Like flour, yeast has become something of a rare commodity during lockdown. No yeast? No problem – you can still make delicious bread without it.
Here we show you how to make five different types of no-yeast breads to bake at home.
From mouthwatering soda bread flatbreads and sourdough to tasty charcoal tortillas, we've teamed up with baking expert and bestselling author Juliet Sear for these top tips on how to make bread without yeast.
1 Soda bread
The wonder of soda bread is not only that it doesn't need yeast, but that you don't need to wait for it to rise – from start to end, it takes less than an hour.
"It’s a great idea to make soda bread if you don’t have any yeast," says Juliet.
You don't need bread flour either, with plain flour (often a mix of white and wholemeal) used along with bicarbonate of soda to help it rise. A standout ingredient of soda bread is buttermilk, but you could substitute it for yoghurt.
Find our full step-by-step recipe for soda bread here.
2 Soda bread flatbreads
The principle of soda bread isn't just about making a loaf – try this flatbread version.
"Soda bread skillet flatbreads are super-easy," says Juliet, who shares her recipe below:
You will need:
- 200g of natural yoghurt
- 200g self-raising flour (or plain with baking powder)
- 2 teaspoons of oil
Instructions:
1 Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix to make a dough.
2 Make golf ball-sized rounds out of the dough.
3 Heat up a large non stick frying pan, lightly grease with butter or oil. Flatten and fry the dough for a few minutes each side until puffy, risen and completely cooked.
"They are lovely, simple and a bit like Naan breads," says Juliet. "You can add garlic to the dough or herbs or spices, too."
3 Sourdough
If you think sourdough bread is a treat loaf that you need to buy from an artisan baker, think again. With a bit of patience you'll be making your own sourdough bread at home.
The path to your own sourdough bread begins with a sourdough starter. It's a fermented dough that is responsible for making sourdough bread rise. Instead of using active dry yeast like other bread recipes, sourdough bread uses a starter, which also brings that classic sour flavour.
Juliet explains: "It’s a long process, but basically you mix flour and water together. I use a strong bread flour and do 40g of each. Mix to a paste, leave overnight and then make a further mix of 40g of each, then stir in to the original mix.
"Repeat this for about four to five days or until it begins to come to life and go bubbly and smell a bit tangy and sour, like yoghurt or a banana type smell, then it’s ready to use." The effort will be well rewarded.
Once you have your starter, use our guide on how to make sourdough bread for an easy-to-follow recipe. You'll be so proud when you've made your own!
4 No-yeast pizza dough
Homemade pizza is fun to make, plus it can easily be adapted into garlic flatbread or a herb tear-and-share-bread. While pizza dough normally needs yeast, recently Lisa Faulkner shared a fantastic no-yeast pizza dough, using 250g natural yoghurt, 250g self raising flour, 1tsp baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
5 Charcoal tortillas
Tortillas are also a great option and super-easy to make, says Juliet. "I love making charcoal ones, they are delicious," she adds.
Juliet shared a lovely recipe for charcoal tortillas below (although if you can't find charcoal powder they'll still be delicious plain):
You will need:
- 225 grams of self-raising flour
- 10g of charcoal powder
- 1tbsp of vegetable oil
Instructions:
1 Mix together the flour and charcoal in a bowl with 1 tsp salt. Mix the oil and 150ml water into the dry ingredients to form a soft dough. Gently knead for 1-2 mins.
2 Split the dough into 25-30g pieces and roll each into a paper thin circle shape. Heat a dry pan on the hob until very hot, then fry each tortilla for around 30 seconds on each side.
3 If you wish to remove excess flour, these can be brushed lightly with a damp pastry brush to bring out the black colour of the charcoal.
How simple? They'll be gorgeous as wraps or turned into quesadillas.
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Ruth Doherty
Ruth is an experienced freelance digital writer and editor, covering everything from travel and interiors to fashion and beauty. Outside of work, her biggest loves are endless cups of tea, almond croissants, shopping for clothes she doesn’t need, and booking holidays she does.
