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Light, tender, and scrumptious 3-ingredient chickpea oat tortillas (or call them crepes). They are vegan, gluten-free, simple to make, and only 62 calories each.
Easy Gluten-Free & Vegan Tortillas or Crepes
I hope everyone here in the States had a very Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels, near or far! We spent several laid-back days in Arkansas, with my husband’s extended family. Our first day in was COLD, but Thanksgiving day was bright, clear, and crisp–perfect walking and running weather on the trails nearby my in-laws’ house.
As dreamy as it is to relax, sleep in, and eat pecan pie (♥), it feels good to be back in a routine (well, maybe not when the alarm went off at 5 this morning, but post-coffee). That includes some simple meals and foods, with limited shopping involved.
Case in point, these: my 3-Ingredient Chickpea Flour Oat Tortillas.
Chickpea Flour + Oats = A Winning Combination
This recipe is an example of turning disaster into triumph. These crepes were originally meant to be all-oat crepes, made from a gorgeous new vegan cookbook I checked out from the library. The oat crepes had nothing more than oats and milk for the “base, ” but were flecked with orange zest and drizzled in dark chocolate sauce. How could I not give them a go?
Sadly, the at crepes went nowhere except the garbage. The all-oat crepes bubbled into thin, gooey porridge blobs that could only be eaten by spoon. I tried adding some tapioca flour, thinking it would help the crepes hold together, but it only made the batter stick more firmly to the pan.
Ever determined, I tried again. Perhaps chickpea flour, with its all-purpose flour- and egg-like binding abilities could give the tender oats the structure they needed. I fiddled with the proportions, and, eventually…perfection!
How to Make 3-Ingredient Chickpea Oat Tortillas
My winning combination is equal parts chickpea flour (3/4 cup) and rolled oats (3/4 cup) to 1 and 1 and 1/2 cups water. I added 1/4 teaspoon salt for flavor, but it is always optional (depending on your dietary needs).
After a few batches, I also decided on the addition of baking soda. I don’t add leavening (baking powder or baking soda) to most crepe or tortilla recipes, but these needed a nudge of lightness. A 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda did the trick.
The batter is as simple as blending all of the ingredients in a blender (a food processor should work fine, too). The batter will seem thin at frist, like light cream, but it will thicken slightly after a minute or two.
The batter is very easy to pour and swirl in the pan, so even if you are new to making crepes or skillet tortillas, you will find these simple (just keep in mind, that, even for the most seasoned home crepe-makers, the first one is often a semi- or complete disaster. It is some sort of crepe curse! If it happens, to you, you’ll know you are doing things right :)).
These tortillas are such a delicious option to have in your repertoire! They are light and tender, yes, but sturdy, too, which is why I classify them as both crepes and tortillas. You can serve the with sweet or savory sauces and fillings, eat them hot, warm or cold (they are great for making instant sandwiches out of holiday leftovers), use them as noodle substitutes in lasagna (really and truly!), and more.
Another key feature: these crepes fold without cracking or tearing (even when cold! Credit the oats, which keep these tender)!
They also roll with ease. Taquitos or cannelloni, anyone ?
I kept this essential recipe as plain as can be, because, in most, cases, that’s exactly what you want for crepes, tortillas, or bread in general. However, you can unleash your creativity, too, adding herbs, spices, flavorings, sweetener and more.
I can attest that a bit of orange zest (1 teaspoon) and orange juice (replace half the water with juice) in the batter yields crepes that are divine with warm, dark chocolate sauce :).
Enjoy, everyone!
