Becoming gluten free prompted many changes in my life. While it may seem trivial, I was unfairly forced to ingest itty bitty tortillas. Gone were the days when my dinner description included the words “quesadilla the size of your head”. Now I know you are asking yourself the (totally valid) question: “Um, hello Maureen, traditional gluten free corn tortillas are six inches in diameter. That’s not itty bitty, that’s portion control!” And to answer your question: Sometimes I want a quesadilla the size of Sputnik! Then I discovered (BIG!) Brown Rice Tortillas in my local Trader Joe’s refrigerated section. Before I share with you my humble opinion, I must admit to missing the lilliputian-sized corn tortillas so much that I have returned them to my refrigerator. Sometimes bigger isn’t always better. Well, unless we’re speaking about quantities of bacon or chocolate, but that’s another post entirely.
Pros:
- BIG BIG BIG tortillas!
- Works well for quesadillas.
- Reasonably priced at $2.49 for six 10-inch tortillas (vs $1.50 for ten 6-inch corn tortillas).
- Do not come frozen (therefore avoiding severing a digit or two while trying to separate a solidified tortilla mass).
Cons:
- Very chewy texture. Borderline rubbery.
- Not your best option for a wrap-type sandwich (easily broke when folded).
Related posts:
#1 by Kim on January 27, 2010 - 11:23 am
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I wish that my Trader Joe’s carried these!!!
#2 by ~M on January 27, 2010 - 2:08 pm
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Check this out: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2008/05/pesto-bacon-lettuce-tomato-wraps.html
#3 by Liam Snow on October 4, 2011 - 6:29 pm
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Those gluten-free wraps are amazing. Thanks for the link.
#4 by Jenn on January 27, 2010 - 6:40 pm
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Does it say if they’re made in a dedicated facility?
#5 by Angela on January 28, 2010 - 8:37 am
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Those look like Food for Life’s gigantic rice tortillas! They make awesome quesadillas, because cooking them changes the texture, but the only way I’ve found to do a sandwich wrap is to microwave the tortilla for 20 seconds. As it warms, it WILL fold, and it becomes less chewy, but I still broke a piece off one of my teeth the last time I ate one, so now I just use a recipe for wrap bread when I want sandwiches.
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#6 by Bette Beacom on January 29, 2010 - 10:47 am
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I have a celiac problem and when I was in St. Louis my sister had some chips that were called Tortilla Chips with an identify crisis and I fell inlove with them. I live in Omaha, Ne. and they don’t have a store here. How can I order these chips from you. Please reply. Thanks.
#7 by Maureen on February 1, 2010 - 2:41 pm
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Hi Bette! I believe the chips you are looking are Trader Joe’s “Tortilla Chips with Identity Crisis”. I’ve had them and they are fantastic! Unfortunately, it looks like there are not any Trader Joe’s in Nebraska at this time
I’d recommend sending feedback to TJ’s requesting a store in NE. You could also beg your sis to buy a bunch of these chips & (carefully) ship them to you.
#8 by gfveg on January 30, 2010 - 8:32 am
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i tried, and reviewed, these too. i feel like im still searching for a rollable nonrubbery wrapsize tortilla. this seems to be almost exactly like food for life except a slightly different size. several people weighed in on the product/problem at my site. seems to be a common search. wish a food company would solve this for us!! here’s my tortilla throwdown: http://bit.ly/torthro and thanks for yours!
#9 by Rella on February 1, 2010 - 12:41 pm
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I tried this and was terribly disappointed; not only do they break easily like you describe, but they went moldy so quickly I only got to eat 2 of them! If you pop them in the microwave for a few seconds the breakage is less severe, but still very hard to wrap them around anything.
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#10 by Fibrohubby on March 16, 2010 - 9:33 am
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Man, I was just at trader Joe’s this weekend, I must have missed these.
#11 by Rueyn on March 23, 2010 - 12:06 pm
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A new recipe I found for turning the brown rice tortillas into pita-style chips:
Oven at 350F. Coat both side of the tortilla with butter (I used Smart Balance vegan spread), then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on one side. Using a pizza cutter, cut the tortillas into chip-sized triangles. Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes, or until the chips feel crisp (if they’re still soft, they’ll be too chewy). Let them sit until cooled, then eat. Yum
#12 by Grommie on April 25, 2010 - 10:44 am
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I buy the Food For Life tortillas and the directions recommend you wrap the tortilla in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds. I have done this and they always turn out fine for wrapping. I kind of like them chewy… it’s better than crumbly, anyway.
#13 by cathy on May 9, 2010 - 9:14 pm
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I’ve had Trader Joe’s tortillas and I’m never disappointed,…love it with almond cheese, tobasco sauce and turkey meat
#14 by Karen on May 28, 2010 - 11:42 am
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These are my favorite tortillas but impossible to roll them even after microwaving, they split. My use for them is to use them as pizza crust. My kids who are not GF LOVE these pizzas, even more than “real” pizza and they can make them by themselves!
