blaZest
Week three of the year is a theme week, and this time the main star is the tortilla. It’s the most grateful base when you need a fast dinner: fill it, roll it, toast it, done. And yes, this is also the kind of food that’s wildly popular because you can adapt it to whatever you’ve got in the fridge (and whatever mood you’re in).
Creamy mushroom tortilla with mustard and tarragon
Monday is for “fast, but actually good”. Mushrooms bring that meaty feel, mustard keeps it sharp and organised, and tarragon adds that sneaky “what is that, because it’s perfect” note.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 4 medium tortillas
- 250–300 g mushrooms (white or brown), sliced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 tbsp oil + 10 g butter (or oil only)
- 120 g sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- salt, pepper
- tarragon (fresh or a pinch dried)
- optional: a handful of rocket/arugula or mixed salad
Method
- Build the base. Heat oil (and butter) in a pan. Add onion and sauté 2–3 minutes until softened.
- Mushrooms. Add mushrooms, salt lightly, and leave them 3–4 minutes so they release moisture. Stir and cook another 3–4 minutes until nicely browned.
- Garlic + flavour. Add garlic (30 seconds), then stir in sour cream/yogurt, mustard and lemon juice. Pepper to taste.
- Thicken. Simmer 1–2 minutes until creamy and clings to the mushrooms. If too thick, loosen with 1–2 tbsp water.
- Tortillas. Warm tortillas in a dry pan (20–30 seconds per side).
- Assemble. Spoon in the creamy mushrooms, add tarragon and optional rocket. Roll up.
- Bonus step. Toast the rolled tortillas briefly in a dry pan so they seal and get a crisp edge.
Tortilla with roasted cauliflower and a tahini-lemon drizzle
This is the wrap that convinces you veg isn’t punishment. Smoked paprika + tahini gives you that flavour that sticks around in the best way.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 4 tortillas
- 350–450 g cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin (optional)
- salt, pepper
- Drizzle: 2 tbsp tahini
- Drizzle: juice of 1/2 lemon + a little water (to loosen)
- Drizzle: 1 small garlic clove (or a pinch garlic powder)
- optional fresh veg: sliced cucumber, red cabbage, salad
Method
- Oven. Heat to 220°C. Line a tray with baking paper.
- Cauliflower. Toss with oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Spread on the tray.
- Roast. Bake 15–18 minutes, tossing once, until edges are golden.
- Drizzle. Mix tahini, lemon and garlic. Add water a spoon at a time to get a creamy, pourable sauce.
- Tortillas. Warm in a dry pan so they’re flexible.
- Assemble. Add salad/veg, pile on cauliflower, drizzle with tahini, roll up.
- For crunch. Toast the rolled tortilla 30–40 seconds per side.
Tortilla with chicken, apple and honey-mustard sauce
This is in my “doesn’t sound logical until you bite” category. Chicken + apple + mustard and honey work like a proper kitchen team.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 4 tortillas
- 250–300 g chicken breast, sliced into strips
- 1 apple, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp oil
- salt, cracked black pepper
- Sauce: 2 tbsp Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Sauce: 1.5 tsp mustard
- Sauce: 1 tsp honey
- Sauce: 1 tsp lemon juice
- optional: a handful of salad or rocket/arugula
Method
- Sauce first. Mix yogurt, mustard, honey and lemon. Taste and salt if needed.
- Chicken. Heat pan well, add oil. Season chicken and cook 6–8 minutes until browned (don’t steam it in its own juices).
- Apple. Slice right before assembling so it stays fresh. (If you like extra tang, a tiny squeeze of lemon is great.)
- Tortillas. Warm until pliable.
- Assemble. Sauce, salad, chicken, apple. Roll up.
- Toast. Toast in a dry pan 30–60 seconds per side.
- Serve. For “wow”: extra sauce on the side for dipping.
Mediterranean tuna tortilla with capers, lemon and cream cheese
Thursday is usually “give me something that doesn’t require thinking”. Tuna, capers, lemon and cream cheese are the instant fix that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 4 tortillas
- 1 can tuna (160–185 g), drained
- 80–100 g cream cheese
- 2 tsp capers, chopped
- 1 tsp lemon juice + a little zest
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- salt, pepper
- optional fresh veg: cucumber, tomatoes, salad
Method
- Filling. Mix tuna, cream cheese, capers, lemon juice and a little zest. Pepper. Salt if needed.
- Onion. Slice thin. If it’s too strong, rinse briefly under water and pat dry.
- Tortillas. Warm in a dry pan.
- Assemble. Spread filling, add onion and fresh veg.
- Roll. Tuck the bottom in first, then roll tightly so it holds.
- Toast (optional). 30 seconds per side, just for a nice edge.
- Serve. A drop of olive oil on top and you’re sorted.
Spinach & ricotta quesadilla with crispy onions
Friday is for something that’s a little toasted, a little melty, and on the table fast. A quesadilla is basically “a tortilla everyone understands”.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 4 tortillas
- 200 g spinach (fresh or frozen, well-squeezed)
- 180–220 g ricotta
- 60–80 g cheese (emmental, mozzarella, whatever you have)
- 1 garlic clove (optional)
- 1 tbsp oil or a little butter
- salt, pepper, nutmeg (a pinch)
- crispy fried onions (optional, but highly recommended)
Method
- Spinach. If fresh: quickly sauté until wilted. If frozen: thaw and squeeze very well.
