An easy, soft flatbread recipe that’s made without yeast, an excellent quick option when you don’t have hours for yeast dough to rise. You’ll love how soft and pliable this flat bread is, making it perfect to use as wraps for Gyros, Shawarma and Doner kebabs. Or as naan to dunk into Tikka Masala or Butter Chicken. The possibilities are endless!
Flatbread recipe
I love fresh homemade bread. And though I bake bread with yeast more frequently nowadays, I still find it easier and a general preference to make bread without yeast.
Maximum taste, most tasty outcome with minimum effort – but without compromising on the end result. That’s my ultimate goal and the ethos that underpins every recipe I share here on RecipeTin Eats.
Over the years, I have tried a lot of flatbread recipes. Flatbreads from many different cuisines, from blogs and cooking sites, by home cooks, from reality cooking shows (yes, Master Chef and My Kitchen Rules!), serious chefs and celebrity chefs.
But I always found they were too doughy (e.g. the ones that only use yoghurt as the wet ingredient) or too crisp to use as a wrap unless they were moistened with lashings of butter. Absolutely delicious, mind you. But not what I was after. So this recipe is my idea of a perfect flatbread recipe.
How to make Flatbread – with NO yeast
This flatbread recipe is made with no yeast. It is very easy to make, requiring just a minute or two of kneading.
And it honestly is beautifully soft and pliable. So soft you can use it as a wrap and it won’t crack.
And of course, it is perfect to be used as pita bread, for things like Greek Gyros and Greek Chicken Souvlaki.
And here I have used it as “naan” as a side for Butter Chicken. When I make it to be like “naan”, I cook it on a slightly higher heat to get larger and more brown bits on it – just like real naan! The crust gets slightly crispier so it’s not as suited to use as a wrap, like in the above photo. (PS If you’ve got the time to make proper naan, try my Naan recipe. It’s just like the real deal!)
If you’ve never tried homemade bread before, this flatbread recipe is a great one to start with because it really is that easy. The worst that can happen with this flatbread recipe is that the heat is too high when you cook it so the exterior ends up a bit too crunchy and cracks when you roll it. If that happens, just spray it with olive oil or brush lightly with oil or butter and it will moisten the surface.
Try this once, and store-bought flatbreads will never be the same again. That I can promise! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
I’ve added oil but it’s not necessary. Please follow your recipe card below.
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Easy Soft Flatbread (No Yeast)
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain flour (all purpose flour) (level cups, unsifted, not packed), + keep 1/4 cup extra for dusting & adjusting dough
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 1/2 tbsp / 50g unsalted butter (1.75 oz)
- 3/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Melt butter in milk: Combine butter and milk and heat until butter is just melted – on stove or in microwave.
- Combine Dry: Combine 2 cups flour, salt, butter and milk in a bowl.
- Knead 2 minutes: Sprinkle work surface with flour then knead for a few minutes until it is smooth – it doesn't need much kneading. Add extra flour if the dough is too sticky.
- Rest 30 minutes: Wrap with cling wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes or so.
- Roll into rounds: Dust bench top with flour, cut dough into 6 pieces, roll into balls, then roll out into 20cm / 8" rounds, 2 – 3 mm thick.
- Heat pan: Heat a non stick pan over high heat (no oil). (Note 1)
- Cook: Place one flatbread in the pan, cook for around 1- 1 1/2 minutes – it should puff up dramatically. Once the underside has nice golden patches on it, flip and cook the other side for 45 seconds to 1 minute until the underside has golden spots and it puffs up again.
- Keep wrapped in tea towel: Stack the cooked bread and keep wrapped with a tea towel – the moisture helps soften the surface, making them even more pliable. Continue to cook with remaining pieces.
- Brush with butter or oil (optional): Brush or spray bread with olive oil or melted butter, for a more luxurious finish. Or even with melted butter mixed with minced garlic for a garlic butter version!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
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Carol says
Can you use a plant based fat like Flora or Clover instead of butter?
Snackalena says
Omg so easy and it turned out so yummy! Just the right amount of crisp and chew! So impressed that a novice like myself managed to make these, definitely fool proof!! Made it together with your easy chicken curry and it was had an amazing dinner. Thank you!
Nagi says
Hi Carol, I haven’t tried but I don’t see why not!
Josie Beatmann says
Would this work worth gluten free four?
Lily says
If I want to make this a garlic naan, when do I put the garlic butter on? After its cooked or during cooking? Thanks!
Nagi says
Hi Lily, you could brush it with garlic butter when cooking – it would be amazing!
