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Warm, fresh pita is one of those simple joys—soft, a little chewy, and perfect for scooping up all the sauces. This is my cozy, dependable way to make Greek-style pitas at home.
We’ll use a straightforward dough, a hot pan, and a few easy cues so your pitas puff beautifully—no special gear required. Great for weeknights, meal prep, and any “let’s make gyros” cravings.
These are just that good.
Like it is crazy, just insanely good. You could not get them better unless you flew to Greece.
I can promise you guys, that after you make this easy homemade traditional Greek pita bread you will never want to buy the store-bought version again. Sure, you may have to for convenience and time purposes, but you will probably be wishing you were eating these.
Nah, not probably. You will. Guaranteed.
They’re so soft, so chewy and the flavor is just so good. There really are no words to describe just how good these are.
If you can make pizza dough, you can make these. And even if you have never made pizza dough, you can still make these. They are so simple and the dough is really easy to work with. These pitas are going to transform your lunches and even your dinners! Greek pizza? Yes!
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheat
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Dough: After the first rise, refrigerate dough (lightly oiled, covered). Use within 1–2 days; let it warm up just until pliable before rolling.
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Cooked Pitas: Cool completely, then store airtight at room temp for a day or two; refrigerating can toughen—reheat with a quick steam or warm skillet.
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Freeze: Freeze stacked with parchment between pitas. Reheat straight from frozen in a hot skillet or wrapped in foil in a warm oven until soft and steamy.
FAQ:
Why didn’t my pitas puff?
Usually the pan wasn’t hot enough, the dough was rolled too thick, or the discs dried out. Heat the skillet well, roll evenly, and keep dough covered as you work.
Can I make these without a cast-iron skillet?
Yes—use any heavy-bottomed skillet or a griddle. Just preheat thoroughly; the right surface heat is more important than the pan material.
Can I prep the dough ahead?
Make the dough, let it rise, then refrigerate up to 1–2 days. Bring to a workable, slightly cool room temp so it rolls without springing back.
What’s the best way to reheat pita?
A hot, dry skillet or a quick foil wrap in a warm oven restores softness; a short steam also works. Avoid microwaving too long or they’ll toughen as they cool.
Traditional Greek Pita Bread.
Servings: 8 pita rounds
Calories Per Serving: 193 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup hot water but not boiling
- 2 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
- 2 1/2 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Mix the water and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer (a large bowl will also work if you do not have a mixer), and let sit for about five minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Add 2 1/2 cups of the flour (saving the last half cup for kneading), salt, and olive oil. If using a stand mixer attach the dough and need the dough on medium speed for 8 minutes, adding more flour until you have a smooth dough. If using your hands sprinkle a little of the extra flour onto your clean work surface and turn out the dough. Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Add more flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking to your hands or the work surface, but try to be sparing. It's better to use too little flour than too much. If you get tired, stop and let the dough rest for a few minutes before finishing kneading.
- Clean the bowl you used to mix the dough and run it with a little olive oil. Set the dough in the bowl and turn it until it's coated with oil. Cover with a clean dishcloth or plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it's doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- At this point, you can refrigerate the pita dough until it is needed. You can also bake one or two pitas at a time, saving the rest of the dough in the fridge. The dough will keep refrigerated for about a week.
- Gently deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and gently flatten each piece into a thick disk. Using a floured rolling pin, roll one of the pieces into a circle 8-9 inches wide and about a quarter inch thick. Lift and turn the dough frequently as you roll to make sure the dough isn't sticking to your counter. Sprinkle with a little extra flour if it starting to stick. If the dough starts to spring back, set it aside to rest for a few minutes, then continue rolling. Repeat with the other pieces of dough. (Once you get the hang of it you can be cooking one pita while rolling the next one out.)
- Warm a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (you want a hot pan). Drizzle a little oil in the pan and wipe off the excess.Lay a rolled-out pita on the skillet and bake for 30 seconds, until you see bubbles starting to form. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side, until large toasted spots appear on the underside. Flip again and cook another 1-2 minutes to toast the other side. The pita should start to puff up during this time; if it doesn't or if only small pockets form, try pressing the surface of the pita gently with a clean towel. Keep cooked pitas covered with a clean dishtowel while cooking any remaining pitas.
- These are best eaten fresh, but will keep in a ziplock bag for a few days or in the freezer.
