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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Pamela Dimka says
Hello. Thanks for the recipe for flat bread: about to make another batch. I really enjoyed it. I can’t stop eating it. I never knew I could enjoy bread like this. Thanks a lot.
Nagi says
That’s terrific Pamela! So pleased you enjoyed it, thanks for letting me know – N xx
Lorry says
Hi Nagi and thank you for this recipe.
Would using buttermilk be OK?
Thank you!
Nagi says
Hi Lorry! I think it’s a bit thick for this, use 3 parts buttermilk and 1 part water (to thin it down a bit 🙂 )
Barbara says
Or use reg milk and add powdered buttermilk
Dawn Cardona says
Just made these delish so light n yummy🙂🙂🙂👌👌
Sutton says
Hi Nagi,
I haven’t made any & I have a few questions as I’ll be making this for the charity event to serve 40 people.
1. Do you use unsalted butter?
2. Once cooked, how long can it keep?
3. Recipe makes 4 large. So does it then make 8 medium? 16 small? I’m looking to make small. What’s the size for small do you reckon? If it’s a good size, then I’ll have to do 5 batches =O so that will give me 80 small (so 2 each). 🙂
Rhonda says
Sorry Nagi just had time to look at the video Andy it has answered my question .i am going to try this today to go with my lamb curry.thank you.Rhonda
Nagi says
I hope you love it! 🙂 N xx
Rhonda says
Hi Nagi can I put this in mixer with dough hook to kneed for a few minutes or will it make it tough.thanks.
Hailei Lewis says
can I use water instead of milk?
Nagi says
Yep 🙂 Not much difference!
Hailei Lewis says
thank you !
Tere says
Would coconut oul work instead of the butter?
Nagi says
I am pretty sure it will, many readers have used all sorts of oil subs for the butter!
Ogunsusi Olufunmi says
I love this and I am going to try it
Nagi says
Hope you do!! 😉 N xx
Maura says
Wow fab recipe. My husband said he could live on them and your hummus for ever 🙂 Thank you so much
Nagi says
Fantastic to hear! 🙌🏻 So pleased you enjoyed it Maura! N xx
Her Majesty says
Sorry I have another question, which is due to the simple to make, and delicious nature of this flat bread. Please can this flat bread be used as a base for pizza topping?
Or rather, the recipe as a pizza base? Thank you for been there for us.
Nagi says
Hi!! I haven’t used this as a pizza base but I think I will try one of these days! I would probably roll them out a bit thinner. 🙂
Her Majesty says
This is wonderful and deliciously delicious. Thanks for sharing. Please can this same recipe be made and rolled out flatter and thinner, and be used as spring roll wrapper? Thank you for replying.
Nagi says
So glad you liked this! I don’t think it will work as spring rolls though, sorry!
Sophia says
It made lovely bread for my family, and was so easy an inexperienced cook like me could do it. Thanks!
Nagi says
WHOOT!!! 🙌🏻
Shanna says
My daughter was recently diagnosed with a yeast allergy. This very much hit the spot for ‘toast’ with an egg. We’ll be making this again and again… thank you.
Nagi says
I’m so pleased to hear that Shanna! Thank you for taking the time to write in and let me know 🙂 N xx
Joanna Garcia says
Doubled the recipe since I thought I’d get 4 small breads. Boy was I wrong. Ha ha. They are so good. I used the dough hook on my kitchen aid and it worked great. Thank you my family loved them.
Nagi says
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed it Joanna! Thank you very much for your message – N xx
Shelley says
I recently learnt i was coeliac, and i must admit GF cooking has since been the bain of my existence. I used to live in the middle east and since returning to OZ, have missed the arabic cooking, i was dreaming of sharwarma and found your recipe online along with this flatbread. i noticed in the comments it said would be GF appropriate. To be honest i was doubtful, even to the point of the cooking part, however i followed the recipe and wrapped it in a teatowel etc and OMG it worked! Hallelujah, i can have GF wraps, who would have thought it, and they didn’t fall apart and they didn’t taste floury. Thanks a million, this page is BOOKMARKED! for future.
PS the chicken sharwarma was a big hit. YUMMO!
Nagi says
I’m so pleased to hear that Shelley! And I KEEP MEANING to try this with GF flour! Thank you for reminding me!!
Celeste says
I’ve made this multiple times and relish it each time. The first time I followed the recipe, then each time I tried different combos to see if it would still be great. They never disappointed. I’ve subbed the butter for both olive oil and cocoanut oil, the flour with whole wheat and the milk with almond milk. I also started cooking them in a nonstick pan with no oil and they are even better.
Thank you VERY much.
Nagi says
I’m so pleased to hear you love this too Celeste! Thank you very much for your message – N xx
Maria says
I am very grateful for this wonderful recipe. It worked out perfectly. The people who helped me make this bread told me that I was obliged to give the recipe 5 stars. I do not usually write reviews, but this one merits high praise.
Nagi says
I’m honoured Maria! So thrilled to hear you enjoyed it, thank you for letting me know! N xx
Gaby says
A wonderful flatbread! The best I’ve tried, and so easy, even for me, still a bit scared of yeast.
I made these yesterday for dipping at a picnic and they were such a hit.
Thank you for the wonderful recipes, so well described, tasty and easy to make.
I just love your blog and think Dozer is such a star. Xo
Nagi says
That’s terrific to hear Gaby! I’m so pleased to hear they were a hit. Well, YOU were a hit!!!! N xx
Novi says
Hi Nagi, thank you for the recipe. This is a keeper. How many gram each flatbread of yours? Mine was 130 grams with 18 cm diameter and I was so full eating 1. Do you think it’s too heavy and too thick?
And can I make this dough into roti paratha/chanai?
Thanks
Nagi says
Hi Novi! I think mine are larger, I will measure it properly next time. I go by the width of the dough 🙂 This is different to roti, it has more ingredients in it and is slightly thicker. I will share a roti recipe one day!