Our Vegan 3 Ingredient Flatbread recipe is prepared with just three ingredients - plant-based yogurt, flour, and salt - and you can have a big batch of deliciously soft and chewy flatbreads in just 45 minutes. Customize them with herbs, spices, or seeds to create your perfect flavour. Enjoy these versatile flatbreads with any meal especially curries, stews and soups, or as an easy vegan pizza base, sandwich wrap, or even for a quick vegan Shawarma or kebab wrap meal. Do bookmark this recipe as you'll be using it often!
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Origin of flatbreads
Flatbreads have been a staple food for many thousands of years.
Some of the earliest flatbreads were likely made by grinding grains and mixing the flour with water to create a dough. The dough was then flattened and cooked on a hot surface such as a rock or fire.
Flatbreads are known to have been consumed in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. In the Middle East, they are still a popular food, and are known by many names such as pita, naan, and lavash. In India, roti and chapati are popular types of flatbreads.
Flatbreads have also been a staple in many indigenous cultures around the world, including the Native American Navajo tribe, who are known for their frybread, and the Inuit people of Alaska, who traditionally made bannock.
The Scots also have a traditional flatbread known as a bannock and the Scots bannock is prepared with a simple mixture of flour [such as barley], salt, and water, and was traditionally cooked on a griddle or over a flat piece of metal. Bannocks were a staple food for many Scottish people, especially in rural and Highland areas.
Modern flatbread recipes
Flatbreads are a popular choice for many people because they don't require yeast, kneading, or rising, which does save a lot of time and energy. Some people are yeast intolerant so yeast-free bread recipes can be so helpful. Also flatbreads are often budget-friendly since they only require a few simple ingredients.
Quick and easy 3-ingredient flatbread recipes have become a firm favorite with many chefs and home-cooks alike, and are commonly shared across social media sites as the recipes are just so easy and useful. With just plain yogurt, flour, and a little bit of salt, you can whip up delicious flatbreads in no time!
How to prepare
Our flatbread recipe simply uses vegan plain yogurt in place of regular yogurt. This simple swap makes the recipe completely vegan-friendly while still producing delicious, soft, and chewy flatbreads.
Step 1: To prepare the dough - mix the self-raising flour, plant-based yogurt, and a pinch of salt until the dough comes together. Knead lightly.
Step 2: Once the dough is ready, divide it into 5-10 equal pieces.
Step 3: Next, roll out each piece very thinly. The thinner the dough, the better the flatbreads will turn out.
Step 4: Heat a non-stick frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 5: Place a rolled-out flatbread in the pan and cook for a few minutes until brown patches appear on the underside and bubbles appear on the top side.
Step 6: Flip the flatbread over and cook for an additional minute or two until the other side is lightly browned as well. Repeat with the remaining flatbreads.
Step 7: Serve immediately, or keep warm in a low heat oven for a short while, or cool and store for later use.
Step 8: For added flavour, you can brush each flatbread with some melted vegan butter or margarine once they are cooked, but this is of course optional.
Recipe notes
Storing
Flatbreads taste best when enjoyed soon after cooking but they can be stored for up to 3 days. Wrap the flatbreads in kitchen foil, baking paper, a zip-lock bag with a perhaps a piece of kitchen roll between each bread, and place them in an airtight container.
Alternatively, wrap the flatbreads up in a clean tea towel. Store the flatbreads in a cool, dry area of your kitchen or within the refrigerator.
Freezing
Flatbreads freeze very well. To make it easy to grab just one or two at a time, place a sheet of parchment paper between each flatbread before wrapping well and freezing.
They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating
You can enjoy these flatbreads at room temperature, or reheat them in a medium-hot oven for a few minutes. Alternatively, reheat them on the same non-stick pan or hotplate used for cooking. For best results, sprinkle a few drops of water over each flatbread before reheating.
Frequently asked questions
A non-stick frying pan, skillet, or griddle is perfect for cooking flatbreads, as it minimizes the need for oil. If you must use oil, heat up a tablespoon and then wipe away any excess with a paper towel before cooking.
Pans or skillets designed for pancakes or crepes work well for flatbreads too.
We like to use an electric pancake/crepe maker to prepare these flatbreads as they can be easily cooked without adding any oil.
Yes. If you love batch prepping, a few rounds of this recipe will yield 20-30 flatbreads that you can easily store in the freezer for later use.
