Easy Homemade Greek Pita Pocket Bread Recipe

An Oven Baked Greek Pita Pocket Bread recipe that is tasty and easy to make .

Mediterranean Bread on Repeat

This delicious Greek pita pocket bread recipe can be made in the comfort of your own home with pantry essential ingredients such as all purpose flour or whole wheat flour. The comforting Greek bread can be used to make tasty gyros or falafel sandwiches and it pairs well with an extra virgin olive oil dip , hummus, tzatziki sauce, or my garlic labneh recipe .

When you venture off into making a recipe that you have never made before things can be a bit overwhelming. I understand. But trust me, when I say this Greek Recipe is fail proof thanks to one of my friends! She has all the tips and tricks, I tell you. Pita bread can turn out to be chewy or flat sometimes, which only discourages us from trying again. Am I right or am I right? If that has been your experience, then I urge you to try it one more time with this detailed recipe.

I LOVE BREAD!

What kind of flour is needed for Greek Pita Bread?

I prefer to use all purpose flour for this recipe. Nothing fancy, just regular American All Purpose Flour is perfect. In our home, we purchase organic variations of all purpose flour. In most cases, I buy it from Costco in bulk because I love to bake breads.

Can I make Gluten Free Greek Pita Pocket Bread?

I have never tried to make it before, but my friend swears by gluten free flour by Bob’s Red Mill. If you do try it as a replacement in this recipe, I would love to hear how it came out.

Whole Wheat Greek Pita Bread Recipe

You can make this recipe using whole wheat flour as a substitution for all purpose flour and they turn out just as great!. Growing up, whole wheat was used more than all purpose flour. In fact, my parents rarely ever bought white bread, flour tortillas, etc. For that reason, I have always used whole wheat flour to make Greek Pita Bread. I must say though, all purpose flour tastes a lot better and the end result of the pita is a lot more sturdy to hold the ingredients inside.

Is Greek Pita Vegan?

YES! This recipe is 100% vegan without any substitutions. Hence, it’s naturally this way!

Does Greek Pita Bread have dairy?

My recipe listed here has no dairy. It is a vegan Greek Pita Bread that tastes phenomenal as is.

What to eat with Greek Pita Bread?

I love it as is, no joke. It tastes great with an extra virgin olive oil dip such as this one , hummus, or my Garlic Labneh Recipe (to die for). My kids eat stuffed pita pockets with veggies, mayo, mustard, and their choice of deli meat that I purchase or make (chicken). My husband likes eating these pita pockets with gyro meat from Trader Joes or homemade falafel fritters.

Can I make Pita Bread ahead of time?

You bet! Make a stack of these and refrigerate them for days at a time. Simply reheat in a microwave or a covered pan in the oven. Yes, you read that right “covered pan”. Dry heat can make the pita bread chewy. The trapped heat will help keep them moist and soft especially when heating multiple breads at once. You can also roast them over an open flame on the stove top to eat immediately.

How long can I store them?

I don’t recommend anything over 1 week, because they are so easy to make you can make a fresh batch in a matter of a few of hours total. Be sure to store than in the refrigerator.

Can I add spices to the dough?

Yes! My husband loves them with cumin seeds. I personally like them plain as can be which gives me more room to make spicy and flavorful dips to pair it with.

Where can I buy Greek Pita Bread?

This was once a million dollar question. Whole Foods almost always has them in stock. I remember as a kid we could never find Pita Pocket Bread in Little Rock, but it was more so because we never went to health food type grocery stores such as Whole Foods. My parents love falafels, so we learned how to make them at home or bulk buy whenever they were available.

Detailed Greek Pita Pocket Bread Recipe

Don’t let the long list of instructions in the recipe discourage you. I tried to be as detailed as possible so there are no errors along the way. I truly hope you enjoy the recipe!

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & consider leaving a comment as well. I would greatly appreciate it!

