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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Nicole says
Can you use these to make individual pizza crusts / put them in the oven to get them crispy?
Nagi says
Hi Nicole! Sorry to say that this is a soft flatbread recipe so it won’t crisp up well. 🙂
sam says
Could water be used instead of Milk?
That
Nagi says
Hi Sam! Yup, that will work fine! 🙂
sam says
Thanks a bunch can’t wait to try them. ?
Meliissa says
Oh my gosh! These were so easy and lovely thankyou so much for sharing! We love wraps but not all the preservatives that come with them!
Nagi says
Thank you Melissa! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!! N x
Eve says
I have just made these, they are fantastic. I also did a vegan batch swapping the butter out for coconut oil and milk for soya milk. They were also equally as good.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
So glad to know it worked using soya milk, thanks for letting me know Eve!!
Joe says
Ridiculously tasty ! and so simple.
Thank you 🙂
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks so much for coming back to let me know Joe! N x
Pete says
Amazing!
zigi says
Can you freeze these?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
You sure can!! 🙂
amy says
How many calories PER piece?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Amy! The nutrition is per piece 🙂
Jeanne Wong says
Not sure how to post comment, so I’m replying to one. Made this recipe and to say that it is delicious is an understatement. I can’t believe how easy it is, and it was the best flat bread I’ve ever tasted. I certainly will be making it again and again. I topped it with my homemade kale pesto & pastrami. Cut the recipe in half, but I think I’ll try just making a quarter of the recipe next time so I’m not tempted to eat so much. Wish I could post photo of what I made. Thanks for the great recipe!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
WOO HOO!!! So glad you enjoyed this Jeanne, THANK YOU!!! If you post the photo on Instagram and tag me, I’ll see it! I want to see it!!!
Noreen says
Hi, do you need to cool down the hot milk and butter before mixing with the flour?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Noreen! Nope, just add them 🙂
Em says
This made my day. Got some lovely hummus at the store earlier and just felt like there was something missing. Didn’t feel like going back to the grocery and paying outrageous money for pita or pita chips (here in my state of WI it’s considered a specialty item and the stores feed off of people buying their bakery because many people in this demographic do not cook.) I noticed I didn’t have yeast and panicked a little…. then remembered people in the Middle East and Mediterranean didn’t always have yeast yet had been making flatbread for ages…. Then I stumbled upon your recipie via google. Thankyou for such a simple staple food recipie. Things like this mean alot to those of us trying to avoid unnecessary chemicals in our food and save a few dollars in the process. Peace <3
Nagi | RecipeTin says
YOU ROCK EM! Thank you for your wonderful message, so glad you liked it!!! 🙂
bella says
i hope this works i’m just about to make it
Nagi | RecipeTin says
It will work!!! It’s EASY! 🙂
Sara says
We are getting a rare blizzard this weekend and could lose power. I have a gas stove but had planned on baking bread to go with my soup. I can do this on top of the stove. Yay!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
YES YOU CAN!! 🙂
Jaquelyn Lopez says
Hi! I just tried it and so easy to make and really good! Thanks for the recipe. ☺
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Glad you enjoyed it Jaquelyn! Thanks for letting me know! N x
Evelyn says
I just made your flat breads n they were awsome .i tried many recipes but they didnt turn out well.your flatbreads were really easy to make.my kids cant stop eating them and i made another batch to share with my friends.we had it with a soy proteine keema n filled it with shredded lettuce cabbage n carrot and topped it with a delicious mint yorghurt dressing.thanks a million for this lovely recipe.I will certainly try some more recipes from your site.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
I’m so glad you liked it Evelyn! This is my absolutely go-to flatbread recipe 🙂
Rocky says
These are really good. They are, however, diet flour tortillas. I guess it’s a San Antonio thing. Thanks for reminding me.
Shelly says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’ve tried out so many recipes for flatbread and this is the only one to have worked! I used plain soy milk and soy margarine and it’s perfect 😀
Nagi | RecipeTin says
YEE HAA!!! SO GLAD you enjoyed it Shelly!!! 🙂
Wendy says
Hello, is salt mandatory? How if I use salted butter?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Wendy! I think without salt you will find it a little bland 🙂
Wendy says
Yup it’s bland (I added a pinch of salt ).
Nagi | RecipeTin says
😉 N x
Annalise says
This recipe is so awesome. I’ve been making it weekly for wraps, or to have with soup or salads at work. Being a college student with a hectic life these are so perfect to make on Sunday nights and then make into wraps for the week!
(I’m making a batch right now)
Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
I’m a little obsessed with these myself! 🙂
henry says
do you have to add milk
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Henry! Yes, it is a key ingredient in this 🙂
Michelle says
Can you use almond milk?
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Michele – sorry, I haven’t tried that! 🙂 I’d love to know if you do and it works!
Zoe says
I substituted almond milk and olive oil. Still turned out great, and I’ve tried the original recipe.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
THANK YOU so much for letting me know! That’s brilliant!! 🙂
Adrian says
Great! Easy! Tasty! on my second batch, y dropped a pinch of dried herbs and dried garlic into the mix…. amazing results
Nagi | RecipeTin says
So glad you loved it Adrian! N x
privie mcspice says
hie m from zimbabwe. i gave your recipe a try and it was my first tym makin flatbread. it was so easy and was a hit with my family. thanx so much. i will definitely be serving wraps more in future.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thank you for writing in!! I am so glad you enjoyed them! All the way from Sydney on the other side of the world – Nagi 😉