This homemade pita bread recipe is easy to make and requires a few ingredients you may already have on hand! Mix up the very simple dough, let it rise, and experience the magic of fresh, warm, perfectly puffy homemade pita bread. Baking and skillet instructions included!
Pita bread is freezer friendly. And you can even prepare the dough ahead. Be sure to read through for tips and my step-by-step tutorial.
Many ways to use pita bread!
Whether we're talking falafel, shawarma, hummus or even deli meat, pita pockets are my go-to.
In fact, a basket of warm pita is almost always on the dinner table next to anything from soups and stews to saucy meatballs requiring something to sop up the delicious goodness.
I've turned pita into chips and churro chips! And when the kids need a good snack to hold them over until a late dinner, I serve up some pita with a little dish of za'atar and some extra virgin olive oil for dipping.
Is it worth it to make your own homemade pita bread?
YES! As someone who grew up on authentic fresh pita bread from Egyptian bakeries, I can tell you this: pita bread we buy at grocery stores here in the U.S. is simply not the same. Like store-bought sandwich bread, store-bought pita has typically been sitting on the shelf for a few days.
Don't get me wrong, I have bought pita at the store many times. It must be warmed up and used pretty quickly.
But what I'm after here is: Fresh. Warm. Fragrant. Perfectly puffy pita bread. Making it takes me back to the streets of Egypt where I grew up.
Making pita bread at home is straightforward and takes just a few ingredients you probably already have on hand.
This recipe will make 8 pitas. And you can bake them in the oven or cook them stovetop in a hot skillet.
Ingredients
- Water
- Yeast
- Pinch sugar
- All-purpose flour (or a combination of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour)
- Kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt)
- Extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil)
Do I need a stand mixer to make pita bread?
No! In fact, I prefer to knead the dough by hand for my pita bread. You will not be doing too much kneading, and the result is almost better than using a stand mixer. Here's all the equipment you need to make this pita bread recipe:
- Large mixing bowl like this one (affiliate link)
- Wooden spoon or anything to stir the dough
- A rolling pin (affiliate link) to flatten the pita like
How to Make Pita Bread: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Make sponge
Combine 1 cup lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl with yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Add ½ cup flour and whisk together. Place the mixing bowl in a warm (not hot) place, uncovered. Wait about 15 minutes or until mixture is frothy and bubbling a bit
Tip: If you don't see some bubbles, your yeast is dead. Start over with new yeast.
Step 2: Form the pita dough
Now add salt, olive oil, and the remaining flour (keep about ½ cup of the flour for dusting later). Stir until mixture forms a shaggy mass.
(What's a shaggy mass? Basically, at this point, the dough has little to no gluten development and just looks like a sticky mess and you can easily pull bits off).
Dust with a little flour, then knead the mixture inside the bowl for about 1 minute incorporating any stray bits.
Step: 3 Knead the dough
Dust a clean working surface with just a little bit of flour. Knead lightly for 2 minutes or so until smooth. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then knead again for a couple more minutes. The dough should be soft and a little bit moist, you can help it with a little dusting flour, but try not to add too much.
Step: 4 Let the pita dough rise
Clean the mixing bowl and give it a light coating of extra virgin olive oil. Put the dough back in the bowl and turn it a couple times just to coat it a bit with the olive oil.
Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap, then cover it with a kitchen towel. Put the bowl in a warm (not hot) place. Leave it for 1 hour or until the dough rises to double its size.
Step 5: Divide the dough
Gently deflate the dough and place it on a clean work surface. Divide the dough into 7 to 8 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Cover with a towel and leave them for 10 minutes or so.
Step 6: Shape the pitas
Using a floured rolling pin, roll one of the pieces into a circle that's 8-9 inches wide and about a quarter inch thick. It helps to lift and turn the dough frequently as you roll so that dough doesn't stick to your counter too much. (If dough starts to stick, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour). If the dough starts to spring back, set it aside to rest for a few minutes, then continue rolling. Repeat with the other pieces of dough.
Tip: Once you get going, you can be cooking one pita while rolling another, if you like.
You have two options for baking the pita from here.
Step 7: Bake in the oven OR on stovetop
To bake pita in the oven: Heat the oven to 475 degrees F and place a heavy-duty baking pan or large cast iron skillet on the middle rack to heat. Working in batches, place the rolled-out pitas directly on the hot baking baking sheet (I was only able to fit 2 at a time).