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📖 Recipe

Greek Pita Pocket

Ingredients1x2x3x

• ▢ 2.5 cups all purpose flour + some for dusting
• ▢ 1 cup warm water
• ▢ 2 teaspoon dry yeast
• ▢ 1 tsp sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + extra for coating
• ▢ 1.5 tsp salt

Instructions

• Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir gently with a silicone or wooden spatula and set it aside for about 5 minutes so the yeast activates.
• Add ½ cup of all purpose flour to the mixture. Mix it gently with a silicone or wooden spatula and set it aside for 15 minutes. No need to cover it.
• Slowly, add the remaining all purpose flour, salt, and oil to the large bowl. Mix it well with a silicone or wooden spatula until the contents form one large ball that you can manage to knead.
• Dust a deep bowl/pan with a generous amount of all purpose flour and set it aside.
• Dust a large surface area with all purpose flour.
• Take the dough and continue to knead by hand on the dusted surface for about 5-7 minutes until a smooth elastic ball has formed. Trust me, this is fun!
• Coat the dough with a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and then place it inside the dusted bowl/pan.
• Dust the top of the dough with all purpose flour and then wrap the bowl/pan with plastic wrap or cover with a damp kitchen towel assuring it does not touch the dough. You want to leave space for the dough to rise.
• Place the bowl/pan in a warm spot for 1 hour (microwave works well for me). The dough will double in size.
• Dust a surface area with all purpose flour again. Place the double in size dough on the surface, form a log without kneading too much, and divide it into 8 pieces.
• Take each piece and roll it in your hands to form a smooth ball once again. Isn’t the elastic dough fun to play with?
• Place each hand kneaded dough ball back into the bowl assuring they don’t touch each other (no additional dusting is required).
• Heat an oven to 500 degrees.
• Cover it tightly again with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it rest again for about 15 minutes in the same warm spot as before.
• Using a large surface area (I like to use a cold surface like granite or marble) roll out the pita pocket one at a time to about 8-9" in diameter. Use flour for dusting if the dough begins to stick to the surface.
• Place the pita pockets on a non-stick baking pan assuring they are not touching each other. Note-get these Pita Pockets in the oven ASAP after rolling them out.
• Put the pan in the oven and cook for about 7 minutes. Check on them via the oven light because the excitement to see them puff up is real. The oven light will eliminate how often you open the oven door. High temperature cooking is key here.
• Pull the pans out of the oven once the Pita Pockets have browned to your liking and wrap them with a dry kitchen towel until they cool down. This will help soften them.
• Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS- in a microwave for 5-10 seconds or over an open gas flame right before eating.
• Stuff with your favorite ingredients, dunk in your favorite dips, or split in half and top with your favorite ingredients. Either way, enjoy 🙂

Notes

Greek Pita Pocket

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups all purpose flour + some for dusting
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoon dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + extra for coating
• 1.5 tsp salt

Instructions

• Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir gently with a silicone or wooden spatula and set it aside for about 5 minutes so the yeast activates.
• Add ½ cup of all purpose flour to the mixture. Mix it gently with a silicone or wooden spatula and set it aside for 15 minutes. No need to cover it.
• Slowly, add the remaining all purpose flour, salt, and oil to the large bowl. Mix it well with a silicone or wooden spatula until the contents form one large ball that you can manage to knead.
• Dust a deep bowl/pan with a generous amount of all purpose flour and set it aside.
• Dust a large surface area with all purpose flour.
• Take the dough and continue to knead by hand on the dusted surface for about 5-7 minutes until a smooth elastic ball has formed. Trust me, this is fun!
• Coat the dough with a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and then place it inside the dusted bowl/pan.
• Dust the top of the dough with all purpose flour and then wrap the bowl/pan with plastic wrap or cover with a damp kitchen towel assuring it does not touch the dough. You want to leave space for the dough to rise.
• Place the bowl/pan in a warm spot for 1 hour (microwave works well for me). The dough will double in size.
• Dust a surface area with all purpose flour again. Place the double in size dough on the surface, form a log without kneading too much, and divide it into 8 pieces.
• Take each piece and roll it in your hands to form a smooth ball once again. Isn’t the elastic dough fun to play with?
• Place each hand kneaded dough ball back into the bowl assuring they don’t touch each other (no additional dusting is required).
• Heat an oven to 500 degrees.
• Cover it tightly again with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let it rest again for about 15 minutes in the same warm spot as before.
• Using a large surface area (I like to use a cold surface like granite or marble) roll out the pita pocket one at a time to about 8-9" in diameter. Use flour for dusting if the dough begins to stick to the surface.
• Place the pita pockets on a non-stick baking pan assuring they are not touching each other. Note-get these Pita Pockets in the oven ASAP after rolling them out.
• Put the pan in the oven and cook for about 7 minutes. Check on them via the oven light because the excitement to see them puff up is real. The oven light will eliminate how often you open the oven door. High temperature cooking is key here.
• Pull the pans out of the oven once the Pita Pockets have browned to your liking and wrap them with a dry kitchen towel until they cool down. This will help soften them.
• Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS- in a microwave for 5-10 seconds or over an open gas flame right before eating.
• Stuff with your favorite ingredients, dunk in your favorite dips, or split in half and top with your favorite ingredients. Either way, enjoy :)

