Soft Garlic Flatbreads
There are few aromas more welcoming than garlic and butter sizzling in a pan. It’s a scent that promises pure satisfaction, a signal that something truly delicious is on its way. That’s the feeling I get every single time I make these homemade garlic flatbreads. They are wonderfully soft and pillowy, with delightfully chewy centres and slightly charred, crisp edges. Each one is generously brushed with a garlic and parsley butter that melts into every nook and cranny, creating a side dish that honestly risks outshining the main course. After testing this recipe five times, I finally got it just right – the perfect balance of a simple dough and a powerfully flavourful topping.
This isn’t just another bread recipe; it’s a versatile kitchen staple. We’re talking about a buttery bread that transforms a simple weeknight soup into a more substantial meal, or a fantastic addition to a weekend curry night with friends. It’s the kind of homemade bread that looks impressive but is built on a straightforward process that anyone can master. This flatbread recipe is for anyone who loves the deeply savoury hit of garlic and the comforting texture of freshly cooked bread. They are ideal for scooping, dipping, and tearing apart with your hands, making any meal a more interactive and enjoyable experience.
Recipe Overview
This garlic flatbread recipe produces eight beautifully soft, pan-fried breads bursting with buttery garlic flavour. The dough is a simple yeasted affair, enriched with yoghurt for a tender crumb. Once cooked, each flatbread is lavished with a melted butter, fresh garlic, and parsley mixture. I’ve found that using plain full-fat yoghurt gives the dough the best texture, making it soft but still easy to handle.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes (plus 1 hour rising time)
- Servings: Makes 8 flatbreads
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You’ll Love This Garlic Flatbreads Recipe
- Genuine Flavour: We use three cloves of freshly minced garlic and real salted butter for a topping that is pungent, rich, and utterly irresistible. No garlic powder here – the fresh stuff makes all the difference.
- Ready in Under an Hour (Active Time): While the dough needs an hour to rise, the active preparation and cooking time comes together in about 45 minutes, making it very manageable for a weekday evening.
- Flexible Recipe: This recipe is a brilliant canvas. Add a handful of grated cheddar or mozzarella to the dough for cheesy garlic bread. A pinch of chilli flakes in the butter adds a lovely warmth. You can also swap parsley for fresh coriander or chives.
- Great for Sharing: These are brilliant for placing in the middle of the table during a BBQ or alongside a mezze platter. They work wonderfully for mopping up the juices from a hearty meal like my Creamy Chicken And Rice.
- Family Tested: My kids can smell these from upstairs and are always waiting by the stove for the first one to come out of the pan. It’s one of those recipes that always gets compliments from everyone who tries it.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the best results, use good quality, fresh ingredients. The flavour of the final flatbread really depends on the quality of the butter and garlic you use. I always opt for a block of salted butter, as I find it has a richer flavour than spreadable varieties.
- For the Flatbread Dough:
- 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 150g plain full-fat yoghurt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 250ml lukewarm water
- For the Garlic Butter:
- 100g salted butter
- 3 large cloves of garlic, crushed or very finely minced
- A large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Marcus’s Tip: Ensure your water is lukewarm, not hot. If it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast, and your dough won’t rise properly. It should feel comfortably warm to the touch, like a baby’s bath.
How to Make Garlic Flatbreads
The process is quite satisfying. You’ll move from a simple mix of flour and water to a beautiful, puffy dough, and finally to a stack of warm, aromatic flatbreads ready to be devoured.
- Activate the Yeast: In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the lukewarm water, yeast, and sugar. Set it aside for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy on top. This shows the yeast is active and ready to go.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the 500g of strong white bread flour and 1 ½ tsp of salt. Make a well in the centre.
- Form the Dough: Pour the frothy yeast mixture, 150g of plain yoghurt, and 2 tbsp of olive oil into the well. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix everything together until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
- Knead the Dough: Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth, soft, and elastic. To check if it’s ready, you can do the windowpane test. I find that using a dough scraper helps manage the initial stickiness.
- First Rise: Lightly oil the mixing bowl, place the dough back in, and turn it over to coat. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or cling film and leave it in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Shape the Flatbreads: Once risen, knock the air out of the dough and tip it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a rough oval or circle, about 3-4mm thick.
- Cook the Flatbreads: Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan (cast iron is ideal) over a medium-high heat. Once hot, place a flatbread into the dry pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until puffed up and speckled with golden-brown spots. Repeat with the remaining dough, stacking the cooked flatbreads on a plate covered with a tea towel to keep them warm and soft.
- Make the Garlic Butter: While the flatbreads are cooking, melt the 100g of salted butter in a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves and the chopped parsley. Let it gently infuse for a minute, but don’t let the garlic brown or it will become bitter.
- Serve: Brush the warm, cooked flatbreads generously with the garlic butter. Serve immediately while they are at their best.
