Easy Garlic Pita Bread from Scratch Recipe
This Easy Garlic Pita Bread from Scratch is a soft and flavorful homemade flatbread infused with garlic. Perfectly puffed and golden, these pitas are ideal for sandwiches, dipping, or as a side to your favorite Mediterranean dishes. The recipe includes a simple pita dough made with instant yeast and a luscious garlic butter for brushing, which can be topped with optional shredded Parmesan cheese for an extra savory kick.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 pita breads 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
Scale
Pita Dough
- 1 cup water, 90º-95ºF
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 ½ – 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl
Garlic Butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Warm the water to about 90º-95ºF and combine it with the instant yeast and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Make Dough: Add 2 ½ cups of flour, salt, garlic powder (if using), and 2 tablespoons olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir and then knead the dough on a lightly floured surface, adding more flour as needed, until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.
- First Rise: Lightly oil a clean bowl and place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
- Shape Pitas: Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 6 to 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten into a ¼ inch thick round disc approximately 6 inches in diameter.
- Second Rise: Place the rounds on a floured surface, cover lightly, and let rest for 15-20 minutes to puff slightly.
- Cook Pitas: Heat a heavy skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Cook each pita for 1-2 minutes on each side or until puffed and golden brown spots appear. Remove and keep warm wrapped in a clean towel.
- Prepare Garlic Butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in garlic powder, kosher salt, and dried parsley until combined.
- Brush Pitas: Immediately brush the warm pitas generously with the garlic butter and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- Water temperature is critical for yeast activation; too hot can kill the yeast, too cold and it won’t activate properly.
- Use a heavy skillet or cast iron pan to get even heat for puffing the pitas perfectly.
- Resting the dough discs before cooking helps them puff better in the pan.
- The garlic butter can be stored in the fridge and reused for other breads or as a flavorful spread.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking mix designed for yeast breads, but expect slightly different texture.
Keywords: garlic pita bread, homemade pita, garlic flatbread, easy pita recipe, Mediterranean bread, yeast bread