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    Watch What U Eat > Whole Wheat > Homemade Whole Wheat Pita Bread

    Homemade Whole Wheat Pita Bread

    Published: Mar 3, 2017 · Modified: Apr 28, 2022 by Watch What U Eat · This post may contain affiliate links · 28 Comments

    Recipe Print
    image of whole wheat pita bread with text overlay 'Whole Wheat Pita Bread'
    collage image pin of whole wheat pita bread with text overlay 'Healthy Whole Wheat Homemade Pita Bread'

    This whole wheat pita bread recipe is super simple and easy to prepare. Make this soft, fluffy, and healthy pita bread at home whenever you want.

    stack of fresh homemade whole wheat pita bread is ready serve.
    Jump to:
    • Recipe Introduction / Background
    • Pita bread vs. Naan bread
    • How to make whole wheat pita bread?
    • Serving Suggestions!
    • How is it healthy?
    • 📖 Recipe

    Recipe Introduction / Background

    I always prefer wheat-based flatbreads much more than rice dishes. But, most of the breads found in grocery stores are generally prepared using 100% all-purpose flour.

    Moreover, these breads are loaded with way too many chemicals in order to increase their shelf life. The next time when you visit the bakery section of your local grocery store, take a good look at the labels on the bread packages. You’ll get an idea of what I am talking about here.

    Hence, I figured it is better to prepare them at home. I make the pizza base, naan bread, dinner rolls, etc. at home using whole wheat flour. And now it is time to add this pita bread recipe to the list.

    If you’ve got yourself an electronic dough maker/stand mixer, it’ll be even easier to make any kind of bread at home. I do not own one yet (I am trying to get Tushar on board with me on this :P), and I have found that making bread at home is not complicated at all. Give it a try, and you’ll love fresh homemade bread much more than the store-bought one.

    stack of fresh whole wheat pita bread is ready serve.

    Pita bread vs. Naan bread

    Do you know and wonder what is the difference between a pita and naan bread. If you look at the ingredients that go in a naan bread recipe, you will find no difference at all from those of pita bread. Let me try to help you differentiate between the two: from what I have understood, naan bread is not allowed to puff, and it is usually baked at very high temperatures (e.g. broil mode in an oven).

    Traditionally, in India, they use a tandoor oven which is like a furnace. Naan cooks so quickly in the tandoor that it does not get enough time to puff. However, pita bread is baked at a lower temperature over a longer period. As you can see, although they have the same raw ingredients, the difference in time and cooking temperature makes them so much different in taste and texture.  This is what I understood as the difference between the two.

    If you know a better answer, I would love to know from you through your comments below.

    whole wheat dough rolled into small dough balls

    How to make whole wheat pita bread?

    You will need very few ingredients for this recipe: wheat flour, yeast, a little sugar to activate the yeast, salt to taste, and of course, water. I used instant rapid rise yeast to reduce proofing time. Just combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead the dough using warm water. Once the dough has risen, roll them into small flat rounds and bake until golden brown in color.

    Whole wheat dough rolled into flatbreads and placed them in a baking tray.

    Serving Suggestions!

    • You can serve warm fresh pita bread with hummus and olive oil for starters or appetizers.
    • Pair it with homemade hummus and simple avocado cucumber salad or lentil salad or Mediterranean salads for a filling, healthy meal.
    • Follow this chickpea wrap recipe to prepare a wholesome meal using this pita bread.
    • You can also prepare pita sandwiches or pita chips using them.

    How is it healthy?

    • This pita bread is prepared using whole wheat flour.
    • Also, it is low in fat and contains olive oil, which consists of healthy fats.
    • It does not contain preservatives and chemicals as opposed to store-bought ones.
    Stack of baked pita bread is ready to serve. Upper bread on the stack cut into half showing the inside texture.

    More Whole Wheat Bread Recipes To Try

    • Whole Wheat Focaccia Bread
    • Garlic Naan Bread Recipe
    • Zucchini Flatbread
    • Garlic Herb Pumpkin Flatbread
    • All Whole Wheat Recipes

    📖 Recipe

    Healthy and delicious whole wheat pita bread. Try them with homemade hummus or turn them into pita chips
    Print Pin
    4.34 from 12 votes

    Whole Wheat Pita Bread

    Prepare this soft, fluffy and healthy whole wheat pita bread at home with this simple and easy recipe.
    Course: Lunch / Dinner,Main or Side
    Cuisine: Mediterranean Inspired
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 25 minutes
    Servings :12
    Calories :136kcal
    Author:Swati Kadam Gulati

    Equipment

    • Large Baking Sheet

    Ingredients

    • 2  cup whole wheat flour
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ teaspoon rapid rise yeast
    • 1 ½ cup warm water
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon sugar or honey
    • salt

