Lavaş has several forms in Turkish bread making. This is a domestic skillet version made with yeast and milk; it is not the same dough or cooking method as every regional or tandır-baked lavaş.
Lavaş — Recipe Card
Soft yeast-raised flatbreads cooked in a skillet
Makes 8 servings · 8 flatbreads, one per servingUS cup = 240 ml · tablespoon = 15 ml · teaspoon = 5 ml. Cup and weight conversions are approximate. Australian cooks: use a 15 ml measuring tablespoon.
Ingredient quantities and servings are scaled. Cooking times, pan sizes, frying oil depth, and temperatures stay the same; cook larger batches as needed.
Ingredients
How to make Lavaş
Mix and knead
Mix the 400 g (14.1 oz) flour with the yeast and salt. Add water, milk and oil; the liquids should feel lukewarm, about 35°C (95°F). Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and soft. Use only a little of the reserved flour if the surface sticks; do not work all the dusting flour into the dough.
Let rise
Cover the bowl and leave in a comfortably warm place for about 60 minutes, until the dough is visibly puffed and roughly doubled. A cooler room may take longer.
Divide and roll
Divide into eight equal pieces. Keep covered while rolling each into a 24 cm (9½-inch) round about 2 mm (1/16 inch) thick, using the reserved flour sparingly. Cover the rounds and let them relax for 10 minutes. Shake off loose flour before cooking.
Cook and cover
Heat a dry heavy skillet over medium-high heat, then adjust toward medium as needed. Cook one round at a time for about 60–90 seconds on the first side and 45–60 seconds on the second, until brown spots appear and no wet dough remains inside. Do not press the bread down. Immediately stack beneath a clean cloth. Repeat with the remaining rounds, adjusting heat if flour scorches.
Bring this recipe to your kitchen with a printable copy.
Print recipeRecipe from MyTurkishRecipes · https://myturkishrecipes.com/turkish-soft-skillet-flatbread-lavas. Quantities reflect your selected serving scale. Cooking times are estimates; follow the doneness cues.
A few helpful kitchen notes
Dietary notes
Vegetarian; contains wheat gluten and milk. This recipe is not gluten-free. The base has no egg or butter.
Timing and texture
The 70-minute rest estimate includes the first rise and the rolled rounds' rest. Brief bubbles are normal; a completely hollow pocket is not required. If the rounds shrink back, keep them covered for a few extra minutes before rolling again.
Flour safety
Do not taste raw dough. Wash hands, utensils and work surfaces after handling raw flour, and cook every bread through.
How to store and reheat Lavaş
Cool the cooked breads, then seal airtight and keep at room temperature for up to 1 day, or freeze for up to 1 month with paper between the rounds. Thaw covered. Warm briefly in a dry skillet for about 15–20 seconds per side until flexible. Discard bread that shows mold.
Lavaş: questions and answers
Why did my lavaş turn crisp?
It may have cooked too long, been rolled very unevenly or cooled uncovered. Cook only until done and cover each bread promptly; avoid repeatedly reheating it.
Can I use active dry yeast?
Use 6 g (2 teaspoons) active dry yeast instead of the instant yeast. Dissolve it in the recipe's lukewarm water and wait 10–15 minutes before mixing; this adds time. Keep the remaining liquid amounts unchanged.
