Lavash (Armenian Flatbread)

Lavash is a traditional thin, unleavened Armenian flatbread that has been baked for generations in hot tandoor ovens and remains incredibly popular across the Middle East and surrounding regions. Simple in ingredients yet wonderfully versatile, lavash is known for its delicate texture, flexibility, and beautifully thin appearance. Despite how minimal the dough is, the final result feels incredibly special and satisfying.

Lavash can be compared to Mexican tortillas in some ways, but it is rolled significantly thinner and usually much larger in diameter. The dough is stretched almost paper-thin before cooking, which creates its signature soft yet slightly chewy texture once baked. The first time I made it at home, my kids immediately called it “edible paper” because of how unbelievably thin it looked — and honestly, they were not wrong. Watching the dough transform into these giant delicate sheets of bread is one of the most fun parts of the process.

One of the things I love most about lavash is how versatile it is. It can be used as a wrap for meats, vegetables, cheese, and fresh herbs, or simply served warm alongside grilled foods and barbecue. It pairs especially well with shish kebab, roasted meats, and Middle Eastern dishes because the soft bread absorbs juices and sauces beautifully while still remaining light and flexible.

Fresh homemade lavash has a wonderful flavor and texture that is difficult to compare to store-bought versions. When warm, it is soft and pliable, making it perfect for rolling and folding. As it cools, it can also become slightly crisp depending on thickness and storage, which makes it great for dipping or serving with spreads and appetizers.

Another reason this bread is so enjoyable to make is how quick and approachable the process is. Since lavash is unleavened or only lightly leavened, there is no need for long fermentation times or complicated techniques. With a rolling pin and a hot cooking surface, you can create authentic homemade flatbread surprisingly easily.

Whether used for wraps, served with grilled meats, or enjoyed fresh off the pan with butter and herbs, lavash is one of those breads that instantly brings warmth and comfort to the table. Thin, soft, flavorful, and incredibly versatile, it’s easy to understand why this traditional flatbread has remained beloved for centuries.

Soft, thin, and wonderfully versatile, homemade lavash is a traditional Armenian flatbread perfect for wraps, barbecue, grilled meats, or everyday meals. Rolled paper-thin and cooked quickly, it develops a delicate texture that is both light and satisfying. Fresh lavash pairs beautifully with kebabs, vegetables, cheeses, and spreads, making it one of the most practical and delicious flatbreads to prepare at home. Simple ingredients and an approachable process make this recipe ideal for both beginner and experienced bakers looking to explore authentic Middle Eastern and Armenian baking traditions in their own kitchen.

Ingredients

Main Dough

• 350g bread flour
• 225g hot boiling water
• 20g olive oil 
• 7g salt

Directions 

• Combine together flour, hot boiling water, olive oil and salt, knead for 3-5minutes, until no dry flour remained and dough will come up together. Dough doesn’t have to be smooth.
• Cover the dough , let it rest 30 min. During that time the flour will absorb the water, becoming fully hydrated.
• Divide the dough into 60g pieces.
• Let them rest covered for 15 min.

• Generously sprinkle the table with flour, and start rolling lavash as thin as possible. It has to reach that thickness point when you will be able to see your hands through it. Diameter can get around 20inches/50cm or smaller.

• Preheat the oven with big enough pan to fit the lavash, or preheat the grill until 500F.
• Bake lavash on the grill for 15-20 seconds on each side.
• Remove from heat, then spray each lavash with water spritzer, stack them up and cover with wet towel for 10-15 min.

Enjoy!

Lavash (Armenian Flatbread)

146kcal

No ratings yet

Pinterest Facebook Share on X

Share Print

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 5 minutes mins

Total 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Lavash is a traditional thin, unleavened, Armenian flatbread made in a tandoor oven, popular across the Middle East. It can be compared with Mexican tortillas, but it needs to be rolled a lot thinner and wider in diameter—so thin that it resembles “edible paper.” It is perfect as a wrap or as a great addition to a barbecue or shish kebab.

