Easy Homemade Flat Bread Recipe

I perfected my Homemade Flatbread that needs no oven and gives beginner bakers an unbelievably easy way to make fluffy, sandwich-ready rounds.

I never thought making flat bread without an oven could be this addictive, but here we are. I mix all purpose flour with warm water, fold the dough a few times and watch it turn into soft, bendy rounds that puff up in a hot skillet.

It’s the kind of recipe that makes me try different toppings on a whim, and somehow each batch tastes better than the last, even when I rush. I’ve done Easy Flatbread versions and even riffed toward Homemade Flatbread ideas, and honestly this one keeps winning for quick meals and late night snacks.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: Mostly carbs with some protein, gives structure and chewy texture.
• Instant yeast: Tiny live cells that feed on sugars, make bubbles and mild tang.
• Olive oil: Adds fat and flavor, keeps flatbreads tender and moist, some heart healthy fats.
• Granulated sugar: Feeds yeast for rise, adds tiny sweetness and helps browning.
• Salt: Boosts overall flavor, tightens gluten and helps control yeast activity.
• Warm water: Hydrates flour, activates yeast and helps gluten form, temp matters.
• Baking powder (optional): Gives extra lift without long proofing, makes a softer, less chewy crumb.

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 cups all purpose flour (about 360 g)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup warm water (about 110 F)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (optional for extra fluff)
• Extra flour for dusting
• Olive oil or neutral oil for cooking

How to Make this

1. In a big bowl whisk together the 3 cups flour, 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and if you want extra fluff add 1 teaspoon baking powder, mix well so it’s even.

2. Make a well in the center and pour in 1 cup warm water (about 110 F) and 2 tablespoons olive oil, then stir with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms, if you used instant yeast you can skip proofing but you can also let the yeast sit in the water 5 minutes first if you like.

3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead about 5 to 8 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky, add a little extra flour if it’s way too sticky but don’t overdo it or bread gets tough.

4. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until almost doubled, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, for a quicker version 30 minutes will do.

5. Punch the dough down and divide into 6 to 8 equal pieces depending how big you want the flatbreads, roll each piece into a round ball and let rest 10 minutes so the gluten relaxes.

6. On a floured surface press or roll each ball into a circle about 1/4 inch thick, dust with extra flour to stop sticking and dont worry if edges are imperfect.

7. Heat a heavy skillet or cast iron over medium high heat until hot, brush or drizzle a little olive oil or neutral oil on the pan or the flatbread, you want a thin coating not a pool.

8. Cook each flatbread 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden spots appear and it puffs a bit, press gently with a spatula to help even contact, lower the heat a touch if it browns too fast.

9. Stack finished breads in a towel or airtight container to keep them soft, use them for pizzas, sandwiches, wraps or freeze cooled flatbreads between parchment for later, reheat in a skillet or microwave briefly.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl (3 qt or bigger), for whisking the flour, yeast, sugar and salt, its gotta be roomy
2. Measuring cups and spoons, for the 3 cups flour, teaspoons of yeast, sugar and salt
3. Whisk, to blend the dry ingredients evenly, a fork works if you dont have one
4. Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula, to stir the water and oil into a shaggy dough
5. Bench scraper or sharp knife, to divide the dough into 6–8 pieces and lift rounds off the board
6. Rolling pin or your hands/palm, to press each ball into about 1/4 inch thick rounds
7. Heavy skillet or cast iron pan, heat it over medium high until really hot for quick cooking
8. Spatula and tongs, spatula to press and flip, tongs to grab hot breads if needed
9. Clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and an airtight container or bowl, to cover the dough for rising and keep finished breads soft

FAQ

Easy Homemade Flat Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour (about 360 g): swap for bread flour if you want a chewier bite, or use half whole wheat for nuttier flavor, or a one to one gluten free blend if you need no gluten. If you use whole wheat add a bit more water and don’t over knead.
• Instant yeast (one packet): active dry yeast works fine, just proof it in the warm water for five to ten minutes until foamy. Or go wild with a fed sourdough starter, about one hundred fifty to two hundred grams, but expect much longer rises and adjust flour and water.
• Olive oil: melted butter gives richer, softer flat bread, while neutral oil like canola or vegetable keeps the taste milder and cooks the same.
• Baking powder optional: if you skip long rises use one teaspoon baking powder for extra fluff, or use self rising flour but cut back on added salt since self rising already has leavening and salt.

Pro Tips

1) If the dough feels sticky, wet your hands or rub a little oil on them before you knead. People always throw in too much flour, and that makes the bread tough. Add flour only by teaspoons until it behaves.

2) Let the shaped balls rest before you roll them out. It lets the gluten relax so the rounds don’t snap back and you get thinner, more even flatbreads. If your kitchen is cold, pop them in the oven with just the light on to speed it up.

3) Get your skillet screaming hot first, then turn it down to medium high when you start cooking. Use only a thin smear of oil on the pan or bread, not a pool, or you’ll end up frying instead of getting nice char spots. If it browns too fast lower the heat a bit.

4) Keep finished breads stacked in a towel or airtight container so they stay soft. For longer storage freeze them between sheets of parchment so they dont stick, and reheat straight from frozen in a hot skillet for best texture.