This chickpea flatbread sounds slightly ridiculous on paper - whole chickpeas pressed into yeasted dough - but somehow it works brilliantly. The chickpeas add texture and the spices make these feel genuinely different from every other flatbread recipe out there. Smaller than a traditional pita but just as useful, they're perfect for dipping, scooping or eating warm straight from the pan.
Table of Contents
Recipe snapshot
🍽️ What it is: A soft yeasted chickpea flatbread made with whole chickpeas pressed into a spiced wholemeal 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 alongside soups and dips
👨🍳 How to make it: Mix and prove the dough, fold through the roughly mashed chickpeas, then cook the flatbreads in a hot pan until lightly puffed and charred
Peter's Tip: Don't over-mash the chickpeas - the little chunks throughout the dough are what make these so good.
Why this recipe works
- Whole chickpeas pressed into the dough give these flatbreads texture and little pockets of softness throughout
- The mix of bread flour and wholemeal keeps them soft enough to fold while adding a slightly nuttier flavour
- Turmeric, cumin and cayenne bring warmth and colour without overpowering the flatbread itself
- Cooking them in a hot pan creates charred spots and light puffing that makes them feel rustic and homemade
Ingredients
- Bread flour: Gives the flatbreads their structure and chew. Combined with wholemeal flour for a slightly heartier texture
- Wholemeal flour: Adds nuttiness and helps give the flatbreads a more rustic feel
- Instant yeast: Goes straight into the dry ingredients - no need to activate it separately
- Turmeric: Mainly for colour, but it also adds a subtle earthiness to the dough
- Cumin and cayenne: Warm, savoury and just enough heat without making the flatbreads spicy (cayenne is not pictured).
- Chickpeas: Roughly mashed and folded through the dough. Keep some chunks intact for texture
- Olive oil: Adds softness and flavour to the dough. Use a good extra virgin olive oil if possible
How to make it (Quick Overview)
Make the dough
Combine the flours, yeast, spices and salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and water and knead until smooth. Cover and leave to prove for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
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Mash the chickpeas
While the dough is proving, roughly mash the chickpeas with a fork. Keep some texture - you don't want a smooth paste.
Shape the flatbreads
Knead the chickpeas into the dough until evenly incorporated. Divide into 8 pieces and roll each one out on a lightly floured surface to around 6 inches wide.
Cook until charred and slightly puffy
Cook the flatbreads in a lightly oiled hot pan for about 2 minutes per side until lightly puffed with golden charred spots.
Expert tips
- Don't over-mash the chickpeas - the rough texture throughout the dough is what makes these flatbreads interesting
- The dough will feel slightly tacky once the chickpeas are added - a light dusting of flour when rolling is all you need
- Use a properly hot pan - the flatbreads should puff slightly and pick up charred spots quickly
- Stack the cooked flatbreads under a clean tea towel to keep them soft and warm while you finish the batch
Serving suggestions
- Serve these warm with any of the Greek dips - tzatziki, melitzanosalata, htipiti or walnut skordalia all work beautifully.
- They're also perfect alongside a bowl of lentil and chickpea soup for a hearty Mediterranean-style meal.
- Or keep things simple - drizzle them with olive oil, tear them apart and eat them warm straight from the pan.
Variations
- Add fresh herbs: Chopped parsley, mint or cilantro work beautifully folded through the dough
- Make them milder: Reduce the cayenne if you want less heat - the cumin and turmeric will still carry plenty of flavour
- Use white flour only: Skip the wholemeal flour for a softer, lighter flatbread
- Add nigella or sesame seeds: Scatter them over the dough before cooking for extra texture and flavour
- Turn them into wraps: Fill them with grilled chicken, souvlaki, falafel or roasted vegetables and plenty of tzatziki
More flatbreads and pitas
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📖 Recipe
Chickpea Flatbread
Conversions
Ingredients
- 400 g bread flour
- 100 g wholemeal flour
- 7 g instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 30 ml olive oil
- 300 ml water
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and roughly mashed (mine weighed approx. 230 g once drained) (***Note 1***)
Instructions
- Combine the bread flour, wholemeal flour, yeast, turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in a large bowl.400 g bread flour, 100 g wholemeal flour, 7 g instant yeast, 1 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon salt
- Add the olive oil and water and knead for around 5 minutes until the dough is smooth. Cover and leave to prove for 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Note 2)30 ml olive oil, 300 ml water
- While the dough is proving, roughly mash the chickpeas with a fork, keeping some chunks intact. (Note 3)
- Once the dough has doubled in size, knead the chickpeas through until evenly incorporated.1 can chickpeas drained and roughly mashed (mine weighed approx. 230 g once drained) (***Note 1***)
- Divide the dough into 8 pieces (mine weighed approx. 125 g each) and roll them out on a lightly floured surface until approximately 6 inches wide.
- Heat a lightly oiled cast iron or non-stick pan over high heat and cook the flatbreads for around 2 minutes on each side until lightly puffed and charred in spots. (Note 4)
- Stack the cooked flatbreads under a clean tea towel to keep them soft and warm. Serve immediately.
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Peter's Tips →
- Don't over-mash the chickpeas - the rough texture throughout the dough is what gives these flatbreads their character.
- Proving time can vary slightly depending on the temperature of your kitchen. The dough should look noticeably puffed and doubled in size.
- Keep some larger chickpea pieces intact rather than turning them into a smooth paste.
- Use a properly hot pan so the flatbreads puff slightly and develop charred spots quickly rather than drying out slowly.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Souvlaki For the Soul
Sia M says
So unique! Thank you for allowing me to test these delicious flatbreads!