Sourdough Flatbread Recipe (with Active Starter or Discard)

This easy Sourdough Flatbread Recipe is quick to make and the dough is a dream to work with! It is soft and slightly chewy, with a delicious sourdough tang. Made with simple ingredients, this is a perfect recipe for sourdough beginners or sourdough pros. 

Sourdough Starter Schedule

One thing that always held me back from going all in with sourdough, was a regular feeding schedule. My starter kept dying on me because as a busy mom of 4, I didn’t have time to feed it every day. Never mind feeding it twice a day. I kept forgetting about it, and my poor starter grew increasingly sour and runny. I had to revive it so many times that I called it Lazarus. After experimenting with the hope of finding something that fits my schedule, this is what I figured out works best for me: 

• I store my starter in the fridge in between baking.
• I feed it a 1:2:2 ratio when I take it out of the fridge 2-3 times before baking 
• If I don’t plan on using my sourdough starter in the next few days, I will feed it a 1:5:5 ratio (5 grams starter, 25 grams flour, 25 grams water) and store it in the fridge until next time.

Feeding your Sourdough Starter: The No-Fuss Way

I wrote about feeding and maintaining a sourdough starter in my Easy Fresh Milled Wheat Bread with Sourdough post. I highly recommend reading through the article if you need a no-fuss way to feed and maintain your starter to bake beautiful bread. 

Once you take the amount of starter that you need for this recipe, feed the starter again. If you don’t plan on making anything with your sourdough starter for a few days, feed it a 1:5:5 ratio and put it into the fridge until next time.  

Why long-ferment sourdough?

The longer sourdough ferments, the better it is for you. Long fermentation has many benefits like a lower glycemic index and less gluten than regular bread with yeast and no fermentation. It’s easier for your body to absorb the minerals and nutrients and it has less phytic acid. Phytic acid (grains are high in phytic acid) is known to be an anti-nutrient. It blocks your body from absorbing minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, which leads to mineral deficiencies. It binds the minerals in the digestive tract, making it harder for our body to use. Our bodies don’t have the enzymes capable of breaking down phytates, which is why sourdough is so important. By long-fermenting the dough, sourdough can break down the phytate complex and make more nutrients available for your body to absorb.

How to make Sourdough Flatbread

Take out your stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.

Mix active sourdough starter (or sourdough discard), water, milk, oil, sugar, and salt together.

Add all-purpose flour. (You can also use whole wheat flour or spelt flour) 

Knead 4 to 6 minutes.

Place in a greased bowl.

Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 4 hours. 

(For long-fermented sourdough flatbread, put it into the fridge overnight. Or even 2 to 3 days! Sourdough is very forgiving. The longer you ferment it, the more beneficial it is for your gut. Plus you get more of that delicious sourdough taste.)

After 4 hours, divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. 

Roll flat with a rolling pin. (or this neat roller I found on Amazon). About 1/4 inch thick. It doesn’t need to be a perfect circle. 

Use a bench scraper to loosen them around the edges if needed. 

Preheat your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.

You can add a little olive oil or melted butter to the pan. (If it is well seasoned, you don’t need to.) 

Cook the flatbread for a few minutes in the hot skillet until it starts to brown a bit. Flip. Repeat.

You want to see bubbles start to form. Bubbles are a good thing! 

Slice with a pizza cutter and serve, or enjoy it brushed with warm garlic butter and fresh herbs! 

Use this Sourdough Flatbread Recipe in a variety of ways!

Pita Bread – I love making this as a pita wrap. Fill it with chicken, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and a homemade ranch dressing!

Sausage wrapped in Sourdough Flatbread – Last summer my kids wanted a hotdog for supper and I didn’t have any hotdog buns. So I quickly whipped up the dough and let it rise until supper. We wrapped a homemade sausage in the flatbread with a few toppings and it was a hit! Not to mention, it’s way healthier than a traditional hotdog. 

Mini Pizza’s – Need a quick lunch idea? Make mini pizzas with ham and pineapple or cheese and sausage. 

Make Creamy Butter Chicken – I use this recipe for my sourdough naan bread with my creamy butter chicken recipe!

Wraps – You can make your own tortilla-style flatbreads by rolling out the dough 1/8 inch thick and cooking it on a cast iron. It’s a delicious way to make a homemade breakfast wrap from scratch! 

Serve with Chili – This homemade flatbread is amazing to serve with chili, topped with a dab of sour cream and shredded cheese. 

Tips for Success

This recipe works with an active sourdough starter or with discard. For the best sourdough discard flatbreads, use discard that’s been recently fed. If your discard is super runny, looks funky, or has been in the fridge for a long time, I would advise you not to use it.

You shouldn’t need a lot of flour on your work surface when rolling out the flatbread dough. Try not to use too much.

​If you have tried and loved this easy recipe, please comment below! I love to hear all about your different variations. Follow Homemaker In Me on Pinterest for more sourdough recipes, fresh-milled recipes, and wholesome food for the family! 

More easy Sourdough Recipes​

Easy Fresh Milled Wheat Bread with Sourdough

Are you interested in milling your own wheat at home?

Here is a review I wrote on our Komo Grain Mill that we love!

And some beginner friendly recipes made with fresh milled wheat.

Einkorn pancakes

Easy 100% Fresh Milled Wheat Bread Recipe

Soft and Light Fresh Milled Hamburger Buns