Notes

Recipe Courtesy of The Curry Mommy

The Best Italian Spaghetti and Meatball Marinara Recipe-Restaurant Quality

If you’ve been looking for the best spaghetti and meatballs recipe with homemade marinara sauce that tastes like your favorite Italian restaurant, then you’ve found it! That is all :).

This is a labor of love family friendly recipe! Made from scratch meatballs and marinara sauce paired with perfectly cooked spaghetti.

• Ingredients
• Instructions for Meatballs
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Top Tips
• Love Pasta? Try these favorites!
• 📖 Recipe
• FAQ
• 💬 Community

Ingredients

• Spaghetti

Marinara Sauce

• canned crushed tomatoes
• basil, fresh
• thyme, fresh
• oregano, fresh
• flat leaf parsley, fresh
• extra virgin olive oil
• onion, grated or finely chopped
• garlic, grated/minced
• broth of choice (chicken, vegetable, or beef)
• cooking oil
• salt (I do not add black pepper but you are welcome to)

Meatballs

• celery leaves, finely chopped
• small onion, grated (white or yellow)
• garlic, grated/minced
• fresh parmigiano reggiano or parmesan, grated
• flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• egg
• ground beef, 80/20 (see substitutions in recipe card)
• olive oil
• butter (salted or unsalted)
• white bread, crust removed (see substitutions in recipe card)
• black pepper
• salt
• cooking oil

see recipe card for measurements

Instructions for Meatballs

Combine the grated onion with sliced bread until the bread has completely dissolved with the onion. Set it aside.

Chop the fresh herbs very finely and set them aside.

Mix together the beef, egg, herbs, loads of cheese, and spices.

Can marinate the mixture for about 30 minutes.

Make golf size balls with the meatball mix and pan fry them until golden brown on each side. Tip: shake the pan towards the end of the cooking process to help them roll better.

Now, make the marinara sauce in a different pan and place the cooked meatballs in the marinara sauce. Let the meatballs cook on low heat with the marinara sauce before serving with spaghetti.

Substitutions

• Beef -Can substitute with ground turkey, but additional fats will need to be added such as butter and oil
• Fresh Herbs - Can substitute with dry herbs, but it is not recommended.

Variations

• Vegetarian - Use soy grounds instead of beef/turkey
• Spicy - Add spicy homemade crushed red peppers by grinding spicy dry chillies.
• Saucy - Double the marinara sauce recipe

Top Tips

• Mix the marinara sauce with the meatballs and let them simmer on low together for tender meatballs.
• Add a little bit of ground pork to make even tastier meatballs!
• A small pinch of baking soda in the ground meat mixture help tenderize the meatballs.

Love Pasta? Try these favorites!

• Creamy Tahini Pasta
• Easy Pasta Sauce for Butternut Squash Ravioli
• Pasta with Broccoli and Garlic Parmesan Sauce
• Ragu Spaghetti Meat Sauce

📖 Recipe

The Best Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipe, Restaurant Quality

Ingredients1x2x3x

Marinara

• ▢ 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes (I use Cento brand)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
• ▢ 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium onion, grated or finely chopped
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic, grated/minced
• ▢ ½-1 cup broth of choice (chicken, vegetable, or beef)
• ▢ cooking oil
• ▢ salt (I do not add black pepper but you are welcome to)

