No-knead Turkish bread

No-knead Turkish bread

no knead turkish bread top down

As I have mentioned before, both me and Duncan have a soft spot for a particular type of Turkish bread – flat, fluffy loaf traditionally eaten during Ramadan. Sometimes, it’s topped with sesame seeds, sometimes with pul biber (Turkish chilli), either way it is delicious.

We got hooked on it when we used to live in North-East London next door to a Turkish bakery. They sold these amazing Turkish breads, straight from the oven, for 80p each and their tantalising smell made it impossible to go past without buying some! It’s fabulous when it’s still warm and fresh, but even a day or two later it tastes delicious cut into thin strips, lightly toasted on a griddle pan and served with a selection of mezze dishes to dip it into.

Since we no longer live in London, now I have to twist Duncan’s arm to make us Turkish bread now and again. To be honest, he is not that resistant to it as this is one of the easiest breads you’ll make.

It requires no kneading! You cannot believe it? I was a bit sceptical too, but try it – proof is in the erm…bread. It’s light and airy, full of air pockets and so irresistible that you’ll wanna eat the whole loaf at one sitting. Just a word of warning, don’t do it if you intend to go running an hour later. This last bit of info is NOT BASED on personal experience at all:).

no knead turkish bread pattern

turkish bread with mezze

turkish bread texture

no knead turkish bread side

makes
1 medium loaf
PREP
20 min
COOKING
13 min
makes
1 medium loaf
PREPARATION
20 min
COOKING
13 min
INGREDIENTS
  • 250 g / 2 cups bread flour
  • 7 g / 0.25 oz / 2¼ tsp instant dried yeast
  • 200 ml / ¾ cup + 4 tsp warm water
  • 2 tsp caster/fine sugar
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 15 ml / 1 tbsp olive oil, for glazing
  • handful of white and black sesame seeds
METHOD
  1. Mix the flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Create a small well in the middle of the flour and add the yeast. Pour the water into the well and mix everything together with your hands. At this stage the dough should be very wet and fairly hard to manage.
  3. Cover the mixing bowl with cling film and leave to prove for about one hour (or until it has doubled in size).
  4. Flour a work surface and tip the proven dough out on to the work surface making sure to add lots of flour to avoid sticking. Shape the dough into a flat circle (about 2-3 cm high).
  5. Place the dough on a olive oil-greased baking tray. Cover the dough with a tea towel and leave to prove for another 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 250° C / 480° F in the last 20 minutes of this time.
  6. Dent the top of the dough by first drawing a rough inner circle (with your fingertips) of about 3 cm from the edge of the bread. Then fill in the centre of the inner circle with criss-crossed diagonal lines about 2-3 cm apart (see 2nd picture in this recipe to get the idea).
  7. Using a pastry brush, coat the top of the bread with olive oil. Sprinkle with black and white sesame seeds and press the seeds in as far as you can to make sure that they stay in the bread.
  8. Bake the bread for 8 minutes at 250° C / 480° F and then turn the oven down to 200° C / 390° F and bake for another 5 minutes (or until golden brown).
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NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories
1345
67%
sugars
6 g
7%
fats
43 g
61%
saturates
5 g
25%
proteins
41 g
81%
carbs
200 g
77%
*per serving
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5.0
80 reviews, 142 comments
REVIEWS & QUESTIONS
Priscila:
Just made this recipe with sourdough starter in place of instant yeast. It came out delicious! Proofed it about an hour longer, and baked it a bit longer too, but absolutely yummy!!! Thank you for the great recipe.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it and I am sure it tested even more delicious with homemade sourdough. Ania
Teresa in North Carolina:
This bread is amazing and so easy to make. I make bread all the time time and thought I had seen and tasted it all, but this is unique! I’m suggesting it to other cyber friends who also love to bake bread. I think the Dukkah spice mix is great on this bread! Just an idea.
Thanks for this recipe
    Ania
    Ania:
    Glad to hear, Teresa! Thank you for your lovely comment and for sharing the love! Dukkah (or zaatar) would be a brilliant addition, I completely agree! Ania
Peng Hui Lee:
Today after the first proving (step 3), I tipped the dough directly on to an un-greased silicone baking liner which was on a baking tray, and shaped it into a disc for the second proving, after which I put it into the oven to bake. The results results were excellent and there was less washing-up afterwards.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great idea and I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed this bread. It's one of my personal favourites too! Ania
Marie:
Can I use fresh yeast instead of dried?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Marie,
    Sure you can (you'll need about 30 g) but you'll need to activate them first of course. Hope that helps! Ania
Humaira Chaudhary:
This bread recipe is amazing!! It was so easy to make and came out perfect. This will be my go to recipe now for using with dips.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much, Humaira! I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed it and plan to make it again. Ania
