Sourdough Pita Bread (step by step) | Vanilla And Bean (2024)

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5 stars (from 32 ratings)

By Traci York — Updated April 12, 2024 — 40 Comments / Jump to Recipe

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Soft, tender and fluffy Sourdough Pita Bread for all the sandwich stuffings like these Greek Pita Sandwiches, and a vehicle for scooping up flavorful dips and spreads like Artichoke Hummus. Use your doubled in size Sourdough Starter to whip up this sourdough pita recipe. This recipe is vegetarian and vegan friendly.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: “I’ve tried making sourdough pita bread about 3 times using a variety of recipes. None of them could compare to the texture and flavor of your recipe.” ~ Marisa

Sourdough Pita Bread (step by step) | Vanilla And Bean (5)

Table of Contents

Homemade Sourdough Pita Bread

If you love Sourdough Recieps, you’re going to love this Sourdough Pita Bread recipe. Homemade pita bread is flavorful, tender, soft and fun to make; It’s my best sourdough pita recipe! Watching it puff up in the oven means homemade pita isn’t too far away (and it’s so satisfying!).

Here’s why you’ll enjoy this sourdough pita recipe:

easy to make
simple ingredients
freezer friendly
versatile enough for sandwiches, rich soups, pita pizza or slicing into wedges for dipping

There are many ways to enjoy homemade pita bread, and it tastes amazing! Read on to learn more.

Sourdough Pita Bread (step by step) | Vanilla And Bean (6)

Ingredients You’ll Need for Sourdough Pita

Sourdough Bread Starter – previously feed, doubled in size
Bread Flour – unbleached, organic if possible
Whole Wheat Flour – you can use whole wheat bread flour or regular whole wheat. Look for stone ground, I like Bob’s Red Mill.
Maple Syrup or Honey – just a bit to balance flavors
Olive Oil – to soften and flavor the pita bread

If you have leftover sourdough starter, use it in my Olive Oil Sourdough Discard Crackers.

Sourdough Pita Bread (step by step) | Vanilla And Bean (7)

Quick Guide: How to Make Sourdough Pita Bread

You’ll start with a 100% hydration, doubled in size Sourdough Starter. Just like making sourdough bread, plan ahead so the dough has plenty of time to rise. In summary, here’s how to make pita bread (see recipe card for details):

First, in a medium mixing bowl, add your fluffy and active sourdough starter.
Second, stir in warm water, maple syrup and oil.
Third, add the bread flour, whole wheat and salt.
Fourth, mix the dough by hand until no dry patches remain.
Next, bulk ferment at room temperature overnight for about 12-16 hours.
Last, shape the dough, proof for just 15 minutes, then use a rolling pin to roll out each individual pita and bake!

To bake the sourdough pita, you’ll use the back of a baking sheet or pizza stone / baking stone. Use parchment paper cut to fit individual pita dough to make transferring the pita rounds to the baking surface easier. You’ll bake for just 5-6 minutes, then wrap the hot pita in a kitchen towel.

Sourdough Pita Bread (step by step) | Vanilla And Bean (8)

Things to Stuff, Slather, Dip or Serve with Sourdough Pita Bread

Mediterranean Lentils with Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes
Smashed Chickpea Salad
Deviled Egg Salad
Olive Tapenade
Greek Pita Sandwiches
Quinoa Chickpea Tabbouleh

Spanakopita Triangles
Green Olive Tapenade
Artichoke Hummus
Vegan Pimento Cheese
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Moroccan Lentil Chickpea Stew

Sourdough Pita Bread (step by step) | Vanilla And Bean (9)

Sourdough Pita Bread FAQs

What Makes Pita Bread Puff Up?

Pita is baked at a high temperature, in this case, in the oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit. When the dough hits the hot baking surface, the water quickly becomes steam, causing the pita to puff up. When removed from the oven, the void or “pocket” remains.

What Country Does Pita Bread Originate?

Pita has its roots in the Middle East, dating back 14,500 years! According to Wikipedia, Pita originates from the Natufian people in Jordan.

Should Pita Bread be Heated in the Oven?

To reheat pita in the oven, wrap it in foil to retain its soft texture.

Can You Use Pita Bread as a Pizza Base?