It is Sunday. The perfect day to make some fresh homemade Greek pitas!
Shared with: Inside BruCru Life, Lil Luna, Chef In Training, Buns In my Oven, Foodie Friday Friends, Tidy Mom, Taste and Tell, Cheerios and Lattes, Somewhat Simple, Mom on Timeout, I Heart Nap Time, Fine Craft Guide, The Country Cook, Whipperberry, Chef In Training
This post was originally published on February 17, 2013
Found your lovely site as you were mentioned in The Australian!
I’m so glad to have visited your site……..
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/food-wine/greek-souvlaki-and-other-bits-and-pitas/story-e6frg8jo-1227259956289?sv=ba9f7371f3e6616d4e707739b2b08f7d
Oh SO COOL!! Thanks so much for letting me know and thank you for clicking over!! 🙂 Hope you love everything you see!
I’ve never made anything using yeast before… so I’m really excited to try this today! I’m pretty nervous, and not sure if I really have the best kinds of work surfaces for this in my tiny apartment… but it’ll go great with the chicken I’m cooking in the crockpot!
These pita are really tasty, and I’ve made them twice now, but mine are coming out a bit tough. I tried kneading less, and that helped a little, but still quite tough and chewy. Any advice?
Hey! How much flour are you adding?
I’m using the 2 1/2 cups called for, and being cautious with how much I use when kneading. I’m mixing by hand as I don’t have a mixer, and the first time I kneaded the dough for about 5 – 7 minutes and it came out very tough. The second time I kneaded less, as I was worried I had over kneaded and it came out much better, but still quite tough. I’m a very experienced cook, but not much of a baker, so it’s possible I’m missing something very simple, but I’ve been trying to follow the recipe to the letter.
Hey! I think it is probably because you are hand kneeding it. Just try working the dough a little less. Hope that helps!
Just made these for the first time today, and I am just sorry I didn’t do it before!!! They are delicious, thank you!
These pita are really tasty, and I’ve made them twice now, but mine are coming out a bit tough. I tried kneading less, and that helped a little, but still quite tough and chewy. Any advice?
I made these yesterday and they were fabulous! Thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
I just made these using your recipe. They are PHENOMENAL. I am munching on one right now. I plan to make the other half tomorrow and I will be making these year round for sure! These are much better than what I have found at the store!
SO happy you love these! Thanks!
Can I make these with a normal pan? I do not have a cast iron.
I don’t see why not. You’ll simply have a harder time maintaining consistent heat. Just like when you make pancakes, adding the batter changes the temperature. Cast iron is ideal because you won’t get so much temperature fluctuation, thereby getting more consistent results. It’s worth buying a cast iron pan for things like this. A small one will be inexpensive, and worth having around.
Cast iron is best, but I have had reader make this in a normal pan as well.
I am obsessed have made these twice this week already. Thanks for the recipe!
YEAH!! So happy you loved these, THANKS!
I’ve been looking for a good recipe for pita bread and I think I found it! Thanks for sharing, pinning!
Hope you love this! Thanks!
no sugar needed in this recipe?
nope, no sugar.
Wow – this was amazing! Thanks, it’s so nice to find a full-proof recipe.
Thanks so much!!
Have you ever tried this recipe using einkorn?
No, sorry I have not. I am not familiar with einkorn so I really have no idea what that results would be. Sorry!
Ok thanks! I’m trying to switch to ancient wheat to avoid the modern hybrids for possible health concerns. I will try your recipe with Einkorn and post back here with the results 🙂
I was spoiled growing up in New England, fresh pita was already available. Now, living in the rural south I made do with stale grocery store pitas. I made this recipe and plan on always keeping a batch in the fridge! They are so good! and easy! Best recipe find in a long time!
I don’t leave comments as a rule, but this recipe worked very nicely and I plan to use it frequently. I googled greek pita recipes and yours came up. It was amazingly easy, nice texture and works perfectly for my chicken souvlaki pitas. Thank you so much
THANKS! So happy you love this!
I’m going to make your pita bread tomorrow, and let it rise in the fridge overnight, baking them on Easter morning. I don’t like store-bought pitas, and I’m making gyros for lunch.
Oh ya! These are perfect for Easter! Hope you love them, Rebecca!! Happy Easter!