Bake for 2 minutes on one side, and then, using a pair of tongs, carefully turn pita over to bake for 1 minute on the other side. The pita will puff nicely and should be ready. Remove from the oven and cover the baked pitas with a clean towel while you work on the rest of the pitas.
To cook pita in a skillet (stovetop): Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. (Test by adding a couple drops of water to the skillet, the skillet is ready when the beads of water sizzle immediately). Drizzle a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil and wipe off any excess. Working with one pita at a time, lay a rolled-out pita on the skillet and bake for 30 seconds, until bubbles start to form.
Using a spatula, flip the pita over and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side, until large toasted spots appear on the underside. Flip again and cook another 1-2 minutes to toast the other side. The pita is ready when it puffs up forming a pocket
Tip: Sometimes, with this stovetop method, the pita may not puff or may only form a small pocket. Try pressing the surface of the pita gently with a clean towel. Keep baked pita covered with a clean towel while you work on the rest.
Can the dough be prepared ahead?
Yes, you can prepare the dough ahead of time. Once it has risen, you can store it in the fridge until you need it!
If you don't want to bake all 8 pitas on a given day, you can bake 1, 2 or however many you need at a time. Save the rest of the dough in the fridge for later (if stored properly, the dough will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week).
Can I make gluten free pita bread using this recipe?
Many of you have asked if this recipe can be made with gluten free flour. YES!
You can simply replace the flour here with the same amount of an all-purpose gluten free flour. Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten free flour or Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour (<--affiliate link) will work in this recipe.
Why won't my pita puff?
Note that pita will not stay puffy once it sits out of the oven for a bit. We want it to puff during the baking process so that it forms a pocket to hold all sorts of tasty items. But let's just agree that even pitas that don't puff and end up more like a flatbread without a pocket are still delicious.
That said, the main reason pita won't puff has to do with baking temperature--the oven or the skillet aren't hot enough. Make sure both are well-heated before cooking.
Storage and freezer instructions
Baked pita bread is best enjoyed fresh and hot-out-of the oven. But, you likely won't finish 8 loaves of pita in one sitting unless you're hosting a big dinner party. Good news is, pita bread will store well for a few days in an air-tight bag. Warm it up in your oven or toaster oven or even over open flame.
You can freeze pita bread for later use! Here's what you do:
- Cool pita bread completely
- Store in zip-top bags. Make sure to push all the air out. Layer wax paper between the pitas, this makes it easy to pull just one pita at a time, if you like.
- Freeze for up to 3 months
- Warm frozen pitas up in a medium-heated oven. No need to thaw.
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Homemade Pita Bread Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 48 minutes
- Yield: 8 whole pitas 1x
Description
My family's authentic, fool-proof pita bread recipe is easy to make and requires a few ingredients you may already have on hand! Mix up the very simple dough, let it rise, and experience the magic of fresh, warm, perfectly puffy homemade pita bread. Baking and stovetop instructions included!
Ingredients
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- ½ tsp sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided (or 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour and 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour)
- 1 to 2 teaspoon kosher salt (I used Diamond Crystal kosher salt)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (I used Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil), more for the bowl
Instructions
- Make sponge: In a large mixing bowl add the lukewarm water and stir in yeast and sugar until dissolved. Add ½ cup flour and whisk together. Place the mixing bowl in a warm place, uncovered to form a lose sponge. Give it 15 minutes or so, the mixture should bubble.
- Form the pita dough: Now add salt, olive oil and almost all the remaining flour (keep about ½ cup of the flour for dusting later). Stir until mixture forms a shaggy mass (at this point, the dough has little to no gluten development and just looks like a sticky mess and you can easily pull bits off). Dust with a little flour, then knead the mixture inside the bowl for about a minute to incorporate any stray bits.
- Knead the dough: Dust a clean working surface with just a little bit of flour. Knead lightly for a couple minutes or so until smooth. Cover and let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then knead again for a couple more minutes. The dough should be a little bit moist, you can help it with a little dusting of flour, but be careful not to add too much flour.
