I have a confession: Until now, even though my heart beats faster at the mere mention of flatbread, I've been afraid to make it myself. It's a weird thing. I have no problem making pizza dough which, once you get the hang of it, is an extremely simple task. But when it comes to flatbread, even though it requires no yeast (and thus, no rising time) and no baking, my brain decided it was a job far too complex for the likes of me.
Recently, though, I had an intense craving. I needed thin-yet-pillowy, light-yet-doughy, simply-flavored-yet-delectable flatbread in my mouth. I wandered around Whole Foods looking for flatbread with no luck. Finding only tortillas and non-vegan naan, I left feeling frustrated-yet-determined. I got home, looked up several recipes online and once I got the gist of what this endeavor would entail, I got to work. It took me a couple of batches, but just like pizza dough, once you get the hang of it, it's super easy. And guess what? This yeast-free flatbread is way easier than pizza dough!
I made my dough very quickly in the food processor, fitted with the dough blade. A stand-mixer could also be used, as well as just a bowl and your hands. The dough is started with 2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour, a tablespoon of baking powder, and a teaspoon of salt. Once the dry ingredients are quickly pulsed together, water, non-dairy milk, and olive oil. The dough is then mixed until a ball forms. If the dough should be soft, pliable, but not sticky. If it sticks to your finger when you touch it, add more flour by the tablespoon until you can touch the dough without it sticking to your finger.
Transfer the ball of dough to a floured surface. Divide the dough in half and roll both halves into balls. Divide each of those balls in half and roll them into balls. Divide the four balls in half, creating 8 small balls of dough. Set them aside.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure your surface is still well-floured. Take one ball and use your fingers to flatten it into a circle. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a 5 to 6-inch circle-ish shape.
Place the flattened dough on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with 3 more balls of dough (it's okay if the flattened circles slightly overlap each other). Lay another sheet of parchment paper over the circles and continue with the remaining 4 balls of dough (laying them on the top sheet of paper).
Heat a frying pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Place one of the circles of dough in the pan and cook until bubbles begin to form and the edges begin to lift, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Use tongs to quickly flip it over and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a plate. Cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining circles of dough.
It would be a sin to not eat all of them at least one right away while it was still warm. You can spread your favorite spreads on them, dip them in your favorite dips, use it as a mini pizza crust, or fold it in half and use it to transport your favorite sandwich fixings (more thoughts on that idea on Monday) to your mouth. Then when they're all gone, take a few minutes to make another batch because once you start these flatbreads, you (I) can't stop.
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour + more if necessary and for your floured surface
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used almond)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor, fitted with a DOUGH BLADE or a stand-mixer. Process/mix until a ball forms. If you have neither a food processor or stand-mixer, combine the ingredients in a large bowl. Use a spoon to stir until a dough forms and then use your hands to knead until it is soft and pliable. The ball of dough should be soft, pliable, but not sticky. If it is sticky, add flour by the tablespoon until it no longer sticks to your finger when touched.
- Transfer the ball of dough to a floured surface. Divide the dough in half and roll both halves into balls. Divide each of those balls in half and roll them into balls. Divide the four balls in half, creating 8 small balls of dough. Set them aside.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make sure your surface is still well-floured. Take one ball and use your fingers to flatten it into a circle. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a 5 to 6-inch circle-ish shape. Place the flattened dough on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with 3 more balls of dough (it's okay if the flattened circles slightly overlap each other). Lay another sheet of parchment paper over the circles and continue with the remaining 4 balls of dough (laying them on the top sheet of paper).
- Heat a frying pan or griddle over medium-high heat. Place one of the circles of dough in the pan and cook until bubbles begin to form and the edges begin to lift, about 1 to 2 minutes. Use tongs to quickly flip it over and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on a plate. Cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining circles of dough.
- If they are not eaten immediately, let them cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Enjoy!
Stay tuned for the recipe for this dude, coming up on Monday!
Thank you to everyone who entered my Decadent Gluten-Free Vegan Baking giveaway last week! The winner is Katie Hay! Congratulations, Katie!
