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This delicious, pillowy soft Turkish Flatbread is an easy, one-bowl-no-mixer recipe. It's perfect with hummus, tabouli, for wraps and so much more!
If you think you have to have a bit of Middle Eastern heritage to make great Turkish Flatbread, think again! This recipe comes together quickly, without a mixer and minimal kneading and rising. These delicious, tender, pita-type flatbreads are cooked in a pan on the stovetop in minutes.
What is flatbread?
Flatbread has become popular restaurant and grocery store fare in recent years, but it's definitely not a new invention. Rather, it has a long history, originating in ancient Egypt. Over the years, many other cultures, including India, Armenia, Iran, Uzbekistan, Afganistan, and Turkey have come up with their own version of flatbread, each one having slightly different characteristics. What's really fascinating, is that some countries, like Turkey, have numerous types of flatbread, each region of the country having its own distinct version.
In Turkey, flatbread is a staple and there are shops that exclusively sell this simple, delicious type of bread. The variety is staggering. I've read about Pide, Lahmacun, Gözleme, Yufka, Lahmacun, and Bazlama, to name a few. The main differences are in the shape, toppings and cooking methods.
The Turkish flatbread recipe I'm sharing today is Bazlama. Bazlama is similar to naan and, in Turkey, is often baked over an outdoor, wood fire. Bazlama is also known as "village bread" as it's often sold in stands at Turkish markets. One of the distinctions of Bazlama is that it's made with Greek yogurt, making the bread super tender and giving it a tasty tang.
The ingredient list for this Bazlama is, like most flatbreads, super simple: yeast, sugar, water, flour, yogurt, and salt. The dough is stirred up by hand in a bowl, then turned out onto the counter for a short kneading time. It's then covered and allowed to rest for 15 minutes and then it's ready to roll into circles. A short stint in a hot pan and you'll find these fragrant, tender flatbreads difficult to not devour, all by themselves. (Don't ask me how I know!)
I've made several batches of this Turkish flatbread, tweaking it a bit each time and finding more and more ways to use it.
Ways to use this Turkish Flatbread
- Eat it plain or with a spread of peanut butter and a drizzle of honey for a delicious snack.
- Divide the dough into 14 or 16 portions and make the flatbreads smaller. Serve them warm in a bread basket as a dinner bread.
- Spread a spoonful of hummus down the center of a flatbread. Top with grilled (or rotisserie) chicken, diced tomatoes, cilantro, Kalamata olives, crumbled Feta and a drizzle of Zoe's Copycat Dressing. Serve it as a wrap - delish!
- Make flatbread pizza. Just add toppings and bake for 5-8 minutes in a 450˚F oven.
- Stuff with scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast flatbreads.
- Use them in place of bread for your favorite sandwich.
- Heat a medium non-stick sauté pan over medium heat until hot. Add a small drizzle of olive oil and swirl pan to coat. Add a Turkish flatbread and cook until underside is golden. Flip to opposite side and continue cooking till also golden. Cut in wedges and serve as a delicious accompaniment to salads, soups or as an appetizer with hummus or spreads.
- Serve it with Grilled Chicken Swarama and Turkish Cucumber Tomato Salad - recipes coming!!
Café Tips for making this Greek Yogurt Turkish Flatbread
- You can make these flatbreads thicker or thinner by rolling the dough rounds bigger or smaller. I like a medium thickness and roll mine approximately 7 inches in diameter.
- Since every stove is different, you might have to experiment a little bit with the first flatbread. You want the heat high enough that bubbles appear on the top surface and the underside is getting a few golden spots after about 45 seconds to 1 minute. If you're not seeing the bubbles, increase the heat. If the underside is getting brown too fast, decrease the heat a bit. On my stove a heat setting slightly below medium is perfect.
- Brush the dough rounds lightly with olive oil. You want to cover the surface but you don't want greasy flatbread.
