Do the tortillas go bad? - The Ultimate Guide

Tortillas are an incredibly handy resource to have in your kitchen at all times, so when you see them on sale or available in bulk, it’s not unreasonable to want to buy a year’s supply all at once.

So do tortillas go bad?

Tortillas go bad between 2 days and 2 months. Tortillas stay fresh longer if stored in the fridge, and corn tortillas keep longer than flour ones.

Store-bought tortillas have a best-before or expiration date that can serve as a guide. The useful life of your tortillas can vary depending on the humidity of the place where you live and if they are well stored.

In this article, we’ll talk about the different types of tortillas you can buy or make and how the ingredients affect the shelf life of your tortillas. We will also explain the best ways to store your tortillas to keep them fresh for as long as possible.

What exactly are tortillas?

Tortillas are a staple of Mexican cuisine and have also become popular in most North and South American homes. Technically, they are a form of thin, flat, unleavened bread.

More specifically, tortillas are made with wheat or corn flour, corn being the most traditional ingredient, mixed with water and a small amount of salt.

Corn tortillas are the most used for dishes such as tacos, tostadas, enchiladas and chalupas, among many others. Wheat or flour tortillas are used for dishes that require a softer wrap, such as burritos.

Some dishes can be made equally well with either type of tortilla, such as quesadillas.

With the rise in popularity, tortillas have expanded beyond Mexican cuisine and are also used more generically as wrappers to hold almost any type of filling or to serve as an alternative to bread for sandwich garnishes.

Tortillas can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature. They can be baked or fried, or even made into chips. Their flavor is mild enough to go with anything, making them a very versatile flatbread.

Do the tortillas go bad?

Yes, tortillas go bad over time, like almost all edible foods. Keeping your tortillas stored carefully, sealed against moisture and heat, will protect their quality.

If you buy store-bought tortillas, it’s best not to open their original packaging until you’re ready to eat them. The manufacturer’s seal is the best protection against deterioration.

Once opened, you will need to make sure that they are in an airtight bag and that you do not expose the opened bag to temperature fluctuations that can create condensation or very humid areas.

Moisture can cause mold to develop, and exposure to air can dry out your tortillas.

Do corn tortillas expire?

If you’ve bought a packet, they will likely have an expiration date stamped on the outside of the bag, giving you some guidance as to when they will be at their most flavorful.

Corn tortillas, like all foods, can spoil over time.

Corn tortillas, as a general rule, usually last up to or a little more than 1 week in your pantry or up to 6-8 weeks in your fridge.

Corn tortillas have a longer shelf life than flour tortillas because the corn itself is a stronger grain, more resistant to mold.

Can you eat expired tortillas?

Yes, you can eat tortillas that have passed the expiration date printed on the package. The best before date is not actually an expiration date.

It is simply a manufacturer’s estimate of how long they believe their product will maintain its best quality.

Other than that, they’re edible, though maybe not quite as good as they were a day or two earlier.

If your tortillas have gone bad, you’ll usually know pretty quickly. Moldy tortillas will be very unappetizing and you probably won’t enjoy eating them, and they can make you sick.

In most cases, a healthy stomach will destroy any harmful bacteria from a small amount of mold before it can do any harm.

But if you have food sensitivities, digestive problems or illnesses, or if you’re pregnant, you may be more sensitive to moldy foods of any kind.

Tortillas are rarely considered an extravagant expense, and we always recommend buying fresh ingredients if your food has gone bad, but there is a way to save spoiled tortillas.

First, if the mold is only on the edges of the tortilla, you can just cut it off. If the mold has spread or there are small spots in the center of the tortilla, you can “wash” it with a clean cloth or paper towel soaked in vinegar.

The vinegar will kill most, if not all, of the bacteria and remove the odor and hopefully most of the taste as well.

If you decide to eat an omelet that has gone bad, it’s always a good idea to cook it first. If there is any potentially harmful bacteria, a vinegar wash before frying it for a few minutes in a pan should kill it.

Stuffing it with quesadilla toppings can help mask any remaining off-flavors.

How long do tortillas last after their expiration date?

As a quick reference, you can follow this table to safely consume tortillas that have not been opened from their original packaging after the printed best before date.

Tortillas can last anywhere from 1 week to 2 months depending on how they are stored.

In most cases, an unopened package of store-bought tortillas will stay fresh in your pantry or cupboard for up to 1 week, and possibly a little longer if they’re made from corn, rather than flour.

In your fridge, that unopened package can last a month, or even 2 for corn tortillas.

To further extend their shelf life, you can consider freezing the tortillas, which will allow you to keep them for up to 8 months.

How long do corn tortillas last compared to flour?

Corn tortillas should keep fresh in an unopened package for a week or more if stored in a cool, dry place, such as a pantry or cupboard, that is not exposed to direct heat or wide temperature fluctuations.

Once the container is opened, they can still last that long, but you’ll need to store them carefully in an airtight container that won’t open and expose them to air, moisture, or temperature changes too often.

Flour tortillas don’t usually stay fresh as long as corn tortillas, because flour is more susceptible to mold and absorbs moisture more quickly than corn.

In your pantry, flour tortillas will start to get risky as you get closer to the 1 week mark, though you’ll typically get a few more days out of a corn tortilla.

How long do homemade tortillas last?

Homemade tortillas are best enjoyed fresh out of the pan or out of the oven. If you’ve made a batch larger than you can eat at one time, they should stay fresh for up to 3 days in your pantry in an airtight bag in a cool, dry place.

In the fridge, homemade tortillas will last up to 1 week, but you’ll need to make sure they’re well sealed. Refrigerator air is very dry and can make your tortillas hard and brittle.

If this happens, you can soften them very well by heating them in a pan. They probably already have enough oil on their surface, but you can add a fresh drop to the pan if you like.

You can also freeze homemade tortillas and they should keep fresh for at least 6 months. Try to freeze them in a single serving, put them in freezer-safe bags, and don’t refreeze them once thawed.