Photography by Chris Miller
Laetitia
Love home made flat bread. I will try your recipe as it's slightly different than my usual one. Great pics 🙂
Yuna- Greenhealthygirl.com
Thank you so much for sharing! I really like that this recipe is so simple! Does it taste like naan?
keepinitkind
Thanks, Yuna. I wouldn't say that it tastes like naan. It's more like a thick, doughy (yet light and airy) flour tortilla.
Yuna- Greenhealthygirl.com
Okay thanks! 🙂
Dohn
Have you tried it with a nut flour
keepinitkind
No.
Millie l Add A Little
Looks super easy and delicious!
http://youtube.com/addalittlefood
Marilyn
Looks yummy. Wonder what the best wheat-free flour to use will be.
mike grainger
coconut flour
Saly
And it won't taste like coconut??
Gabby @ the veggie nook
This is inspiring! See, when I have a craving lately and I can't find said food in a store I usually just whine and moan and go without. I really should just be inspired to make my own (and let's be honest- better) version at home. You rock!
Paula
Just made my first batch. Turned out great!
Thalia @ butter and brioche
never tried my hand at making my own flat bread before, inspired to now! thanks for the idea!
J
I made the Black Forest Gateau from your blog for Xmas, it was bomb!
Alex Caspero MA,RD (@delishknowledge)
We must have been mind-mouthing this week! I have been dreaming of homemade flatbread and baba ganoush all week! THANK you for this!
Amy @ Parsley In My Teeth
It's funny how we can get ourselves thinking that doing something is going to be such a huge undertaking that we shy away from it. When we finally get around to doing it, we realize it wasn't so bad. But then again there are times when the task turns out to be worse than we imagined. Thanks for taking something we all love and showing us that it's totally do-able!
Mary @ Mary's Test Kitchen
I totally get the irrational fear of trying to make certain foods. I had one about pasta but when it got down to it, the whole process was way easier than I imagined. I even got confident enough to post a video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMwPZvqglu4
P.S. If anyone is interested in a video tutorial about how to make tortilla, I posted this a couple weeks ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmvr1ql2xAs
Lindsay @ VeganYumminess
Made these tonight for dinner, and they were DELICIOUS!! We put vegan mayo (the new JustMayo by Hampton Creek) and scrambled tofu and lettuce in them, and wow. YUM. Thanks for a great recipe. 🙂
Lindsay @ VeganYumminess
P.S. We made it with our hands in a bowl, and it was a great activity for my 2-year-old daughter to do with me in the kitchen. She had a blast helping me knead and roll the balls of dough into flatbread. So, we considered this recipe a playful activity rather than a chore. 🙂
Taylor @ What Vegetarians Eat
Wow - perfect timing! I just realized that the naan bread I used to love is not vegan 🙁 I hadn't purchased it since going vegan but when I went to get some recently I read the ingredients label and realized they were made with chicken's eggs. Such a sad day! But this is great - I would love to make my own and I bet it will be even better. So thank you for posting!
margaux
These are amazing! I'm so happy to have found non-yeast flatbread, because yeast and I have a fail relationship :p So quick and easy - really inspired to use this a lot more, especially for guests!
Teri Rumsey
Made these tonight and couldn't stop raving about them! So easy! My husband came in while I was making them and immediately snacked on one! After cooking them I took two and made individual pizzas for dinner on my pizza stone. Can't wait to try variations such as adding garlic and/or herbs and spices. Thanks for the recipe!
keepinitkind
I love that! Thank you! I'm so happy you both liked them! 🙂
saniel
Can I add ground flax, chia or hemp seeds to boost nutrition content?
Harriet Emily
these look amazing and your photos are beautiful!
lorrie
hi, hope you can help me? please exuse my spelling. like you im frustrated. ive been put on a very strick diet for a while. i cannot eat any grain breads especialy with sugar,yeast etc. ive been surching the net and by the way am just getting to learn how to use a computer. so need brain food too.
long story short have you or any one youve come accross created a vegan flour gluten free bread. i realy would apreciate if you can help. if you cannot thats okay. i appreciate you time.
with graditude: from: IM HUNGRY!!!!!!!!!!
keepinitkind
It depends on what type of bread you're looking for. Fork and Beans has a great looking one: http://www.forkandbeans.com/2014/01/01/gluten-free-vegan-bread/, and for a flourless GF vegan bread, My New Roots has one that I've heard is good: http://www.mynewroots.org/site/2013/02/the-life-changing-loaf-of-bread/. Good luck!
