Deliciously soft and tender, these homemade Pitas are nothing short of heavenly! A super simple mix of pantry staples, whip these up to use in sandwiches, wraps, and even as naan!

Pitas are a staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern diets — and for good reason! With their soft, tender insides and golden brown outsides, eating one of these feeling like getting a warm hug. This recipe maximizes efficiency without sacrificing any of the flavor, for the most perfect pitas you’ve ever eaten.

Salty, tangy, fluffy. You just can’t beat the deliciousness of a pita! Serve these pitas with some homemade falafel, hummus, and a quick salad for a delicious lunch or simple party entree!

You can enjoy the pitas with my Mediterranean falafel hummus bowl:

• Mediterranean Buddha Bowl

HOW TO MAKE PITA BREAD:

1. Make the Dough! Mix together the lukewarm water, yeast, and 1 tsp of the sugar. Let the mixture sit until the yeast blooms and the mixture looks bubbly on the top. In a stand mixer or bowl, add in the salt, flour, and remaining sugar. Whisk the dry ingredients until combined and then add in the yeast mixture, yogurt, and extra virgin olive oil.
   

   

   
2. Knead the Dough! Knead the dough by hand for 8-10 minutes until it is soft and slightly sticky to the touch. You might need to add a little more water or flour based on how wet or dry your dough turns out to be. Be sure to knead by hand for at least 10 minutes and not use the stand mixer because you won’t get that fluffy texture otherwise.
   
   

   

   
3. First Dough Rise! Shape the dough into a ball by tucking its sides underneath and transfer to a well-oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel or some plastic wrap and let the dough sit for about 2 hours until it doubles in size.
   

   
4. Second Dough Rise! After the dough has risen, transfer it from the bowl out onto a clean work surface and divide it into 8-12 balls. Cover these with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise for another 20 minutes. While the dough is rising for the second time, preheat the oven to 500°F / 260°C
   
   

   
5. Roll and Bake! Roll the balls out into pitas that are evenly about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Place them onto a parchment lined baking tray and bake for 5-8 minutes until fluffy and golden brown. Make sure to keep an eye on them, though, because as soon as they puff up, take them out or they will become hard and dry out. Cool on a wire-rack for 10 minutes before serving. For best results, bake the pitas in two batches.
   
   

   

   
6. Enjoy! Savor these pitas with some homemade falafel, hummus, and a quick salad for a delicious meal!

5 from 2 votes

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Homemade Pita Bread

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Resting Time

2 hrs 20 mins

Total Time

45 mins

 

Deliciously soft and tender, these homemade Pitas are nothing short of heavenly! A super simple mix of pantry staples, whip these up to use in sandwiches, wraps, and even as naan!

Course: Breads, Sides

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: baked

Custom Category: Baked, Breads

Servings: 12 pcs

Calories: 96 kcal

Author: Nidhi Bothra

Ingredients

• 3 3/4 cup all purpose flour , or bread flour
• 3/4 cup water , more if needed
• 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup yogurt , full fat
• 3 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil , more for greasing
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 tsp sugar

Instructions

1. Proof the yeast: In a mixing bowl, mix together the lukewarm water, yeast, and 1 tsp of the sugar. Let the mixture sit until the yeast blooms and the mixture looks bubbly on the top.

2. Prepare the dough: In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, or a large mixing bowl, add in the salt, flour, and remaining sugar. Whisk the dry ingredients until combined and then add in the yeast mixture, yogurt, and extra virgin olive oil.

3. Knead the dough: Knead the dough by hand for 10-12 minutes until the dough is soft and slightly sticky to the touch. You might need to add a little more water or flour based on how wet or dry your dough turns out to be. Be sure to knead by hand for at least 10 minutes and not use the stand mixer because you won't get that fluffy texture otherwise.

4. First dough rise: Shape the dough into a ball by tucking its sides underneath and transfer to a well-oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel or some plastic wrap and let the dough sit for about 2 hours until it doubles in size.

5. Second dough rise: After the dough has risen, transfer it from the bowl out onto a clean work surface and divide it into 8-12 same sized balls. Cover these with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise for another 20 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven: While the dough is rising for the second time, preheat the oven to 500°F / 260°C.

7. Roll: Once the dough has risen, roll the balls out into pitas that are evenly about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

8. Bake: Place them onto a parchment lined baking tray and bake for 5-8 minutes until fluffy and golden brown. Make sure to keep an eye on them, though, because as soon as they puff up, take them out or they will become hard and dry out. Cool on a wire-rack for 10 minutes before serving. For best results, bake the pitas in two batches.

9. Serve these pitas with some homemade falafel, hummus, and a quick salad for a delicious lunch!

Recipe Notes

• The oven temperature has to be very hot in order for them to puff up, so after your first batch if the oven temperature has dropped, let it come back up to temperature before baking the next batch.
• I needed to use about 3 tbsp more water to achieve the desired consistency using bread flour.
• For the yeast blooming, make sure not to use old yeast or use water that is too hot or cold. Lukewarm water works best for this step.
• Yogurt, although not usually found in a pita recipe, imparts a very faint tangy flavor and helps the pita become very soft and tender.
• To make sure that each pita is the same size, it's best to weigh the balls when you're dividing the dough so they're equal.

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Pita Bread

Amount Per Serving

Calories 96 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 1mg0%

Sodium 259mg11%

Potassium 52mg1%

Carbohydrates 13g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 6IU0%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 24mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

I’d love to hear how the recipe turned out and what you think in the comment section below. Find me on and share your creation with me!