- Filling. Mix spinach with ricotta, salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Add garlic if you want.
- Assemble. Spread filling on one tortilla, sprinkle cheese and a little crispy onion. Top with another tortilla.
- Cook. Pan-fry over medium heat 2–3 minutes per side until golden and melted.
- Slice. Rest 30 seconds, then cut into triangles.
- Serve. A spoon of yogurt on the side and it’s officially Friday.
- Bonus. For extra crispness, cook with a little butter.
Asian-style wrap with beef strips, soy, honey and sesame
Saturday can be a little “movie-in-a-pan”. Beef cooked fast, sauce in a minute, tortilla holds it all together. That “Asian vibe” without the hassle.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 4 tortillas
- 250–300 g beef (thin steak), sliced into strips
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 carrot (julienned)
- 1/2 cucumber (sticks), a little white cabbage, spring onion
- Sauce: 2 tbsp soy sauce
- Sauce: 1 tsp honey
- Sauce: 1 tsp rice vinegar or lemon
- Sauce: 1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
- sesame seeds (1–2 tsp), pepper, chilli optional
Method
- Sauce. Mix soy, honey, vinegar/lemon and sesame oil (if using).
- Pan. Get the pan hot. Add oil.
- Beef. Sear strips 2–3 minutes until browned. Don’t overcrowd the pan, do two batches if needed.
- Glaze. Pour sauce over, toss 30–60 seconds until it clings.
- Tortillas. Warm them.
- Assemble. Add veg, pile on beef, sprinkle sesame, chilli if you like.
- Roll. Roll tightly. Toast the outside if you want.
Sweet tortilla rolls with mascarpone, orange and pistachios
Sunday can absolutely be dessert-for-dinner. A bowl of vegetable soup first, then this. Tortillas here work like a blank sheet of paper: cream, fruit, crunch and you “draw” a good combo.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 4 tortillas
- 200 g mascarpone
- 1–2 tbsp honey or powdered sugar (to taste)
- 1 orange (cut into small pieces) + a little zest
- 3 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp butter (for toasting, optional)
- optional: a pinch of cinnamon
Method
- Cream. Mix mascarpone with honey/sugar. Add a little grated zest.
- Orange. Cut into pieces (not too juicy, so it doesn’t soak the tortilla).
- Assemble. Spread mascarpone, add orange, sprinkle pistachios (and cinnamon if using).
- Roll. Roll tightly so it slices nicely.
- Toast (optional). Melt a little butter in a pan and toast 1–2 minutes until golden.
- Slice. Cut on the diagonal and finish with extra pistachios.
- Serve. Any leftover cream goes on the side. Nobody complains.
If this week proves anything, it’s that tortillas are the ultimate weeknight fixer: snack in 10 minutes, dinner in 20, and even a “dessert, because it’s Sunday” moment in 15. The best part: you don’t have to reinvent the kitchen every day. A good filling and a tight roll are enough.
FAQ: tortillas, “Mexican”, “Spanish” and everything in between
Tortilla: is it Mexican or Spanish?
Both, but they’re two different things. In Mexico, a tortilla is usually a thin flatbread made from corn (or wheat), used like bread or as the base for tacos. In Spain, “tortilla” most often means tortilla española, the thick potato-and-egg omelette.
Corn or flour tortillas: which one is better?
“Better” is the one that works for what you’re making. Corn has a stronger, nuttier flavour and is classic for tacos, but it’s more fragile and can crack if not warmed properly. Flour is more pliable and easier to roll, so it’s great for wraps, quesadillas and quick weeknight dinners.
Why does my tortilla tear when I roll it?
Most often it’s because it’s cold or too dry. Fix: warm it briefly in a dry pan (20–30 seconds per side), or wrap it in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave for a few seconds. Tortillas need to be warm and flexible, not cardboard.
Quesadilla, burrito, wrap… is it all the same?
Not exactly. A quesadilla is a tortilla folded (or topped) and toasted, usually with cheese. A burrito is typically rolled tightly into a more filling “parcel” (rice, beans, meat…). A wrap is a broader term, often a European/American take: anything rolled so it holds together.
Can I freeze tortillas?
Yes. Separate them with baking paper so they don’t stick, thaw gently, then warm them to bring back flexibility. Freezing won’t ruin them, they just need a quick heat “reboot”.
What is “tortilla lasagna” and why does it exist?
Because it’s brilliant. Tortillas can be used as layers instead of pasta sheets: fast, thin, easy to slice, and very comfort-food friendly without effort. Sauce + cheese + veg/meat is the base. The oven does the rest.
What’s the “right” salsa for tortillas?
The “right” one is the one that lifts the filling. Fresh (tomato, onion, lime) is great for lighter wraps, smoky (roasted peppers/tomatoes) loves meat, and creamy (yogurt/tahini) is perfect with veg. Rule: salsa should bring acidity or freshness so the tortilla doesn’t feel heavy.
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