Fast, easy, and delicious Homemade Mediterranean Flatbread-style pizza in less than thirty minutes! Simply change the toppings to suit your preference! Split the dough into individual portions and everyone can make their own!
HOMEMADE MEDITERRANEAN FLATBREAD
Homemade Mediterranean Flatbread is extremely easy to make at home. In the recipe card below, you’ll find a go-to dough recipe that I use for all types of flatbread and pizza recipes. In fact, I even used this same dough recipe in my Wrapped Asparagus Spears recipe. It’s a completely versatile and adaptable dough.
There are several types of bread that can fall into the flatbread category. Some of them have yeast and some don’t. I tend to like a little bit of yeast in my flatbread and pizza dough. Not so much that it puffs up a lot, just enough so that it’s more substantial.
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FLATBREAD OPTIONS
If you’re not feeling up to making your own dough at home, you can certainly buy pre-made flatbread and still make a great-tasting dinner. I have often purchased flatbread at the grocer and topped it with sauce, cheese, and our favourite toppings. It’s a great way to whip up dinner in a hurry. And, it’s a lot cheaper than pizza delivery!
This recipe will work perfectly with focaccia, even though it’s a very thick type of flatbread. Naan works very well! Roti will work well too, especially if you’re looking for unleavened bread. (Unleavened is a term that applies to breads that do not include an ingredient such as yeast which makes the bread rise and proof. Most flat types of bread and unleavened breads.)
BLACK OLIVES, LORD BYRON??
This particular Homemade Mediterranean Flatbread recipe was made specifically for John.e. I had made up a double batch of the dough a little while ago and decided to make a Traditional Newfoundland Pizza for myself and McKenna. I knew John.e wouldn’t eat it, because Newfie pizza is a far cry from being vegetarian.
Armed with black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta, I decided to make a Mediterranean-style flatbread for him. If you’ve been a reader of this blog for any serious amount of time, you would have known that this flatbread wasn’t for me as soon as you looked at the photographs.
I refuse to eat black olives, but John.e loves them. To date, there are over 500 recipes here at Lord Byron’s Kitchen, and this is only the second recipe that features black olives. My Warm Farro Salad has black olives in it too. I can’t make all of the recipes for myself. I have to be nice and make a recipe or two with ingredients that I don’t really care for, right?
CHANGE IT UP; MAKE IT YOUR OWN!
Now, just because this particular flatbread is modelled after common Mediterranean ingredients, that doesn’t mean you are stuck making your version the exact same way. You can add any toppings you like to your flatbread. You can even make one very large flatbread or two smaller ones like I made.
Most kids are picky eaters, so you might want to change up the black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta. I’ve used this same technique described in the recipe card and added just cheese and pepperoni on many occasions. The recipe is very forgiving and completely adaptable.
If by chance you or your family cannot finish the flatbread – no worries! Homemade Mediterranean Flatbread can be saved and reheated later. Let the flatbread completely cool and then refrigerate. When ready to reheat, wrap loosely in aluminum foil and bake for 5-7 minutes in a 350-degree preheated oven.
The aluminum foil should not touch the top of the pizza but should cover it. This will prevent the toppings from burning, and will also prevent the cheese from sticking to the foil. If you freeze the leftovers, allow the flatbread to thaw completely at room temperature before attempting to reheat.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE FLATBREAD:
The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.
FOR THE DOUGH:
- Active Dry Yeast – Do not confuse this with Instant Yeast. Active dry yeast needs to be dissolved in water before using, while instant yeast can be mixed right into dry ingredients.
- Olive Oil – You can also use vegetable, canola, avocado oil, etc.
- Sugar – This might seem odd, but the sugar makes for a tastier dough, plus, it gives the yeast something to feed on which promotes proofing or rising.
- Flour – I only ever used all-purpose unbleached flour in my dough. I have not experimented with other flour options at this point.
- Warm Water – The water should be as close to 110 degrees F as possible. Too hot and you will kill the yeast; too cold and it won’t activate properly.
- Salt
Lord Byron’s Notes
Active Dry Yeast and Instant Yeast are essentially the same thing and both of them will give you the same result in the end. The difference is that active dry yeast works more slowly than instant yeast and is often used in recipes where water is mixed with the yeast to activate it before the dry ingredients are added to prepare the dough. In contrast, instant yeast works much faster and does not need to be activated by water. It is almost always mixed right into the dry ingredients.
