My Lavash Bread recipe is made with a simple yeast dough and cooked in a hot pan until soft, thin, and lightly spotted. I love serving it with Urfa Kebab, soups, and mezes, or using it for quick wraps during the week.
The dough is easy to work with and only needs a short rise. Once it has rested, I divide it into small balls, roll each one thinly, and cook them one by one in a hot nonstick pan or griddle. They puff in places as they cook, then soften as you stack them under a clean kitchen towel.
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You don’t need a tandoor or saj to make lavash at home. I cook mine in a hot pan, and it works really well. A rolling pin is enough, but if you have an oklava, it makes rolling the dough thin much easier.
I also have a video in the recipe card if you’d like to see how the dough should look and how thin to roll each piece.
Lovely comment from a reader:
This was a fantastic easy recipe! I am making it for a second time this week for Kofta this time.
What Is Lavash?
Lavash is a thin flatbread eaten in many parts of the Middle East, Turkey, Armenia, Iran, and the Caucasus. It can be soft and flexible when freshly made, or dried and stored for later.
Traditional lavash is often cooked in a clay oven or on a hot saj, but this recipe is adapted for a home kitchen. I cook mine in a hot pan, which makes it much easier for everyday cooking.
Fresh lavash is perfect for wraps, kebabs, dips, and grilled meats. It is thinner than many other flatbreads and folds easily when kept soft.
A Few Things That Make This Recipe Work
The dough is simple and easy to handle. I use flour, milk, water, yeast, sugar, and salt, and the milk helps keep the bread soft.
You don’t need a special oven. A hot nonstick pan, cast iron skillet, or griddle works well for this homemade flatbread.
The dough balls rest before rolling, which makes them easier to stretch thinly without springing back too much.
The cooked breads stay soft when you stack them and cover them with a clean kitchen towel. This little step makes a big difference.
You can use this lavash for wraps, kebabs, dips, mezze, quick flatbread pizzas, or as a side for soups and stews.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Flour - I use all-purpose flour, also known as plain flour in the UK. It gives the lavash a soft texture and is easy to roll. Add the flour gradually if your dough feels too dry or too sticky. Different brands of flour absorb liquid differently, so you may not need every last spoonful.
- Yeast - Use instant yeast or fast-action dried yeast. You can also use fresh yeast, but you will need to double the amount.
- Water and milk - I use a mix of warm milk and warm water. The milk makes the dough softer, and the water keeps it light enough to roll thinly. The liquid should feel warm, not hot. If it is too hot, it can damage the yeast.
- Sugar - A small amount of sugar helps feed the yeast and gives the dough a better rise.
- Salt - It gives the bread flavor and helps the dough rise at a steady pace.
How to Make Middle Eastern Lavash Bread
Prepare the Dough
Place the warm water, warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Add most of the flour and the salt.
Mix until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add the remaining flour only if you need it. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook.
Place the dough back into the bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and leave it in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Shape the Dough
Gently deflate the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 10 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
Place the dough balls on the worktop, leaving a little space between them. Sprinkle lightly with flour, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and rest for 15 minutes.
This short rest helps the dough relax, which makes it much easier to roll thinly.
Heat a large nonstick pan, cast iron skillet, or griddle over medium-high heat.
Take one dough ball and roll it into a thin round, about 9 inches / 23 cm wide. Use a little flour if the dough sticks, but don’t add too much or the bread can turn dry.
A regular rolling pin works well. If you have an oklava, the thin Turkish rolling pin used for Homemade Baklava and su börek, it makes rolling the dough thin much easier.
Cook the Lavash Bread
Place the rolled dough into the hot pan.
Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until bubbles appear on the surface and light brown spots form underneath. Flip and cook the other side for about 30 seconds.
Transfer the cooked lavash to a plate and cover it with a clean kitchen towel straight away. This helps keep it soft.
Roll the next dough ball while the first bread is cooking, then continue until all the dough is used.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Keep the dough soft. A dry dough is harder to roll and can give you tougher bread.
- Rest the dough balls before rolling. This makes the dough easier to stretch thinly.
- Roll the dough as thinly as you can. Lavash should be thin and flexible, not thick like pita bread.
- Make sure the pan is hot before cooking. A hot pan helps the bread puff in places and gives it light brown spots.