- Let the dough rise. Clean the mixing bowl and coat it lightly with extra virgin olive oil and put the dough back in the bowl. Turn the dough a couple times in the bowl to coat with the olive oil. Cover the mixing bowl tightly with plastic wrap then lay a kitchen towel over. Put the bowl in a warm place. Leave it alone for 1 hour or until the dough rises to double its size.
- Divide the dough. Deflate the dough and place it on a clean work surface. Divide the dough into 7 to 8 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Cover with a towel and leave them for 10 minutes or so to rest.
- Shape the pitas. Using a floured rolling pin, roll one of the pieces into a circle that's 8-9 inches wide and about a quarter inch thick. It helps to lift and turn the dough frequently as you roll so that dough doesn't stick to your counter too much. (If dough starts to stick, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour). If the dough starts to spring back, set it aside to rest for a few minutes, then continue rolling. Repeat with the other pieces of dough. (Once you get going, you can be cooking one pita while rolling another, if you like). You have two options for baking the pita from here.
- To bake pita in the oven: Heat the oven to 475 degrees F and place a heavy-duty baking pan or large cast iron skillet on the middle rack to heat. Working in batches, place the rolled-out pitas directly on the hot baking baking sheet (I was only able to fit 2 at a time). Bake for 2 minutes on one side, and then, using a pair of tongs, carefully turn pita over to bake for 1 minute on the other side. The pita will puff nicely and should be ready. Remove from the oven and cover the baked pitas with a clean towel while you work on the rest of the pitas.
- To cook pita on stovetop: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. (Test by adding a couple drops of water to the skillet, the skillet is ready when the beads of water sizzle immediately). Drizzle a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil and wipe off any excess. Working with one pita at a time, lay a rolled-out pita on the skillet and bake for 30 seconds, until bubbles start to form. Using a spatula, flip the pita over and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side, until large toasted spots appear on the underside. Flip again and cook another 1-2 minutes to toast the other side. The pita is ready when it puffs up forming a pocket (sometimes, with this method, the pita may not puff or may only form a small pocket. Try pressing the surface of the pita gently with a clean towel). Keep baked pita covered with a clean towel while you work on the rest.
Notes
- Make ahead note: You can prepare the dough ahead of time. Once it has risen, you can store it in the fridge until you need it! If you don't want to bake all 8 pitas on a given day, you can bake 1, 2 or however many you need at a time. Save the rest of the dough in the fridge for later (if stored properly, the dough will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week).
- For Whole Wheat Pita: Use 1 ½ cup whole wheat flour and 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- For Gluten Free Pita: Replace the flour here with the same amount of an all-purpose gluten free flour. Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten free flour or Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour (<--affiliate link) will work in this recipe.
- Leftover storage and freezing instructions: Baked pita bread is best enjoyed fresh and hot-out-of the oven. But, baked pita bread will store well for a few days in an air-tight bag. Warm it up in your oven or toaster oven or even over open flame. You can also freeze baked pita for up to 3 months; warm up in a medium-heated oven from frozen.
- Visit our online shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including extra virgin olive oils and all-natural and organic spices
- Prep Time: 1 hour 45 mins
- Cook Time: 3 mins
- Category: Pita Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
*This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2014 and had recently been updated with new information and media for readers' benefit. Enjoy!
Very clear, easy-to-follow directions, and the pita bread is SO yummy! Definitely will be making these again.
Awesome! Thanks, Christina!
When I roll out my dough it shrinks back almost to original size. What am I doing wrong?
It may take a few tries rolling it out, Rebecca.
Hi! How much yeast do you use in recipe? I don’t remember seeing the exact amount when I read through this recipe, I hope to be trying your recipe out soon!
2 teaspoons :). Enjoy!
Puffed up nicely. Great tips. Froze really well, and reheated well in the microwave. Will be using this recipe again and again. Many thanks!
That's wonderful to hear! Thanks, Mandy.
I noticed after adding the flour that the recipe doesn't specify amount of water in the list of ingredients, so doubling and tripling the final product amount shorts the amount of water by half and two thirds, respectively. Can the recipe as published be edited?
Hi, Arthur. The amount of water needed is one cup, as stated in Step 1 of the instructions. Thanks for the heads up about that amount not being listed in the "Ingredients" section.