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FOR THE TOPPINGS:
These toppings are just suggestions. You can change it up and make a flatbread that suits your personal tastes.
- Mozzarella – Use fresh mozzarella and slice it about 1/4 inch thick.
- Sun Dried Tomatoes – Use the ones packed in oil. They have better flavour.
- Black Olives – I do not like olives at all, but I made this flatbread for John.e and he loves them. You can use green or none at all if that’s what pleases you.
- Feta – I love crumbled feta on flatbread, especially when it is a Mediterranean-inspired flatbread!
- Dried Herbs – Basil and oregano are perfect on this one!
- Parsley – Used for garnish and is optional.
- Egg – Beat with a little bit of water, this is used to brush the outside of the dough. It helps to brown the dough so that it looks better. You can skip this too if you wish.
- Non-stick Cooking Spray
HOW TO MAKE FLATBREAD:
Let’s make the dough first!
Let’s start with preparing the dough. If you have purchased dough from the grocer, follow the instructions on the package. Otherwise, make the dough from scratch by following these simple instructions.
Fill a mixing bowl with hot tap water. This will temper the bowl which is important to yeast activation and growth. Measure out 3/4 cup of water that’s 110 degrees F. Pour the water out of the bowl. Place one teaspoon of sugar into the bottom of the bowl and pour over the 3/4 cup of water. Sprinkle the yeast over the surface of the water and let sit for two minutes.
Next, whisk in the olive oil. Add the flour, and salt. Use a wooden spoon to stir the flour into the water and oil. Use your hand to knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. Cover with a clean tea towel and set aside to rise. (Be sure to keep away from drafts or an open window.)
Now, the fun part! Let’s assemble the flatbread!
Once the dough is ready, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F, and lightly spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Using only half of the dough per sheet pan, place the dough onto the pan and use a rolling pin to roll it out into an oblong or rectangular shape.
Next, whisk the egg and the tablespoon of water together. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the perimeter of the dough. Evenly distribute the mozzarella over the two flatbreads. Avoid placing cheese on the egg-washed perimeter.
Next, top each pizza with sun-dried tomatoes, followed by the black olives, and then the feta. Sprinkle over the dried basil and dried oregano. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Garnish with the chopped parsley, if you are using it, and slice the flatbread into wedges. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
The key to a really good flatbread is the dough. You can use the dough recipe here and create any flavour of flatbread that you want. I have made this same dough and spread sun-dried tomato pesto on it with some mozzarella and pepperoni for a make-at-home pizza. I’ve also mixed together equal parts butter and parmesan cheese with a clove of minced garlic and a little splash of olive oil. Spread it over the dough and bake until bubbly. You now have easy garlic fingers! Be sure to dip them in my Donair Sauce!
You can also make the dough ahead of time. Once the dough has had time to rise, transfer it to a food-safe plastic bag. Get as much air out of the bag as possible and place the dough in the refrigerator. The dough will last in the fridge for 3-5 days. Once you’re ready to make your flatbread, remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out just like the recipe instructions indicate.
If you have any leftover flatbread, you can refrigerate it for 2-3 days and reheat it later. You can microwave it, but be sure to do so on half speed/power, otherwise, the crust gets a little chewy. You can also place the flatbread on a baking sheet and toss it in the oven. Set the oven to 200 degrees F and let it go for 5 minutes.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
If you follow my Homemade Mediterranean Flatbread recipe exactly as written, you might want to continue the theme if you are looking to feed a larger group of people. I do this simply by adding side dishes that will complement the main. In the case of this flatbread, I would serve it with this Greek Potato Salad or this Cucumber Walnut Salad or this Fire Roasted Tomato and Artichoke Bean Salad!
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Homemade Mediterranean Flatbread
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 3/4 cup warm tap water, 110 degrees F
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Pizza:
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup black olives
- 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
For the Dough:
- Fill a metal mixing bowl with hot tap water and set aside for a few minutes. This will temper the bowl and help to ensure the yeast will properly activate. While you’re waiting for the bowl to warm, preheat the oven to 500 degrees – not broil, but degrees.
