This Creative Gluten-Free Tortilla Swap Gives Basic Tacos A New Lease On Life

While gluten-free wraps are easy to find in most stores, there is something special about making them from scratch with an ingredient that adds a bit of tropical fun to your tortilla-making. In case you were wondering, Mexican cuisine is an excellent option for indulging in gluten-free food. Taco shells and tortilla wraps that are 100% corn are naturally gluten-free. Sometimes, though, a little change from the regular option is what your tastebuds crave. Cue plantain-based tortilla wraps. 

Plantains are beloved across the Caribbean, Africa, and the Americas, and are added as a popular side dish to ramp up the sweetness (although they can be made extra sweet and sticky with one special ingredient). To make a plantain tortilla, you only need three ingredients: unripe plantains (the green ones), sea salt, and gluten-free flour, such as tapioca starch or arrowroot starch. The plantains are made extra tender by boiling them before blending together with the salt, coating them in the chosen flour, and cooking them over the stove. Once prepared, you can build your tacos from a base that is both simple to make, contains minimal extra additives and ingredients, and keeps you fuller thanks to plantain's starchy nature. 

When made into tacos, plantains turn a boring and plain-tasting taco into a rich and vibrant dish. If you're a fan of sweet plantains, feel free to add ripe plantains into the mix. It's also possible to keep this recipe flour-free in case you're out of gluten-free flour in the pantry. Just add in a few spoons of oil to prevent it from becoming sticky and tacky. 

When preparing the plantain tortillas, you'll want to cook them in a skillet or specific pancake pan lightly greased using either coconut oil or avocado oil. Coconut and avocado are also excellent fatty oils that add a nutty and smooth taste to your wraps. While coconut oil has a relatively low smoke point, avocado oil has a much higher one meaning it will prevent burning (no-one wants the smoke alarm getting in the way of you enjoying your tacos). If you don't have the ability to cook on a stove-top, you could also prepare these in an oven by preheating to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and then baking for roughly 10 minutes.

The best part of making tacos is making them personal, flavorful, and jam-packed with your favorite toppings. There are several quick and tasty vegan choices to go with your tacos including jackfruit, mushrooms, beans, and more. Pico de gallo is a classic taco topping that brings acidity and saltiness to balance to plantain-based tortilla. You can ramp up the zesty taste by adding more lime or lemon juice. Another ideal taco addition that pairs well with plantain's starchy flavor is creamy guacamole. For a mess-free application, remember to use this bag trick so that the guacamole is squeezed out smoothly and easily. If you prefer chunkier guac, beef up your serving with tomatoes, red onions, and some jalapeños for a kick of spice and flavor.