Yes, and it’s delicious! Preheat your oven and a pizza stone or upside-down baking pan to 500 – 550 degrees Fahrenheit. Top your pita with your favorite pizza toppings. Slide it onto a piece of parchment paper, then use the parchment as a handle to slide it onto the preheated baking pan/stone. Bake for about five to six minutes, then it’s ready!

Sourdough Pita Bread (step by step) | Vanilla And Bean (10)

Sourdough Pita Making Timeline

In the Morning: Feed your starter and allow it to double in size.
In the Evening: Mix the dough and bulk ferment at room temp.
The Next Morning: shape, rest and bake.

Pita Making Tools

You’ll need a few basic bread baking tools. Here are some of my favorite tools (these are affiliate links):

Digital Scale – accurately weighs your ingredients for optimal outcome.
Baking Stone – evenly transfers heat to your pita dough in the oven and also, it’s an ideal base for making sourdough pizza crust too!
Rolling Pin – used to roll the pita dough evenly and thin.
Aluminum Sheet Pan – an ideal baking medium if you don’t have a baking stone on hand. I find it works just as effectively as a baking stone! Turn it upside down for easy pita dough transfer.

Parchment Paper – a perfect vehicle for transferring the rolled out pita dough into the oven and onto your baking surface.
Bench Scraper – scrapes all the bits of flour and dough off your work surface to keep it clean and tidy.
Kitchen Tools: I recommend a digitaloven thermometerwith anair probe. Knowing the accurate temperature of your oven allows you to make temperature adjustments when needed.Weigh your ingredients using adigital kitchen scalefor the best outcome.

Sourdough Pita Bread (step by step) | Vanilla And Bean (11)

Expert Tips

I include whole wheat flour in this recipe because it offers an earthy, rustic flavor and added nutrition. It can be replaced with bread flour if desired.
Use stone ground whole wheat flour for flavor and nutrition!
Weigh your ingredients for best outcome.
Make sure your oven is fully preheated so that the pita will puff up as it should. An external oven thermometer is helpful in knowing the proper oven temperature. I recommend a digitaloven thermometerwith anair probe.

More Recipes with Sourdough Starter to Love

Brioche-Style Sourdough Hamburger Buns
Easy Sourdough Discard Biscuits
Sourdough Vegan Pancakes
Soft Sourdough Rolls

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Soft and Puffy Sourdough Pita Bread

Prep Time:20 minutes minutes

Cook Time:6 minutes minutes

Bulk Fermentation + Rest:12 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Total Time:12 hours hours 36 minutes minutes

Servings:8 pita pockets or 4 whole pitas

Calories:211kcal

Author:Traci York

Soft, tender and puffy Sourdough Pita Bread for all the sandwich stuffings, and a vehicle for scooping up flavorful dips and spreads like my Artichoke Hummus or you can make Greek Pita Sandwiches with them! Use your doubled in size Sourdough Starter to whip up this sourdough pita recipe. This recipe is vegetarian and vegan friendly.

*Bulk fermentation time above is variable depending on ambient temperature and how active your sourdough starter is. Weigh your ingredients for best outcome. << See blog post for recipes to enjoy your pita with >>

__________________________

Example Baker's Schedule:

In the Morning: Feed your starter and allow it to double in size. In the Evening: Mix the dough and bulk ferment at room temp. The Next Morning: shape, proof and bake.

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup (200 grams) Sourdough Starter 100% hydration, active and doubled in size
▢ 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (200 grams) Warm Water 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius)
▢ 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup or honey
▢ 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
▢ 2 cups (300 grams) Bread Flour unbleached
▢ 1/2 cup (85 grams) Whole Wheat Flour stone ground
▢ 1 teaspoon (6 grams) Fine Sea Salt

