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A close-up image of a stack of freshly cooked sourdough pitas, slightly puffed and golden brown, placed on a wooden board.
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Sourdough Pita Bread

This simple recipe yields soft, chewy pitas with a classic tangy flavor, perfect for wraps or dipping.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Rest Time12 hours
Total Time12 hours 18 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Sourdough Pita
Servings: 8 pitas
Calories: 189kcal
Author: Katie

Ingredients

  • ½ cup sourdough starter active and bubbly
  • 1 cup water (+ ¼ cup filtered water for activating sourdough starter)
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (+ ¼ cup for activating sourdough starter)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus more for oiling bowl)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Feeding the Sourdough Starter. The night before, feed your sourdough starter by adding 30 grams of sourdough starter to a glass container, followed by 35 grams (¼ cup) of unbleached all-purpose flour and 35 grams of room-temperature filtered water. Stir to combine. Cover the container and allow it to sit at room temperature for 8 hours or until it’s doubled in size and bubbly.
  • Mix Dry Ingredients. Add all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, and sugar to the stand mixer bowl. Using the dough hook attachment, stir to combine.
    A glass mixing bowl containing unmixed ingredients for sourdough pita, including whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and sugar.
  • Add Wet Ingredients to Dry Ingredients. Add the water, sourdough starter, and vegetable oil to the flour mixture.
    A glass mixing bowl showing dry ingredients mixed together for sourdough pita dough.
  • Knead the Dough. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the dough on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes, or until it is soft and stretchy.
    A glass mixing bowl with the fully kneaded sourdough pita dough formed into a smooth ball, ready for rising.
  • Remove Dough, Grease Bowl, and Return Dough to Bowl. Turn the dough out onto a clean dry surface. Lightly grease the mixing bowl with a small amount of vegetable oil. Add the dough back into the bowl.
  • Allow the Dough to Rise. Cover and let the dough rise for 6-8 hours or until it has doubled in size.
    A glass mixing bowl showing the sourdough pita dough after it has risen, filling the bowl and doubled in size.
  • Divide the Dough into 8 Round Discs. Turn the dough out onto a clean, dry surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough balls out so they’re about ½” thick. They’ll be about 8” round discs. Allow them to sit for 30 minutes.
    Two baking sheets lined with parchment paper; one with eight balls of dough and the other with three rolled-out dough discs, ready for baking.
  • Preheat Skillet. Turn your electric skillet to 375 degrees F and let it come to temperature before baking your pitas.
  • Cook Pitas. Working in batches, place your prepared pitas on your preheated electric skillet (I could fit 3 on my skillet). Allow it to cook for 3 minutes. You will notice that the pita will start bubbling up. This is what you want. Flip your pita over and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until both sides are golden brown. Continue this process until all pitas have been baked.
    Three images side by side showing the progression of cooking sourdough pitas on a skillet, from raw dough discs to fully cooked, golden brown pitas.

Notes

Depending on the temperature of your home and the weather, the dough can take up to 12 hours to rise. Testing was done on a warm summer day and the dough had doubled in size in just under 6 hours.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 189kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 2mg