Are Tortillas Vegan? Corn vs Flour and the Lard Question
Corn tortillas are almost always vegan. Flour tortillas are usually made with vegetable shortening but some, especially traditional and restaurant ones, use lard. Here's how to tell.
4 min read · Updated October 2026
Corn tortillas are almost always vegan, and most packaged flour tortillas are too. Corn tortillas are masa harina (nixtamalised corn), water and salt. Flour tortillas need a fat, and while most supermarket brands use vegetable oil or shortening, traditional and restaurant flour tortillas are sometimes made with lard.
Corn vs flour
| Corn tortillas | Flour tortillas | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical ingredients | Corn masa, water, lime (calcium hydroxide), salt | Wheat flour, water, fat, baking powder, salt |
| Animal risk | Very low | Lard, sometimes milk or whey |
| Where to check | Rarely needed | Restaurants, local tortillerías, “homestyle” packs |
The “lime” in corn tortillas is calcium hydroxide, a mineral, not the fruit and not an animal product.
Packaged tortillas: what to look for
- Lard or manteca: pig fat.
- Milk, whey, buttermilk: in some soft or “restaurant style” wraps.
- Mono- and diglycerides: usually plant-derived in tortillas, but source-dependent.
- L-cysteine: occasionally used as a dough conditioner (E920).
At restaurants
Ask whether the flour tortillas are made with lard. Big chains tend to use vegetable shortening; family restaurants and taquerías more often use lard for flour tortillas and sometimes for refried beans and rice too. Corn tortillas are the safer choice, but check whether they're fried in the same oil as meat for crispy tacos and chips.
Tortilla chips and taco shells
Plain tortilla chips and hard taco shells are usually corn, oil and salt. Flavoured chips often contain cheese powder, whey or milk. “Lime” flavoured chips are normally vegan; nacho cheese flavours rarely are.
Pair your tortillas with guacamole and see our fast food guide for chain-specific tips.
Need a faster check? Vegan ingredient checker
Frequently asked questions
- Are corn tortillas vegan?
- Almost always. They're made from corn masa, water and salt.
- Do flour tortillas have lard?
- Most supermarket flour tortillas use vegetable oil or shortening, but traditional and restaurant tortillas sometimes use lard.
- Are Mission tortillas vegan?
- Mission's standard flour and corn tortillas generally list no animal ingredients. Check specialty varieties.
- Are Chipotle tortillas vegan?
- Chipotle lists its flour and corn tortillas as vegan.
- Are tortilla chips vegan?
- Plain ones usually are. Flavoured varieties often contain dairy.
Sources & verification
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