Instructions

Mix the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, add the sourdough starter, water, maple syrup, and olive oil. Whisk until there are no chunks of starter floating around.
To the wet ingredients, add the bread flour, whole wheat flour and salt.
First, mix with a fork, the dough will become shaggy. Then mix by hand, mixing, folding and pushing the dough until the flour is fully incorporated and no dry bits are present. It will seem dry at first, but the more you work the dough, the more hydrated it will become.Do this for about 3-4 minutes. The dough will stick to your fingers as you go.
Use the fork to scrape off the dough on your fingers as much as you can. Cover bowl with a damp tea towel. Set a timer for for 30 minutes and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. Now is a good time to feed/refresh your starter.
Fold the Dough: After the dough has rested, fold the dough. To do this, grab a portion of the dough while it remains in the bowl, stretch it up and fold it over, pressing your fingertips into the center of the dough. You'll notice the dough is less stiff and more workable at this point.
Repeat, until you've worked your way around the dough. This is the first fold, and you can stop here and begin bulk fermentation, but If time permits, and optimally, you'll want to repeat this fold at least one more time, two if you can, as it improves the final dough's structure. Allow for about 30-45 minutes each between folds.
Bulk (fermentation) Rise: After the last fold, cover the bowl with two damp towels and allow to rise overnight at room temperature. This will take about 10-12 hours at 70 degrees Fahrenheit (21 Celsius), but in a cooler kitchen the dough can take up to 12-16 hours to rise – this is the norm in my chilly kitchen. The dough is ready when it no longer looks dense, is jiggly when the bowl is shaken, and has about doubled in size.
Shape the Dough: In the morning, and with damp fingertips, coax the dough into a floured work-surface.Divide the dough into 4 pieces (210 grams each).
Working quickly, with a piece of dough on the work surface, pull the edges of each piece to the center to shape the dough, and pinch making a rough dough ball. Place the dough ball on the floured work surface pinched side down. Rest the dough for five minutes.
Scrape the flour away from your work surface and sprits a touch of water. This will increase friction between the dough and surface if needed (otherwise the dough will slide around rather than grip the surface to form a tight ball). Gently cup your hand behind the dough ball and pull it towards you to increase surface tension. Once a ball is formed, proof the dough.
Proof the Dough (second rise): Transfer the balls to a lightly floured surface, and cover with a damp tea towel. Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 15 minutes (a quick proof). They'll become just slightly puffy.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (260 Celsius). Arrange the oven racks in the upper and bottom third of the oven. Place an upside down sheet pan(s) and/or pizza stone on each rack for preheating. Bake two at a time (two is easier to manage without cooling the oven down too much). I bake two at a time on one sheet pan. Or, one at a time on a stone.
Roll Out the Dough Balls: On a lightly floured work surface, use a rolling pin to roll the dough balls into a uniform disk to between 1/8 – 1/4 inch (.3 – .6 centimeters) thick and 7 – 7 1/2 inches (17 – 19 centimeters) wide, turning the dough like pie dough to keep a circular shape, sprinkling with more flour as needed to prevent sticking. If the dough becomes difficult to roll, set it aside to rest for about five minutes, and roll another ball.
Transfer the pita dough to a small piece of parchment paper. Cover with a damp tea towel unless transferring directly to the oven. Finish rolling out the remaining dough balls.
Bake the Pita Bread: Once the oven is preheated, transfer the pita to a peel or upside down sheet pan. Open the oven door, and using the parchemnt as a handle, slide the pita onto the preheated stone or pan.
Bake for 5 minutes and 20 seconds or until the pita is puffed up and only lightly golden on the bottom around the edges. It won't brown on top. No need to flip the pitas while they're baking.
See Also
Transport Your Taste Buds to the Seaside With These Mouthwatering Mediterranean Recipes 22 Incredibly Tasty Mediterranean Recipes to Add to Your Meal Rotation BEST Mediterranan Couscous Salad Recipe | The Mediterranean Dish Hamburger Buns Recipe (VIDEO)
Remove from the oven and loosely wrap the pitas in a tea towel(s). Do not deflate the pitas while still hot as the steam coming out of the pita will burn skin. Rest 10 minutes, then gently deflate once cooled.
Slice the pitas in half and enjoy stuffed, or slice into wedges for dipping in all the things (see blog post for ideas!).
To Store: Sourdough is best consumed on the same day it's baked, but pita will last for 2-3 days stored at room temperature in a sealed plastic bag.
Baked pita freezes beautifully. First, allow the pita to cool completely, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to two weeks. Thaw at room temperature, and rewarm in a 350F oven, wrapped in foil (to keep their softness) for about 10 minutes.

Notes

If you have leftover sourdough discard, try my Olive Oil Sourdough Discard Crackers!

Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.

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