More Gluten-Free & Vegan Tortillas to Love:
2-Ingredient Coconut Flour Tortillas
1-Ingredient Red Lentil Tortillas
2-Ingredient Chickpea Flour Tortillas
3-Ingredient Sweet Potato Tortillas
1-Ingredient Black Bean Tortillas
Grain-Free Spinach Tortillas {2 ingredients}
1-Ingredient Split Pea Tortillas
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3-Ingredient Chickpea Oat Tortillas {Vegan, Gluten-Free}
- Prep Time: 1 min
- Cook Time: 3 mins
- Total Time: 4 mins
- Yield: 8 Crepes/Tortillas 1x
Description
Light, tender crepes (or call them tortillas) made with nothing more than rolled oats, chickpea flour & baking soda (plus water and optional salt). Naturally vegan and gluten-free, they are fast (make the batter in a blender), easy, and versatile!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (375 mL) water
- 3/4 cup (67 g) rolled oats (certified GF, as needed)
- 3/4 cup (90 g) chickpea flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (more or less to taste)
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients in a blender. Process on high speed until very smooth. Pour batter into a bowl or large glass measuring cup (for easier pouring or ladling).
- Heat a medium skillet (well seasoned cast iron or nonstick) over medium high heat until very hot. If you are not sure if your pan is nonstick, add a quick spritz or swipe of oil to the pan.
- Ladle approximately 1/3 cup of batter into the hot pan and immediately lift and tilt so that the batter spread to about a 6- or 7-inch circle. Cook for 1 to 1-1/2 minutes until set; flip over and cook about 1 minute longer until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate or cooling rack,
- Repeat with remaining batter.
Notes
Storage: The cooled crepes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Additions: Have fun adding fresh or dried herbs, spices, a bit of sweetener, or flavorings (e.g., zests or extracts) to the batter!
Milk instead of Water: For added nutrition, replace the water with an equal amount of milk (nondairy or dairy).
- Category: Bread, Tortilla, Crepe
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crepe/tortilla
- Calories: 62
- Sugar: 1.1 g
- Sodium: 117.5 mg
- Fat: 1.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 mg
- Fiber: 1.7 g
- Protein: 2.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Just made these and they were great! I added fresh rosemary to mine. So quick and simple to make- will definitely make them again! Would be interested to see if this combo could be translated to a vegan bread. Thank you so much for this recipe! I love your “will it tortilla” series- can’t wait to try more of your recipes in this series! <3
★★★★★
Wonderful recipe.
What if I milled a bean (kidney, pinto, navy, black, or cannelloni) into flour. Do you think it could be used to substitute the chick pea flour? Would it take the same amount as the chick pea flour?
Do you think the crepes could be baked. Maybe on parchment? I was also thinking of trying my stainless pan on stove top sprayed with coconut oil. I was trying to avoid my non stick green pan
Thanks
Hi Deborah,
So glad you like the recipe! Yes, it should definitely work with other milled bean flours. I have tried it with black bean flour and it was great.
I think a sheet pan could work, but I would lightly spray or oil the pan rather than parchment. Also, I would preheat the pan so that it is hot when the batter is poured on. Perhaps do it sheet pan size so that it is like lavash? Hmm, I think I may need to try this , too 🙂
These came out perfectly! I couldn’t try them (legume allergies) but my gluten free sons and my gluten eating husband all liked them. I cooked them on a vintage electric griddle (set to 375°F) and a ladle, and used the ladle to swirl the batter out into larger circles, since I couldn’t tip the griddle. It’s very much like making dosas, and now I’m planning to make the next batch the day before and ferment the batter overnight to add flavor and digestibility.
Thank you for the recipe! With the pandemic we aren’t going to stores, just living out of the pantry and freezer with fresh produce and perishables every few weeks. I can’t buy gluten free tortillas, so went looking for a recipes, and yours is the best by far!
Also, I ground chickpeas into flour using the Vitamix. I tried my Nutrimill, but it was so slow it wasn’t worth it. Then after dumping the chickpea flour out (so I could measure it), I made the batter right in the container without cleaning it first, saving a step.
★★★★★
Brilliant, Kimberly! So glad these were a tumbs up with your sons and husband, especially (I know that challenge well). Stay safe and well! 🙂
Wow! Where has this recipe been all my life?! First of all, it was super simple to make, add everything to a blender and it’s ready. The crêpes were so soft and pliable, I couldn’t believe it. The next time I make them I might add a couple more tablespoons of water/milk to create a slightly thinner batter.