Any type of plain vegan or plant-based yogurt is fine for flatbreads, including almond-based, soya-based, cashew-based, or coconut-based yogurt. Any type of plain, unflavoured yogurt will work fine for this recipe.
Yes, we use self-raising flour [self-rising] flour as this gives the flatbreads a little boost when they are cooking, so that they rise a little and get all nice and bubbly. But you can use plain flour or all-purpose flour, but do add 1 ½ [one and a half] teaspoons of baking powder to the mixture and an extra pinch of salt.
Yes, you can use wholemeal flour but you may require a little more yogurt to make it into a workable dough as this type of flour has more fibre which can be a thirsty and denser flour for bakes.
Yes, you can replace the plain flour with a gluten-free self-raising flour blend such as Dove's Farm self-raising flour which is a mixture of different gluten-free flours rather than just one single flour. And if you use a gluten-free plain flour instead, then also use a gluten-free baking powder.
To ensure that the flatbreads are not too crumbly add about ¼ [quarter] teaspoon of xanthum gum to the flour mixture, if your flour blend does not already contain it. Also, as gluten-free flour is quite thirsty you may have to add extra yogurt.
There are countless variations and flavour combinations that you could add to your flatbreads. The list is literally endless and it can be really fun to experiment.
Try adding a spice blend such as harissa or Za'atar, sumac, fresh or dried rosemary, fresh chilli's, chilli flakes, paprika, cayenne pepper, nigella seeds, cumin seeds, fresh basil, nutritional yeast flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, chopped sundried tomatoes, basil, chopped olives, chopped capers, Italian dried herb mix, French dried herb mix, lemon & black pepper mix, fresh coriander [cilantro], chives, sliced spring onions [green onions] anything really! Pick a few flavours and give it a go.
There are many tasty ways that flatbreads can be used, here are a few that we like to do:
1. Pizza - use the flatbread as a base for your favorite pizza toppings, these flatbreads make fantastic pizza bases. Just be sure to cook the flatbread first before adding toppings, as the dough may not rise properly and could turn out too dense if you skip this step. Trust me, we've learned from experience!
2. Wrap - fill the flatbread with your choice of veggies, hummus, guacamole, salsa, tofu, tempeh, etc., for a delicious wrap. We love making a home-made vegan coleslaw with fine sliced red cabbage, grated carrot, and fine diced red onion, and mix enough plant-based mayonnaise to bring the veggies together. Its actually so tasty in a wrap. Or wrap up our tasty Ratatouille vegetables
3. Quesadilla - layer vegan cheese, beans, veggies, and salsa between two flatbreads, and cook until crispy. You can cook in a dry fry pan or skillet, or add a little oil if necessary to the pan, but we like to use our electric pancake maker as its non-stick so no oil is required.
4. Chips/crisps - cut the flatbread into triangles and bake in the oven or an air-fryer until crisp and golden for homemade pita chips. You could spray the chips with an oil spray so that the minimum amount of oil is used and add a dusting of paprika, and salt & pepper for delicious paprika tortilla style chips.
5. Salad - tear the flatbread into bite-sized pieces and toss into a salad for added texture, a bit like a bread salad.
6. Dipping bread - cut the flatbread into sticks or triangles and serve with hummus, baba ghanoush, guacamole, salsa, or another favorite dip. These would be quite tasty served along with our Vegan Tofu 'prawn' Cocktail.
7. Breakfast wrap - fill the flatbread with scrambled tofu, scrambled chickpeas, or vegan breakfast sausage, veggies, and hot sauce for a hearty breakfast wrap. Or use our Vegan Corned 'beef' Tempeh Hash or our Smoked Tofu Kedgeree as a filling for tasty breakfast wraps.
8. Flatbread bruschetta - top the flatbread with chopped tomatoes, basil, garlic, and olive oil for a tasty appetizer.
9. Vegan shawarma - wrap the flatbreads up with falafel, hummus, tahini sauce, and veggies such as shredded white or red cabbage, shredded onions, cucumber, tomatoes, for a Middle Eastern-inspired meal. Add a dash of sweet chilli sauce or similar for extra tastiness. This is one of our favourite meals.
10. Flatbreads are always delicious alongside curries, stews, soups, and tagines. Especially our Spanish Chickpea Stew, or this Moroccan Roast Cauliflower and Lentil Stew, or a tasty Thai Red Curry. or alongside a Spicy Chickpea Soup.
