This sourdough flatbread recipe is a great way to use up extra starter while making something soft, flavorful, and easy to cook on the stovetop. Made with pantry staples and a bit of olive oil, the dough comes together quickly and cooks up in just minutes. It’s a perfect option for pairing with spreads, folding around grilled meats, or serving warm with soups and salads.
Flatbreads are found in many cultures, each with its own style and flavor. From pita and naan to tortillas and focaccia, these breads share one thing in common—they’re typically made without a long rise or active yeast. That’s what makes sourdough discard flatbread such a smart way to use your starter: the discard brings great texture and flavor without needing much time. You can also shape the dough into a base for sourdough flatbread pizza, adding toppings like marinara, cheese, and roasted vegetables before baking it until bubbly. It’s a quick and flexible way to enjoy the tangy character of sourdough in more ways than one.
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Why We Love This Sourdough Discard Flatbread
- Sourdough discard flatbread is fast and flexible!
You can make the bread thinner or thicker depending on how you roll the dough. Thinner dough will make the perfect flour tortillas for tacos or burritos. Thicker dough can be used for sourdough flatbread pizza (see recipe variations below) or pita wraps. - With easy sourdough flatbread recipes like this, you never have to throw out your discard when it’s time to feed it.
I go through periods when I don’t use my discard for making bread. So, I rely on easy discard recipes like this or our sourdough discard pancakes. If you want to know more about how to store sourdough discard, check out our guide! - You can freeze them!
Double the recipe and keep half in the freezer so you’ll have them ready when needed. No more buying frozen pizza crust for quick pizzas with sourdough flatbread in the freezer.
Looking for a more savory sourdough bread recipe? Try our garlic rosemary sourdough bread, it is the perfect compliment to most dishes!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- All-purpose flour: use all purpose or whole wheat flour (I prefer using hard white wheat).
- Sugar: this sweetener is essential for the quick rise and you only need a tablespoon. Don’t worry, your naan bread won’t have a sweet taste or flavor!
- Baking powder: due to the fast fermentation rise, this ensures the proper leavening.
- Sourdough starter discard: use a hungry starter that’s ready to be fed. If you take the starter straight from the fridge, use warm water that’s 95º to 105º for mixing the dough.
- Greek yogurt: any type of Greek yogurt (including Greek style, plant-based yogurt) or substitute with sour cream.
- Olive oil: use your favored cooking oil, I like using avocado oil, for this recipe.
Recipe Variations
- Sourdough flatbread pizza: Shape into a rectangle, brush on quick marinara sauce, and sprinkle with cheese and add your favorite toppings. Bake or air fry the flatbread pizza crust at 400ºF for 5-7 minutes until the top is bubbling. Check out our flatbread pizza margherita recipe for more topping ideas.
If you’re in the mood for something sweet and you still have discards, don’t forget to check out our sourdough cookies recipe for a delicious dessert made with your starter discard! We also have sourdough English muffins recipe for breakfast.
- Herbed sourdough flatbread: drizzle olive oil over the top and use dried or fresh herbs, or a combination of both. Try garlic and rosemary or garlic and sea-salt. Oregano, chives, thyme, and basil are all also great choices.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- dough whisk or mixing spoon for mixing the ingredients
- large bowl for mixing the ingredients together
- tea towel or plastic wrap to cover bowl of rising dough
- bench scraper (optional) or knife to cut the dough into equal pieces
- rolling pin to roll out the flatbread naan
- large cast iron skillet or heavy duty griddle for cooking the breads
- basting brush to brush the skillet or griddle and the finished flatbreads
How to Make Sourdough Flatbread Pizza
Unlike our other sourdough bread recipes, this sourdough discard flatbread uses a quick fermentation rise with a one hour rise time.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
If you take the starter straight from the fridge, use warm water that’s 95º to 105º for mixing the dough.
Mixing the Dough
- Mix together the ingredients with a dough hook or whisk, until a rough dough comes together. The dough should not feel sticky or too shaggy, add small amounts of flour or water as necessary. Cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rise for an hour at room temperature.
- Lightly flour your work surface and work dough into a flat rectangle. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces with knife or bench scraper.
- Roll out dough, one piece at a time while keeping the rest of the dough balls covered with a damp towel to keep them from drying out. Continue rolling dough evenly in a circle about 8 inches across.