I do like this recipe. It is pretty much exactly the same as a recipe for Naan I commonly use (Old Delhi style, under British influence). People typically think of South Asian Naan and flatbreads as unleavened, which they typically are. However, there was a period in India and Pakistan when the ready availability of yeast in the region led to people making flatbreads more like this Pita recipe. When I lived in Washington, DC from 1990-2001, there was an Indian restaurant in Georgetown which essentially made the Naan this method. n.b. for high altitude and desert, I added a little water to the dough... and again molded the dough balls with water before resting them,
[1] As far as spicing (previously comment), I think you would find cumin, coriander, maybe some fennel -- spices common to the Indian palette -- pleasing; however, I think in general these breads are left largely plain in order to accompany the seasonings of the main dish. n.b. -- Old Delhi Naan the yeast starter would typically use Honey or Jaggery (date palm sugar) instead of white granulated sugar.
[2] Peshawari Naan, for example, is typically more of a desert than a main course bread and it uses yeast: a pocket stuffed with toasted slivered almond, sultanas (large golden raisins), and coconut (typically unsweetened). Once the ball of dough is rolled flat into a 7-8" pancake, the stuffing is sprinkled on it, and it is folded (dim-sum style, maybe Lotus-flower fold), flipped, and lightly rolled to seal the ingredients. Then it is baked on a hot griddle, puffing up, the sultanas and coconut release sugar which caramelizes in the steam, and you get a simple stuff pocket pastry -- Asian Pop Tarts?
Thank you for sharing this information, Craig! Very interesting!!
What does it mean to be in a warm place? Is on the counter ok or does it need to be in the oven?
Hi Bernie, I typically avoid places where there may be a draft of air. you can warm up the oven just a tiny bit then be sure to turn it off and use the warm, closed oven to serve this purpose.
Hi, Pita bread was excellent. Do you have a recipe for a flour tortilla?
I don not, Gail. I'm sorry 🙁
I have made several different flatbread and pita recipes and this is the best! I make this often because it is so easy and my husband loves the homemade flavor! I want to experiment and add some herbs and flavorings!!
That sounds fun! If you do, please stop back and share your experiences!!
delicious and easy, mine didn't puff but i am sure it was something i did wrong but we still enjoyed them greatly
I love Pita bread and yours was so good! My whole family loved them and have already asked me to make them again. Your directions were so easy to follow..Thanks so much!
Awesome! So glad y'all enjoyed it!
Made the dough on Sunday, and cooked an individual pita dough ball every time I wanted to eat one. The dough stayed well in the fridge the remainder of the week and I was able to enjoy hot, fresh pita bread every day! I was so impressed with how fluffy and delicious this bread considering how simple the ingredients/preparation was. Will ABSOLUTELY be making again!
Thank you so much for sharing, Gabi!
We are a v small family. Can I half all the ingredients. 1 cup flour and 1cup wholewheat. Kindly advise proportion of yeast.
Hello! I have never tried halving this recipe, so I'm not 100% sure of the proportions, but you could try cutting the amount of each ingredient by half. I really recommend making the whole batch, though, and freezing the pitas that you do not eat. They keep very well in the freezer for about 3 months.
Can you sub out sugar for a healthier sugar? Say coconut sugar, etc?
I would say you could...you're using only 1/2 a teaspoon, so it should be fine to substitute, but I haven't tried it myself.
Delicious!
The dough it looked quite dense, they were light and tasty.
I've used heavy duty mixer with dough hook and might use dough cycle on my bread machine next time as i am a bit too lazy to mix it manually
Thanks!
Super! Thanks so much for sharing, Peter!
Thanks for sharing, Peter!
It says you can refrigerate after rising dough to make later if dough is properly stored. What is the best way to atore the store?
Thanks
Hi Elizabeth, one way to do this is to store the dough in a lightly oiled bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap.
Hey Suzy!
Love all your recipes, specially the show.
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of 50/50 to make whole wheat pita bread? (For Whole Wheat Pita: Use 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour). Also I'll be using instant dry yeast. Kindly advise.
Thanks
Anju
Hi, Anju! I think using all whole wheat flour would work just fine. You may also be able to use instant yeast, as well, but you will need to make some adjustments. According to my research, you’ll want to go ahead mix your instant dry yeast, salt and flour together . Add the water to a large bowl and then mix in the flour mixture and knead following the recipe from there. Would love to hear if this works out well for you. Thank you!