Tarny says
So super easy, I substituted butter for 40g olive oil, and used 190g milk – I find it easier to weigh everything, don’t need to wash any measures! – so delicious. I had a go to naan recipe that uses yeast and a lot more ingredients, your recipe was a lot easier. I just found your “Only quick and easy” tick box, what a fabulous idea 🙂
Nagi says
Perfect Tarny!
sean says
i made this recipe, but substituted the pita bread for a sausage sandwich
psilossi says
Sean, I only looked at the comments to see if people could give me ideas on how to adapt the recipe but now I’ve just giggled for nearly 10 mins. Well played Sir.
Nagi says
Sounds great Sean!
Kim says
Awesome and easy. I can cook anything but baking, specifically dough, has always been a challenge. Truthfully, I suck at it! This recipe was pretty much fool-proof! Came out perfectly. No more store bought flat bread/naan again. Used for your chicken shawarma; great dinner.
Nagi says
That’s great to hear Kim!
George says
These were fantastic! thank you
Nagi says
You’re so welcome George!
Dave says
Hi just wondering can you bake these oven or only fry
Nagi says
Hi Dave, they cook so quick it’s just easier to use a pan – you could use an oven tray that was preheated in a 200oC oven – N x
Vera Mills says
I love your recipe for my family. It is a great hit, but I can’t enjoy them as I have to watch my saturated fat due to cholesterol. I make my own with SR flour, greek yoghurt, and garlic olive oil. Similar but only 1.5 g saturated fat. Yours are still the favorite one. 🙂
Nagi says
Sounds great Vera!!
Lauryn says
I melt butter and mix with garlic salt, parsley, and Italian seasoning to brush on the top when done cooking, delicious!! This is my favorite recipe of all time thank you so much
MaryB says
This looks like a fun thing to make with my granddaughter. Are you using kosher salt or fine salt? Thanks.
Kate says
Our family loves this recipe – perfect every time!
Nagi says
Wahoo, that’s great Kate!
Aet says
Just finished dinner. Amazing! Since the leftover mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes would only be enough for the kids and husband I thought I would eat only this. I had been craving some bread all day I thought I would try it and skip dinner.
I didn’t read the full recipe. So I ended up with only two flatbreads. I also just mixed it up, kneaded it in the bowl, shaped and fried – no mess on the table with flour. Didn’t let it rest but the outcome was superb. I didn’t get to eat it all by myself like I had planned. We used the sauce and mash as topings and ate it all super fast like some weird pizza. This recipe went straight to the recipe box. And I have to do it again when the kids go to sleep ’cause hubby requested it for lunch tomorrow.
Sunny says
If you were to make this ahead of time… Like if you wanted to prep dinner before the kids got home from school and life got crazy (totally random example of course)… Would you cook them and then store in the fridge or on the counter top?
Nagi says
I’d just store at room temp Sunny – N x
Nagi says
Sounds divine Aet!!!
Jane says
Not sure what I did wrong, but my naans did not puff. The finished product looked like naan but tasted doughy
Nagi says
Hi Jane, sounds like they needed to be slightly thinner! I hope you give it another shot!
Katie says
I made this great recipe this evening – too wet and cold to go to supermarket & buy dinner. I had some flour, soy milk, salt and butter – apart from half an avocado not much else… anyway with very little effort I had lovely hot flat bread within the hour. Wonderful recipe, although it was so good I ate too much – thank you 🙂
Nagi says
I have that problem ALL THE TIME Katie 😂
Dan says
This was fantastic! I prefer thin and rolled them out a bit more. I also used a garlic infused oil to give them a garlic hint. After cooking I thought smaller versions would also make great flour tortilla for tacos. Nothing better than a utility recipe that can be used for pretty much any meal. <3
Nagi says
Yes! They are so versatile Dan, I’m so happy you loved them!
Amanda says
Turned out exactly like the pictures. Great recipe.
Nagi says
That’s awesome Amanda!
Alicia says
Hi Nagi! I’ve made this recipe twice now and it’s great, but I’m having trouble getting the flatbread to be pliable like it is in the video. Do you know what I might be doing wrong?
Nagi says
Hi Alicia, if you cook it too long it goes slightly crispy. Try cooking on a lower heat – N x
Tia says
Aren’t these just Indian roti? Like, a really common food item across Asia. Not sure I would call them “flatbread” but the recipe worked for roti nonetheless. Thanks! 🙂
Nagi says
Yes I love all the different names for these!
Michelle S. says
I made these last night and they were so good! Totally easy and were delish! I served them with homemade hummus, turkey meatballs and a carrot salad with Tahini and crisped chickpeas from Smitten Kitchen and it went perfectly with everything. Will definitely make again.
Nagi says
Sounds like you nailed it Michelle!
Nic says
I have cooked these and frozen them ahead of a family meal. How would you suggest to reheat them and for how long? Thanks!
Nagi says
Hi Nic, I would wrap in cling wrap and microwave to reheat – N x