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.
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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:
Life of Dozer
Summer, autumn, spring and winter. Rain, hail or shine.
Suzanne says
I stumbled on your site and I’m so glad I did. I look forward to more recipes! 😊
John Cummings says
I am curious to know if this recipe could be used for lamb/rice Lebanese pies and baked in the oven rather than cooked in a pan. I’m attempting to find a dough recipe that is not too doughy.
Nagi says
I’m sorry John, I’m not sure! I haven’t tried it 🙂 N x
Nakasha says
If I do not have milk, can I use water instead?
Nagi says
I am pretty sure that will be just fine 🙂
Jane says
I didn’t have milk so I used cream and water and cut the butter back – holy MOLY they were good, thank you so much for this recipe!! Am unable to eat yeast, you’re a life saver! I can’t understand why I used to pay $6 for a pack of 5 of these (esp as your ones are heaps nicer!)
Emma says
I made the dough in my food processor which has dough kneading setting and it turned out perfect. The ratio of the ingredients is very accurate. I made 8 flatbreads out of this dough on induction hob. I should say it is super fast on induction. While you roll the next the one in the pan is ready, in less than a minute. So consider this if you are baking on induction hob. Thanks for the recipe !
Cheers from Armenia 😉
Nagi says
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback Emma, I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this! N x ❤️
Jacqueline Byrd says
made taco sized rounds and they are great
Nagi says
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback Jacqueline, I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this! N x ❤️
Polly says
Have you ever tried this with sprouted spelt or wheat flour?
Linda Daniska says
Could you make this with sorghum or coconut flour?
Nagi says
I’m afraid I haven’t tried Linda! N x
Luminita Buzescu says
Hello Nagy,
I would like to make spelt soft flatbread with olive oil and almond milk and am wondering how your recipe would work with white or wholemeal spelt flour. In that case should any changes be made to the quantities of the ingredients?
Many thanks
Luminita
Nagi says
Hi Luminita! This recipe works terrific with both white and wholemeal flour 🙂 N x
Luminita Buzescu says
Many thanks! I will try 🙂 and see how it goes. L
Kathy Morgan says
Nagi, these where great!! As promised, soft and pliable, so easy to make in the thermomix and the dough was super easy to roll out. Can guarantee that this recipe will e used over and over in this house. Thank you!!
Nagi says
That’s so great to hear Kathy! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
Monica says
Ni Nagi,
the 370 calories are for 4 pieces or per piece? it seems a bit much for 1 piece
Nagi says
Hi Monica! Just ran it through again to check and that is right. These are quite large. You could cut down the calories by making 6 thinner ones instead of 4 large ones 🙂
Monica says
Hi Nagi,
Thanks a lot for checking 🙂 Ok I will try to make thinner ones instead.
Tim says
Just made this. Turned out perfectly!
Nagi says
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this Tim!! Thanks for letting me know – N x
Sue says
If I was to prepare the dough in advance and put in fridge- at what stage and would you let it rest again when it comes out of the fridge? What if pre roll them- do they go straight in the pan?
Nagi says
HI Sue! The dough is resting in the fridge so just roll it out when you take it out. If you pre roll, yes they go straight into the pan 🙂
tony knapp says
Hi,
Wheatgern contains most of the good nutrition in wheat. Would it be possible to use all purpose flour and add wheatgerm? It should be a beneficial
Tony
Nagi says
I think that will be fine!
Rachael says
I need to make a lot for a party, how long could they be kept warm in a low oven do you think? Or would they stay soft and be ok at room temperature?
Thanks
Dee says
Hi Nagi,
Sorry if I’m repeating myself… would this work as a pizza base? I imagine I’d cook them before using as pizza base.
I love your recipes…as they always work!! Not to mention totally delicious 😋
Many thanks,
Dee
Nagi says
I JUST TRIED IT YESTERDAY!!! IT WORKS AMAZING – use my pizza recipe I shared last Friday!! N xx PS Yes cook before adding toppings 🙂
Dee says
Belated thanks Nagi!🙏
Andrea says
Superb recipe. Thank you. Family thoroughly enjoyed theses. We had them to accompany a Morroccan Lamb Tagine. Delicious.
Simple to make. Will deffo be making again….and again.
Nagi says
That’s wonderful to hear Andrea!! Thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️
Lib says
Just an idea. I cook flatbreads when we make curry at home and they don’t usually need resting so I saw that it took 15 minutes to make but as i started making it it said rest for 30 minutes, so maybe add that into the time at the top of the recipe. Worked great though.
Nagi says
Hi Lib, I’m sorry about that, I don’t know how to add a field for resting time. I will add it to the description!
Les says
I am a Brit living in Thailand and find it difficult to get decent bread at a reasonable cost here. As I don’t have an oven I have been trying different flatbread recipe’s from all over the net and have to say that this one is definitely about the best I have come across and the first I have ever felt the need to comment on. I followed your ingredients to the letter but found I needed a bit more flour than you listed. Not a problem as I expect different flours from around the world will have slightly differing properties. As with another here in the comments section I needed more like 15 minutes of kneading to get the desired texture but the end result was superb. The dough rolled out better than any I have so far tried and when cooked was exactly as described. Soft, pliable, and very tasty. I had a couple as wraps for lunch just now and the rest are in the fridge waiting for my keema curry to be finished and I am sure they will enjoy being married up with that dish. Thank you for posting your recipe.
Nagi says
I’m so pleased to hear that Les! Thanks for letting me know! N xx ❤️
Salina says
What type of milk did you use? Evaporated milk, cow’s milk? Etc….? THIS IS A REALLY GREAT RECIPE. THANKS
Nagi says
Hi Salina! I use ordinary cow’s milk, low fat or full fat 🙂 N x
Carmen says
Hi. I normally require a bigger batch for my family. Should I just double up on all the quantities? Thanks
Nagi says
Hi Carmen! Yep, just use the servings scaler by hovering your mouse of the Servings 🙂 N x