Tiffany Turner
On step 4 we were told to heat a frying pan or griddle. Do we have to oil the frying pan or griddle to prevent sticking or should we be using a non-stick pan only?
keepinitkind
You shouldn't need oil. If you have a cast-iron frying pan, that would be the best choice. If not, any other frying pan should work, non-stick or not. Once the dough cooks, it dries up and should not adhere to the pan. If you wanted to use a non-stick pan to be safe, that would be totally fine. If you use oil, it will just make the texture crispier and darker.
Tiffany Turner
Thank You for clearing that up for me!! Will be trying this recipe tomorrow. Planing on serving it with greens and pinto beans. =^.^=
Alison Jones
I just made these babies, gluten free to boot. Had to tweak your original a tad to accommodate for the gluten free flour....O. M. G. sooooooo amazing! ! I have a new favorite. My husband was giddy and yes, we did devour half of them before dinner 🙂
keepinitkind
Awesome! What kind of flour did you use to make them GF?
Sherri Clouse
Alison, please post how you tweaked the recipe for gluten free because I would love to try it, thanks.
mike grainger
coconut flour!
Khalilah Branch
Can you freeze them so they can last more than 3 or 4 days?
keepinitkind
I don't see why not! 🙂
Mode
These make great fry bread! Just fry in a little veggie oil then lightly salt them!
Kristin
I love this. It tastes great and my husband thought I bought it from the store :). The only glitch I'm having it that it only has bubbles here and there and the edges don't puff up like your picture. Any ideas why?
keepinitkind
Yay! I'm so happy you're liking them, Kristin! Unfortunately, I don't understand what causes certain parts to bubble up more than others. I can tell you that not all of mine puff up around the edges- some just puff in the middle. I think it's totally random and not something I would worry about. 🙂
Tina silver
Love this recipe. Just made them and I will not be looking for another recipe. Thanks so much.
wendy
What about adding freshly ground spices, say basil or rosemary or flavored olive oil?
keepinitkind
Go for it!
Wastrel
I see no reason for most of step 3 with the parchment paper routine. Flatten the dough into 6" disks and cook in a frying pan as in step 4. Also, although the addition of almond milk might add a little flavor you can substitute water and these will turn out fine... and now you have made flour tortillas.
keepinitkind
I wouldn't call these flour tortillas exactly because tortillas do not contain rising agents. Thank you for the tips, though. 🙂
Gluten Free Vegan Pantry
I'm so going to try this gluten free. Looks delicious 🙂
keepinitkind
Let me know how it goes/what flours you use. I've been meaning to try it but I haven't gotten around to it yet. 🙂
Krisha
Made this flatbread tonight and it was really great. No waiting for it to rise which I really appreciated. I followed the directions except for cooking. I
rolled it super thin and cooked it in my Breville pizza oven. We ate it as a pizza flatbread and sliced with a cheese plate. I will be making this again!. Thank you!
Lynn
Going to try these bet the will be great with hummus
jenni
Wow, I made these last night, I used all purpose gf white flour blend and a little coconut flour, I also used koko coconut milk and added a little garlic and coriander as it was going with vegetable curry and cauliflower rice, my whole family loved it, even my very fussy husband!! I think the flavour and topping possibilities could be endless 😀 this will now be a regular thing in our house(possibly daily lol) as it was just so quick and easy to make!!!! thank you 😀
Shannon
I made these and they were fabulous. Thanks for the recipe!
Krisha
I made these for the second time tonight and wanted to let you know how much we really really like them. We used them as taco shells. I ran out of flour and had to use one cup of gf flour, then realized I was out of any milk! So I used water and they still turned out great. Thank you again!
Karine
Made these tonight amazing!!! Thank you
Sumit Datta
Good recipe though. This a version of Indian Roti. You could also search for Indian Parathas and Naans for yeast free and baking powder free breads.
