This lavash bread recipe is easy, reliable and made with simple ingredients. Lavash is soft and perfect for wraps and sandwiches. Learn how to make this bread at home with this how-to tutorial and my notes and tips. 

 

Nothing beats warm homemade bread and we have some of the best here! From our classic Persian barbari and bazlama to simit and no yeast naan, you can find a bread recipe that you like. Today I’m going to show you how to make lavash, a classic Middle Eastern bread that’s loved by many. This recipe is no fail and foolproof, you don’t need any specific skills to make it and it tastes delicious! 

Lavash bread – A simple staple of many cuisines

Lavash is a soft and flat bread that can be folded easily to make sandwiches and wraps. It’s popular in countries such as Armenia, Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Traditionally, lavash is made in tanoor (brick or wood oven) or on saj Tava, however, you can also use a nonstick pan or griddle to make this bread. 

As for the origin, there are debates about whether the bread is originally from, but most believe it’s from Armenia. However, it’s considered a regional staple and is used in various cuisines.

Ingredients

• Water and milk: Warm water and milk are the liquid part of this recipe. I use a combination of milk and water to make sure the dough is supple and soft and the flavor is perfect. It’s important the the milk and water are not too hot as it would kill the yeast or too cold and the yeast wouldn’t bloom. You can use 2% or whole milk.
• Vegetable oil: While my choice for this recipe is vegetable oil, you can use any other neutral flavored oil to make this recipe. I don’t suggest using butter since it would change the texture and flavor. 
• Yeast: You can use instant or active dry yeast. If using active dry yeast, please activate it in water and milk for a few minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients. 
• Flour: Regular all purpose flour works just fine for this recipe. If using whole wheat flour, don’t use more than 50% of the whole amount of flour used in the recipe since it would make the lavash dry and hard. 

How to make lavash bread

This lavash recipe is easy, simple and foolproof. Simply mix, rise, shape and cook! Here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to make homemade lavash.

Make the dough

In a large bowl, mix warm water, warm milk, vegetable oil, sugar, salt and instant yeast to combine. Make sure your yeast is “instant” and doesn’t need extra time to activate. 

Slowly add the flour to the water and milk mixture and mix so the dough comes together. You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook and knead for about 8 minutes until the dough comes together.

It’s also possible to make the dough by hand. Transfer the dough to a lightly flour surface and knead to about 10 minutes until it comes together. The dough will be just a bit sticky. 

Rest and rise

Form the dough into a ball and rub some oil on the surface. Place it in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Then leave in a draft-free place such as an off oven or microwave to rise for 40 minutes. 

Shape the dough 

After 40 minutes, punch down the dough gently and divide it into 20 pieces. Shape each dough into a ball and cover them all with a kitchen towel so they don’t dry. 

Cook lavash in a pan

Heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Generously flour your surface and rolling pin. Grab one of the dough balls and cover the rest with the towel. Roll out the dough to be very thin. Place it on the pan and cook for about 45 to 60 seconds until bubbles start to appear. Flip and cook on the other side for 45 seconds until it’s fully cooked. Transfer to a plate and cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. 

3 tips to make the best lavash

1. Always keep a towel on the dough balls while rolling them out one by one. If not covered with a towel, the balls will develop a hard surface which would prevent the bread from bubbling. 
2. Make sure you dough is kneaded well. It should feel supple and soft but not too sticky. Avoid adding more flour than what is intended in the recipe. 
3. Keep a plate and a kitchen towel on the counter for the lavash breads that are cooked. Place each cooked lavash on the plate and immediately cover with a towel to avoid drying out. You can stack them.  

Serving suggestions

Lavash is one of the most versatile breads and there are so many things you can do with it. Here are a few suggestions:

• Serve for breakfast with some fried eggs, cheese, labneh, jam or butter. It also goes well with dishes such as menemen (Turkish eggs and tomatoes), Cilbir (Turkish poached eggs in yogurt sauce) or nargesi (Persian eggs and spinach).   
• Make a wrap with lavash, some kind of protein such as kofte kebab, shish kabob, shish tawook, beef shawarma, doner or joojeh kabab, greens, onions and tomatoes. 
• Serve it on the side or soups and stews such as Moroccan chickpea stew or Mediterranean lentil soup.

Storage

This is a homemade bread which means it doesn’t contain any preservatives and therefore, it won’t keep forever. Lavash keeps well for about two days in a bread bag at room temperature and then for up to a week if refrigerated. 

Frequently asked questions

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