Quick and Delicious Gluten-Free Flatbread

I LOVE this gluten-free flatbread. It is soft, rich, and flavorful, yet strong enough to hold ingredients like a pita. Quick to make, it will last for several days before going stale. And it freezes well too!

How to use Gluten-free Flatbread

Flatbread is pretty universal. Almost every culture has a form of flatbread. While this recipe is most similar to a soft, naan-style flatbread or the pita used for gyros, it is so easy to make that I pretty much use it for EVERYTHING.

• Pizza: For a fluffy pizza crust, precook the flatbread on the stovetop. Then add your toppings and broil until the cheese is melted. This is similar to using the pre-baked pizza crusts from the supermarket. It is not the same as a traditional pizza crust.
• Focaccia: After cooking, brush with olive oil and add your favorite toppings. I like bruschetta or olive tapenade.
• Naan bread: Serve this flatbread beside your favorite curry.
• Pita: Perfect for wrapping up falafels with pickled turnips, or dipping with hummus and tzatziki.
• Dinner bread: It’s a delicious replacement for a dinner roll. Spread with garlic butter and enjoy with your favorite soup.
• Farl: For this traditional Irish breakfast item, make smaller flatbreads, and serve with butter and jam.

Forming the Flatbread

The only trick to making gluten-free flatbread is forming the dough. Each flatbread is made individually on a frying pan from a soft ball of dough. It’s much easier than it sounds. My son loves this bread so much he started making it on his own when he was about 12 years old.

1. Start by forming a soft ball of dough by coating it in starch.
2. Place the ball of dough into the frying pan, then quickly press it flat with your hand.
3. The bread is ready to be flipped after 3 minutes. Cook the other side for another few minutes. It is ready when it is cooked through and both sides are nicely browned.

Here’s a video to help guide you.

Quick Gluten-Free Flatbread

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This delicious gluten-free flatbread is both soft and strong. It is quick to make and can be used for naan, pita, or focaccia. The secret is to soak the flour in buttermilk or yogurt ahead of time.

• Author: Emillie
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4–6 Flatbreads 1x
• Category: Bread
• Method: Fermented
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Soak

• 1 cup buttermilk or yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups whole grain gluten-free flour (see notes)

Remaining Ingredients

• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup starch, plus more for dusting (see notes)

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Instructions

1. Mix the buttermilk and whole grain flour, and allow to soak at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, and up to 12 hours. A short soak ensures that the flour is fully hydrated. A long ferment will improve both the flavor and the texture by breaking down the complex carbs and making a stickier flour. For a long ferment make sure to use cultured dairy, see notes.
2. Mix in the oil and eggs. Then add in the xanthan gum, salt, and baking soda. Stir in the starch and mix until a smooth and sticky batter is formed.
3. Warm a frying pan or griddle on medium heat.
4. Coat your hands in starch, and make a small pile of starch (about 1/4 cup) on the counter. Take a spoonful of batter (about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup depending on the size of bread that you want.) Drop the batter into the starch and quickly coat it in starch and put it into the frying pan. Then carefully use your fingers (or the back of a spatula) to press the ball out in the pan so that it is only about 1/4 inch (1 cm) thick. The starch should prevent the bread from sticking to your hands. See the section above for a video of this procedure.
5. Cook until the bread has started to brown, then flip to cook the other side. This should only take about 2-3 minutes per side. If it’s cooking faster than that, then turn down the burner as you want the dough to cook through.
6. Serve straight or with butter.

Notes

• I usually use GF oat flour, but you could use rice, buckwheat, or whatever gluten-free flour you want. Bread made with rice and buckwheat will probably end up being a bit dry as these flours tend to have a drier flavor.
• I usually use potato starch or tapioca flour as my starch.
• To preferment the batter you need to use cultured buttermilk, milk kefir, or yogurt.

Keywords: 10 ingredients or less, nut free, soy free, gluten free, sides, snacks, breakfast, focaccia, pizza, pita, naan, farl