This delicious Homemade Flatbread Pizza is a simple and satisfying meal that can be enjoyed anyway you desire. The use of yeast brings this crust a soft and fluffy texture that makes a wonderful crust for any assortment of toppings. Because of it’s rich flavor and soft, slightly chewy consistency, you can make a pizza with or without a sauce for a simplistic and authentic style pizza pie.
It can be baked on a griddle or in your oven, depending on your preference. While this dough technically isn’t a true flatbread, it is made with a flatbread style in mind and is still much lighter than a traditional pizza crust.
We are sharing our tips for making the best pizza crust that won’t be dried out, dense or over baked.
Is Flatbread dough the same as pizza dough?
Traditional pizza dough is a heavy crust that uses yeast as a leavening agent to create a thick, chewy crust that is strong enough to hold heavy cheese, sauce, meat toppings and veggies. Flatbreads are unleavened doughs which are much thinner, denser and traditionally do not act as a pizza crust for traditional pizza pies.
Our crust is a combination of the two. We have used yeast as a leavening agent to create a lighter and fluffier crust, but kept it light and in a flatbread style to be used for lighter pizza pies such as veggie and fresh greens with olive oil and pesto sauces; as opposed to a tomato based sauce with heavy meat toppings.
Using fresh ingredients like artichoke hearts, tomatoes, olives, and oils helps to infuse a light but moist flavor and texture into the dough. Finishing the pizza with fresh greens like arugula, parsley, or even cilantro, brings a pop of color and depth of flavor as well.
Is Flatbread pizza healthier than regular pizza?
The health factor for most pizzas lie in the serving size and the choice of toppings first and foremost. While you can absolutely opt for toppings that are lighter in calories such as veggies and greens, as opposed to heavy meats and cheeses; pizzas still contain a lot of carb heavy calories simply due to their nature of being bread based.
Using thinner crusts and good quality ingredients that aren’t full of additives and low quality fillers, is a great idea if you’re looking to improve the health factor of your pizza. Keeping your portion size in mind is also very important. What is the healthiest type of pizza? Thin crust all the way, it uses far less bread and will hold fewer toppings.
This pizza crust can be used to make a variety of different pizzas. We love the vibrant, fresh flavors of the Mediterranean pizza that we have featured; but, it also makes a delicious veggie or margarita pizza too!
Enjoy it with your favorite glass of red or white wine for a decadent meal, or maybe even indulge a bit and make yourself one of our simple sweet tea and bourbon cocktails, a refreshing Arnold Palmer with or without vodka, or an icy Moscow Mule made with ginger beer.
What is the secret to a good pizza crust?
A good pizza crust is flavorful and well baked without being tough and dense. The best practices are in the ratio of ingredients and the bake temperature and time. Pizza dough requires a high amount of water, this will keep it from drying out during the baking process. The bake time and temperature is also important as it affects how evenly the pizza crust cooks.
Be sure to follow the recipe and watch the crust for over baking around the edges and underside of the dough. Your crust is done when it reaches a light golden color with a slightly darker bottom.
Flatbread ingredient substitutions
- This recipe call for regular all purpose flour which gives a very soft pizza crust. Add whole wheat flour up to 50 percent for a denser, chewier flatbread.
- As we do in our Italian herbed pizza dough, add in Italian herbs to bring out the lovely flavors of Italy.
- Consider using a pesto sauce for a delicious flavor boost.
This recipe is easy to make, versatile and makes a delicious flat bread style pizza crust. Your family will love it with all your favorite toppings.
Tips on handling the dough
- You can make this recipe in either your stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl by hand. This is a soft dough that requires only a little kneading.
- We do not recommend using a hand mixer, they are not powerful enough to mix bread dough.
- Use your lightly floured rolling pin to roll the dough and prevent it from sticking.
- Flour your hands when you form the dough into your baking sheet.