Gina:
I've made this recipe (with all sorts of different toppings - rosemary, sea salt, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, balsamic onions, etc) for years - it's become one of my go-to breads, and never lets me down. Just thought I'd pop in and say thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks so much Gina! I'm delighted to hear that this recipe has served you so well and thank you for taking the time to let me know too! Ania
Ruth B:
Hi I have a situation I want to make the bread but I only have self raising flour will the recipe still work out.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Ruth,
    It should be okay I am guessing, it will be extra fluffy, I imagine. Ania
Alison Lee:
I've made many types of bread before with varying degrees with of success and today, this recipe tops my go-to list for bread! It's so simple, looks divine, and tastes amazing.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, Alison. I am so glad to hear that you enjoyed it! x Ania
Radia:
Nice recipe! Try brushing it with an egg yolk and oil mixture(50/50). That creates an authentic flavor and super shine to the pide
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks for your suggestion, but this is a vegan blog so we don't use eggs. I don't think it needs it either. Cheers! Ania
Carole:
Three more of these fresh out of the oven ! Orders from family for them now. Fantastic recipe , thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    That's so nice to hear, Carole. I'm happy to hear that my recipes are making this difficult time a little bit more palatable :) Ania
Vicki:
I just made this Turkish bread. It was absolutely delicious! Did it exactly as per the recipe. I shall be cooking it for friends a lot!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, Vicki! Thank you for letting me know that you enjoyed it and plan to make it more often! Ania
Noel:
Any chance of sharing an Americanized version of the recipe?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Sure, I've updated the recipe now. Cheers and happy baking! Ania
Danielle:
Why did you put the yeast and warm water directly into the flour mixture? Would it work the same to proof the yeast with the sugar and water separately first and then combine with the salt and flour?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Danielle,
    It depends what kind of yeast you are using. We used fast-action, also known as instant, yeast, which do not need prior activation. They are added straight into the flour. If your yeast is of any different type you'll need to activate it first and then add it in, but please be careful not to add any extra liquid to begin with as your dough might be too wet. You can always add a touch later if you find that it is not coming together. Hope that helps! Ania
Sue:
I’ve been baking bread for many years. This is one of the best recipes I have used. It freezes well and is great for pizza bases or Just eating plain or with dips etc. Many thanks Ânia.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much, Sue! I am delighted to hear that! x Ania
Eve:
Best and easiest bread I’ve ever made! I cooked for 3 minutes less so didn’t get as browned on outside. Seriously best bread ever. Thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    So happy to hear that, Eve! And thank you for taking the time to review and rate the recipe. x Ania
Carole Guy:
Made three of these and popped them into the freezer for a family gathering. Reheated today and the family absolutely loved them! Have orders from my three grandchildren to batch bake them for their school lunch boxes! Such an easy recipe with fantastic results. Thank you so much!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I am delighted to hear that, Carole! Thank you for taking the time to review and rate this recipe! Ania
Seel Marshall:
All I can say is WOW!
I'm no stranger to Pizza Dough but I'm blown away by the simple recipe and wonderful tasty bread, slightly crispy outside with a dense fluffy risen center like at the Turkish restaurants.
I made it as a snack with just Olive Oil and Smoked Garlic Balsamic, homemade Hummus and Spicy Olives will accompany my next attempt total star!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I am delighted that you liked this recipe so much, Seel and what a delightfully sounding spread. Ania
Hayley:
The bread tastes amazing!! Thank you so much for the great recipe...your page is so inspiring :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thank you, Hayley! I am delighted to hear that you like it! x Ania
Stephanie:
Do you prove it in the fridge or normal room temperature?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Room temperature!
Melanie K L:
Over the years this has become my go to recipe. It is so good, and is still yummy the next day for sandwiches for the family. Thank you very much. I mix this recipe up and top with garlic powder and olive oil for a garlicy bread experience; or top that with cheese. Once I topped with ham and cheese. The options are endless. Can't believe how easy this is yet how good it really is. Never disappoints!
As I have started getting into sourdough bread making, last week I made this with a bit of sourdough starter and adjusting accordingly. Was sooooo good. I have a rye starter and white starter and did 100g of starter so reduced the flour and water in the recipe by 50g each respectively to compensate for my amendment