Meatballs

• ▢ 2 tablespoon celery leaves, finely chopped
• ▢ 1 small onion, grated (white or yellow)
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic, grated/minced
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh parmigiano reggiano or parmesan, grated (I like to add a little extra sometimes)
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 lb ground beef, 80/20 (see substitutions below)
• ▢ ¼ cup ground pork (optional)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted)
• ▢ 2 slices of sliced white bread, crust removed (see substitutions below)
• ▢ black pepper
• ▢ salt
• ▢ cooking oil

Pasta

• ▢ 12 oz dried spaghetti (or equivalent fresh pasta), packages come in 16oz usually but I recommend using only 12oz of spaghetti

Instructions

Pasta

• Boil a large pot of water to cook the pasta adding only salt to the water.
• Once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to the packaged directions. I prefer to keep the spaghetti a bit al dente since it will be resting for a while until it gets mixed with the sauce and meatballs.

Marinara Sauce

• Heat some cooking oil in a pan on medium heat (try not to get the oil too hot). Add the garlic and herbs to the oil and cook until fragrant but not browned.
• Add the onions and continue to cook until the onions are translucent on low heat.
• Gently pour in the canned crushed tomatoes and mix well.
• Pour the broth into the pot and let it simmer for about 15 minutes on medium heat.
• In the mean time you can cook the meatballs.

Meatballs

• Start by grating the onion and place it in a small bowl.
• Take the sliced bread and combine it with the grated onion. The bread will dissolve and mix into the juices of the onion. Set this aside.
• Combine all of the other meatball ingredients in a bowl (except the cooking oil) .
• Mix in the onion+bread mixture and combine it all well.
• Make small/golf ball sized meatballs (you can make them larger if you prefer) and lay them on a plate. Set them aside and continue to make the marinara sauce if you haven’t already.
• Heat a pan on medium/high heat with some cooking oil.
• Cook the meatballs until all sides have fully browned.
• As they finish cooking place them on a plate and set them aside until all meatballs are cooked.
• Discard the oil/juices from the pan. I do not like to use these juices, but you are more than welcome to pour it into the marinara sauce with the meatballs.
• Add the meatballs, which have been placed on a plate, to the hot marinara sauce. Coat them evenly with the sauce so they are covered with marinara. This is a key step for tender meatballs.
• Let the meatball marinara simmer on low heat for about 25-30 minutes (the sauce will thicken).
• Turn off the heat.
• Mix the spaghetti with the meatball marinara.
• Top with extra virgin olive oil and mix again.
• Serve hot with additional parmesan cheese and red chili flakes.
• Enjoy!

Notes

1. Turkey Meatballs- Combine 1 pound of ground turkey with 2 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon oil, and a pinch of baking soda. The additional fats may seem like a lot, but I have tried to substitute less in the past and it has not came out the same in texture. So please do not compromise on the fat content if you prefer soft and tender meatballs. Continue with the recipe as listed.
2. Vegetarian Meatballs- Purchase vegetarian meatballs from your local grocery store and continue with the marinara sauce recipe listed. Add 1 extra cup of broth and simmer for an additional 10 minutes on low to help the fluids absorb into the meatballs.
3. Pork- If you want even better tasting meatballs, then substitute ¼ of the ground beef with ground pork. The additional fat adds a great deal of flavor to the recipe.

Yes! This recipe came straight from my friend’s Italian grandmother and I am beyond thankful for her help not just for this recipe but for sending extra portions of pasta for me

What makes it the best is the fact that it is homemade, cooked with love, enjoyed by family and friends, and satisfying enough to leave everyone with a belly full of yummy food.

Basil, Oregano, and Celery Leaves are a must have!

Marzano tomatoes really do taste best. Try Cento Brand.

How this recipe came about

It’s no secret that my husband and I love a classic spaghetti and meatball dish from our favorite Italian restaurants. There is something so comforting about a thick marinara sauce with tender cooked meatballs. We realized, that every time we eat Italian food we always order spaghetti and meatballs and now it’s double the quantity because our daughters love it just as much.

I gave my friend from high school a call who has an Italian grandmother. We got into a conversation about spaghetti and meatballs while her grandmother was with her at the given moment. So, I got the rough recipe right from the source. Her secret, use fresh ingredients (including the pasta). I tried to make it just like she said with a few changes and life has never been the same! Let me just say, this dish is a 100 times better when cooked at home and my value for it has increased greatly. We hope you love it just as much as we do!