Are you looking for a flatbread recipe that is gluten free and vegan friendly? Well you are in luck because this allergen friendly flatbread recipe is vegan, dairy free, nut free, and egg free! This simple flatbread recipe is made with 7 common household ingredients including gluten free all purpose flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
This recipe also includes instructions for making a garlic herb topping to brush on the flatbreads. The easy garlic herb topping is made with olive oil and a few common herbs and spices such as garlic powder and dried parsley.
What is in this gluten free vegan flatbread recipe?
What is in this gluten free vegan flatbread? Here are all the ingredients in this recipe for gluten free and vegan flatbread.
- Gluten free all purpose flour. Gluten free all purpose flour is the main ingredient in this recipe for gluten free and vegan flatbread. You should make sure to use an all purpose flour blend rather than a single gluten free flour like rice flour, almond flour, or coconut flour. We generally use Bob’s Red Mill flour or King Arthur flour and recommend that you use one of these flours for best results.
- Tapioca flour. Some tapioca flour is also added to this recipe for gluten free flatbread to give the flatbread a little bit of a chew. Adding some tapioca flour is a great way to add a little chew to your favorite gluten free baked good. We always use Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour. Tapioca flour can sometimes be hard to find in stores, so we recommend ordering it online if possible.
- Yeast. Yeast is the main leavening agent used in this flatbread recipe. The yeast gives the flatbread just enough rise so that it is not too dense and chewy. The flatbread dough is not left to rise for as long as a typical yeasted dough, so it does not get too much of a rise.
- Water. Water is the main liquid that is used in this recipe for gluten free flatbread. The water should be warm, but not hot. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. In order to determine whether the water is too hot, you can put your finger in the water for 10 seconds. If you feel any discomfort or you have to remove your fingers from the water before the 10 seconds is up, then the water is too hot.
- Olive oil. Some olive oil is added to this flatbread dough to give it a little bit of fat. We recommend using a high quality olive oil from a reputable brand. We always use California Olive Ranch olive oil.
- Sugar. Some sugar is also added to this gluten free flatbread dough. The sugar serves two purposes in the flatbread dough. It adds some extra flavor to the dough and also helps to ensure the dough browns nicely.
- Salt. Finally, some salt is added to the flatbread dough. The salt adds extra flavor to the flatbread dough by enhancing the other flavors in the dough.
What is in the garlic herb topping?
What is in the garlic herb topping that is brushed on these gluten free and vegan flatbreads? Here are all the ingredients used in the garlic herb topping.
- Olive oil. Olive oil is used as the base of the garlic herb topping. Since the olive oil plays such a prominent role in the topping, we recommend using a high quality olive oil. California Olive Ranch is our absolute favorite brand when it comes to olive oil.
- Garlic powder. After the olive oil, the garlic powder is the most prominent flavor in the garlic herb topping. The garlic powder gives the flatbread a nice, subtle garlic flavor that is absolutely to die for.
- Dried parsley. Some dried parsley is also used in the garlic herb topping. If you have fresh parsley, then that would also be a great addition! Fresh parsley does not have as strong of a flavor as dried parsley, so if you do use fresh parsley then you should add a little extra.
- Dried oregano. Dried oregano is also used in the garlic herb topping. Oregano is a classic spice that is used widely across many different cuisines so it is a perfect topping for a multi-purpose flatbread.
- Salt. As always, this topping is finished off with some salt. The salt enhances all of the other flavors in the topping and makes sure that they shine through.
How to make gluten free vegan flatbread
How do you make gluten free flatbread? Here are all the steps you need to take to make gluten free flatbread.
- Proof the yeast. The first step in making these gluten free and vegan flatbreads is combining the water, sugar, and yeast. Stir the mixture a few times and wait 5 – 10 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy on the surface. If the mixture does not become frothy, that is an indication that your yeast are bad and you should use new yeast.
- Mix the dough. After the yeast mixture becomes frothy on the surface, you can mix the ingredients for the flatbread dough together.
- Let the dough rise. After you make the flatbread dough, cover the dough with a sheet of saran wrap and leave the dough to rise for 30 – 45 minutes. The dough should increase in size by about 50%.
- Shape the flatbreads. After the dough has risen, it is time to shape the flatbreads. If the dough is sticky, you can dip your hands in a little bit of flour or oil to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands. We recommend shaping the flatbread on a sheet of parchment paper or another non-stick surface.
- The tiniest of second rises. After you shape the flatbreads, leave the flatbreads to rest for 5 – 10 minutes. Flatbreads generally do not have much air in them, so they do not need a long second rise.
- Cook the flatbread. Next it is time to cook the flatbreads. We recommend cooking the flatbreads on a cast iron pan if possible. Cast iron pans maintain heat better than other types of pans and you can heat them to higher temperatures. If you are on the market for a cast iron skillet, Victoria Cast Iron is our go to brand for all of our cast iron needs.
