How Do I Choose the Best Burrito Tortilla?

Burritos are a Mexican-inspired food item that includes a hearty filling stuffed inside a tightly-wrapped tortilla, which is a thin, flat circle of bread. Choosing the best burrito tortilla begins with choosing between standard and specialty flavors as well as a variety of sizes. Smaller tortillas can be used for smaller servings such as in appetizers. Special dietary options for tortillas, such as low-carb or gluten-free, are also available for purchase.

Traditional tortillas are made with either flour or corn and are unflavored. This type of burrito tortilla is the most versatile as it won't clash with any ingredients. Specialty flavors of tortillas are available for purchase and may include spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and herbs.

Most burrito recipes are based around the standard size burrito tortilla, which is 8 inches (about 20 centimeters) in diameter. Smaller tortillas, around the size of a personal pan pizza, will result in a smaller burrito, but this might be a valid choice if making appetizers. Tortillas larger than standard size are also available, but should only be used when the burrito is going to be served wet, or coated with taco or enchilada sauce, in a bowl or plate with utensils. An excessively large tortilla won't be able to support the amount of filling required and can fall apart when picked up, creating a mess.

Thin burrito tortillas are the most readily available type sold in grocery stores, but it may take some trial-and-error when searching for the best kind to use in cooking, as some brands are too thin to hold together when wrapped around a moist filling. Authentic Mexican tortillas are much thicker and are sold in specialty stores. Thicker tortillas tend to be easier to fold, but they do add more of the tortilla's corn or flour flavor to the dish.

Low-carb diets require the consumption of a minimal amount of carbohydrates, which are found in both white flour and corn. Special low-carb burrito tortillas are sold in most supermarkets that alter the ingredients to reduce carbohydrates while adding fiber. When calculating total carbohydrates, the amount of fiber is subtracted from the total carbohydrates for a net carbohydrate value. These low-carb tortillas can have a slightly different taste than a traditional tortilla due to the fiber content.

Gluten allergies can be accommodated with a gluten-free burrito tortilla that doesn't include white flour. Gluten flour may be included as a replacement. As with low-carb tortillas, these may have a different taste than standard tortillas, but it is generally easy to adjust to, particularly for those used to not eating gluten products.