They are mainly whole wheat flour breads with or without different stuffings
Courtney
I just made these tonight for breakfast burritos. Amazingly simple, and they turned out perfect, even though I am dough challenged...I've been known to use an entire bag of flour attempting to make an edible pan of biscuits, lol....I'll definitely be making these on a regular basis.
Arleen
I have made this flat bread at least 4 times since I found it a month ago. I am newly vegan about 4 months now and this recipe has made it easy to whip up a quick lunch. I spread hummus, avocado, Alfalfa sprouts and top with grape tomatoes that I tossed in a vinagrette and chow down.
I was the only vegan in the house but since I made this flatbread, my whole family has begun to eat more of my vegan dishes and they have found a new appreciate the vegan lifestyle.
I also made this recipe gluten free...it was just as tasty.
henrietta scales
i really did make the flatbread -very good.i had it with my split peas soup .
Adele
Thanks for sharing this easy and delicious recipe . I just did it twice .
Lorraine
Thank you for the great recipe. Easy to make and quick. I am eating as II type. :}
Mercy R.
Made two batches of this delicious bread today. I added powder roasted garlic and dehydrated onions as well as 1% milk. Cooked them on a electric grill and they turned out great. We'll eat them with curry shrimp. Tomorrow I'll have my 3 year old grandniece make pizza on them.
Sydney
Will it work with organic 100% whole wheat flour? Why the non-dairy milk (I noticed one commenter use plain water)? Why baking soda? Can I leave out the salt? Can I increase the olive oil?
keepinitkind
I haven't tried them with whole wheat flour, but you are welcome to try it but I can't guarantee that it will work the same. I use non-dairy milk because I'm vegan and I like the flavor that it adds but you are more than welcome to use all water. Baking powder helps it rise, and feel free to alter the salt and olive oil, though I haven't tried it and can't guarantee that it will work.
joepag
First time i made pita and i made it right after seeing this instruction .
Gene
I need to make a large quantity of flat bread. Any idea what would happen if I tried to bake them on Cookie sheets in the oven? I have four ovens so if I could figure this out it would help me serve 200 people a lot easier.
keepinitkind
I've never tried baking them. Sorry.
Olivia
Hi! These look delicious! I was wondering if you had an estimate of how many calories are in each piece of bread?
Can't wait to try making these!
keepinitkind
Thank you! I do not calculate calories for my recipes. I apologize for any inconvenience.
Tanya
Thanks for this recipe. I tweaked it to try to make a coconut version. I used coconut milk instead of almond milk and added shredded coconut and 1 Tbsp of sugar. It turned out great! Thought you might want to know!
maria
With baking powder, any bread can be yeast-free. What about a flat bread with no yeast nor chemical substitutes?
Hanieh
I have allergies to Mold(and Yeast), this is a great delicious recipe and I also tried to bake on pizza stone in oven and it worked perfect! it bakes completely without any burns!
Anne
Fabulous, just made them. Will use them for pizza tonight. Thanks, what a great and easy recipe.
Meg
Wow - these are delicious! So easy and so awesome. I used flaxseed milk instead of almond milk. Can't wait to make another batch 🙂
TeresaS.
I put the info into my fitness pal and it calculated to 160 calories per flat bread. Noting that these calculations were done using bobs red mill gf flour, and unsweetened cashew milk. I think is Peru decent calories wise. Gonna try to make them this afternoon. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for the recipe!
Tiger
Hi,
I just made these with kids from a grade 2/3 class. The teacher and I made three different kinds of bread for a sensory writing prompt. This one was super popular! We got some great writing out of them. I guess the way to the brain is through the stomach. 😉
Emma
I was wondering if you could sub coconut flour for the all purpose flour? And if so how much because I know coconut flour soaks up more liquids than most flours, thanks😊
keepinitkind
I don't know the answer to that question. Sorry.
cake
Looks delicious! Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder?
keepinitkind
You probably could but I would look up substitution ratios. You may need to also add cream of tartar.
Airyfairycelt
Lovely burger buns if I do little rounds!
Thank you.
Dominique
We made these tonight and they were perfect! A definite favourite and so easy!!
