The Best Easy Pita Bread Recipe (2024)

This Easy Pita Bread recipe uses simple ingredients to create a homemade recipe that’s mildly sweet and perfectly fluffy. Use it for dipping into your favorite spreads, stuffing with mouthwatering meats, or even dunking into soups! The possibilities are endless!

What Is Pita Bread?

The word pita, also known as pitta, comes from the Greek language. The bread has been a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine for thousands of years. A type of leavened flatbread, it consists of a combination of yeast, water, and flour.

Many recipes also contain sugar and salt. Traditionally, it bakes on a stone surface. However, most chefs today use conventional ovens and bake at extremely high temperatures. As a result, the water in the dough steams, and the bread puffs up.

On its own, pita bread has a fairly neutral, slightly sweet flavor. The texture is light, slightly dense, and chewy all at the same time. As a result, it’s extremely versatile, and the flavor is easy to customize with various herbs and spices to meet all your needs.

What’s the Difference Between Greek Pita and Regular Pita?

In most cases when people refer to pita, they’re talking about regular or Mediterranean pita. This type of pita has a pocket, making it perfect for stuffing.

However, there are two kinds of pita bread! Greek pita is lesser known but equally delicious. Unlike regular pita, it has no pocket and is slightly softer and thicker than traditional pita bread.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Creating this simple recipe for pita bread is a breeze with a short and sweet list of baking staples. Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Flour– Regular all-purpose flour forms the base of the dough for this easy pita bread recipe. It also coats your working surface and rolling pin.If preferred, you can substitute wheat flour.
• Sea Salt– Helps enhance the rest of the ingredients.
• Olive Oil– Used to prevent the dough from sticking and adds a nice savory flavor along with some healthy fat.
• Sugar– This adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
• Baking Powder– Make sure it’s fresh, or your pita won’t rise!
• Warm Water– This is crucial to activating the yeast. If it’s too hot or too cold the recipe won’t work!
• Yeast– You can find regular packets of instant yeast in the baking section of most grocery stores.

How to Make This Easy Pita Bread Recipe

One bite of this homemade pita bread, and you’ll never go back to buying store-bought pita bread again! Here’s what to do:

1. Activate the yeast.Add lukewarm water to the bowl of astand mixer. Stir in the yeast and sugar until dissolved. Cover the bowl, and set it aside until bubbles begin to form.
2. Create the dough.Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar into the bowl with the yeast. Using a dough hook attachment, knead the dough until it is soft and combined, adding more water as needed.

Note:Be careful not to add too much water! Start by adding one tablespoon at a time. Make sure it incorporates completely before adding more.

3. Rest.Lightly brush amixing bowlwith olive oil, and add the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap followed by a towel. Set it aside in a cool, dry place until the dough has doubled in size.
4. Shape the pita.Use your fists to deflate the dough, and place it on a clean, floured workspace. Divide the dough into 10-12 equal pieces, and roll the dough into balls.
5. Let the pita dough rise. Cover them with a towel again, and let them rest for 20 minutes. Then, use a flouredrolling pinto roll each round into a circle.
6. Bake pitas.Place the pita on abaking sheet, and let them bake for two minutes. Use tongs to carefully flip them over, and continue to bake until it puffs up.
7. Repeat.Remove the pita from the oven, and cover them with a clean kitchen towel. Repeat the process to use up all the dough.

Make Ahead and Storage Options

Indulging in the goodness of this easy pita bread right away, while it’s still warm, is the best way to go. However, unless you’re feeding a crowd, you’re likely going to have leftovers. Luckily, they store well! Follow the tips below to keep your pita fresh.

• To Store:Transfer the cooled pita to an airtight container or sealable bag. Store it in a cool, dry place at room temperature for up to three days.
• To Freeze:For a longer-lasting option, freeze your pita in a sealable bag. For the best results, place a sheet of wax paper between each piece, and squeeze out all excess air. Then, keep them frozen for up tothree months.
• To Reheat:Warm frozen or thawed pita in the oven,air fryer, or toaster until heated through!

Serving Suggestions

We’ve lost count of all the ways to enjoy this pita bread recipe! Personally, we love to snack on it all on its own while it’s still warm. However, there’s no shortage of ways to use it. Here are a few of our faves:

• As bread to make gyros or stuffed pita sandwicheswithkofta, cheese, tzatziki, and more.
• Coated with oil and seasonings to makehomemade pita chips.
• Dunked into soupslikeEgyptian Lentil SoupandSlow Cooker Moroccan Harira Soup
• As a dipperwith appetizers such asSpinach Olive Dip,Baba Ganoush, andRoasted Red Pepper Feta Dip.

Common Questions About This Easy Pita Bread Recipe

More Bread Recipes

Looking for more breads to bake? Try out some of these easy recipes!

• No Knead Focaccia
• Cheesy Garlic Bread
• Olive Cheese Bread
• Garlic Caprese Bread