    Instructions

    • In a large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients including sugar or honey (if you decide to use) and mix well.
    • Slowly add warm water and mix the flour using a wooden spatula. Mix until it forms a crumbly mixture with no dry flour anymore
    • Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and using hand knead the dough. Add dry flour if necessary to avoid sticking the dough to the bowl. Continue kneading for about 6-7 min till it forms a homogeneous and soft dough
    • Cover the bowl with a wet cloth and put it in a warm place for at least 1 hour
    • Preheat the oven to 450F and lightly oil the baking tray
    • Divide the dough into roughly 12 equal part and form them into small balls
    • Dust some dry flour on the flat surface and roll each dough portion into 5-6″ round pitas. Cover the tray with a clean cloth and let it rest for 10 min
    • Put the tray in preheated oven and bake for 8 min. To get light golden color on the surface, bake them in broil mode for 1-2 min.

    Notes

    1. Keep a close watch on the pitas while broiling to avoid excess browning
    2. Store remaining pitas in an airtight container in a refrigerator for 2-3 days. Microwave them before using the next day
    3. Serve pita bread with roasted red pepper hummus or any kind of hummus that you love. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 136kcal
    Tried this recipe?Tag us on Instagram @watchwhatueat or tag #watchwhatueat! OR leave us a comment & rating below. Your feedback is very important to us.
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    About Watch What U Eat

    We are Swati and Tushar, our passion for food and cooking has now led us to share some healthy, tasty recipes and the benefits of eating certain ingredients with the goal of inspiring you to eat well and live well.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. L.A. says

      February 28, 2021 at 8:17 pm

      5 stars
      First time making pita bread every. This recipe worked out well. I added 1/4 c flaxseed meal to the recipe for more nutrition (on top of the other ingredients), and also 1 tsp. xanthan gum for texture. Came out fabulous! Thanks!

      Reply
    2. Pat says

      June 15, 2020 at 7:50 am

      Thank you for this recipe. I made them today they came together nicely. For future reference I do have a couple of questions. I. The ingredient list it says 2tbsp oil but in the instructions it only talks about 1tbsp. What is the correct amount? Also you say salt to taste. What amount of salt do you feel is appropriate?

      Reply
    3. Sheila says

      May 05, 2020 at 9:23 am

      4 stars
      I tried the pita recipe. My pitas don’t puff up!!! What am I doing wtong??

      Reply
      • Watch What U Eat says

        May 05, 2020 at 10:36 am

        Hi Sheila,

        I am so sorry your pitas did not puff.

        Few factors that are essential for proofing the dough and get the pitas puffed,
        1. warm water and a little bit of sugar is necessary to activate the yeast and raise the pita dough.
        2. in addition to the above, sufficient time to rest the dough is also needed. If you are using instant yeast it will take at least 1 hr to proof the dough and in case of regular active dry yeast, it might take a little longer.
        3. after rolling the pitas they need to rest for at least 10-15 min before cooking or baking them. This step is also crucial (in addition to the perfectly raised dough) for getting pitas puffed.

        I hope this helps.

        Please let us know if you find what went wrong. It will help us to improve the recipe.

        Thank you for your feedback.

        Reply
    4. Lauren says

      September 21, 2018 at 10:42 pm

      5 stars
      These are good! All I had in the house was whole wheat pastry flour and some all-purpose flour. I also had wheat gluten (like a flour, but just the gluten portion of flour which is used to strengthen flour and give it more structure or to improve the rise) that i added, about 2 TBSP to offset the low protein pastry flour, I also added about a 1/4 cup of finely ground almond meal, to make them a little more tender. Turned out great – the family loved them. I’ve also made the recipe a couple of times exactly as written and the were very good, just a little bit more whole wheat-y. Thank you for the great recipe with clear instructions

      Reply
    5. Esti Allina-Turnauer says

      August 10, 2018 at 2:08 pm

      4 stars
      I made these with 100% whole wheat flour, which is how I do all my baking: cookies, cakes, breads, muffins, pancakes. They turned out wonderful. I recommend the 100% whole wheat version!

      Reply
    6. Andrea says

      August 08, 2018 at 8:19 pm

      Can you knead the dough in a stand mixer?

      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Swati and Tushar says

        August 09, 2018 at 9:21 am

        Hello Andrea,

        Yes, you can knead the in a stand mixer. Make sure to mix all the dry ingredients before adding water. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    7. Immari says

      August 03, 2018 at 1:02 pm

      If you are on the fence about trying these, do it!! Theg came out so lovely and I appreciate this recipe so much, I usually dont comment on the recipes I use, but this is an absolute life saver. Thank you all so much for this blessing

      Reply
    8. Pamela Cherry says

      May 16, 2018 at 11:35 pm

      You can baking powder and ground flax seed, 3 cups to 3 T flax seed. Add 3 T extra water. Binds like eggs.