Tips From My Kitchen
- Temperature Control: The heat of your pan is key. If it’s not hot enough, the flatbreads won’t puff and will become tough. If it’s too hot, they’ll burn before cooking through. A medium-high heat is the sweet spot. You’ll know it’s right when a drop of water sizzles and evaporates instantly.
- The Secret Step: Always brush the garlic butter on *after* the flatbreads are cooked. I learned that if you add the butter to the pan, the garlic and parsley will burn, creating a bitter taste. Brushing it on afterwards ensures a fresh, potent garlic flavour.
- Make-Ahead: The dough can be made a day in advance. After kneading, place it in an oiled bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Let it come to room temperature for about 30-45 minutes before shaping and cooking.
- Storage: Store leftover flatbreads in an airtight container or zip-lock bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. To reheat, you can pop them in the toaster for a minute or warm them in a dry frying pan.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcrowding the pan: Only cook one flatbread at a time unless your pan is exceptionally large. Cooking too many at once lowers the pan’s temperature, causing the flatbreads to steam rather than fry, which prevents them from puffing up and developing those lovely charred spots.
- Wrong temperature: As mentioned, temperature is crucial. Don’t be tempted to rush by turning the heat up to maximum. A consistent medium-high heat allows the inside to become cooked and fluffy while the outside gets golden.
- Skipping the rest time: The one-hour rise is not optional. This is when the yeast works its magic, creating air pockets that give the flatbread its light, airy texture. Skipping this step will result in dense, tough bread.
Delicious Variations to Try
Once you’ve mastered the basic garlic flatbread recipe, it’s fun to experiment. Here are a few variations we enjoy at home:
- Spicy Garlic Flatbreads: Add 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes or one finely chopped fresh red chilli to the garlic butter for a fiery kick. This works beautifully with curries.
- Vegan-Friendly Version: This is an easy switch. Use a plant-based block butter alternative for the topping and a plain dairy-free yoghurt (like soya or coconut) in the dough. The results are just as delicious.
- Cheesy Garlic Flatbreads: After flipping the flatbread for the first time, sprinkle a generous amount of grated mature cheddar, mozzarella, or a mix of both over the top. It will get gloriously melty by the time the second side is cooked.
What to Serve With Garlic Flatbreads
This buttery bread is an incredibly versatile side. It’s more than just an accompaniment; it’s an enhancement to so many dishes.
- Hearty Stews and Soups: It’s the perfect tool for mopping up every last drop of a rich beef stew or a creamy tomato soup. Its sturdiness holds up well to dunking.
- Curries and Tagines: Serve a basket of these alongside any Indian or North African dish. They are a classic pairing for a reason, ideal for scooping up fragrant sauces.
- Grilled Meats and Kebabs: Use them to wrap around grilled chicken skewers or juicy lamb koftas, just like you would with a pitta. For a fun family dinner, they are great with our Easy Ground Beef Tacos filling.
- Drink Pairing: A crisp, cold lager or a pale ale cuts through the richness of the butter beautifully. For a wine option, a zesty Sauvignon Blanc complements the garlic and parsley notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Garlic Flatbreads
Ingredients
Method
- Activate the Yeast: In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the lukewarm water, yeast, and sugar. Set it aside for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy on top. This shows the yeast is active and ready to go.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the 500g of strong white bread flour and 1 ½ tsp of salt. Make a well in the centre.
- Form the Dough: Pour the frothy yeast mixture, 150g of plain yoghurt, and 2 tbsp of olive oil into the well. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix everything together until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
- Knead the Dough: Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth, soft, and elastic. To check if it’s ready, you can do the windowpane test. I find that using a dough scraper helps manage the initial stickiness.
- First Rise: Lightly oil the mixing bowl, place the dough back in, and turn it over to coat. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or cling film and leave it in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- Shape the Flatbreads: Once risen, knock the air out of the dough and tip it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a rough oval or circle, about 3-4mm thick.
- Cook the Flatbreads: Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan (cast iron is ideal) over a medium-high heat. Once hot, place a flatbread into the dry pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until puffed up and speckled with golden-brown spots. Repeat with the remaining dough, stacking the cooked flatbreads on a plate covered with a tea towel to keep them warm and soft.
- Make the Garlic Butter: While the flatbreads are cooking, melt the 100g of salted butter in a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves and the chopped parsley. Let it gently infuse for a minute, but don't let the garlic brown or it will become bitter.
- Serve: Brush the warm, cooked flatbreads generously with the garlic butter. Serve immediately while they are at their best.
Notes
I really hope you give this garlic flatbread recipe a go. There’s something so rewarding about transforming a few simple store-cupboard ingredients into a stack of warm, impossibly delicious bread. It’s a recipe we come back to time and time again in my house. If you do make them, please let me know how they turned out in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
Happy cooking,
Marcus
