This two-ingredient pita bread is a quick and easy recipe that results in perfectly soft and fluffy pita bread. It takes minutes to prepare and is a breeze to make, even if you don't have any bread making experience! Use this easy and delicious no yeast pita bread to scoop up your favorite dips, make delicious wraps, or toast it to make pita chips!
Traditional pita bread is a yeast-leavened, round flatbread that is two-layered, or has a "pocket". It is a staple in the Middle East and is used to scoop up food and make wraps or sandwiches.
This two-ingredient pita bread recipe is not an authentic recipe, as that would require more ingredients and time. However, this recipe makes an incredibly quick, easy, and delicious alternative to yeast-leavened pita bread. And as a bonus, this two-ingredient pita bread contains more protein thanks to Greek yogurt!
Once you make this two-ingredient pita bread, your mind will be blown and you'll want to eat it with everything. I highly recommend using it to make my beef and lamb shawarma wraps. For an even simpler dinner, you have to try my arayes with cheese, which are meat stuffed pitas.
If you'd rather keep it vegetarian, then enjoy this pita bread with Lebanese green beans or use it to scoop up some Lebanese eggplant moussaka. You really can't go wrong with either, as long as you make it!
Ingredients
- Self-rising flour: This is a store-bought flour which already contains baking powder and salt. If you don't have self-rising flour, you can easily make your own at home with a combination of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Greek yogurt: I found that whole milk Greek yogurt produced the best pita bread in terms of flavor and texture. But I had equal success with the dough using non-fat Greek yogurt. You can also use plain yogurt, but since it is not as thick as Greek yogurt, you will need to add more flour.
Instructions
If you don't have pre-made self-rising flour, the first thing you need to do is whisk all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Otherwise, place the self-rising flour in a large bowl.
Add the Greek yogurt to the flour, and using a big spatula, mix them together until mostly incorporated. You should have a bunch of clumps of dough with some dry flour left in the bowl.
Next, use your hands to knead the dough for a couple minutes. If using a large bowl, you can do the kneading in the bowl. If not, you can dump everything onto a clean counter and knead the dough.
Knead the dough by hand for just a couple of minutes or until you have a a uniform ball of dough. It should be tacky to touch but not overly sticky. If it is too sticky, add one tablespoon of flour at a time and knead it again.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. If you have the time, let it rest for one hour at room temperature. The longer it rests, the more the pita bread will puff. A short rest time will not affect the flavor or texture, so work around your schedule!
If you don't have much time, start preheating a cast iron skillet or griddle over low heat as soon as you finish kneading the dough. You want the skillet to get smoking hot before you cook the pita bread on it. This should take about 10 to 15 minutes of preheating.
To prepare this two-ingredient pita bread for cooking, uncover the dough and knead it just a couple times, then place it on a clean counter and cut it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and set it aside and cover to prevent drying them out.
Lightly flour a work surface and rub flour on the rolling pin. One at a time, roll out the pita bread as thin as possible. They should be about 6 to 8 inches in diameter, and about ⅛ inch thick. If the dough starts sticking to the rolling pin or counter, dust them with a little bit of flour.
Carefully remove the rolled out dough and place it flat in the hot skillet. Cook the pita bread for 1 to 2 minutes, then use a spatula to flip it and cook the other side for another minute or two.
As soon as you flip it, the pita bread should puff up beautifully. But if it doesn't puff up, don't worry. Sometimes if there is a little tear in the dough or if the dough didn't rest enough, it doesn't puff up as well. It will still be soft and delicious!
Once cooked and golden brown on both sides, remove the pita bread and place on a plate covered with a clean towel to keep warm and soft. Continue the same steps with the rest of the dough balls until all the pita bread is cooked.
Now tear a piece of that fluffy, delicious two-ingredient pita bread and enjoy it! Dip it, scoop with it, toast it, stuff it, do whatever your pita-loving heart desires!
Substitutions and Variations
This two-ingredient pita bread is naturally vegetarian and eggless, but it can easily be made vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free with the substitutions below.
