non-stick pan, or with a very small amount of cooking spray (so your tortilla doesn’t get soggy), on medium (on the low side) heat, with the skillet covered, for a few minutes. Flip when the cheese begins to melt and the bottom tortilla is crispy.
Menu of the Week
Quesadilla party! This comfort food — or perfect snack — can feed one or many. If you’re making quesadillas for a crowd, use a flat griddle to cook multiple items at once. Don’t make your quesadillas in advance and reheat them. They won’t taste as good as those that are freshly made!
Keep your fillings simple, and serve guacamole and salsa on the side for dipping. A little cheese on the bottom tortilla, a bit of filling, and more cheese is the best way to build a quesadilla as the cheese acts as glue for the tortillas!
- Quesadillas (Corn or Other) — here’s a list of options for fillings
- Guacamole
- Salsa