Discover the ultimate simplicity with our Easy 2-Ingredient Flatbread Recipe! This incredibly soft and versatile flatbread is crafted using just self-rising flour and natural sour cream, requiring absolutely no yeast. Perfect for effortless wraps, a quick substitute for pizza dough, or for deliciously dipping into your favorite curries, this recipe will revolutionize your homemade bread game.
If you’re a fan of baking fresh bread at home, you’ll also adore our No-Knead Bread and Homemade Pizza Dough. These recipes offer similar ease and fantastic results, making them perfect additions to your culinary repertoire.
The Magic of Easy 2-Ingredient Flatbread: A Culinary Game Changer
The concept of a magical two-ingredient dough, though not entirely new, has recently surged in popularity, captivating home cooks with its simplicity and incredible versatility. This innovative dough eliminates the need for yeast, which means no lengthy rising times – a huge win for anyone seeking quick, delicious results. The outcome is consistently soft, pliable, and utterly delicious, making it a staple in any kitchen.
What makes this dough so extraordinary? Traditionally, it relies on a simple blend of self-rising flour and Greek yogurt. However, we’ve discovered that natural sour cream works just as beautifully, offering a similar texture and consistency to Greek yogurt while often being more readily available in many households. The secret lies in the reaction between the leavening agent in self-rising flour (baking powder) and the acidity of the sour cream or yogurt. This combination creates a rapid rise, giving the flatbread its characteristic softness without any waiting.
This remarkable dough isn’t limited to just flatbreads. Its adaptability allows you to craft a variety of baked goods, including fluffy bagels, crispy pizza crusts, soft pretzels, delightful dinner rolls, and even authentic pita bread. It’s a true kitchen chameleon, ready to transform into whatever culinary creation you envision.
Understanding Flatbread: A Global Staple
Before we dive into the recipe, let’s briefly explore what flatbread truly is. At its core, flatbread is a broad category of bread made with flour, water, and salt, and characteristically, without yeast. This unleavened nature results in a thinner, often chewier, or crispier texture compared to traditional leavened loaves. Flatbreads are a cornerstone of cuisines around the world, from the naan and roti of South Asia to the tortillas of Mexico, the pita of the Middle East, and countless others.
They are prized for their versatility and ability to complement a vast array of dishes. Whether torn into pieces and used to scoop up flavorful curries, acting as the perfect vessel for savory gyros or shawarma meats, or simply enjoyed on their own, flatbreads offer a delightful textural and flavor contrast that enhances any meal. Our 2-ingredient version captures this essence, providing a homemade flatbread that is both authentic in feel and incredibly simple to prepare.
Essential Ingredients for Your Flatbread Success
This recipe truly lives up to its “2-ingredient” promise for the base dough, with a couple of optional additions for enhanced flavor. Here’s what you’ll need to create these wonderfully soft and pliable flatbreads:
- Self-Rising Flour: This is one of the star ingredients. If you don’t have self-rising flour, don’t worry! You can easily make your own by combining all-purpose flour with baking powder and a touch of salt. (See our detailed note below for the exact ratios).
- Natural Sour Cream OR Greek Yogurt: The second crucial ingredient. Both provide the necessary acidity and moisture to react with the self-rising flour, yielding a tender, airy dough. Opt for full-fat varieties for the best texture and flavor. For a vegan alternative, coconut yogurt can also work beautifully.
- Salt (Optional, but Recommended): If you’re using all-purpose flour to create your own self-rising flour, salt is essential for flavor balance. Even with store-bought self-rising flour, a pinch of extra salt can elevate the taste of your flatbreads.
Crafting Your 2-Ingredient Flatbread: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making these soft and adaptable flatbreads is surprisingly straightforward. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have warm, homemade flatbreads ready in no time:
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, measure out your self-rising flour (or all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt if making your own blend). Whisk these ingredients together thoroughly to ensure even distribution of the leavening agent.
- Add Wet Ingredient: Pour in the natural sour cream (or Greek yogurt). Using a sturdy wooden spoon or a spatula, gently stir the ingredients until they start to come together to form a shaggy dough.
- Form the Dough: Use your hands to gather the shaggy dough and knead it gently for about 1-2 minutes until it forms a cohesive, smooth ball. It should be soft but not overly sticky.
- Rest the Dough: Place the dough ball on a lightly floured surface. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 20 minutes. This resting period is crucial as it allows the gluten to relax, making the dough much easier to roll out and resulting in a more tender flatbread.
- Prepare Skillet: While the dough rests, lightly grease a cast iron skillet (an 11-inch skillet works well) and place it over medium to medium-high heat. Allow it to preheat thoroughly, ensuring even cooking.
- Divide the Dough: Once rested, form the dough into a log shape. Carefully cut the log in half, then cut each half into two, continuing until you have 8 evenly sized pieces. This ensures consistent flatbread sizes.
