This chickpea flatbread may sound unusual — whole chickpeas pressed into yeasted dough — but it works exceptionally well. The chickpeas add delightful pockets of texture and the warming spices set these apart from ordinary flatbreads. Smaller than a traditional pita yet versatile, they’re ideal for dipping, scooping or eating warm straight from the pan.
Recipe snapshot
🍽️ What it is: A soft yeasted chickpea flatbread made by folding roughly mashed chickpeas into a spiced wholemeal and bread flour dough.
❤️ Why you’ll love it:
- Smaller and heartier than regular pita
- Golden from turmeric with gentle warmth from cumin and cayenne
- Perfect for dipping, scooping or serving with soups and spreads
👨🍳 How to make it: Mix the dry ingredients, add oil and water, knead and prove. Fold in the roughly mashed chickpeas, shape into rounds and cook in a hot pan until puffed and charred.
Peter’s Tip: Keep some chickpea chunks — they give the flatbreads delightful texture.
Why this recipe works
- Whole chickpeas folded into the dough provide small pockets of softness and a pleasant bite.
- A blend of bread and wholemeal flour keeps the flatbreads pliable while adding a nutty depth.
- Turmeric, cumin and cayenne add colour and gentle warmth without overwhelming the bread.
- Cooking in a very hot pan gives quick puffing and charred spots for a rustic finish.
Ingredients
- Bread flour: Provides structure and chew; balanced with wholemeal for texture.
- Wholemeal flour: Adds nuttiness and a rustic character.
- Instant yeast: Mixes directly with the dry ingredients for convenience.
- Turmeric: Gives a warm golden colour and subtle earthiness.
- Cumin and cayenne: Add savoury warmth and a touch of heat; adjust cayenne to taste.
- Chickpeas: Drained and roughly mashed, folded through the dough with some chunks left intact.
- Olive oil: Keeps the crumb soft and adds flavour.
How to make it (Quick Overview)
Make the dough
Whisk the flours, yeast, spices and salt together. Add olive oil and water, then knead until smooth. Cover and leave to prove for about 1 hour, until doubled.
Mash the chickpeas
While the dough proves, roughly mash the chickpeas with a fork. Leave some texture — avoid a smooth paste.
Shape the flatbreads
Fold the mashed chickpeas into the dough until evenly distributed. Divide into 8 portions and roll each to roughly 6 inches (15 cm) across on a lightly floured surface.
Cook until charred and slightly puffy
Heat a lightly oiled heavy pan over high heat. Cook each flatbread about 2 minutes per side until it puffs slightly and develops golden, charred spots.
Expert tips
- Don’t over-mash the chickpeas — the scattered chunks are the best part.
- The dough will be slightly tacky after adding the chickpeas; dust the work surface lightly when rolling.
- Use a very hot pan so the breads puff and char quickly without drying out.
- Keep cooked flatbreads wrapped in a clean tea towel to stay warm and soft while you finish the batch.
Serving suggestions
- Serve warm with Greek-style dips such as tzatziki, roasted eggplant dip, red pepper feta dip or a garlicky skordalia.
- They’re excellent with lentil and chickpea soup for a filling, Mediterranean-inspired meal.
- Or keep it simple: drizzle with olive oil, tear apart and enjoy straight from the pan.
Variations
- Fresh herbs: Fold through parsley, mint or cilantro for brightness.
- Milder heat: Reduce or omit the cayenne while keeping cumin and turmeric.
- Softer flatbreads: Use only white bread flour in place of wholemeal.
- Seeds: Sprinkle nigella or sesame seeds on top before cooking for extra texture.
- Wraps: Use them as wraps filled with grilled meats, falafel or roasted vegetables with yoghurt sauce.
More flatbreads and pitas
-
Greek Pita Bread
-
Buckwheat Pita Bread
-
Greek Yogurt Flatbread
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📖 Recipe
Chickpea Flatbread
Conversions
Ingredients
- 400 g bread flour
- 100 g wholemeal flour
- 7 g instant yeast
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp salt
- 30 ml olive oil
- 300 ml water
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and roughly mashed (about 230 g drained)
Instructions
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Combine the bread flour, wholemeal flour, yeast, turmeric, cumin, cayenne and salt in a large bowl.
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Add the olive oil and water, then knead for around 5 minutes until the dough is smooth. Cover and leave to prove for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
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While the dough proves, roughly mash the chickpeas with a fork, keeping some chunks intact.
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When the dough has doubled, knead the mashed chickpeas through until evenly incorporated.
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Divide the dough into 8 pieces (about 125 g each) and roll each out on a lightly floured surface to roughly 6 inches (15 cm) wide.
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Heat a lightly oiled cast-iron or non-stick pan over high heat. Cook each flatbread for about 2 minutes per side until lightly puffed and charred in spots.
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Stack the cooked flatbreads under a clean tea towel to keep them soft and warm. Serve immediately.
Peter’s Tips →
- Don’t over-mash the chickpeas — the rough texture gives the flatbreads character.
- Proving time varies with kitchen temperature; the dough should look noticeably puffed and doubled.
- Leave some larger chickpea pieces rather than creating a smooth paste.
- Use a hot pan so the breads puff and char quickly rather than drying out.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is approximate and provided for convenience only.
© Souvlaki For the Soul
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