I also use them like bread, just cut one in half, fill with egg salad or whatever and slap the other half on top. Slice in half or smaller slices and done. They do make the best Quesadillas. I love the chewiness of them.
#15 by Mex on May 31, 2010 - 7:44 pm
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I always have these in my fridge. I heat them slowly and it keeps them from breaking. I make turkey wraps, burritos, quesadillas, and just a quick snack. As a Celiac sufferer, there is always a trade off when it comes to the foods you can eat. Considering the alternatives, these work fine for me.
#16 by Jen on June 3, 2010 - 6:12 pm
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la tortilla factory makes a gluten free wrap/tortilla. I got a pack from Meijer this past week and they are pretty good. Did not fall apart. Good stuff.
#17 by Mai on August 16, 2010 - 3:26 pm
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i just bought a bag. yes, they do break easily but it has a delicious earthy flavor to it, that breakage is no longer a concern. try it!
#18 by tracy on October 10, 2010 - 4:26 pm
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Ok..I am sitting here with the plate of rice tortillas wraps next to me. They SUCK!! Jeez, to think I payed money for these….I love gluten free products, but these are terrible.
#19 by Patti on December 4, 2010 - 11:50 am
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I was extremely disappointed in the Trader Joe’s Brown Rice Tortillas. They have an overwhelmingly bitter aftertaste, almost like ammonia. Did anyone else experience this or did I just buy a bad pack?
#20 by kim on October 11, 2011 - 11:01 pm
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Hi Patti, I had to laugh when I read about the horrible aftertaste because the same thing happened to me. Feeling so desperate for some type of bread, namely a tortilla, I decided to give them another try thinking I could find a way to do something to them even though the taste was disgusting. I am glad I did because the second batch was fine for me and did not have that aftertaste. I think I had a had batch the first time as these tortilla’s don’t seem to have any kind of shelf life other than a few days. I keep out a few at a time and then freeze the rest. Anyway, good luck. I used food for life but have not tried Trader Joe’s. Kim
#21 by Lilly on December 4, 2010 - 9:58 pm
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I just finished a wrap made with the trader joes rice tortilla… And it split right down the side and dumped a bunch of my yummy contents all over the floor. I was not pleased. I will try the quesadilla style next time. This is my second time buying them, the first time I didn’t eat any- because they were covered in mold two days after I brought them home! @pattie: I think you may have gotten a bad batch because I didn’t notice an aftertaste like that at all.
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#22 by Patricia Ann Murphy on May 18, 2011 - 1:54 pm
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These are so absolutely awesome. Best when heated in the oven a bit!
So wish there was a Trader Joe’s closer to where I live in Bethlehem, Pa.
#23 by mim on June 19, 2011 - 5:34 pm
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Trader Joe’s is cheating on these “brown rice” tortillas…
they used to be much better…but now are full of the much cheaper and non-nutritious tapioca flour.
My guess is at least 40-50% tapioca…or more.
#24 by mike on August 11, 2011 - 4:40 pm
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I love Trader Joes and can’t imagine life without it.
But like someone commented above, I find a lot of their fresh products tend to start molding within a few days. I guess I could eat the stuff faster, but I am trying to LOSE weight, not GAIN weigh.
Any suggestions on making their stuff last a little longer?
Mike
#25 by Debby on September 3, 2011 - 7:10 pm
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Sad to say there is no Trader Joes anywhere near me and that’s a shame.
I have had the pleasure of eating there when I travel and I agree with “mim”. They did used to be better but are still worth the effort to search one out.
#26 by belle on September 7, 2011 - 5:23 pm
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Love these tortillas. Store them in the refrigerator to prevent them from molding quickly. When ready to use wet tortilla and cook in frying pan sprayed with olive oil this will keep them from cracking.
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#27 by Crystal on December 15, 2011 - 6:36 pm
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I recently was introduced to these wonderful, amazing tortillas and simply love them. You can put to put anything and everything on and in them. Lightly heated in a flat cast iron skillet softens them and even if you eat them cold with spicy red pepper hummus nut butters, you name it, it works. The complaint that they break and the contents fall all over the floor is interesting and perhaps eating over the table would help, with a plate underneath, so the contents can be retrieved and enjoyed, even if might it means using a fork and eating the tortillas in a piece with those contents. I would love to find the recipe and method for making these myself, since my only Trader Joe’s is over 45 miles from my residence. Anyone, out there knows how, please add the information. Thanks
#28 by Dan Brusca on January 20, 2012 - 1:05 pm
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Awesome! Agree with Crystal that skillets are the best for these. If you’ve got less time they’re also very tasty when put into a toastie maker with cheddar inside them – quick and very yum.