- Roll Out Flatbreads: Take each piece of dough and form it into a small ball. Lightly flatten it on a floured surface with your palm, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a thin, even circle, approximately 6-8 inches in diameter. Don’t worry if they aren’t perfectly round; rustic charm is part of the appeal!
- Cook the Flatbreads: Gently place a rolled-out flatbread onto the preheated skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, or until beautiful golden-brown spots appear on the surface and the flatbread puffs up slightly. The exact cooking time may vary slightly depending on your skillet and heat level.
- Repeat and Serve: Remove the cooked flatbread from the skillet and set it aside, perhaps in a warm towel to keep it soft. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining dough pieces. Serve your freshly made flatbreads warm and enjoy!
FAQ: What Can I Substitute for Self-Rising Flour?
Self-rising flour is simply a convenient pre-mixed blend of all-purpose flour and a leavening agent, typically baking powder, along with a touch of salt. If you don’t have it on hand, making your own is incredibly easy and highly recommended for this recipe. For every 1 cup of all-purpose flour, you will need to add 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of fine salt. For our recipe requiring 3 cups of flour, you would combine 3 cups of all-purpose flour with 4.5 teaspoons of baking powder and ¾ teaspoon of salt. You can even prepare a larger batch and store it in an airtight container for future quick baking.
The Beauty of No Yeast Flatbread
The magic of achieving a fluffy and soft flatbread without yeast lies in the science of other leavening agents. Self-rising flour is perfectly suited for this because it already contains baking powder. When baking powder (a base) is combined with an acidic ingredient like Greek yogurt or natural sour cream, it creates a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas. These gas bubbles get trapped in the dough, causing it to puff up and become light and airy during cooking. This process is much faster than yeast fermentation, which requires time to activate and rise. For those seeking a vegan option, coconut yogurt works similarly, reacting with the self-rising flour to achieve the desired soft and pliable texture.
Endless Culinary Possibilities: How to Use Your Flatbread
Once you’ve mastered this easy 2-ingredient flatbread, a world of culinary possibilities opens up. Its neutral flavor and tender texture make it incredibly versatile for both savory and sweet applications. Here are just a few ideas to inspire you:
- Quick Pizza Base: Forget store-bought crusts! Use your homemade flatbread as an instant pizza base. Simply spread with your favorite tomato sauce, pile on pepperoni, cheese, and any other toppings, then bake until the cheese is bubbly and melted. It’s a deliciously fast weeknight meal.
- Perfect Curry Companion: Tear the warm flatbread into pieces and serve alongside a hearty bowl of curry and rice. Its soft texture is ideal for soaking up rich sauces and gravies, enhancing every bite.
- Gourmet Wraps and Sandwiches: Elevate your lunch or dinner by using flatbreads as the ultimate wrap. Fill them with thinly sliced shawarma or gyros meat, crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, red onion, and a drizzle of tzatziki or tahini sauce for an authentic experience. They also make fantastic soft tacos or quesadillas.
- Healthy Hummus & Veggie Platter: For a light and healthy lunch or snack, spread a warm flatbread with a generous layer of hummus. Top with a colorful array of fresh vegetables like cucumber, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs. A squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of za’atar complete this delightful meal.
- Breakfast Delight: Transform your flatbread into a unique breakfast item. Try spreading it with cream cheese and smoked salmon, or even a sweet spread like Nutella and sliced bananas.
- Soup & Salad Side: Serve warm flatbreads with a bowl of your favorite soup or a fresh, crisp salad. They add a comforting and satisfying element to any light meal.
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Easy 2-Ingredient Flatbread Recipe
Author: Anna
Easy soft flatbread made with self-rising flour, natural sour cream and no yeast. Perfect for wraps, in place of pizza dough or dipped in curry.
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Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 389 kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (see note if using self-rising flour)
- 3 ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups natural sour cream or Greek yogurt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add natural sour cream and stir with a wooden spoon.
- Form the dough into a ball. Place on a floured surface. Let rest for 20 minutes.
- Next, form the dough into a log and slice in half. Slice each half into two and keep going until you have 8 pieces.
- Form each dough piece into a ball and roll out with a rolling pin into a thin circle.
- Grease a cast iron 11-inch skillet. Preheat oven medium to medium-high heat.
- Carefully, place each piece in skillet and fry on each side for 2 minutes OR until it is golden and golden brown spots appear on the surface.
- Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining pieces of dough.
Notes
If using self-rising flour, skip the baking powder and salt since the flour already has it.
Store cooled flatbread in a ziploc bag to prevent drying. Serve with curry and rice, as a mini pizza dough or in wraps with gyros or shawarma meat.
Nutrition
Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 468mg | Potassium: 584mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Calcium: 259mg | Iron: 4.7mg
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