- Don’t overcook the bread. If it stays in the pan too long, it will become crisp instead of soft.
- Cover the cooked lavash straight away. Stack the breads on a plate and keep them wrapped in a clean kitchen towel while you cook the rest.
How to Use Homemade Lavash Bread
Use lavash bread for wraps with Adana Kebab (Adana Kofte), Joojeh Kabab (Persian Chicken Kebab), and Lamb Beyti Kebab, or use it for making Tantuni.
Serve it with dips such as Muhammara, Spicy Feta Dip, Kashk e Bademjan - Persian Eggplant Dip, or Haydari (Turkish Yogurt Dip).
Toast pieces of lavash until crisp and use them in salads, especially Lebanese Fattoush Salad or Greek Cucumber Salad.
Cut it into pieces and serve with Patatesli Tepsi Kebabı - Turkish Tray Kebab, stews, curries, or soups.
Use it instead of tortilla for quesadillas or quick lunch wraps.
Use it as a quick flatbread pizza base. Add toppings and bake until the edges are crisp.
Storage, Reheating, and Freezing
Lavash dries out quickly because it is thin, so keep it covered once it cools.
Store leftovers in an airtight bag or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. They will keep at room temperature for 1 day, or in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
To reheat, warm each lavash in a hot nonstick pan for 20 to 30 seconds. You can also microwave it for about 20 seconds, wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel.
You can freeze lavash for up to 3 months. Place a piece of parchment paper between each bread, wrap tightly, and freeze in a freezer bag.
Thaw at room temperature, then warm in a pan before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Lavash can turn dry if the dough has too much flour, the bread is rolled too thick, or it cooks for too long. Keep the dough soft, roll it thinly, and cover each bread with a towel as soon as it comes out of the pan.
Yes. You can make the dough, cover it, and keep it in the refrigerator overnight. Let it come closer to room temperature before dividing, resting, rolling, and cooking.
No. This recipe is made with all-purpose flour, which contains gluten.
Related Recipes
For more delicious flatbread recipes why not try:
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I hope you enjoy the process of making this soft Middle Eastern Lavash Bread Recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
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Lavash Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups plain flour (450 grams)
- ⅔ cup water (150 ml)
- ⅔ cup milk (150 ml)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon fast action dry yeast
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Place the warm water, warm milk, sugar, and yeast to a large mixing bowl.
- Add most of the flour and the salt. Mix until you have a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add the remaining flour only if you need it.
- Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Place the dough back in the bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and leave it in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Shape the Lavash Bread
- Gently deflate the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface.
- Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
- Place the dough balls on the worktop, leaving a little space between them. Sprinkle lightly with flour, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and rest for 15 minutes.
- Heat a large nonstick pan, cast iron skillet, or griddle over medium-high heat.
- Roll one dough ball into a thin round, about 9 inches / 23 cm wide.
Cook the Lavash
- Place the rolled dough into the hot pan.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until bubbles appear on the surface and light brown spots form underneath.
- Flip and cook the other side for about 30 seconds.
- Transfer the cooked lavash to a plate and cover it with a clean kitchen towel.
- Roll the next dough ball while the first lavash is cooking.
- Repeat with the remaining dough balls, keeping the cooked breads covered so they stay soft.
Video
Notes
- Add the flour gradually. Different flour brands absorb liquid differently, so you may not need all of it.
- The dough should feel soft and slightly sticky before kneading. If it feels dry, the lavash can turn tough.
- Resting the dough balls makes them easier to roll thinly.
- Use a regular rolling pin or an oklava if you have one.
- Make sure the pan is hot before cooking the first lavash.
- Don’t overcook the breads or they will become crisp instead of soft.
- Stack the cooked lavash on a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel straight away.
- Store leftovers tightly wrapped at room temperature for 1 day, or in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
- Freeze lavash for up to 3 months with parchment paper between each piece.
- Reheat in a hot nonstick pan for 20 to 30 seconds, or microwave briefly wrapped in a slightly damp paper towel.
Christine says
This was a fantastic easy recipe! I am making it for a second time this week for Kafka this time.
Ayla Clulee says
I am so happy to hear that, Christine!
Marion says
This is such a delicious and easy recipe! Thank you for sharing.