Warm, fluffy, easy pita bread with garlic herb butter for that delicious combo of doughy pita bread with so much garlic flavour!  Homemade pita bread is delicate and versatile, and so delicious! You can use this garlic pita bread recipe to make your souvlaki wraps or dip it into creamy tzatziki sauce, tirokafteri, or taramasalata. If you’re short on time and don’t want to wait for the dough to rise, you may be interested in Riri’s no-yeast pita bread recipe.

RECIPE TIPS 

• This garlic pita bread recipe makes eight pitas. If you’re short on time, you can make the dough in advance! Once it’s had a chance to rise, pop it in the fridge, where it’ll stay good for up to four days.

• ​When rolling out the dough, dust the pita or your rolling pin with flour to prevent it from sticking.

• Ensure your frying pan or skillet is nice and hot before cooking the pitas. The high heat makes them puff up beautifully. If the air bubbles get too big for your liking, just pierce them gently with a knife or fork. Just be careful of the steam—it’ll be very hot!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Garlic pita bread can be enjoyed in so many ways! Serve it with tzatziki dip, tirokafteri or taramasalata.   It can also be used for wrapped souvlaki or as a substitute for bread.

• Using quick-rise instant yeast reduces the time needed to make this recipe, so you can have warm, homemade, fluffy pita bread faster!

• Combining garlic butter, fresh herbs, and pita bread results in a fragrant, delightful, savoury flavour.

INGREDIENT NOTES

Fleischmann’s Quick Rise Instant yeast: Using instant-rise yeast requires less time for the dough to rise. You don’t need to let the yeast proof first in water. Only one rise is needed for the pita bread. Yeast can thrive in the right environment but won’t properly rise in the wrong environment.

One of the ways yeast can be killed is when the water is too hot or too cold.  It’s important to add lukewarm water to the yeast.  Starch, carbohydrates and sugars feed the yeast, so that’s why we add a little bit of sugar to the yeast mixture.  For more information about yeast, you can check out Fleischmann’s yeast website.

All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour works great for this recipe.  I find using an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment easier so that the gluten can form and the dough mixes well.  If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use your hands to knead the dough.

After all of the ingredients are combined and mixed, the dough should be soft but not sticky. If it is still sticky, you can gradually add a teaspoon of flour at a time, but be careful not to add too much. It’s better to have less flour than more for this recipe.

Herbs: I love using fresh herbs, but dried ones can work, too, if that’s all you have on hand. I often use fresh basil or Italian parsley when making the garlic herb butter.

Garlic: Fresh garlic has a beautiful aroma that heightens the senses. If you don’t have fresh garlic, you could substitute garlic powder.  However, garlic powder can be strong, so I would recommend starting with 1/2 a teaspoon and then adding more, if necessary after you try the herb garlic butter.  You can always add more garlic and herbs and adjust the garlic herb butter to your taste buds.  If it’s too strong, simply add a little more butter.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE GARLIC PITA BREAD: STEP BY STEP 

STEP 1: Prepare the yeast mixture. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 cup of lukewarm water, one packet of instant rise yeast, and 1/4 teaspoon of sugar.  Whisk until dissolved.

This next step isn’t necessary with instant yeast, but I like to cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the yeast mixture rest for 5-10 minutes.  The yeast should start to bubble.  If it didn’t, the yeast could have expired, or the water was too hot. If that’s the case, starting over with a new packet of fresh yeast is best.

STEP 2: Add the olive oil and dry ingredients. Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil into the yeast mixture. Start the machine on a low setting and then add 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Add another tablespoon of all-purpose flour.  Mix together until combined and a dough ball forms.  Turn off the mixer.

Lightly grease the bottom of a large, clean bowl with olive oil. Transfer the soft dough ball to the oiled bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel, and let the dough rest and rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until it has doubled in size.

STEP 3: Make the garlic herb butter. Combine the softened butter, oil, minced or grated garlic, salt, Italian parsley, or basil in a small bowl. Mix together and set aside.  You could also add a tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese or red chilli pepper flakes.

