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.
yummy, easy to make, very easy to wrap! We used one for funny Tortilla slap game too lol
Loved this recipe, so easy to make and tasted great! Thanks!
Do you butter Or oil them if your freezing them??
Do you cool the milk mixture?
It’s best to use warm as warm as your hands can handle , its easier to knead!
I have been trying to make a good flat bread, chapti, since I lived in Bangladesh, 2005-2008. I also had a few lessons from my daughter’s MIL, who is Southern Indian. I have not been successful until this recipe. Seriously, life changing. I’ll never forget the satisfaction of the bread puffing up. I think it’s the hot milk with butter melted into it. That’s the difference between this and my past attempts. I’m blown away.
So simple ,but the best !!!!
I absolutely loved this recipe!
Used OO flour, and they were amazing!
Thank you!
Awesome recipe! So easy to make and so quick. You really can’t mess it up. I slathered butter on each one as they came out and it was divine! Highly recommend.
I cook these flat breads every week.
I think that should tell how good and easy they are.
Ps
Really enjoy Dozer as we have just lost our two Italian Spineones (13 1/2and 14 1/2 yeas old)
Our house is so empty.
Outrageously simple and delicious! I made these for chicken kebabs in my house tonight and I had bought some tortilla wraps incase I messed them up, but they were so perfect! I cut the dough into 8 pieces and it still worked out really well. 100% recommend!
Going to try these today! How long do they generally keep fresh Nagi? TIA Jacqui
Reminds me of the plain ‘sada’ roti my mom made when I was growing up in Trinidad & Tobago, which I make now to go with anything. Waaaaaay back then it was just flour, water, salt & baking powder. Now I make it with buttermilk & homemade butter! Fabulous & easy.
Every single time i used Nagi’s recipes they are a hit! Today I made gyros with flat bread! Soooo good! and i also baked chocolate chip muffins (another hit with my family!!!!) Thank you!
These are too easy and so yummy!
I made these to go with the lentil curry recipe (our favorite). The flatbread were soooooo good we gobbled them all up last night. I even made more this evening (and yes we ate them all again).
You need to study. This is not real cooking.
We made these with your chicken gyros tonight and omg! We cannot believe we made our own bread and was 100% better than shop bought. We love cooking with you Nagi, thank you for another winner!
I’ve cooked these several times without oil in a non-stick frypan and they’ve always turned out great. But now I’m away from home and don’t have my trusty non-stick pan 🤣 Has anyone had success cooking them in an ordinary fry pan with some olive oil or butter?
Absolutely amazing and so easy to make! The definition of chef’s kiss! Thanks for sharing your recipe, will be making these often!
Omg this is so easy and yet delicious! I’m gonna make a double quantities next time as 6 was not enough for 3 of us…we want more!!
Oil or no oil? “heat oil: heat a non stick pan (no oil)” I’m confused!