- Pour the hot water out of the bowl and wipe the bowl dry. Add the warm tap water and the yeast. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the yeast into the water for no more than 5-10 seconds. Set aside and let the yeast bubble and foam for at least 3 minutes.
- Sift together 2 cups of the flour, salt, and sugar.
- Add the olive oil to the yeast and water mixture. Stir for a few seconds. Pour in the entire flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed.
- Sprinkle your clean countertop with a little flour and empty the dough out. Knead the dough together for 4-5 minutes until a dough ball is formed. Place the dough back into the metal mixing bowl, cover it with a tea towel, and set the bowl on top of your preheating oven. (Don't place the bowl on a burner, just on the surface of the oven. The heat will help the dough to proof/rise.) Let the dough sit for five minutes.
For the Pizza:
- Lightly spray two small baking sheets or pizza pans with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- When the dough is ready, lightly flour a flat surface, and using a floured rolling pin, roll half of the dough into a rectangular shape about the size of your pan. Place the dough onto the baking sheet and push the dough into the corners and up to the sides. This does not need to be perfectly round or rectangular. Just be sure the dough is evenly flattened. (Repeat with the other half of the dough on a second baking sheet or pizza pan.)
- Next, whisk the egg and the tablespoon of water together. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the perimeter of the dough.
- Evenly distribute the mozzarella over the two flatbreads. Avoid placing cheese on the egg-washed perimeter.
- Next, top each pizza with the sun dried tomatoes, followed by the black olives, and then the feta.
- Sprinkle over the dried basil and dried oregano.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Garnish with the chopped parsley, if using, and slice into wedges. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
Every time I stop by your blog, I can feel my ass getting bigger as I salivate over all the deliciousness.
A good flatbread is heaven. Love the shape you were able to get. Mine always look, um, “rustic”
Choclette says
Not be able to finish the pizza? Are you kidding? I’m right there with John. I adore black olives and would happily scoff the second one you made to keep him company. Thanks for the reminder on just how easy it is to make your own flatbread. I really don’t make it often enough.
Ramona says
Oh my goodness, this flat bread looks absolutely incredible! Gorgeous colours and flavours. I must make this this weekend. My kids will jump up and down with joy. Beautiful pictures too! 👌
Leslie says
This recipe looks AMAZING!!! It looks absolutely perfect and I love that it’s so versatile as well! Making this one soon!!
Iain Wallington says
I have not made the recipe yet. My question is why is the dough only rested for 5 minutes instead of an hour or so or until doubled in size.
Seems really short to me, thanks Iain
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Iain – yes, only 5 minutes is all you need. I made this pizza dough twice in the past week. One time I was in a hurry and left it for the 5 minutes. The second time, I forgot about it and it sat for almost 20 minutes. It had puffed up quite a bit, but it still rolled out and baked up the same as the 5 minute dough.
Beth says
I was unable to snap a pic because my husband dug in quickly. The recipe was perfect and adaptable. I used fresh cherry tomatoes and cubed leftover roasted chicken. Thank you.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Ha! Thank you so much!
Holly says
I’ve made this pizza which turned out amazing and my family loved it. I’ve been researching how to make the best pizza at home…..watching multiple YouTube videos. One thing I’ve noticed from my research is that you don’t need all that rise time when making a flatbread because you don’t want them as puffy as a traditional pizza crust….correct me if I’m wrong
Tania says
Looks great. Is the nutritional info per flatbread or per person? 662 calories is a bit high for a side dish!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
It’s per person.
Liz says
I made this a couple of weeks back. The dough turned out great and if you like olives, feta and sun-dried tomatoes, you’ll really like this flatbread. I’ll be making it again soon and will use the dough recipe for other variations.
Anne Stocker says
Delicious! I used fresh tomatoes, Parmesan instead of mozzarella as its what I had, and added mushrooms. So good! the reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 was the flatbread was still a little doughy inside. How could I improve next time?
sylvia says
What RACK do you bake them? bottom, middle”
byronethomas@gmail.com says
On the middle rack for these, Sylvia. 🙂
Nannie says
Love, love this recipe. I’ve made it several times. However, I can’t seem to get the whole flatbread to bake well. Interior areas of dough are still too doughy. Might try to prebake the flatbread ? Though it’s so tasty none of this has stopped me from eating it!
