This easy Lavash Bread recipe will teach you how to make Armenian flatbread using only 3 ingredients: flour, salt, and warm water. This thin bread can be used to wrap around Falafel, eaten with cheese and herbs, or as an amazing Thin and Crispy Pizza Crust!
Whether it's plain, sprinkled with sesame seeds, or za'atar seasoning, it is totally up to you!
Why This Recipe Works
The origin of Lavash Bread is traced back to Armenia, although many cultures in Iraq, Iran, and Turkey, including the Assyrians, bake and consume this delicious flatbread.
Traditionally, Lavash Bread is baked in a Tanoor. Since most of us don't have access to this ancient oven, a hot pizza stone (paid link) is the next best thing.
Unfortunately, mine is back in San Diego, so I'm using a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. If you do use a pizza stone, you can crank the heat up and cook the bread for a shorter time.
In the Assyrian language, this bread is known as "Lawasha" and my mom loved it! Although she didn't bake it herself, she bought it from the Middle Eastern markets often.
I used to tease her about the way she ate it though. Mom would wet the bread (under a running faucet, no less) before she wrapped it around feta cheese and kalamata olives.
Mom wasn't totally out of line. Lavash gets hard and stale pretty quickly, especially when it's prepared without yeast and oil. Wetting the bread makes it more pliable and easier to chew.
Unlike Pita Bread, authentic lavash recipes do not contain yeast or oil. If you're not worried about being authentic, however, try it both ways; with yeast and a little oil, and without to see which you prefer.
What Goes Into This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
- Chives — The chives are optional and can be left out.
- Za'atar — Za'atar is a Middle Eastern spice that adds a wonderful taste to the lavash bread. You can purchase Za'atar or make your own Za'atar blend.
How to Make Yeastless Lavash Bread
Step 1 | Prepare Dough
Whisk flour and salt together and add to the bowl of a stand mixer (paid link). Attach a dough hook. Slowly drizzle warm water over the flour mixture while the machine is running at low to medium speed.
Mix until the dough comes together, scraping the sides of the bowl when necessary. If needed, add a few additional tablespoons of warm water to wet the dry flour on the bottom of the bowl.
Step 2 | Rest Dough
Once the dough comes together, roll it into a ball. Place the dough into a large, oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm location for an hour.
Step 3 | Stretch Dough
After one hour, stretch the dough from the outside edges towards the center. Do this all the way around the dough ball then flip the dough over and form into a smooth ball.
Cover the bowl again and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this process one additional time.
Step 4 | Roll Out the Dough
Preheat oven to 425-degrees F
If you have a pizza stone, heat in a 425-degree F oven for at least 30 minutes.
Using a knife or bench scraper, divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Take one portion of dough out and cover the rest so they don't dry out.
Flour your work surface or counter along with your rolling pin. Roll the dough ball as thin as possible into the desired shape.
TIP: The traditional shape is a rectangle or an oval. The shape also depends on the size of the stone or pan that you will be using. My lavash bread was approximately 13" x 9".
Step 5 | Season and Bake Lavash Bread
If you want to add sesame seeds, zaatar, or another topping, lightly brush the dough with oil or water before adding the toppings.
Transfer the dough onto parchment paper and into the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the lavash bread begins to brown and bubbles appear.
Slide the bread off the parchment paper and onto another baking sheet. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and continue with the remaining dough.
Tip: Lavash bread is best eaten as soon as it comes out of the oven. If you want to keep the lavash bread softer, mist it with water before covering it with a damp cloth and store it in a plastic bag.
This flatbread makes the BEST thin-crust pizzas!
Lavash Bread with yeast
- 1-½ tsp. yeast
- ½ tsp. sugar
- 1 T. olive oil
Mix yeast and sugar into the warm water. Set aside for 10 minutes before adding it to the flour and salt. You can also add a tablespoon of oil if you wish. Proceed with the recipe instructions.
Recipe FAQ's and Expert Tips
Lavash isn't generally considered low carb since it's made with all-purpose flour. However, it also depends on the serving size and the recipe or brand of lavash being consumed.
Middle Eastern people love to wrap cheese, (for example, Feta) olives, and fresh herbs in lavash when eating breakfast. Sometimes, it's used to dip into Hummus, Tahini and Date Syrup, or other food.
However, lavash can also be used similar to tortillas, to wrap grilled meats such as Kabobs and Skewered Chicken.
Flatbread is usually softer than traditional yeast-less Lavash bread. Flatbread is also thicker and usually smaller in size than lavash bread.
- If you don't have a stand mixer, just add the ingredients in the same order given then knead by hand until the dough comes together and forms a smooth ball.
- Try mixing some chives or dillweed into the dough before proofing it.
- Spraying the lavash bread with water immediately after removing it from the oven and covering it with a damp dishtowel helps to keep the texture of the bread more pliable.
- Another way to soften the bread is to cover it with a damp wash cloth and microwave it for approximately 15 seconds. Or reheat leftover lavash over a flame on the stovetop.
- Serve crispy lavash bread like you would crackers, along with cheese.
- Once cool, store lavash bread in a large ziplock bag and freeze up to a month.
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Lavash Bread (Yeastless Armenian Flatbread)
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup warm water
Optional Ingredients
- 1 tsp. sesame seeds, chives, and za'atar seasoning
Instructions
- Whisk flour and salt together and add to a standing mixer.
- Using a dough hook, slowly drizzle warm water over the flour mixture while the machine is running.
- Mix until the dough comes together, scraping the sides of the bowl when necessary. If needed, add a few additional tablespoons of warm water to wet the dry flour on the bottom of the bowl.
- Once the dough comes together, cover it with saran wrap and place in a warm location for an hour.
- After one hour, stretch the dough from the outside edges towards the center. Do this all the way around the dough ball then flip the dough over and form into a smooth ball.
- Cover the bowl back up and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. Repeat this process one additional time.
Preheat oven to 425-degrees F
- If you have a pizza stone, heat in a 425-degree F oven for at least 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 4 balls. Take one of the dough balls out and cover the rest, so they don't dry out.
- Flour your working surface and roll the dough ball as thin as possible into the desired shape.
- The traditional shape is a rectangle or an oval. The shape also depends on the size of the stone or pan that you will be using. My lavash bread was approximately 13" x 9".
- If you want to add sesame seeds, zaatar, or another topping, lightly brush the dough with oil or water before adding the topping and baking.
- Transfer the dough onto parchment paper and into the oven. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the lavash bread begins to brown and bubbles appear.
- Slide the bread off the parchment paper and onto another tray. Cover with a damp washcloth and continue with the remaining dough.
- Lavash bread is best eaten as soon as it comes out of the oven. If you want to keep the lavash bread softer, mist with water before covering with a damp cloth.
Notes
- If you don't have a stand mixer, just add the ingredients in the same order given then knead by hand until the dough comes together and forms a smooth ball.
- Try mixing some chives or dillweed into the dough before proofing it.
- Spraying the lavash bread with water immediately after removing it from the oven and covering it with a damp dishtowel helps to keep the texture of the bread more pliable.
- Another way to soften the bread is to cover it with a damp wash cloth and microwave it for approximately 15 seconds. Or reheat leftover lavash over a flame on the stovetop.
- Serve crispy lavash bread like you would crackers, along with cheese.
- Once cool, store lavash bread in a large ziplock bag and freeze up to a month.
Gina-Marie says
My Armenian grandfather always wet lavash before eating it.
Hilda Sterner says
Haha, just like my mom. I always thought that was odd, but now I get it!