- I use whole milk Greek yogurt, but I think any variety of plain Greek yogurt will work fine.
- A tablespoon of kosher salt sounds like a lot, but it's divided between 10 large flatbreads. I tried it with less and the results tasted somewhat bland. However, if you use regular iodized salt instead of kosher salt, definitely use less. Here's a great conversion chart for kosher and table (iodized) salt.
- If you're not used to working with yeast, don't worry! The only trick with yeast is to use the right water (or other liquid) temperature. You want it to be right between 105-110˚F. If you test it with a finger, that's fairly hot, but not so hot that you'd pull your finger back. If you're not sure, use a thermometer to test the temp before adding the yeast and you'll be just fine.
This delicious, pillowy soft Turkish Flatbread is an easy, one-bowl-no-mixer recipe. It's perfect with hummus, tabouli, for wraps and more!
- 1 ¼ cups warm water 105-110˚F
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dried yeast 1 packet
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¾ cup Greek-style yogurt
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
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Combine the yeast, sugar, and water into a medium-large bowl and stir well. Allow to sit in a warm place for 5-10 minutes to activate the yeast. The mixture will be foamy and bubbly when activated.
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Whisk in the Greek yogurt olive oil and salt.
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Add flour and parsley and stir with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula and until the dough comes together. Turn dough out onto a well-floured counter and turn to coat. Knead for 3-4 minutes or until dough is no longer sticky and springs back when lightly pressed. Sprinkle more flour onto the counter if the dough is sticky during kneading.
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Divide dough into 10 equal pieces, sprinkle lightly with flour, then cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rest for 15 minutes.
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Preheat a medium saute pan to a medium-low heat. While pan is heating, roll one of the dough portions into an approximately 7-inch circle. Brush the top surface lightly with extra virgin olive oil. When the pan is hot, pick up the first circle with your hand and place in pan, oiled side down. Lightly brush the top surface with oil. Allow to the flatbread to cook for about 1 to 1 ½ minutes, until top surface is covered with bubbles and underside is golden around the edges and in spots.
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Flip to opposite side and cook for another 60-90 seconds until a few small golden spots appear. Don't overcook on the second side. Repeat rolling, oiling and cooking with remaining portions of dough.
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Sprinkle flatbreads with a bit more chopped parsley when finished, if desired. Stack flatbreads in a clean kitchen towel after cooking to steam a bit and retain softness.
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When cool, store in a ziplock bag. Reheat in a pan without oil for a minute or two on each side OR wrap flatbreads in paper toweling and heat in the microwave on low power until warm.
See Café Tips above in post for further instructions and tips.
Adapted from Allrecipes.
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Glenn Haslam says
Hi, these look awesome
Is there any chance you or anybody else that has made these successfully) can give conversions to grammes/ml or point me to a conversion table that will make sure I get it right first time
Thanks in anticipation, Glenn
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Glenn, under the ingredient list, you can click the word metric to convert the ingredients. Enjoy!
Glenn Haslam says
Thanks ever so much Chris (I need to open my eyes a bit more)
Chris Scheuer says
No problem, Glenn! It's easy to miss.
Pete says
Hi
I haven’t made these flatbreads b4 but the pic looks great. I have a question regarding the amount of yeast …seems a lot for a mere 3 3/4 cups of flour…?
I’ve read the past comments … most saying came out great ..
But I wanted to mix the dough and make them next day … won’t the dough rise way too much ?
Thx
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Pete,
I haven't tried making this dough the day before.
The amount of yeast is correct. 2¼ teaspoons is one packet, the amount generally used with 3-4 cups of flour. You could try refrigerating the dough overnight but, without having tested the recipe with a long rise, I can't ensure success.
Rusty Mefford says
Are you using Plian Greek Yogurt or can vanilla be used?
Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Plain yogurt is best for these!