- Self-rising flour: To make your own self-rising flour at home, for every one cup of all-purpose flour, mix in 1.5 teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. If your baking powder is clumpy, sift it before adding it.
- Vegan: You can use a dairy-free yogurt to make this a vegan two-ingredient pita bread.
- Gluten-free: You can use either a measure for measure gluten-free flour or a gluten-free all-purpose flour to make this pita bread. Note that different brands will have different results, and you may need to adjust the amount of flour or yogurt to achieve a workable dough. The result will be less puffy and more dense.
- Spices and herbs: For a fun twist, feel free to add your favorite spices or herbs to the dough. It won't be a two-ingredient pita bread anymore, but it will still be super easy and delicious!
Tips To Make The Best Two-Ingredient Pita Bread
- Go by feel. Different flours soak up liquid differently, and different yogurt brands are more or less liquidy. Use your best judgement and adjust the amounts as you're kneading the dough to get the right consistency.
- Use flour sparingly. The dough will be tacky, so don't let that scare you and make you add a ton of flour. The more flour you add, the less tender the pita bread will be.
- Choose a whole milk Greek yogurt. The higher fat content produces a better texture and richer flavor in this two-ingredient pita bread.
- Make sure your skillet is very hot. You need a very hot surface to cook the pita breads and allow them to puff up. That's why it's important to preheat your cast iron skillet for at least 10 minutes before cooking the pita bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some brands of flour absorb more flour than others, making them more sticky. Also, some brands of Greek yogurt are runnier than others, which will result in too much liquid for the amount of flour. Simply add a little bit of flour at a time and knead the dough until it just tacky to touch.
If you would like to use whole wheat flour to make this pita bread, I recommend making your own self-rising flour starting with 25% whole wheat flour and 75% white flour. Whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid, so you'll need to adjust the yogurt amount accordingly. Whole wheat flour results in a drier, denser bread. You can gradually increase the ratio of whole wheat flour if the you like the flavor and texture.
Store the pita bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. If you need to store them longer, place them in the refrigerator up to two weeks.
Yes, you can store the pita bread in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the freezer for up to three months. You don't have to thaw them in advance, simply heat the pita bread and enjoy.
To retain the tender, fluffy texture, sprinkle the pita bread with a little bit of water and place in a 350°F oven for about three minutes, or until warmed through and there is no residual water on the surface. Alternatively, cover the pita bread with a damp paper towel and reheat in the microwave for about 15 to 30 seconds.
Check Out These Recipes That Pair Perfectly With This Two-Ingredient Pita Bread
- Beef and Lamb Shawarma Wraps
- Instant Pot Dandelion Greens with Caramelized Onions
- Lebanese Eggplant Moussaka
- Turkish Eggs (Çilbir)
- Lebanese Green Beans (Loubieh Bi Zeit)
- Authentic Fattoush Salad
- Cucumber Mint Yogurt Salad (Cacik)
Two-Ingredient Pita Bread
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups self-rising flour, see note for homemade self-rising flour
- 1 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large bowl, combine the self-rising flour and Greek yogurt. Use a spatula to mix together as much as possible.
- Knead the dough by hand for a couple minutes, either in the bowl or on a clean work surface. Use more flour sparingly if the dough is too sticky to handle. Once you have a uniform dough ball that is slightly tacky, cover it with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it rest for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour.
- While the dough is resting, preheat a cast iron skillet or griddle over low heat until it gets smoking hot - about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Uncover the dough and knead it a couple times, then cut it into 8 equal portions. Roll each piece into a ball and set aside, covered.
- Lightly flour a clean work surface and a rolling pin, and roll out each dough ball into a 6 to 8 inch round, about ⅛ inch thickness.
- Place the rolled out dough onto the hot skillet, and let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Flip it and cook the other side for another minute or two, until golden.
- Place the cooked pita bread on a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm and soft while you finish the rest.
NOTES
NUTRITION
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and may vary.
Diana says
This recipe is so good and the bread was delicious! I made this for my family and really impressed them.
Gladys @ Forks and Foliage says
Hi Diana! I am so happy you and your family enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for leaving a comment 🙂