Strange But Good: 8 New Things to Do with Tortillas

To quesadillas, and beyond! Here are 8 new and exciting ways to use tortillas. 

You bought that bag of tortillas (or made a batch yourself, you go-getter, you) because you were excited about upcoming taco night or dreaming of a unabashedly gooey quesadilla. And we're certainly not ones to knock taco night nor the quesadilla—in fact, we're big fans of both.

But tortillas aren't just for tacos and quesadillas! Tortillas—both corn and flour—are blank, starchy canvases, and there's a lot more to the medium than salsa and beans (love them though we do).

Try something new with these 8 ideas from our editors and our Hotline:

1. Warm one in a dry skillet, then spread with nut butter and sprinkle cinnamon and raisins. Or, leave the tortilla untoasted and roll it up.
   
   
2. The "guerrilla churro": Melt butter in a hot skillet, lay down your tortilla, brush with a little more melted butter, and then sprinkle on cinnamon and sugar. Roll and eat. 
   
   
3. Place peanut butter, chocolate chips, and banana slices inside a tortilla, wrap in aluminum foil, grill over a camp fire, and sing Kumbaya.
   
   
4. Make tortilla crêpes, à la Kenny Shopsin: Soak the tortillas in a mixture of egg, cream, and a little maple syrup, then fry them up in butter, and serve with Nutella, lemon and powdered sugar, or fresh fruit.
   
   
5. Sub a tortilla for a hot dog bun: Good for those who favor the less bready. Sam tells us that at Butchertown Hall in Nashville, they serve kielbasa served with tortillas, no buns necessary.
   
   
6. Salad bowls or individual nacho servings: Make little slits in the tortillas, from the outside towards the center, then press them into the wells of a muffin tin. To make bowls for taco salad, bake until crisp; to make individual nachos, fill the tortillas with with refried beans, black beans, and cheese, then cook until cheese is bubbling and tortillas have hardened. (h/t Panfusine)
   
   
7. "Lazy chips and guac": Char a tortilla over the stove then stuff a large chunk of avocado inside. Add lime if you're only a little lazy. 
   
   
8. In the style of Taiwanese street food: Beat together a couple of eggs, season with your favorite spices, then heat some oil in a 10- or 12-inch skillet and pour in the eggs. Gently push the tortilla down on top of the eggs (some egg might overflow onto the tortilla, which is okay). Let the egg cook until it is almost set, then flip the tortilla and brown the other side. Serve hot with Tabasco or your favorite condiment. (h/t Garlic Fiend)

Do you have something to add to the list? Share with us in the comments below!