Tasty vegan curries that pair well with home-made flatbreads
A warm home-cooked flatbread is the perfect side for a tasty home-cooked veggie curry. Here are a few of our family favourites - Vegan Mango 'chicken' Curry, Easy Vegan Bhuna, Vegan Thai Red Sweet Potato, Broccoli & Chickpea Curry and Slow Cooker Vegan Tikka Masala. We hope you enjoy them too!
***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***
📖 Recipe
Vegan 3 Ingredient Flatbread
Equipment
- Non-stick frying pan, skillet, crepe pan [or use an electric pancake/crepe maker]
- Rolling pin
- Mixing bowl
- sieve
Ingredients
- 250 grams self-raising flour [Plus extra for rolling out, alternatively use plain or all purpose flour or wholemeal flour with 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder.]
- 250 grams plant-based yogurt [plus a little more if required]
- pinch of salt [to taste]
Instructions
- Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Stir through the salt,250 grams self-raising flour, pinch of salt
- Add the yogurt and stir well.250 grams plant-based yogurt
- Bring the mixture together into a smooth ball. Knead lightly for a few seconds just to create a smooth easily worked bread dough.If the dough is too sticky, just work extra flour into the dough until its no longer sticky. If the dough is too dry add a small amount of yogurt and work it through.
- Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 5 equal pieces for large flatbreads, or 8-10 pieces for smaller flatbreads.
- Sprinkle a good amount of flour onto your work surface.
- Use a rolling pin to roll each flatbread dough out into a thin oval shape. The flatbread should be easy to pick up. Its a good idea to shift the flatbreads around, a few times during rolling, just to make sure they are not sticking to the work surface.If necessary, sprinkle more flour on the dough to prevent it from sticking to the rolling pin.
- Meanwhile, heat a non-stick pan to medium-hot (if necessary, use a little oil to prevent sticking).
- Place a flatbread in the pan and wait for the bubbles to appear.Flip the flatbread over once the underside has light brown patches.
- Cook for another few minutes, then repeat with the remaining flatbreads.If necessary, to prevent burning, turn down the heat to medium. And if you used oil you may need to add extra whenever necessary.
- To keep the flatbreads warm, layer them on a plate or cutting board with a clean tea towel covering or a piece of kitchen foil. Alternatively, place the flatbreads on a baking tray with kitchen foil covering and place in a low heat oven until required.
- If desired, add a little pat of vegan or plant-based butter or margarine over each flatbread once it has cooked and let it melt in the heat.
Notes
- Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and may vary depending on the specific ingredients used.
- To store flatbreads, place them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To prevent them from sticking together, place kitchen paper or a few pieces of kitchen roll between the flatbreads. Alternatively, you can store them once wrapped in the refrigerator.
- Flatbreads can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To prevent freezing together, place a piece of parchment paper between each flatbread and wrap them well to prevent freezer burn.
- You can easily customize the flatbread dough by adding your favorite spices and herbs, such as cumin seeds, coriander seeds, nigella seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, mixed herbs, fresh coriander, dried sage, or your favourite spice blends.
- This recipe is perfect for using up plant-based yogurt that may be near or just after its best before date. If you find pots of plant-based yogurt reduced in the supermarket, use them to make a batch of these flatbreads and save even more money! Yogurt can usually be frozen.
- Batch prepping a load of flatbreads is a great time saver, allowing you to enjoy them over the coming months. Simply store them in the freezer and take out what you need as required.
Nutrition
Prepared our Vegan 3 Ingredient Flatbread? We would love to know how you got on with the recipe so do pop back and drop us a comment below and click the star ratings. Its very much appreciated. Thanks so much! Jacq x
ANNA DUKE says
These are amazing and so easy to make. Just as good second time and I added fresh Rosemary this time.
Jacq says
So glad you love the flatbreads. Rosemary sounds delicious definitely going to try that. Thanks for the idea 🙂
Jamie says
I love how simple and easy it is to make these! I never would have thought I can make this at home but now I'm hooked!
Jacq says
Awesome! These flatbreads are so soft and tasty arguably tastier than the ones from the shop 🙂
Danielle says
mmmm! Okay, this looks delicious!
Jacq says
Thanks! My family loves these flatbreads! My son would eat the whole batch if he could get away with it!