Cooking Flatbread in a Cast Iron Skillet
- Preheat skillet or griddle to medium heat (or medium-high heat, depending on your stove). Drizzle in a teaspoon of oil before adding each flatbread. Cook on the hot skillet pan for 2 minutes each side, flipping when bubbles form on the surface of the bread.
- When finished cooking, remove from the skillet and brush with more oil or melted butter and transfer to a cutting board with a towel on top to keep warm.
See our how to store sourdough bread post or the recipe notes below for storing and reheating sourdough discard naan flatbread.
Serving Suggestions
Some of our favorite dipping sauces for this sourdough naan recipe are shawarma garlic sauce, Louisiana hot crab dip, Velveeta dip, and queso dip with chorizo.
Use the sourdough discard naan as a tortilla and fill it with your favorite meats a vegetables. This bread also pairs lovely with your favorite chili, soup or bean recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Store leftover flatbread at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days. For longer storage, keep them in the freezer in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Use wax paper or foil wrap between the breads to prevent sticking. Let the bread thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the toaster, or in the oven or air fryer at 350ºF for 5 minutes.
Yes, keep them in the freezer in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Use wax paper or foil wrap between the breads to prevent sticking.
Yes, substitute whole wheat flour in equal quantities for all purpose flour.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes You’ll Love…
- Pizza Dough Sourdough Discard
- Sourdough Starter Pancakes
- Banana Bread with Sourdough Starter
- Sourdough Discard Blueberry Scones
If you tried this sourdough naan bread recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Sourdough Flatbread
Equipment
- 1 dough whisk or mixing spoon
- 1 large bowl
- 1 tea towel or plastic wrap
- 1 bench scraper (optional)
- 1 rolling pin
- 1 large cast iron skillet or heavy duty griddle
- 1 basting brush
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour or whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup sourdough starter discard or fed 12-24 hours prior *see notes below
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream (for regular or plant-based yogurt see notes below)
- ⅓ cup olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon warm water about 95ºF
Instructions
- Mix flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Add sourdough discard, yogurt, 1/4 cup of the oil, and 1 tablespoon of water to the bowl. Using a dough whisk, mix everything together until a rough dough forms. The dough should not feel sticky or too shaggy, add small amounts of flour or water as necessary. Cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for an hour at room temperature.
- Lightly flour your work surface and work dough into a flat rectangle. Divide dough into 8 equal parts with knife or bench scraper. Roll out one piece of dough at a time while keeping the rest of the dough balls covered with a damp towel. Each rolled out dough ball should be about 8 inches across.
- Preheat skillet to medium heat (or medium high heat, depending on your stove) and brush or drizzle in a teaspoon of oil before adding each flatbread. Cook on the hot skillet for 2 minutes each side, flipping when bubbles form on the surface of the bread. When finished cooking, remove from skillet and brush with more oil or melted butter and transfer to a cutting board with a towel on top to keep warm
- Serve warm. These are easy to reheat in the oven in foil or air fryer at 350ºF for 5 minutes.Store leftover flatbed naan in an airtight container at room temp for 2-3 days.
Notes
- Can I freeze this sourdough bread? Yes, keep them in the freezer in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Use wax paper or foil wrap between the breads to prevent sticking.
- Can I use whole wheat flour in place of all purpose flour in this sourdough naan recipe? Yes, substitute whole wheat flour in equal quantities for all purpose flour.
- If you take the starter straight from the fridge, use warm water that’s 95º to 105º for mixing the dough.
- Sourdough flatbread pizza – Shape into a rectangle, brush on quick marinara sauce, and sprinkle with cheese and add your favorite toppings. Bake or air fry the flatbread pizza crust at 400ºF for 5-7 minutes until the top is bubbling. Check out our flatbread pizza margherita recipe for more topping ideas.
- Store leftover flatbread at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
- For longer storage, keep them in the freezer in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- Use wax paper or foil wrap between the breads to prevent sticking.
- Let the bread thaw in the refrigerator and reheat in the toaster, or in the oven or air fryer at 350ºF for 5 minutes.
Nutrition
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Annemarie says
So delicious! Actually delicious is an understatement! These upped our burrito game exponentially!
Jamie says
I’m really looking forward to trying this recipe! Can you tell me how much discard to use in grams? Thanks!
Gianne - TFN Team Member says
It would be 113g discard.
Samantha says
I just made these flatbreads today and they were so easy. We used them for breakfast burritos.