Off to make two batches now ... :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, Melanie! Thank you for taking the time to rate the recipe and write such nice feedback - much appreciated! Oh and I absolutely adore sourdough too! Sounds great! Ania
Alex:
Thank you!
Alex:
I don't have a scale. Do you have a conversion to cups for this recipe ? Thank you
    Ania
    Ania:
    It's 2 US cups of flour and 2.25 tsp of yeast. Hope that helps! Ania
Ian:
Works perfectly, very easy, very tasty. Thanks
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, Ian! Thanks! Ania
Natalie:
Hi, I made this bread yesterday. I was so worried as I didn't have the right measuring tools, and I had to convert the mls and the grams to cups. Nevertheless, I managed to work it out and it was absolutely amazing. I made two loaves to share with all my neighbours and I kept a quarter for myself. I'll probably make this recipe every second day, saves me buying Turkish bread from the grocery store and it tastes much better. I really appreciate this recipe! Thank you! Thank you so much.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, Natalie! Thank you! x Ania
Diane:
this recipe is wonderful! so easy to make, & doesn't take too long to bake. my housemate & I demolished it in less than 8 hours; I'll be making it again soon. I love the crust-to-interior ratio. I used olive oil, Maldon flaky salt & sesame seeds. I think I'll add some pumpkin seeds as well next time. thank you so much!
    Ania
    Ania:
    That's wonderful, thanks for letting me know, Diane! x Ania
Mollie Wallhead:
Just found your site and as I was making an african stew today, I thought I would try makinv your bread.....oh my!! It turned out perfectly. I thres some maldon salt on it with the seeds before baking and it is super yummy. Will be making this regularly. Thank you.
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm super glad to hear that, Mollie! Thank you! x Ania
Lucy Shakeshaft:
This recipe looks lovely! I'm just wondering whether it can be frozen?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks, Lucy! I haven't tried freezing this, but I have tried freezing other breads so I imagine this one is fine to freeze also. Ania
keith:
Hi, love the blog, I make a lot of your recipes, especially the spreads, the black olive tampenade is addicitive.
I love making bread and I've never made Turkish bread but was thinking would it be possible to use Whole-wheat flour or would it need to prove for a lot longer..
Thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Keith,
    I'm sure it is possible although I have never had a Turkish bread made with that type of flour. I don't think it will affect the proofing time massively, but the texture of the bread will for sure be different, less delicate and possibly less fluffy. Maybe try half half to begin with? Glad to hear that you are a fan of my spread recipes. x Ania
Jackie:
I made this yesterday and it’s amazing. So simple. I didn’t have strong flour so used ordinary plain, no olive oil so used vegetable oil and only white sesame seeds, and it was so good. Thanks for the recipe, this is definitely going into my repertoire!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks, Jackie! That's really great to hear! x Ania
Suraj:
Wow super easy and delicious! I used nigella seeds instead of black sesame but still great. Thank you
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, thanks :) Ania
Alex:
Ugh I’ve already made this twice in two days. This recipe is phenomenal and dangerous because I can’t stop eating it. I pressed it into a cast iron skillet and let it rise there before baking it off. Also used it as an opportunity to try out some Uzbek bread stamps I picked up which turned out really well...
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear that, Alex! Yeah, I am with you, this is a dangerously addictive bread. I also love it and cannot stop eating it so don't make it very often to protect myself ;P Ania
Amy Kennedy:
My boyfriend is Turkish German, so when his dad taught me how to make mercimec soup (a red lentil and potato blended soup), I made this recipe to go along when I didn't have time to run to our favorite Turkish bakery. This recipe was a hit! What's the pink stuff in the bowl in the pic? It looks like it has beetroot and it also looks delicious! Recipe?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks, Amy! I'm really happy to hear that you and your dinner guests enjoyed it. The pink thing is a coarser version of my beetroot hummus and you've inspired me to research and make mercimec as it sounds great for colder months and I have never heard of it before. Thank you! Ania
Jaia:
If I do not have baking powder, can I use fresh yeast? what amount? Greetings from Argentina
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Jaia,
    I'm a bit confused as this recipe does not call for baking powder. I think you must mean that you don't have instant yeast, in which case, yes, it is fine to use live yeast but follow the instructions on the packet before adding them to the flour. Hope that helps! Ania
Alison Mehmet:
Hi, amazing recipe! Delicious and so easy! On to my second bake in 2 days.! Exactly the same as in North Cyprus. Thank you, will never be buying pride again.
    Ania
    Ania:
    That's lovely to hear! Thanks, Alison! x Ania