Cat says
Ever try with gluten free flour? Think it would work with a one for one cup gluten free flour?
Dianne Seymour says
I have a double wall oven, not a conventional stove/oven combo. Any suggestions on where to proof for the 5 minutes?
Ginger says
I put mine in front of my gas fireplace
KarenB says
Same here – I covered mine with the tea towel and put in on my little table in my front courtyard in the sun.
Amy says
This was so delicious I wish I had made 2. I added some prosciutto to mine as well. I didn’t think the dough had risen much but it didn’t matter once I rolled it out. Mine cooked perfect at the recommended time and temperature.
Mojoblogs says
This is perfect for busy people. This is quick and easy to make. Thank you for sharing this.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you. 🙂
Heather Lyon says
This is, hands down, THE best pizza crust I have made. It is quick and easy to make and tastes great every time. Thank you for sharing – pizza night is a whole lot better at our house!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Heather. 🙂
Gale Beck says
Can this be made in stand mixer? I have arm issues which make it difficult to knead dough. Thank you. It looks delicious
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Yes, of course!
Gladys says
“Best pizza I have ever eaten”….direct quote from The Fog. Definitely a keeper. Thank you.
Penny says
I have a question: why do you call this a flatbread vs a pizza? My understanding is that a flatbread does not use yeast, but here you are using yeast. Thank you.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Penny! 🙂 They are many flatbread recipes that use yeast. I’ve always used a bit of yeast in my flatbread. Likewise, I use yeast in my pizza dough. I usually refer to a pizza as being round and a flatbread looking more rustic and elongated.
Mona says
As there are only two of ux, can half of this dough be refrigerated or frozen, or will that interfere with the proofing?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Mona – I have not experimented with freezing the dough. I think it would be fine if left in the fridge for a few days.
Melodye Demastus says
When you say left in the fridge for a few days it would be OK, do you mean after you roll it out into it shape? Or when it’s still in the bowl proofing? I would like to make this tomorrow for a dinner I’m having on Friday night
Arlene says
This is an amazing pizza. I had tomatoes that needed to be used quickly. I found a recipe to sundry them in the oven. AND I also had mozzarella that was needing to be used up.
I found this recipe at the same time, so I thought, “Perfect! Supper!!”
I am so glad I made it. It is delicious and will be made again!!
KantobyTitaflips says
Love this recipe of yours. gGreat idea.
Thank you for sharing!
Kris says
The instructions near the top of this post for making the dough are different than those below the ingredient list. I am confused about which should I follow or does it matter?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Kris – can you be more specific? I don’t see a difference. 🙂
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hahahaha! I had to go back and find what you were referring to – so funny!
Jane says
Will be making this tonight. Sounds delicious! Recipe does not state what temperature you bake the pizza at. I’m guessing around 400 degrees. Sound about right?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Jane – baking it at 400 will work, but I tend to bake pizzas at 500 – it’s faster and helps to get a crispy bottom on the crust.
Jamie says
I love to try new recipes for New Year’s Eve! This one was a hit! I served with Classico sun dried tomato pesto on the side! So so good! Thank you for another delicious New Year’s Eve dinner!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
I love that pesto! Happy New Year, Jamie. 🙂
Melissa Bouchard says
My flatbread came out perfectly. I’ve been working on my dough skills and have had a lot of failures, but I followed the directions exactly as written and my dough was perfect. It was so very easy to to work with. The result was a crispy (not hard/crunchy) bottom – and the crust had the best texture. I will be using the suggestions given in other dough recipes to see if I can achieve similar results. I did have to bake the flatbread for a total of 15 minutes. At the 10 minute mark the crust was perfectly brown and the bottom was cooked but it was still very pale and soft. Continued to cook for an additional 5 minutes and it was perfect. The additional time could have been my oven or the size of my cooking sheet. I don’t have 2 small cooking sheets, so I used one medium to large cooking sheet instead. I used all of the same toppings in the recipe except for the black olives – I only had Kalamata olives in the pantry, but it worked out because they added an extra saltiness (that I particularly love ) especially as there was not any direction to add salt – other than what is in the dough. I have some ideas brewing for future topping combinations. I can tell that this recipe was thoughtfully prepared and thoroughly tested! I will be making more of Lory Byron’s recipes very soon!
