Homemade Flatbread Recipe

Content… What Is It? Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions What to Serve More Craveable Bread Recipes to Try Watch How to Make It

What Is Flatbread?

In general, flatbread is a simpler form of regular bread. It contains fewer ingredients and doesn’t require much kneading. You also cook the dough in a skillet instead of an oven.

Flatbread recipes have different names and variations across cultures. East Africans enjoy chapati, Indians have naan, and our Trinidad friends love buss up shut paratha roti. Try saying that three times fast. 😂

Recipe Ingredients

1. Flour – All-purpose is my go-to flatbread flour, but whole wheat works just as well. 
2. Yeast – You can make flatbread without it, but I always add yeast. The resulting dough is stronger but not chewy—perfect for cutting in half and stuffing with other delicacies.
3. Yogurt gives flatbread that soft, bendable crumb that makes it work so well as a wrap.
4. Ghee – Ghee adds depth of flavor and richness to flatbread. Most stores carry it, but you could make your own homemade ghee or clarified butter. Or you can always substitute it with melted butter. 🧈
5. Flavor Enhancers – Kick the flavor up a notch with minced garlic and thyme, along with a little sugar and salt.

How to Make Flatbread

Make the Dough

1. Activate Yeast – Combine yeast and water in a small bowl. Let it rest for a few minutes. (Photo 1)
2. Combine – Stir the flour, garlic, thyme, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour mixture, then add ghee or melted butter, yogurt, and activated yeast. Knead to form a soft dough. (Photos 2-3)
3. Knead – Place the dough on a heavily floured board and knead for 3-4 minutes or until the dough is soft, elastic, and smooth. (Photo 4)
4. Rise – Place the flatbread dough in a lightly oiled bowl and let it rise until doubled. Then punch it down. (Photo 5)
5. Divide it into 6-8 pieces (according to size preference), roll them into balls, and let them rest. (Photo 6)
6. Roll a dough ball out into a circle with a rolling pin. Begin rolling from the center, working outwards, and rotating the dough each time you roll. (No need to be perfect.) Repeat until all the dough has been used. (Photo 7)

Cook the Flatbread

1. Preheat a skillet, frying pan, or stovetop grill pan over medium-high. Lightly oil the pan. 
2. Cook – Place a dough circle in the skillet and cook without touching it until bubbles form on the surface (1-2 minutes).  (Photo 8)
3. Flip – Turn over and cook for another 1-2 minutes until it puffs up.
4. Serve immediately.

Recipe Variations

1. Flatbread pizza recipe. Take the finished flatbread, spread it with your favorite pizza sauce, add your toppings and grated mozzarella, and bake it at 450-500℉ (230-260℃) until the cheese melts.
2. Go minimalist. Leave out the garlic and thyme for a simpler flatbread that pairs well with an already flavor-packed dish.
3. Spinach and feta flatbread. Add a cup of fresh spinach (finely chopped) and half a cup of crumbled feta cheese to the dough before cooking. 
4. Add sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Add ¼ cup of finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes and a couple tablespoons of chopped fresh basil for a tangy, savory take on flatbread. 😋 

Tips and Tricks

1. As you roll out the dough, rotate it each time you roll it for a more even circle shape.
2. Please don’t cook your homemade flatbread with the heat too high, or it will get a bit crunchy and crispy. Without that signature bend, it will be hard to use for a wrap.
3. If your flatbread becomes a tad too crisp (been there 😅), lightly brush it with olive oil or butter to moisten it up some. Or use it for chips instead.

Make-Ahead Instructions

You can make the dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to three days. For an easier make-ahead meal, you can make the recipe as usual but only partially cook the flatbread. When you’re ready to cook them, simply pop them in a heated skillet and finish the job. You can also freeze partially cooked flatbread in a ziplock bag with the air squeezed out for up to 3 months.

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Serve flatbread warm, fresh out of the frying pan if possible.

If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to a week. They’ll last at room temperature for 2-3 days. Reheat them in a skillet set to medium heat until just heated through, or enjoy them at room temperature. 👌

What Goes With Flatbread

Delicious yeast flatbread recipes were meant for stuffing. Try it with avocado white bean tuna salad, pulled pork and coleslaw, or chicken shawarma. You could also serve it as a side to any curry. I especially like it with chickpea curry.

More Craveable Bread Recipes to Try

1. Cloud Bread
2. Pita Bread
3. Homemade Garlic Bread
4. Garlic Knots
5. Honey Wheat Rolls

Watch How to Make It

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This blog post was originally published in July 2018 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video