STEP 4: Portion the dough and fry the pita bread.  After the dough has doubled in size, transfer the dough to a clean work surface.  Knead the dough for a few minutes, and then roll the dough into a large ball.  Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into four pieces.  From there, roll each piece into a ball and then cut that ball in half.  You’ll end up with eight pieces of dough.

Roll each piece into a ball.  Cover the remaining dough balls with a clean kitchen towel so that they don’t dry out.  One by one, begin to roll the dough out. Grease a non-stick frying pan with a little bit of olive oil, and ensure that the frying pan is hot.   Fry the rolled-out pita on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes on either side or until golden brown and slightly puffy.

STEP 5: Brush one side generously with the garlic herb butter mixture.  Spread the herb garlic butter over the warm pitas.  Cut the pita bread into triangles or leave them whole.  Enjoy!

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Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Quick, Easy and Homemade Garlic Pita Bread Recipe

Homemade, fluffy, easy-to-make pita bread. Fried over high heat and brushed with plenty of garlic herb butter. Dip the pita bread into tzatziki or wrap your souvlaki with this deliciously warm pita bread!

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Sides + Sauces

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: garlic pita, pita, pita bread

Servings: 8 Pitas

Calories: 182kcal

Author: Ria Mavrikos

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• Stand mixer with the paddle attachment 
• Garlic zester/grater

Ingredients

Pita Bread

• 1 packet Fleischmann’s instant yeast 8 grams or 2 1/4 teaspoons
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil for the dough
• 2 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil for frying the pita bread

Garlic Herb Butter

• 2-3 garlic cloves peeled, grated or minced
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley and fresh basil diced – adjust to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese optional and adjust to taste

Instructions

• Prepare the yeast mixture. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 cup of lukewarm water, one packet of instant rise yeast, add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar. Whisk until dissolved. This next step isn't necessary with instant yeast, but I like to cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the mixture rest for 5-10 minutes. The yeast should start to bubble. If it doesn't, then the yeast could be expired, or the water was too hot. If that's the case, it's best to start over with a new packet of fresh instant yeast.
• Add the olive oil and dry ingredients. Pour 1/4 cup of olive oil into the yeast mixture. Start the mixer on a low setting with a paddle attachment, and then add 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add another tablespoon of all-purpose flour. Mix together for a few minutes, and a dough ball forms. Turn off the mixer. Lightly grease the bottom of a large clean bowl with a little bit of olive oil. Transfer the soft dough ball to the oiled bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest and rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
• Make the garlic herb butter. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, oil, minced or grated garlic, salt, fresh Italian parsley or fresh basil. Mix together and set aside. You could also add a tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese and red chilli flakes.
• Portion the dough and fry the pita bread. After the dough has doubled in size, transfer the dough to a clean work surface. Knead the dough for a few minutes, and then roll the dough into a large ball. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into four pieces. From there, roll each piece into a ball and then cut that ball in half. You'll end up with eight pieces of dough. Roll each piece into a ball and cover the remaining dough balls with a clean kitchen towel so that they don't dry out. One by one, roll out the dough balls and grease a non-stick frying pan with a little bit of olive oil, and ensure that the frying pan is hot. Fry the rolled-out pita on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes on either side or until golden brown and slightly puffy.
• Brush one side generously with the garlic herb butter mixture. Spread the herb garlic butter over the warm pitas. Cut the pita bread into triangles or leave them whole. Enjoy!

Notes

• This recipe makes eight pitas. If you'd like to make this dough ahead of time or fry some pita bread and save the rest for later, you can refrigerate the dough after it rises. The dough will last in the fridge for up to four days.
• When rolling the dough, sprinkle the pita with a little bit of flour or use a floured rolling pin to roll out the pita bread.
• The frying pan or skillet needs to be hot before frying the pita bread. The initial high heat will allow the pita to puff up nicely. If the air bubbles get too big and it's not what you're after, you can pierce the pita with a knife or fork. Just be careful of the steam because it'll be very hot!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 225mg