- Add the olive oil topping. Finally, it is time to add the olive oil topping. Mix the ingredients for the olive oil topping then brush the topping over the top of the cooked flatbreads.
How to store gluten free vegan flatbread
How do you store gluten free flatbread? Here is how to store gluten free flatbread.
- In the refrigerator for a few days. If you plan to eat your gluten free flatbreads within a few days after making them, we recommend storing the flatbreads in the refrigerator.
- In the freezer for a few months. This gluten free flatbread also stores well in the freezer. We often make double or triple batches of this flatbread recipe and store the leftovers in the freezer. The flatbread is easy to pull out of the freezer and reheat when you have a dip that you need a companion for. If you store your gluten free flatbreads in the freezer, you should make sure to put them in an airtight container such as a gallon sized freezer bag to ensure that they do not get freezer burn.
How to reheat gluten free flatbread
How do you reheat gluten free flatbreads? Here are your best options when it comes to reheating gluten free flatbreads.
- On the stove. As with many recipes, the best way to reheat these flatbreads is on the stove. Their texture will be more similar to that of a fresh flatbread if they are reheated on the stove. We recommend cooking them over medium low to medium heat until they are heated throughout.
- In the microwave. you can also reheat your gluten free flatbreads in the microwave. Flatbreads that are coming out of the refrigerator will need to be microwaved for 30 seconds – 60 seconds, whereas flatbreads that are coming out of the freezer will need more like 90 – 120 seconds. If you reheat the flatbreads in the microwave they will be a little more soft and chewy than if they were reheated on the stove.
Gluten free vegan flatbread
This easy flatbread recipe is gluten free, dairy free, and vegan friendly!
Servings: 10 flatbreads
Ingredients
Flatbread dough
- 1 packet yeast (1/4 oz packet)
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 cups water (plus about 2 tbsp more)
- 3 cups gluten free all purpose flour
- 1 cup tapioca flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
Olive oil topping
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp parsley
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Combine half of the water with the sugar and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Stir the mixture a few times then leave it to rest for 5 - 10 minutes until it becomes frothy on the surface. The water should be warm but not hot. You should be able to leave your finger in the water for 10 seconds without feeling any discomfort.
- Combine all of the rest of the ingredients for the flatbread dough. Knead the dough a few times to make sure everything is thoroughly mixed.
- Cover the dough with a sheet of saran wrap and leave it to rise in a warm area for 30 - 45 minutes. The dough should increase in size by about 50%.
- Preheat a pan over medium to medium high heat. We highly recommend using a cast iron pan if you have one. Depending on the type of pan you use, you may be able to cook these flatbreads without any oil. If the flatbreads are sticking to the pan, you can add a little olive oil to grease the pan.
- Shape the flatbreads on a sheet of parchment paper or a non-stick surface. If the dough is sticky, you can coat your hands in a little vegetable oil or flour to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.These flatbreads will puff up a little when you cook them, so you should make the flat breads thin.
- Let the flatbreads rest for 5 - 10 minutes after you shape them.
- Cook the flatbreads in the pan for 3 - 5 minutes per side. When they are done, the flatbreads should be a light golden brown throughout with some darker patches on them as well.
- Combine the ingredients for the olive oil topping and brush the flatbreads with the olive oil topping.
Notes
Flatbread dough consistency. Different gluten free flour blends are made from different ingredients and therefore have different consistencies. Depending on the flour blend you use you might need to add a little extra flour or water to your dough. I recommended reserving 1/4 cup of extra flour gluten free all purpose flour and 2 tbsp of extra water to add to your dough as needed. The dough should be tacky, but you should easily be able to shape it and transfer it to the pan if you put a little flour or vegetable oil on your hands. Xanthan gum. If your gluten free all purpose flour blend does not contain xanthan gum or a similar replacement for gluten then you should add around 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum per cup of flour. Tips for measuring flour. We recommend measuring flour by spooning the flour into a measuring cup then leveling off the flour with a butter knife. This is the most consistent way to measure flour. If you dip your measuring cup into the bag of flour, it will compress the flour and you will end up with extra flour.
Substitutions for gluten free vegan flatbreads
- Tapioca flour. If you do not have tapioca flour, then you can replace the tapioca flour with more gluten free all purpose flour. We recommend starting out by adding equal parts gluten free all purpose flour then assessing the consistency of your dough to determine whether you need to add any more.
- Dried parsley. If you want to add some fresh herbs into the mix, then you can use fresh parsley instead of (or in addition to) dried parsley. If you only plan to use dried parsley then you should use a larger quantity of parsley.
Other recipes you will love
Are you looking for a non-yeasted flatbread recipe that can be prepared in a matter of minutes? Then check out this recipe for quick gluten free flatbreads. These flatbreads are made with yogurt instead of water and olive oil so they are not dairy free and vegan friendly, but they are gluten free and egg free!
