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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Made this flatbread recipe instead of running to the store and it was super easy and delicious. Served it up with your chicken shawarma and raw broccoli salad recipes and I was voted the family hero. Amazing recipes. Thank you!
In the video you show adding oil to the pan, so when you say heat pan no oil, do you add it just before you put the dough in? Or not at all
I just made these tonight for the Charcoal chicken that is currently marinating. So easy! They smell so good! Only problem I had that the first two got a little burnt. Turned the stove down to medium\medium low to allow them to puff up more without burning. I have never had one of your recipes turn out less than perfect. Thank you for making me look so good!!!
Thanks for sharing this recipe, they are the softest best tortilla shells I have ever had , they are better than store bought!
This is so wonderful! And so beautifully simple. For weeks I’ve been remembering a roasted veg flatbread I had many years ago in LA. The trick was that the bread was herbed and spiced, and the veg (cauliflower, broccoli) was roasted without seasoning. I think the original had gouda. But I used Point Reyes Toma cheese, which is a little milder. The roasted veg is cooled, then tossed with grated cheese and Kalamata olives, spread on the flatbreads, topped with a little more cheese, and baked for about 5 minutes. Cracked pepper, red pepper, or arugula is added after the back. It’s heaven! And your recipe made it so easy to create a delightful Saturday “date night” appetizer. Thank you so much, ☺️
Love it. Our daily go to flat bread recipe. Always a success.
can you put these in a tortilla press?
Brilliant recipe. Best flat breads. Look no further!
Just tried this recipe for the first time. Super easy and great results. Thank you
I made this with wholewheat flour and it was amazing. Next time I’ll give it a go with 50/50 white/wholewheat flour, I’m sure it will be even softer. Thanks Nagi!
I feel that the dough may have not enough liquid, therefore mostly browned before rising. I live in central Canada and with central heating during the winter months our homes are very dry. I maybe should add more milk to the dough? Anyone have thoughts on this?
I reckon you’d be ok adding extra liquid a touch at a time, not sure if its Nagi sanctioned though, but it’d be worth a try
I wanted to have pizza for dinner but wanted to save on costs – usually we just use store-bought Pita but didn’t have any! This was my first time making flatbread and it turned out perfect; I ended up making 8 with the measurements (plus I had a small pan). Definitely going to be coming back to make more!
This was my first time making a flat bread and it was really easy and really good. I will be using this all the time. I made 8 out of these measurements.
Going to try this with a roadside bbq chicken i bought today. If it works i will follow you.to the end of the earth. Sounds too easy
Hello, made these for the first time and they tasted great but despite following the video exactly I had the issue that the dough stuck to the bowl, to my hands and to the work surface despite using flour. Any tips on ensuring this doesn’t happen?
Oh, perfect for chicken shawarma, using up rotisserie chicken. Wham, bam. A side of hummus and veges perfect light dinner
Tasty, perfect for making hummus “tacos”, tomatoes in season, yogurt, cumin, very flexible. Definitely best, still warm
Delicious! Thank you!
Amazing flat breads and so unlike the cardboard shop bought ones.
The high heat for longer really makes them flaky on the outside but still soft to roll.
I do mine in the food processor – flour, salt and chopped butter process till breadcrumbs. Add the milk and process until a ball is formed. Perfect every time.
Amazing flat breads and so deo- unlike the cardboard shop bought ones.
The high heat for longer really makes them flaky on the outside but still soft to roll.
I do mine in the food processor – flour, salt and chopped butter process till breadcrumbs. Add the milk and process until a ball is formed. Perfect every time.
Just wanted to say as someone with a rather severe yeast intolerance, this recipe makes me SO happy, because it’s not the same cooking Indian and Middle Eastern dishes without the flat bread. I’ve made these a few times now and they are awesome. Thank you for everything you have up online, I have cooked so many of your recipes <3