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A stack of gluten-free vegan pita bread

Gluten-Free Pita Bread (Dairy-Free, Vegan)


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5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Felicia Lim
  • Total Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
  • Yield: 5 pitas 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

This gluten-free pita bread recipe is a delicious and satisfying gluten-free alternative to traditional pita bread. Chewy and flexible, these gluten-free pitas are perfect for eating with hummus, baba ganoush or other favorite dips, making sandwiches or wraps, or enjoying on its own! Totally dairy-free and vegan too.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Instructions

  1. Activate Yeast: Combine the yeast, sugar and warm water and stir with a spoon until well-combined. Set it aside for 5 minutes to proof the yeast – if it becomes frothy, the yeast is active and can be used.
  2. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients ; gluten-free all-purpose flour, tapioca flour, psyllium husk powder, and salt.
  3. Add Yeast Mixture to Dry Ingredients: Pour the yeast mixture and olive oil into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly combined.
  4. Knead Dough: Work the dough with your hands until it’s smooth and elastic, then return it to the mixing bowl.
  5. Let Dough Rise: Cover the bowl tightly with cling film and move it to a warm, draft-free area. Leave it for 60 minutes or until the dough has visibly expanded and risen.
  6. Divide Dough into Portions: Once the dough has risen, divide it into 5 equal portions (around 90 grams each) and shape them into balls.
  7. Roll Out Dough: Dust your rolling pin with rice flour (or other gluten-free flour blend) and gently flatten each ball of dough into a circular shape. *(1/4-inch thick)
  8. Heat Up Skillet and Cook Dough: Heat up a skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes until it’s hot. Place one of the rolled-out circles of dough into the skillet and cook it for about a minute, or until bubbles start to form on the surface.
  9. Flip Pita: Flip the pita over and cook it for another minute or two on the other side, until it’s golden brown and slightly puffed up.
  10. Repeat Until All Dough is Used: Repeat this process with the remaining circles of dough, making sure to keep the cooked pitas covered with a kitchen towel to keep them warm.

Notes

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch). I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free flour blend made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo flour) as that will result in a denser texture. Alternatively, you may also use rice flour instead.

Tapioca Starch: Also known as tapioca flour, this is a gluten-free flour made from the starchy root of the cassava plant. It is often used in gluten-free baking because it helps to give baked goods a chewy texture. Alternatively, if you don’t have tapioca starch, you can substitute it with arrowroot starch (also known as arrowroot flour or arrowroot powder) instead.

Psyllium Husk Powder: Psyllium husk powder is a fiber supplement made from the seeds of the Plantago ovata plant. It is often used as a binding agent in gluten-free baking, as it helps to give baked goods a more elastic texture. Make sure to add it in so you get flexible pitas. If you only have access to whole psyllium husks, you can grind the whole psyllium husks in a coffee grinder or high-speed blender to get a fine powder.

Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil, but you can also use avocado oil, flaxseed oil, melted coconut oil, melted vegan butter, or another vegetable oil instead.

Yeast: Yeast is used as a leavening agent to help the bread rise, so much sure you add it in. You can either use fresh yeast (a moist, crumbly block of yeast that is typically used in professional bakeries), or active dry yeast (a granular form of yeast that is more commonly used in home baking).

Cane Sugar: Sugar is used to feed the yeast, which will then produce the gases that make the bread dough rise. I used cane sugar, but you can also use white sugar, light brown sugar or dark brown sugar.

Warm Water: Make sure to use warm water that is between 105F to 115F (the warmth is required for the yeast to be activated, but if the water is too hot, the high heat will kill the yeast).

Storing/Freezing: Allow the gluten-free pitas to cool completely before storing it. Place the cooled pita bread in a plastic bag or airtight container, and store the pita bread at room temperature for up to 2 days. To freeze the pita bread, wrap the cooled pita bread tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag or container. It will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to eat the frozen pita bread, simply let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or microwave it for a few seconds to warm it up. Avoid storing pita bread in the refrigerator, as the cool temperature can cause it to dry out and become stale.

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Rising Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 12 mins
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern