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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I tried looking for the number of flat breads one would get using the recipe provided. I don’t see it. Please help 🙂
Hi Agill, It’s the number of servings – 4 large pieces. N x
Thanks for clarifying! I’ll adjust according to more servings. 🙂
Can I use coconut flour?
Thanks for a super easy and so tasty recipe, very impressed with it. We brushed it with garlic butter and it reminded me of something between a roti and a garlic naan bread. Served it with butter chicken. This is one for the books!
Not for this recipe sorry Lara, it changes the texture completely and won’t roll out. N x
Note that listed time to make does not include thehalf hour letting the dough rest.
Love this recipe – use it all the time. My flat bread was always tasty but not at all pliable, this is always a winner.
It was bizarre seeing your comment as I am another Richard and had just decided to leave a comment much like yours. I’ve used this recipe many times over the last few years – and will be again today. I too love the recipe and have never had a failure.
Can this recipe be made with baker’s flour Nagi?
Hi Marjorie – yes that’s fine 🙂 N x
Hey,looks yummy en nice en tasty Wanda full food I like it en keep up doing a good food well done
Hey, looks great!
Is it possible to convert milk into water?
And how much oil should be put in place of butter?
I want non-dairy bread.
Thanks!
I have to say I love your recipes i have made so many now I am huge fan of your site. Keep doing what you are doing. From very grateful UK cook. Xxxx
Brilliant flat-breads and perfect for making Greek food at home. I’d say a Peshwari Naan mixture would also work very well to completely change the mood! Well done Nagi. Keep up the good work!
would the flat bread freeze/defrost well?
Yes 100% Deborah! N x
Hello Nagi, Thankyou for this recipe. I was wondering what your thoughts are if I try to use it as a pizza base?
Hi Rita, you can definitely do that, here’s what I would do: roll them super thin and cook slightly longer in the pan so it’s a little more crispy (rather than soft and pliable). Then cover with your favourite pizza toppings and bake! N x
Love this recipe and tonight had to sub butter with oil and cream, it worked out great!
I’m so glad you loved it Anna!! N x
Great recipe! I veganised it by subbing oat milk for dairy, and 40 ml oil for the butter. Also added nigella/kalonji seeds for extra flavour, which developed beautifully after I’d stored the dough in the fridge for a couple of days.
Yum, I love this idea Mandy!! N x
Has anyone tried making the dough and then freezing it before cooking? I’d like to make a large batch to freeze and then cook as needed.
This recipe is amazing thanks so much for, could I possibly make popadums if I deep fry or would I need to modify or use a completely different recipe.
This is all we eat with your curry/Greek recipes now
I replaced the milk with coconut milk to try and get a peswari naan taste, although the texture was as good the flavour of coconut was hardly there. Do you think adding the full monty of desiccated coconut, raisins and nuts would work in this recipe as I try to avoid yeast if possible
Hi Dawn, it would be a completely different recipe sorry – something I’d need to test. N x
Brilliant flatbread recipe, SO easy, quick and cheap to make. Perfect as part of a Greek meze.
Made these to go with your falafel recipe and it was a big hit. The pan got too hot and the bread turned out crispier than I would’ve liked but it was still tasty and chewy. This is going to be my “go-to” for flatbread forever!
Love how versatile this recipe is! Made wraps for chicken salad, and then wanted something sweet after. So we made a dessert flatbread by sprinkling chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts, then topped with marshmallows, and broiled.
You never cease to amaze me Nagi! All of your recipes work out perfectly for me and this is the best naan bread I have ever tasted, including restaurant quality ones! I was quite proud of myself and a little shocked that I just made THE best naan bread, all thanks to you!