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:
Life of Dozer
Summer, autumn, spring and winter. Rain, hail or shine.
Hi, my first time making bread that requires kneading. Took me a long time and it’s still not as smooth looking as your video. How long should it take?
Hi Melanie, it shouldn’t take long at all, and not require much effort. What kind of flour did you use? N x
Hi Nagi and Dozier. After successfully making my own flatbreads (thanks to you) got more ambitious. I’m always disappointed by local Indian parathas, so I gave them a go using the rest of the dough. Delicious and easy, crispy buttery goodness.. Not the same recipe as traditional but worked really well. I didn’t have ghee to laminate but softened butter was fine.
Sounds great Liz!! N x
Forgot to say I used serioushttps://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2018/07/paratha-flaky-south-asian-flatbread.html for instructions on how to laminate
Can this be used as a pizza base?
Hi JP, it sure can, I like to roll it out slightly thinner, cook it first and then top it and bake 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi,
Regarding making this bread for Pizza, would you fry the bread as per recipe then assemble Pizza & cook in the oven? Thankyou Cathy x
Naturally not quite the same as naan from my local Indian place, but much better food than store bought naan. My best ones were a bit thicker, and cooked got longer to develop a nice char. Thanks!
Hi Michaela, you can always roll them out a little thicker and cook longer to mirror what you have at your local Indian takeout 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi
Can I double the recipe? Will it still come out alright? Thanks
Sure will Summer! N x
Love this recipe. Never thought that making delicious flat bread could be so easy! I made it to go along with your butter chicken recipe and wow. My husband was over the moon, and I just enjoyed this dinner so much! Thank you!
It’s so easy!!! You wont need store bought anymore! N x
While sheltering in I decided to go on a quest to learn to make nice flatbread. I thought it would take a couple of days minimum. This is the 2nd recipe I tried, and I’m done. This is great!!! Thank you!!!
Hi Nagi,
I am new to your web site but cannot leave it alone! I only cook from your recipes which are truly delicious, thank you so much. Just made the naan bread worked out great, went down well with your chicken curry. The first one slurped up the oil so did the rest in a dry non stick pan, fantastic.
Hi Nagi hope you’re well, I’m out of plain flour, will bread flour work in this recipe? Thanks.
Yes! It’s delicious!
Super straight forward and tasty!
Excellent, worked so beautifully, thanks,
And kudos for giving your recipe source, too often the original is not credited, which is a pity. I made the dough and refrigerated overnight, worked perfectly so very handy for advanced preparation.
Just trying these this weekend to have with homemade doner meat and salad. Dough is resting atm ready to go in the fridge overnight. 😋
I’m so glad you loved them Nicola! N x
Excellent, easy to make, great video, very helpful. Thank you
You’re so welcome Madel! N x
Hey there! Your recipes are so amazing yet practical. I can’t wait to try the Teriyaki Sauce. Great taste in cuisine!
Nagi these are amazing! I make these every time I make your butter chicken recipe which is also incredible! It’s an absolute favourite in our house along with loads of your other recipes. We also use this naan recipe as the base for our homemade pizzas and it’s fantastic for a super easy, task and thin base. Thank you for all your incredible recipes! x
You’re so welcome Sammy! 🙂 N x
Another awesome recipe Nagi! I had tried this a few weeks ago and messed it up. Just made it again (used olive oil instead of butter) and it turned out perfectly!
This flat bread was super easy, delicious, and will be a regular staple on our menu!
I am so happy to have found your website! I’ve made 4 recipes so far, and each one was sensational! Thank you!
My dough was a little dry despite adding some extra splashes of light cream (only milk I had). But I wasn’t disappointed! These taste just like naan and did great scooping up my curried dal. Great recipe, thanks Nagi!
Perfect Free!! N x
I want to make these for dinner tonight along with some grilled chicken kabobs! But my daughter has a wheat allergy so will be making them gluten free. Would you happen to know how much xanthan gum would be required? Thank you!
Hi Muntaha, see the recipe notes for gluten free 🙂 N x
I saw the notes before commenting, it didn’t make any mention of xanthan gum. I just tried the recipe earlier and unfortunately it did not work for me. Not sure if it was the gluten free flour mix I have or using soy milk.
Using these for homemade doner kebabs tonight – quarantine pantry meant half whole meal, half plain flour and olive oil instead of butter. Soft easy to roll dough, can’t wait until dinner!
You’re converted now – how easy are they Kelli?!
This recipe was so easy to make! I subtsituted butter for coconut oil and they tasted amazing! I love this recipe.
Thanks a bunch, Nagi!
That’s great to know Katy!
These are amazing! So easy and versatile. I must admit I haven’t actually let them rest for 30 minutes yet, as I have been making them on lunch break whilst working from home. The result is fantastic though. Without the resting time I can make these in 10 minutes from start to finish. So far I’ve tried them as a wrap for some grilled halloumi, lamb kofta, and grilled chicken, all of which worked great! This is now my go-to flatbread recipe.