How to make Pita Bread

My 5-ingredient homemade Pita Bread Recipe is one of the easiest bread recipes for beginning bakers. The pillowy, no-knead bread is incredible for wrap sandwiches, to scoop up dips, or on the side of so many Mediterranean recipes.

You will love this Easy Pita Bread Recipe!

Whether you fill them to make a sandwich or cut them to use for dipping, homemade pita bread is soft, has a nice puff, and totally addictive.

This flatbread version is easy to make (skip the kneading!) and ideal for wrapping your next Chicken Gyro or serving with a Mediterranean Buddha bowl. It beats store-bought pita every time! Your next baking project awaits.

Pita Bread Ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

• Active dry yeast: Fleischmann’s, Red Star, Bob’s Red Mill, or Saf are all good brands of yeast. Just make sure it’s fresh and hasn’t expired. To begin this Homemade Pita recipe, you’ll bloom the yeast with warm water that’s between 110 and 115 degrees. Within 15 minutes, the yeast should look foamy. If it doesn’t, the yeast isn’t alive and should be discarded. Yeast activates at 40 degrees and dies at 140 degrees.
• Sugar: I promise this doesn’t make the pita sweet! The yeast just needs some sugar to fuel its work to make these homemade pitas puffy.

How to make Pita Bread

1. In a small bowl, combine warm water (between 110 and 115 degrees), yeast, and sugar, and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 15 minutes, until the mixture foams.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment or by hand, add extra virgin olive oil, salt, and flour and mix until smooth and elastic, about 2 to 3 minutes, adding more flour if the dough is too sticky (about 1 teaspoon at a time). Dough should be soft and moist.

3. Place dough in a large greased mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour. 

4. Place a pizza stone or large cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Lightly dust a clean surface with flour. Using your hands, punch down the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into 4 even-sized pieces and roll into balls (about 3 ounces each). Cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes. 

5. Working one at a time, roll each round into a ¼-inch thick circle with a rolling pin, about 8-inches wide, sprinkling dough with extra flour if it starts to stick to the surface. 

6. Working as quickly as possible, open your oven and carefully place as many pitas that will fit on your skillet or stone without touching. Bake until air pocket balloons form and the pitas start to become golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat with remaining rounds. 

7. Place baked pita on sheet pan and cover with kitchen towel to keep warm.

Pita Recipe Tips and Variations

• Yield: This recipe makes four (8-inch) pitas.
• Get spicy: Infuse more flavor into every crumb by brushing the still-warm pita with olive oil or clarified butter. Immediately sprinkle with any dried herb, such as oregano or marjoram, or spice blend, like Za’atar.
• Wraps: Use homemade pita bread to wrap falafel, gyros, and even Caesar Salad with Chicken.

How to Store Pita Bread

Store pita bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Do not store in the refrigerator (it will dry out).

Can you freeze Pita Bread?

Yes. Wrap pita bread in a double layer of plastic and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Favorite dips for pita bread

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Homemade Pita

By Meggan Hill

My 5-ingredient homemade Pita Bread Recipe is one of the easiest bread recipes for beginning bakers. The pillowy, no-knead bread is incredible for wrap sandwiches, to scoop up dips, or on the side of so many Mediterranean recipes.

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Proof Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings 4 pita

Course Bread

Cuisine Mediterranean

Calories 339

5 from 2 votes

ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 1 cup warm water (between 110 to 115 degrees)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons active dry yeast (about 1 (0.25 ounce) packet, see note 1)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (see note 2)
• ▢ 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions 

• In a small bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and sugar, and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 15 minutes until mixture foams.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or by hand, add oil, salt, and flour and mix until smooth and elastic, about 2 to 3 minutes, adding more flour if the dough is too sticky (about 1 teaspoon at a time). Dough should be soft and moist.
• Place dough in a large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Leave in a warm place until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour. 
• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 500 degrees. Add a pizza stone or large cast-iron skillet to oven rack. Lightly dust a clean surface with flour.
• Using your hands, punch down dough and turn it out onto floured surface. Divide dough into 4 even sized pieces and roll into balls (about 3 ounces each). Cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes. 
• Working one at a time, roll each round into a ¼-inch thick circle, about 8-inches wide, sprinkling dough with extra flour if it starts to stick to the surface. 
• Working as quickly as possible, open your oven and carefully place as many pitas that will fit on your skillet or stone without touching.
• Bake until air pocket balloons form and the pita start to become golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Store baked pita on a sheet pan covered with a kitchen towel to keep warm. Repeat with remaining rounds. 

Recipe Video

Notes

1. Active dry yeast: Fleischmann’s, Red Star, Bob’s Red Mill, or Saf are all good brands of yeast. Just make sure it’s fresh and hasn’t expired. To begin this Homemade Pita recipe, you’ll bloom the yeast with warm water that’s between 110 and 115 degrees. Within 15 minutes, the yeast should look foamy. If it doesn’t, the yeast isn’t alive and should be discarded. Yeast activates at 40 degrees and dies at 140 degrees.
2. Sugar: I promise this doesn’t make the pita sweet! The yeast just needs some sugar to fuel its work to make these Homemade Pitas puffy.
3. Yield: This recipe makes four (8-inch) pitas.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 pitaCalories: 339kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 10gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 880mgPotassium: 141mgFiber: 4gSugar: 1gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 4mg

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