Servings 10 Flatbreads

Cuisine Armenian

Ingredients

1x2x3x

The Main Dough

• ▢ 350 g Bread flour
• ▢ 225 g Hot boiling water
• ▢ 20 g Olive oil
• ▢ 7 g Salt

Equipment

• ▢
  Rolling Pin
• ▢
  Large Skillet, Baking Pan, or Outdoor Grill Big enough to fit the wide flatbread
• ▢
  Water Spritzer / Spray Bottle
• ▢
  Kitchen Scale
• ▢
  Clean Kitchen Towels

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

Boiling Water Integration & Hydration Rest

1. In a large heatproof mixing bowl, combine the 350g of bread flour and 7g of salt. Pour the 225g of hot boiling water and 20g of olive oil directly over the dry ingredients.
2. Stir with a sturdy spoon or knead carefully by hand for 3 to 5 minutes just until the dry flour pockets vanish and the dough comes together into a cohesive mass. Note: The dough does not have to be perfectly smooth or elastic at this point.
3. Cover the bowl tightly and let the dough rest undisturbed for 30 minutes. During this time, the flour particles will thoroughly absorb the hot water, fully hydrating the starches and naturally smoothing out the gluten structure.

Precision Rolling & Paper-Thin Stretching

1. Tip the relaxed dough out onto your workspace. Using a bench scraper and kitchen scale, divide the dough into uniform pieces weighing exactly 60g each.
2. Round each piece into a neat ball, cover them with a clean towel, and let them rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten lines before rolling.
3. Generously sprinkle your work surface and rolling pin with flour. Working with one dough ball at a time, roll it out systematically from the center outward, turning it frequently.
4. Continue rolling until the dough is as thin as humanly possible—it must reach a translucent point where you can distinctly see the outline of your hands through it. The final sheet diameter should reach roughly 20 inches (50 cm), or slightly smaller to fit your cooking surface.

Flash Baking & Moisture Locking

1. Preheat your outdoor grill, a large flat griddle, or a massive inverted baking sheet pan in your oven to a blistering 500°F (260°C).
2. Carefully drape the paper-thin sheet of dough over the hot surface. Bake or grill for a brief 15 to 20 seconds, flip it over immediately using tongs, and cook for another 15 to 20 seconds on the opposite side. It should bubble up rapidly and develop light charred spots without drying out into a cracker.
3. Remove the hot flatbread from the heat source. Immediately spray both sides lightly with a water spritzer bottle, stack it onto a plate, and cover the pile completely with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat for the remaining dough balls, stacking them together for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the trapped steam to soften the bread into a perfectly pliable wrap.

Nutrition

Calories146kcalCarbohydrates25gProtein5gFat3gSaturated Fat0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat0.5gMonounsaturated Fat2gCholesterol1mgSodium51mgPotassium45mgFiber1gSugar0.1gVitamin A2IUVitamin C0.03mgCalcium7mgIron0.3mg

Notes

• The Science of Boiling Water Doughs: Utilizing hot boiling water directly in the initial dough build serves a vital structural role. The extreme heat instantly gelatinizes a portion of the starches in the bread flour, degrading its elastic resistance. This structural shift allows you to roll the dough out to an incredibly thin, 20-inch translucent diameter without it snapping back or tearing like a standard cold-water bread dough.
• The Non-Negotiable Wet Towel Treatment: Freshly baked lavash comes off the high heat looking stiff, brittle, and dry. Do not panic; this is normal. Spritzing each sheet with water and stacking them under a damp towel creates a sealed steam environment. The starch matrix absorbs this ambient moisture, transforming the brittle sheets into incredibly soft, completely pliable wraps within 10 minutes.
• Long-Term Storage and Rehydration Tricks: Pliable lavash can be stored in an airtight plastic zip-top bag for up to 5 days on your counter. If any flatbreads are exposed to air and dry out into crisp, hard crackers, you can easily revive them. Simply spray the hard sheets generously with fresh water, wrap them back up in a clean cloth towel for 10 minutes, and they will become perfectly soft and rollable again.
• Adapting for Sourdough Culturing: If you prefer to make a fermented version, you can explore a Sourdough Lavash method. You will swap a portion of the flour and water for an active wild yeast levain. Keep in mind that a cultured version will require a room-temperature bulk fermentation window of 4 to 5 hours to allow the organic acids to develop before shaping and flash-cooking.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.