LindaO says
Finally a great flat bread recipe! This was the easiest and most flavor I've ever gotten from a flatbread recipe! Followed the recipe exactly . Interrupted, I had to cover the dough and refrigerate a few hours. But these were beautiful! I made them for flat bread pizza appetizers. I did brush some of these with a salted butter, olive oil, granulated garlic mixture,.Even more YUM!
One min 30 seconds, Perfect cook time!
I have some gluten free family members, Really actually gluten intolerant people.
Any thoughts on trying this with like a King Arthur non gluten mixture? Are there things I need to change or use in addition to to make a successful flatbread?
Thank You. I've been following you for quite a while. Loving your recipes!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Linda. So happy you enjoyed this recipe.
I haven't personally tried this recipe with GF flour so I can't give you advice on that. My nephew is an expert at GF cooking and baking and he has started a blog. Not sure if he has a flatbread recipe yet but here is his site: https://cakesandcoriander.com
Zee says
Hi Chris
I didn't make these flatbreads yet, but just need to ask a question with regards to freezing.
When making the flatbreads i.e making the dough, resting, shaping and rolling into flatbreads. Do you freeze them in a raw state without baking?
OR do you bake them, wait until they have cooled down before storing in the freezer? And when required, you would thaw them and reheat on stove top?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Zee, Good questions! I freeze them after they’re cooked. And yes, I heat them in a pan with just a tiny drizzle of oil. Just heat up the pan, add the oil (about a half teaspoon), swirl the oil around the pan then add the flatbread. Cook for about 30-30 seconds then flip it. The flatbread will puff a bit and “come alive”. It’s ready to enjoy!
Brian W says
Easy recipe. Quick to make. Tasted great.
Tasted the yogurt, oil, and salt mixture (had to hold it for a day due old yeast failure) . Very salty. Once totally mixed, the saltiness was not noticed.
Next time will try it and cut the salt down by half to 0.5 tablespoons. 1 Tbsp is a lot of sodium.
Dough was very sticky. An earlier comment suggested to only add 1 cup of water instead of 1.25 cups. May try that too.
Keeper recipe as I explore the world of Turkish cuisine.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Brian, thanks for your review. The liquid mixture will be salty till you add the flour.
Regarding the stickiness, flour can vary in moisture level so if the dough seems sticky, just add more flour to the work surface.
Kevin says
Comments seem to be turned off Chris
So I am commenting here.
The metric version must be incorrect.
It gives an almost 100% hydration.
That's a batter LOL
Also your salt is 3% - most would spit the bread out as inedible at that saltiness.
Cheers.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Kevin. My metric conversions are done by the recipe plugin I use which is integrated through the FatSecret API. I have put them through the conversion process again which should correct any errors.
emma says
1 - Turkey is not a Middle Eastern country. Geographically, 70% Asia and 30% Europe.
2 - The word yogurt is Turkic so to Turks there's no such thing as Greek Yogurt. If Greeks invented yogurt, it should have Greek name, no? Bazlama/Pazlama can be made with plain yogurt/milk/kefir or milk powder.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Emma,
1. Thank you for sharing your expertise!
2. You might want to try them, they are delicious!
CB says
Can I make this with whole wheat flour?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi CB, I haven't personally tried this with WW flour. I would start with a portion of WW instead of 100%.
Rob says
Awesome recipe! These flatbreads are so easy to make and so forgiving. Let it rest for 15 minutes, an hour, two hours… The dough just doesn’t care, haha. It comes out perfect every time and is so cooperative when it comes to rolling out out the flatbreads. I make ‘em thick, make ‘em thin, or anywhere in between. They still come out soft, delicious, and toasty on the outside either way. 😋
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thank you for letting us know, Rob!
Glorai says
This is definitely my go to recipe for flatbread. I’ve never had a fail. My family loves it, and that makes me just so very happy. I make very slight adaptations so it becomes a vegan recipe. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Chris Scheuer says
That's awesome, Glorai! Thanks for letting us know.