      Reply
    9. Chuck says

      March 31, 2018 at 9:56 am

      5 stars
      Make bread using a sourdough starter (no yeast, no dairy and no eggs required) Breads turn out great and you can make your own starter and feed as needed or freeze a small portion so you have starter ready to grow (takes about 3 days to grow enough) when you are ready. Good info about starters here – breadtopia (search google)

      Reply
    10. Darrlynn says

      February 20, 2018 at 8:43 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve been looking for a good pita bread recipe. I Liked the tips that you give about how to care the the bread. Thanks, I’m looking forward the making the pita bread.

      Reply
    11. Rhonda says

      October 24, 2017 at 3:05 pm

      You can make delicious bread without yeast or eggs using the starter method. It is a bit more involved but results in delicious bread whole wheat bread nearly identical to yeast bread but without yeast. I have made it for a number of years and people who are gluten sensitive find that they can eat this bread because the wheat is pre-digested during the fermentation process, thus eliminating the problems caused by gluten.

      Reply
      • Swati and Tushar says

        October 24, 2017 at 10:43 pm

        Wow, that’s amazing. I have never heard about the ‘starter method’. I would love to know more about it.

        Reply
      • Karen says

        January 10, 2018 at 1:22 pm

        Hi, I am interested in the starter method, as well. Would you be able to email me a link for the recipe or send the recipe itself?
        Thanks

        Reply
    12. Jocelyn says

      April 05, 2017 at 11:19 pm

      I recently started making pita bread from scratch, and it is so much better than store bought!

      Reply
    13. R. Brown says

      March 30, 2017 at 4:37 pm

      I have tried putting them in a airtight container and they stayed soft. There was no need to reheat in the microwave. They do however stay puffed up so you need quite a large container. I will keep this as a go to recipe for pitas. Thanks so much for sharing it.

      Reply
      • sheila says

        October 04, 2020 at 9:48 am

        5 stars
        How long do they keep for in an airtight container – or would I be better to freeze some?

        Reply
        • Watch What U Eat says

          October 11, 2020 at 9:46 pm

          Thank you, Sheila, for trying out the recipe. It will be good for 1-2 days in an airtight container. I will suggest putting them in the refrigerator to use the next day.

          Reply
    14. Swati and Tushar says

      March 09, 2017 at 3:11 am

      I am really really sorry that the recipe did not work out well for you. Thank you for your feedback. I see why it is so. I completely forgot to add yeast in the ingredients lists. Yeast causes the dough to puff. Also, this recipe is perfectly fine without salt. Per your comment, I see the absence of yeast is the reason for the recipe failing at your end.
      I apologize again for not being clear while writing the instructions for sugar/honey and completely omitting yeast. I have updated the recipe now. I have made this pita bread several times with the exact recipe and it turned out perfectly soft and fluffy every time. Thank you again for writing to us or else we would not have known the flaws in the write-up.

      Reply
      • R. Brown says

        March 09, 2017 at 10:09 pm

        I will try again next week and let you know how they turn out.

        Reply
        • R. Brown says

          March 20, 2017 at 8:02 pm

          I made them again this past weekend. They did puff up this time but they stay puffed up. If you store them you definitely have to microwave them because they are not soft unless you do it. I was looking more for a soft pita that I could use with heating them up each time I want to use it similar to the ones I can get in the store. I guess that may not be achievable.

          Reply
          • R. Brown says

            March 20, 2017 at 8:03 pm

            Sorry, that’s ‘I could use without heating’.

            Reply
          • Swati and Tushar says

            March 27, 2017 at 7:07 am

            In order for the pita to stay soft as you like it to be, you’d have to replace whole wheat flour with All Purpose Flour completely. In general, whole wheat flour based pita/flatbreads are not as soft compared to All Purpose flour ones. Hope this helps!

            Reply
    15. Megha says

      March 08, 2017 at 6:30 pm

      Wow, they look perfect, with those pockets too. I usually make them on tava and they never come out having pockets. Next time I am going to try your measurements and broil in oven.

      Reply
    16. Arunima says

      March 05, 2017 at 3:53 pm

      hi..my brother is allergic to dairy, yeast and eggs..and he really misses bread…do you have any ideas or recipes to make bread withot any of these? using baking powder or soda perhaps?

      Reply
      • Swati and Tushar says

        March 09, 2017 at 3:20 am

        Hello Arunima,
        Making bread without dairy and eggs might be possible. I do not use butter or eggs for making it, though. However, I never tried baking powder or soda instead of yeast. Therefore, I can’t say anything with certainty.

        Reply
        • Chuck says

          March 31, 2018 at 9:54 am

          Make bread using a sourdough starter (no yeast, no dairy and no eggs required) Breads turn out great and you can make your own starter and feed as needed or freeze a small portion so you have starter ready to grow (takes about 3 days to grow enough) when you are ready. Good info about starters here – https://breadtopia.com/make-your-own-sourdough-starter/

          Reply

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