Nalini
Asians make this all the time, its called ROTI. I make this all the time and its the same consistency.
Sam
This stuff is awesome!! First time making it and it was easy peasy, more like playing with play dough 🙂 made 2 bigger by using 1/4 dough each and they came out great too. Will definitely be making a freezer batch as I can see myself using these endlessly! Great recipe
Bertille
Hi there, trying your recipe right now (in fact just had my first bite and it's great!) but I was wondering, do you think it would work with gluten free flour or other type of flours? thank you so much!
keepinitkind
Bertille, I actually have a separate gluten-free recipe: https://keepinitkind.com/easy-homemade-yeast-free-vegan-gluten-free-flatbread/
Enjoy!
Amber
Ughhhh, Being GF & Vegan, I have not been able to sucessfully make a torilla, wrap, Naan, flatbread as they always end up hard, not fully cooked, cracked, etc. I want to be able to make this recipe since tortillas online are TOO expensive. No matter what I do, the outer edges are never rounded. They are always cracked and it reminds me of a leaf that an ant got a hold of. Now this is way before trying to cook them. I cooked one and it was hard as a rock! The second one i tried wasn't even cooked all the way. Any suggestions???
I used GF all purpose flour.
Lior
Worked out perfectly! I loved the use of almond milk. I personally didn't time how long I fry the flatbread, but more waited for as many bubbles to appear yet keeping the dough as unburnt as possible. I figured the result thereof was not 100% cooked on the inside so I put it in a toaster oven for ~3 minutes and it came out perfect. Taste was amazing.
Nicole
Can you suggest another flour or blend that would work. My husband can't have wheat or almonds....would a coconut flour work ?
keepinitkind
You can try my gluten-free version: https://keepinitkind.com/easy-homemade-yeast-free-vegan-gluten-free-flatbread/
Priscilla
Does anyone have an almond flour version of this recipe??
Kim
Can I use whole wheat to make this flatbread?
keepinitkind
That should be fine. Enjoy!
Hazel
These are amazing! Sooooo easy and super tasty! Perfect for hummus dipping too. I've tried them a few different ways but my favorite now is using infused sunflower oil (with herbs and garlic). Adds just a nice subtle flavor! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!! I'll never need another flatbread recipe for sure 🙂
Amandine
Soooo yummy! They are just perfect! Thanks a lot and Hi from France!
Jane
How many calories would you say are in one of these flat breads? I can't wait to make these with my family!
keepinitkind
I don't track nutritional information on my recipes. Sorry.
Stefani
Kathy, a big, fat thank you from our house to yours! I made these last night to go with a veggie gyros, and they were so incredibly tasty (not to mention easy-peasy to make)!
Stefani
And then of course leave it to me to start getting names mixed up... sorry, Kristy! And still thanks a bunch!
Jeff stroud
This my second time making these flatbreads!!! Simple and easy! Thank you!
J
I am really low on cash this month and didn't even have enough to buy some sandwich bread today. Luckily I came across this flatbread recipe and was able to make some comforting fresh-made bread to eat with my lunch. Thanks Kristy!
Shannon
Anyone know the nutritional info
Minette
I have been gluten free since May (2017) and have been craving bread since then. I am gluten sensitive so it’s not worth the abdominal pain and increased inflammation once I eat bread. Your recipe is a game changer for me. So easy!, ingredients I have always, and cooks up in no time! Thank u, thank u!!!!
Krisstin
Hello! I'm really excited to try this recipe. I've been looking for a simple vegan flat bread recipe and it's surprisingly hard to find a good one. I did want to say that the ad nested inside your recipe box makes this recipe push to a two-page print, and for those of us printing on a budget that is kind of annoying and unnecessary. I just printed the first page, which meant I lost the last line of instructions. Not a huge deal in the case of this recipe, but you might consider reformatting that area of the page. Cheers!
Dandelion
Could I make the dough ahead of time and freeze it?
Jen
Made this last night! Super easy and delicious. We drizzled some olive oil on the last few pieces and it was even better as a snack haha. Going to try it next time with fresh garlic and also as a pizza base. THANK YOU!
Lili
Can I make this without the oil?