Judith Higgs says
Tried your recipe today as it looked simple enough to do on a boat in a small galley.Plus I had the Greek yogurt on hand! I have no mixer or food processor, so all must be done by hand. This recipe was perfect. It came out beautifully. I am very excited that I will now have light fluffy flat bread here in the Abacos.
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Judith!
TC says
*** Amazing *** Ive aspired to make flatbreads for several years and always failed. This recipe is an absolute keeper - just lovely, and they are perfect… very tasty. I brush a little garlic butter over them and even my kids love them…
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks for letting us know, TC!
rebecca says
I tried to make this recipe but the yeast never bubbled??
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Rebecca, could your yeast be old? Try it again with fresh yeast.
Gloria says
Sometimes there are other factors besides the yeast being old… It could be the water was too hot, or not warm enough.
Jordan says
Thank you so much for the simple recipe ! I now eat everything with this flatbread and I will never have to buy it from the store ever again 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks so much for letting us know, Jordan!
Aaishah says
Good Day
I have tried this recipe and really enjoyed it
I would like to know how do I freeze and defrost them
Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Aasishah, I just freeze them in an airtight container. You can put parchment or wax paper between them so they won't stick together. Then you can just pull out one or as many as you need and let them thaw at room temp.
Jill says
Really great recipe, I have tried several others and this one is by far the easiest to follow with the best result! I even used Skyr (0.3% fat) instead of Greek Yogurt and the flatbreads came out super tasty. Thanks so much for posting, I will definitely be using it again 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for leaving a review, Jill! So glad you enjoyed these 🙂
Maria says
I will make this recipe , thank you.
Chris Scheuer says
Enjoy!
Pauline Richard says
I have been making this recipe for the last few years and they are delicious. I've tried using rosemary, garlic and regular chives also and they are equally delicious. Depending on what you are serving these with I think almost any fresh herb would do. I generally start off using 1C of water and add the rest as needed.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for sharing your results, Pauline!
Dasme says
For some reason my dough came out extremely wet. I had to knead about a cup more flour into the dough. The flavor was pretty good although I think I would cut back on the salt.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your results, Dasme. It's difficult to say why your dough was so wet without having been there in the kitchen with you but you did the right thing to knead in more flour as there can be so many variables with flour, etc.
Glad you enjoyed them!
Mike says
I keep trying this recipe but sorry to say I fail every time. No matter how much flour I add - and I've gone over 600g today - the dough is so sticky that I can't do anything with it.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Mike, first of all, sorry you've had trouble with these. I hate wasting good ingredients.
As you can note by reading the reviews though, the great majority of people have had fantastic results with these. It's important to flour your work surface very generously. And As mentioned, flour can be quite variable. After you turn the dough on the work surface in the flour, add more and knead it in, if needed. These are fantastic so I hope you can have success!
Diana says
I also had trouble with the dough being incredibly wet. I added an awful lot of flour to get it to a workable consistency but once I did the flatbreads came out lovely. I do wonder if it is something to do with the conversion to metric measurements as those are what I used.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Diana, thanks for sharing your review. I will double check the metric conversion.
Sheila Whitaker says
can you make these with other flours? Such as almond or coconut flour?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sheila, I haven’t tested this recipe with other types of flour so I can’t ensure success. If you try it, let us know!
Jackie Callaghan says
Never made any kind of flat bread before. But thanks to your very easy to follow recipe I made these flat breads and thry were delicious even if i say so myself.
Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! I'm so glad to hear that, Jackie!
Ariella Cohen says
Put these together quickly and easily to go along with hummus for lunch! Great recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks, Ariella!
Samantha says
Hi I make these all the time and they remind my family and myself of our travels throughout Turkey and Greece. Tonight I made them without the parsley, but with Zaatar on half. They were delicious!
Chris Scheuer says
I love that, Samantha! Zaatar sounds like a delicious addition. Thanks for letting us know!