Rose:
Can I use all purpose flour instead of string flour?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Rose,
    It's generally not recommended as all purpose flour is a bit too soft for bread, but if that's all you have and want to use it up, it will still come out, but the texture will be a bit different. Hope that helps! Ania
Emma Stubbs:
This bread has become the family staple, I end up making two or more as it disappears in seconds! It has also started to come camping with us too. Thanks
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks, Emma! I'm delighted to hear that and thanks for taking the time to let you know your thoughts, much appreciated! Ania
Melanie K:
This was so delicious . Thank you very much!!!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm delighted to hear that, Melanie! Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback! Ania
Deon:
Worked a charm. Had this with cilbir for breakfast and am going to use it when I make Iskender Kebab this weekend. Thanks for the recipe!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, thank you! Ania
Chantal:
Just made this recipe last night and the results are AWESOME. So easy and so yummy! Thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm delighted to hear that, Chantal! Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback! Ania
Hulya:
Hi There,
I love this bread and the taste is spot on. Just a quick question. I only have a mini oven and the max temperature is 230 degrees. How much longer would you recommend I bake it for? Thank you for sharing an amazing recipe that’s exactly how Turkish Pide should be.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Hulya,
    It's a guess, but I would say 10 minutes more! Alternatively, if your mini oven has a fan function, use that - it increases the temprature by about 20 degrees, which is exactly as much as you need. Hope that helps! Ania
Julia:
Loved it.
    Ania
    Ania:
    That's lovely to hear, Julia! Ania
The VegHog:
I made this bread and it was so good! Thank you for the great recipe! Go and check out my post about it here, if you like.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks, I'm glad it turned out well. Ania
Macey:
Hello! I am making this bread for a small group and was going to make it completely (as in bake it) the night before. Would it still be good left over night?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Macey,
    It will be okay, but homemade bread is never as good as on the day it was made before. If you decide to do that, cover it with a kitchen towel overnight and perhaps toast it on a lightly oiled griddle pan before serving. Hope that helps! Ania
Melolexx:
Hi I'm in the US and wonder what you mean by "strong" flour? I want to make this it looks so easy ! And I'm signing up to follow you, I see some good Turkish inspired recipes like this one 😀
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Melissa,
    Strong flour is the same as bread flour. Excited to hear that you're planning on making this - hope you'll like it! :) Ania
Esmè Evans:
Thanks for sharing this delicious bread recipe. I am absolutely addicted to it.
Nom!! Nom!!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Esme, I'm so pleased to hear that! :)
nargess:
Hey.may I prepare the dough at night and bake it in the morning?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Nargess,
    I think you run the risk of the dough overproofing and turning into a gluey mess. In theory, cool temperature should halt the proofing process but whenever I tried doing that the dough kept on raising despite being in the fridge.
    Hope that helps,
    Ania
Amy D.:
I just recently started on a bread baking frenzy and this is one of the first recipes I tried. It’s fantastic! Also, I just started a blog challenging myself to bake a hundred breads by the end of the year and just completed the post inspired by your bread so thanks for the inspiration and the awesome recipe! Will definitely make again.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks so much, Amy - that's so nice to hear! And good luck with your challenge and the blog! :)
Robyn:
Have now followed this bread recipe precisely for the second time (apart from toppings)and have had outstanding success both times. It is easy and delicious.
I have pushed roasted garlic into the top and have now tried rosemary and salt on top. Awesome.
    Ania
    Ania:
    I am totally stoked that this recipe has worked for you Robyn. And I'm a big fan of both of those toppings. I read somewhere that if you ever need to sell your house, the best thing you can do it to bake bread with rosemary and your house will smell so delicious that it will be sold immediately!
Mia:
Amazingly simple recipe and very nice flatbread. It disappears in no time.
For soft crust you need to cover the bread with a kitchen towel when you take it out of the oven.
Do you know if kneading would improve this bread?
Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Mia,
    Thanks for your feedback! I've never tried it with kneading but I think it would probably not be too much different...But that's a guess!
    Cheers!
John:
It's hard on the outside, how do I get a soft crust?
    Ania
    Ania:
    I'm not sure exactly what you mean, but this bread has a soft crust relative to more conventional breads. Hope that helps!
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