If you’re like me, you’re always looking for creative ways to use up your sourdough discard. One of my favorite discard recipes is this easy sourdough flatbread recipe! Whether you call them flatbread, naan, pita, or flour tortillas, it’s an easy and versatile sourdough recipe – and perfect for everyone with our dairy-free (or no eggs) option. Cook them once, and use throughout the week for sandwich wraps, dippers, tacos, flatbread pizza, or a grab-and-go snack!
Flatbreads are popular all over the world. Some examples include pita bread from the Middle East, chapati and naan from India, tortillas from Mexico, and focaccia from Italy. Since they’re a low rise bread often made without yeast, discard is ideal for sourdough flatbread recipes!
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Why We Love Making This Easy Sourdough Flatbread Recipe
- 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. - 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!
Ingredients 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.
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
- 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
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.
What to Eat with Sourdough Flatbread
Some of our favorite dipping sauces for this sourdough naan recipe are shawarma garlic sauce, Louisiana hot crab 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 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
- 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.
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.