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 this recipe just now and it was perfect. I could it eat without curry or the fillings.I love it. Thank you so much Nagi for sharing this recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Maia! Very big soft spot for this recipe, I make it often! 🙂
So very good Nagi, and really soft. My nieces loved to help make them and eat them!
Great recipe for when there’s lots of leftover curry.
Woo hoo! I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed it Runa, thanks for letting me know! N x
Are the ingredients combined by hand or can I use a mixer with a dough hook. Also if using coconut oil,what is the oil replacing? The milk? The olive oil?
HI Gabrielle! Dough hook or hand. 🙂 Dough hook only takes about 1 minute on medium. And the coconut oil would replace the olive oil. N x
I love this recipe. I have a dairy allergy so I use vegan butter (Earth Balance) and almond milk and it turns out perfect.
Next time, I’ll try olive oil instead of Earth Balance.
Thank you so much!
Thanks for trying my recipe Ori, glad you enjoyed it! N x
Hi Nagi
I tried a half portion using gram flour. There were problems with rolling as is remained sticky. I ended up using the palms of my hands with plenty of flour on them. They formed a shape 3-4 mm thick but didn’t go well into rounds.
Tried them for 90secs a side in the pan but ended up giving them another 30 each. They won’t make wraps, too stiff, but will work as a tearing bread. A little coriander and cumin in next time perhaps.
Hi Peter, thanks for the feedback on gram flour! 🙂
Hi
Can I suggest that instead of putting the oil in the pan you add the oil to the mixture. I have done it this way for a while and it turn out really nice!
I’ll try that Amy! I do find this works very well in a dry pan! 🙂
Hi Nagi
Thanks for the recipe. Have you tried these with gram flour? My wife is wheat intolerant but still likes bready things.
Hi Peter, I’m sorry I haven’t tried it but I would love to know if you did!
Best flatbread ever! Make these all the time now. Better than anything I could buy and the recipe is so easy. Thank you!
Thank you so much Rebecca! So glad you like this!
I would love to try this recipe! I have one question, when you say ‘not packed’ for the flour, what does that mean? I am not very familiar with kitchen terminologies 😀
Hi Laarni! It just means that when you put the flour in the cup measure, don’t press it in tightly 🙂 If you do that, you can pack more flour into a cup measure!
Can I add cheese to this flatbread and garlic? If so how would I do that
Thanks
Oh yes! Divine! I’ve been meaning to share a cheese & garlic version 🙂 I’d just add them in with the flour N x
Great recipe. I have made these many times now and everyone loves them. If you read the long list of ingredients in the store bought, you will not want to feed them to your family.
Woo hoo! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this, thanks for letting me know Nicole! N xx PS The ingredients that are NUMBERS worry me the most ?
These were so easy to do and went brilliant with Turkish kebabs. I will definitely be using this recipe again, a big hit in our house! x
Oh wow! I’m so happy that you tried and enjoyed thisCaroline, thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Turned out great! This was my first successful attempt at making ANY kind of bread lol thanks for the great recipe!
Woo hoo! So glad you like this LG, thanks for coming back to let me know! N xx
Wonderful recipe. can you substitute coconut or grape seed oil for the vegan butter?
Kat, I used coconut oil with no problem
Thank you LG! I’ve added that tip to the notes of the recipe 🙂
HI Kat, I’m not entirely sure, I’m sorry!
Hi Nagi, these look amazing and I’m more than ready to try with your greek chicken. Two questions for you first: do you think using all whole wheat flour would change the recipe at all? (and would you choose “regular” vs. ww pastry flour if were to do it)? And second, do you suspect they’ll freeze well? I’d love to make a bunch to keep on hand for easy lunches, etc.
Thanks so much!
Amy
Hi Amy! Yes these freeze fantastic and they work great with whole wheat flour. Thanks for the questions, I’ll add these tips into the notes!
The best and easiest flatbread recipe ever. Made last night. Used olive oil instead of butter. So good. My baby and husband loved it too.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Suzan! Thanks so much for letting me know! N xx
Plz dear,can u help me out with the videos if any bcoz I really need to prepare it right awaya
Ohhh my easy and simple thank you my little boys enjoyed.
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this Kudzai! Thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Hey Nagi, should the butter be melted or just at room temperature? Thank you. 🙂
Hi Iva! Melted 🙂 See step 1
I used silk soy milk and coconut oil instead of the butter, used avocado oil to do the frying. Good recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Jordan! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N xx
My first time making ANY kind of bread! They turned out beautiful…I am marinating your Greek chicken with tzaziki sauce for tomorrow’s lunch and the bread will be fantastic with it! Thanks for a quality recipe that I don’t have to tweak half a dozen times!
Hi Vanessa, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you for letting me know! ❤️ N xx