There’s nothing quite like the taste of freshly baked pita bread, warm from the oven and perfectly puffed. This simple recipe will guide you through the process of making soft, fluffy pita bread right in your own kitchen. Whether you’re planning to use them for wraps, dipping, or just enjoying on their own, these homemade pitas are sure to impress. With just a handful of ingredients and a little patience, you’ll have delicious pita bread ready to serve. Let’s dive into the steps and bring the taste of the Mediterranean to your table.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp instant yeast, see notes above
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Equipment I Used
How to Make It
Mix the Dough
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp of salt, and 1 tsp of instant yeast until well combined. Add 3/4 cup of lukewarm water and 1 tbsp of olive oil to the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, stir the mixture until a shaggy dough forms. The dough will appear dry and unevenly mixed at this stage. Use your hands to knead the dough briefly in the bowl, just until the flour is absorbed and a sticky ball of dough forms, about 30 seconds. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top of the dough, then turn the dough to coat it evenly with the oil. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and place it in a warm spot to rise for 1.5 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
Preheat the Oven
About 30 minutes before the dough has finished rising, preheat your oven to 550°F (290°C). Place a Baking Steel or a pizza stone in the oven to preheat as well. This will help create the perfect environment for baking the pita. Cut a sheet of parchment paper into 6 small squares, each about 6 inches (15 cm) in size. Set these aside for later use.
Portion the Dough
Once the dough has finished rising, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough briefly to form a smooth ball. Using a bench scraper or a sharp knife, divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Each portion should weigh approximately 73 g. Dust your hands with flour as needed to prevent sticking, and shape each portion into a small ball by using the pinky edges of your fingers to create tension in the dough. Let the dough balls rest on the floured surface for 30 minutes, allowing them to relax before rolling out.
Roll Out the Dough
After resting, take one dough ball and gently flatten it with your hands. Using a rolling pin and a light dusting of flour as needed, roll out the dough into a 6-inch round. Be careful not to roll too aggressively, as this can force out the air pockets that are crucial for creating the pita’s signature puff. If the dough resists rolling, set it aside and move on to the next ball, returning to the stubborn one later. Once rolled, place each 6-inch round onto a piece of the prepared parchment paper. Let the rolled dough rest for 15 minutes before baking.
Bake the Pita
Once the oven and Baking Steel (or pizza stone) are fully preheated, use a pizza peel to carefully transfer one pita round, along with its parchment paper, onto the hot Baking Steel. You can bake up to 3 pitas at a time. Set a timer for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, check the pita; it should be lightly golden and puffed up. If so, remove it from the oven and transfer it to a tea towel-lined bowl. Cover the pita with the towel to keep it warm and soft. Repeat the process with the remaining pita rounds.
Creating your own pita bread at home is not only satisfying but also brings a fresh and delicious element to your meals. Whether you’re dipping, wrapping, or just snacking, these soft and warm pitas are sure to impress. I hope you enjoy baking this recipe as much as I do! I’d love to hear about your experience—feel free to share how your pita bread turned out in the comments below and let me know how you’re planning to enjoy it.
Pita Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for sprinkling
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp instant yeast, see notes above
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Directions
- Mix the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water and oil. Stir with a spatula until a shaggy dough forms — the mixture will appear dry and unevenly mixed. Use your hands to knead the dough briefly in the bowl just until the flour is absorbed and you have a sticky ball, about 30 seconds. Drizzle a little olive oil over top, turn the dough to coat, cover bowl with a tea towel, and transfer to a warm place (see notes above) to rise for 1.5 hours.
- Heat oven with a Baking Steel or stone inside at 550ºF. Cut a sheet of parchment paper into 6 small pieces about 6-inches square, see notes above.
- Portion the dough: Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead briefly to form a ball. Use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 6 equal portions — each ball should roughly weigh 73 g. Using flour as needed to prevent sticking, ball up each portion, using the pinky edges of your fingers to create tension (see video for guidance). Let rest 30 minutes.
- Roll out each ball: Flatten one ball, and, using flour as needed, gently roll out with a rolling pin until you have a 6-inch round — the key is to not roll too aggressively in order to prevent the air pockets from being forced out. If a round is resisting, set it aside, begin rolling out another one, and return to the stubborn one at the end. Transfer each 6-inch round to a sheet of parchment paper. Let rest 15 minutes.
- Bake the pita: When oven has preheated, use a pizza peel to shimmy one round at a time, parchment paper and all, onto the preheated Baking Steel. I like to cook 3 at a time. Set timer for 2 minutes. If the pita is lightly golden, it’s done. Remove pita, transfer to a tea towel-lined bowl, and close the towel. Repeat with the remaining 3 rounds of pita.
- Store pita at room temperature in an airtight bag or container for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat before serving.
LITTLE MESSY KITCHEN 
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