Cooking Flatbread
- This flatbread dough can be baked raw with all the toppings on top. No need to bake the flatbread first unless you choose to.
- It can be pre baked If you have toppings that you don’t want to bake.
- A pizza stone can be used if you would like a crispier bottom, but isn’t necessary.
- The pizza can be cooked on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Allow the pizza to cool for a minute or two before slicing with a pizza cutter.
Is it better to roll or stretch your pizza dough?
The decision of whether to roll your pizza dough with a rolling pin, or stretch it with your hands comes down to personal choice based on the outcome you are looking for. Rolling the dough will result in a thinner, flat crust style of pizza.
Stretching the dough with your hands will allow the dough to rise more and would be suited for a New York style pizza with a chewier crust. We do a combination of the two methods; using our hands to do most of the work and utilizing the rolling pin to finish off the shape, and to even out the thickness of the dough.
Flatbread How To
Below you will find our complete recipe to make flatbread pizza with yeast. This flatbread pizza dough is lighter and a bit fluffier than a traditional non yeasted flatbread. We find that it works beautifully for pizzas, calzones, and even pizza rolls.
Homemade Flatbread Pizza Recipe with yeast
This delicious homemade flatbread pizza delivers a soft or crispy crust pizza with little fuss. It's a light and fluffy pizza crust that comes together quickly and easily while delivering vibrant flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp. yeast (instant or regular)
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 3/4 Cup warm water (105 to 110 degrees F.)
- 2 Cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat Oven to 475 degrees F.
- In a stand mixer or large bowl add the yeast, sugar and water.
- Let stand five minutes to allow yeast to hydrate and bloom. (it should form a foamy patch on top of the water.
- Whisk the yeast mixture until it is cloudy.
- Add the flour, salt and oil.
- Set the stand mixer to low speed and mix until the dough form a shaggy ball. Or use your hands or wooden spoon to mix.
- Scoop the dough onto a floured work surface.
- Use your floured hands to knead the dough several times.
- Knead until the dough is elastic and holds together well in a ball with a smooth surface. (usually under five minutes)
- Place the dough ball into an oiled bowl. Cover and let sit for 45 minutes.
- Remove the rested dough onto a floured work surface. * (Go here in notes if making small flatbreads)
- Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness with a floured rolling pin.
- Remove dough to a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet or your preheated baking stone.
- Form the dough to approximately fit the form of your baking sheet or pan.
- At this point you are ready to bake the pizza dough. If baking without toppings set pan in oven 10 to 15 minutes until crust is browned. Remove from heat. Cool and use for whatever purpose you desire.
If baking now with Toppings:
- Brush on olive oil over the dough top
- sprinkle additional salt over the oiled surface.
- Top with your favorite toppings.
- Bake as directed until toppings are cooked.
- Remove from heat and Serve.
Notes
To freeze Flatbread:
Set your flatbread in a bag with all the air sucked out. Freeze flat. This flatbread will hold in the freezer up to three months.
*For small flatbreads:
After the resting period cut the dough into equal parts. This dough will make 4-8 inch flatbreads.
To cook Flatbread on a griddle: (oiled cast iron or non stick skillets also work well)
- This is recommended for small flatbreads made without toppings.
- Set the griddle onto Medium High heat.
- Lay the rolled out flatbread dough on the hot griddle.
- Cook until bubbles form on top (usually 30 to 60 seconds)
- Flip the flatbread and cook until browned on bottom.
- Slide off and repeat until all the small flatbreads are cooked.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 82Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 195mgCarbohydrates 16gFiber 1gSugar 0gProtein 2g
More Delicious Recipes
These are all great recipes that have a Mediterranean cuisine flare.
- Mediterranean Shrimp Sheet Pan Dinner
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad Recipe with Kalamata and Feta.
- Instant Pot Mediterranean Pasta Chicken
- Mediterranean Pizza Recipe W Flatbread
- Delicious Greek Orzo Salad with Feta
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