Designergal says
I made the recipe for the actual flat bread with different toppings. My toppings included a base of pizza mozzarella (minimal, and no sauce of any kind),stuffed queen olives quartered, marinated artichoke hearts coarsy chopped, diced fresh tomato, fresh minced garlic and fresh ground pepper. I added about 1 teaspoon of oregano to the flour before making the dough . I opted to bake the rolled dough on a pizza stone so it would be crispier. I heated the oven to 525 with the pizza stone inside . Once the oven was up to temperature I precooked the rolled out dough for 1 minute on the stone before removing and adding toppings. I cooked the flat bread for an additional 8 minutes once returned to the stone. It was so good! It was what I describe as a crispy cracker like pizza crust and this dough recipe will be my go to! Thank you for sharing!
Cindy says
I love adding marinated artichoke hearts, I also brush some of the marinade on the crust before adding other toppings for a little extra flavor boost.
Keira says
This looks amazing!
Pat says
Great recipe! Could this cooked on a covered gas grill?
Deb says
any suggestions for an alternative to setting the dough on a oven to proof it? I have an in wall oven.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Anywhere warm and out of reach of a draft. You could place it right in your oven, as long as the oven is not turned on. My mom used to wrap the bowl in a tea towel and then a blanket that she kept for just proofing dough. The trick is to keep it warm.
Jean Hundtoft says
I just made the flatbread, but oh my, I LOVE this recipe! My grandmother always added the sugar to the yeast and water, so I did make that small adjustment. Using my KitchenAid mixer to do the kneading, I was able to triple the recipe. I pre-bake my crusts on parchment paper for 6-7 minutes in a 450 degree oven on the middle rack. After baking, I take them off the parchment paper to cool on a baking rack and once cool, I freeze them so that we always have pizza crusts on hand.
Jan says
Hi, how long did you knead in the mixer, and at what speed? Thanks so much!
Monica | Nourish and Fete says
These are pretty much all the best flavors in the world as far as I am concerned! And it’s so easy to make! I could definitely see this as a new go-to for easy lunches at home, which I always need more of. Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe!
Jamie says
Wow! This is such an amazing Flatbread-style pizza, it looks absolutely delicious and very yummy! Perfect comfort food for an afternoon session with the family or watching movies too! Totally love it!
Elizabeth says
This pizza was delicious and the crust turned out perfect! I plan on making this pizza crust again, and trying different toppings. Thanks for the recipe share!
Amy Liu Dong says
I love how simple, easy, and delicious this recipe is.
I can’t wait to make this at home.
Jeannine says
We’ve made this pizza twice now and it is amazing!
First time we used goat cheese, sun dried tomatoes and carmelized onions, this time we used pesto, carmelized onions, tomatoes and mozzarella.
Can’t wait for next time!
Yummm
KarenB says
Just made this _ nailed it …… all I can say is DELICIOUS!!! This will be a weekly meal for now on. My husband (who is not a pizza fan) LOVED it, said I should have made more. Haha I look forward to trying all kinds of different toppings with it.
Judy says
This is delicious and so easy. I made 1 Flatbread and did half with apricot jam, calmata olives and Feta (for me). The other half with fresh mozz and ham for my husband. It was so easy. I will be making this again and again.
Devon Bridges says
Thank you so much for this recipe! 10/10, everything came together perfectly. I used Kalamata olives and added artichoke hearts and chopped pork tenderloin. Delicious,!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
So glad you enjoyed it, Devon. 🙂
Karen says
I’m confused about putting the dough “on top of your oven”. That’s not possible for me, (wall oven) so what other options are there? Leave outside in sunlight? Put on top of an air fryer that’s heating? Or warm air fryer, but turned off?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Hi Karen – you can place the dough anywhere as long as it is somewhere away from any cool breeze or away from an open window for example. The dough needs to be cozy to proof properly.
Meghan says
Holy Smokes this was delicious!! I followed toppings to a “T.” Only thing I did different was used premade Naan flatbread. I still did the egg wash on the edges so it would get nice and golden. Husband thought it was amazing and kids loved it too! I have saved this recipe and will make it many times in the future! Thank you!
Julie says
Divine!!! My family loves it!