There was a faint chickpea flour taste to the end result (as well as could be expected since that is the main ingredient 😉 ). I personally like that particular taste but I might need to spice it up a bit for when I make it for my family. I’m thinking cinnamon, chocolate, cardamom, basil, rosemary… so many delicious possibilities.
Thanks for my new go-to recipe.
★★★★★
Fantastic, Ashley! Great thinking regarding the spices and herbs; I can attest that these work well with all (also–a little bit of vanilla for crepes works wonders). BUt now you have me thinking about CHOCOLATE. I think I know what I am testing in the kitchen today 🙂
Thank you for this wonderful flatbread recipe, I haven’t changed the recipe yet because I am enjoying it just the way it is. As a Celiac finding a recipe that is not only easy to make and tastes great is few and far between. This one is the best yet. I am so enjoying having toast again, it’s been awhile. I have even noticed my stomach pain isn’t as severe as it was. I have made this bread every day since I found your recipe. I even have some in the freezer, but it won’t be there long because I can’t stop eating it.I think I will need to make it every other day, just to be safe, so l don’t panic.Thanks again,
★★★★★
So wonderful to hear that you love the recipe, Mary Lynn!
An the orange/chocolate idea! Georgeous ☺️
★★★★★
Thanks!
Can oat flour be used, instead of rolled oats? And would you need as much? Just wondering…:)
Am going to give these a try, maybe add a touch of maple syrup…serve like a pancake…:)
I love burritos and really miss eating them, the gluten free ones from the store are nasty…they get gummy and icky very fast…so will see how these work…wish me luck! Thanks.
Ev
Hi Ev,
Yes, you definitely can! Hope you like them 🙂
First off, thank you for all your recipes! You got me hooked on chickpea flour. It started with the cheesy chickpea crackers then soda bread and just kept on going. This is one of my favorites. Do you think this can be made into a cracker too? While I love the cheesy chickpea cracker, the chickpea taste is pretty strong so it doesn’t necessarily go with everything but this one would. Thoughts?
Hi Michelle!
Glad you are enjoying some chickpea flour recipes!
I would think this could be made into a chip or cracker of sorts. It’s just hard to know whether it will be crisp or simply hard without giving it a try. Let me know if you do try it!
Your “chickpea-oat crepes or tortillas” recipe looks fabulous, and I appreciate all the tips and serving suggestions. Also many thanks for the information about salt (as optional, for flavor), and all the detailed nutrition information you always provide. I can’t wait to try the crepes. Thank you again, Camilla!
Thank you so much Larayne! It is my pleasure:)
These sound delicious…I try to go grain free and use oat BRAN alot as an oat sub. do u think that might work here ? Thanks for all your recipes, so many of them are tasty and appreciated in my home !
Hi Cara! Hmm, I have not used oat bran for awhile, which makes me wonder why I haven’t, because it is so good–so thank you for the reminder! Given the coarse texture and density of oat bran, I know that you would need to use much less than rolled oats (perhaps a third of a cup?). I think they might wok in a high speed blender, but a food processor or standard blender probably does not have enough power to emulsify them…except if you soak the oat bran for several hours, that might be the solution. I would love to know if you give it a try!
Hi Camilla,
Thank you so so much for all your delicious and healthy recipes! They are my absolute favourite go-tos!! This one also sounds very intriguing but since I don‘t own a nonstick pan I was wondering if it is possible to bake the Crêpes. What do you think?
Thanks again and have a wonderful weekend! <3
Hi Shirin!
I just now posted a reply to someone else who had the very same question about baking these! Take a look, it should be just above this reply. It would involve lightly oiling or spraying the sheet pan, and you can do the same in a skillet (very lightly rub with oil or nonstick spray to prevent sticking). Cheers!