This flatbread pizza delivers a shatteringly crisp crust piled with gooey, bubbling mozzarella, sweet tomatoes, and hand-torn basil. Ready in 20 minutes, in an air fryer or oven, using store-bought flatbreads of your choice - no yeast dough required. Don't miss my trick to a crackly, never-soggy crust!
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Flatbread Pizzas have been a lifesaver meal in our home for years. It's a filling, tasty meal that's ready in 20 minutes and works well for weeknight dinners.
My girls love Panera's Flatbread Pizza and love recreating it at home for a quick lunch or dinner. This Margherita flatbread pizza is a breeze to put together for them.
I always stock up on whole-wheat flatbreads in either my fridge or freezer. In addition, store-ready pizza sauce, shredded cheese, tomatoes, and basil are all you need to create this delicious Pizza Margherita.
Why We Love This Recipe
- This Flatbread Pizza recipe is quick, easy, and convenient, especially for weeknights.
- It comes together in 20 minutes with minimal effort, using just a few ingredients from my fridge and pantry.
- It's easy to customize, so everyone can build their own pizzas. More pizza topping ideas listed below!
- This tasty vegetarian meal is enjoyed by kids and adults alike.
What's a Flatbread Pizza
Flatbread pizza is made with flat, unleavened bread rather than fermented pizza dough. Flatbread is topped with sauce, cheese, and your choice of toppings, then baked until the crust is crispy and the cheese is bubbling.
Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions
- Flatbread: I use 4 individual-sized flatbreads or 2 long rectangular flatbreads. I prefer whole-wheat flatbreads for the whole-grain goodness and added fiber, but feel free to use white flatbreads if you like. Any Middle Eastern flatbreads, such as pita or lavash, would also work well here.
- Sauce: ½ cup of your favorite pizza sauce or marinara sauce is all you need. My preferred brands for pizza sauce are '365 by Whole Foods' and 'Trader Joe's'.
- Cheese: Depending on what's available at the store, I alternate between fresh and shredded mozzarella cheese. If using fresh, slice it thinly so it melts evenly. I like to top that with grated Parmesan cheese for a salty-nutty finish.
- Tomatoes: I alternate between vine tomatoes and grape tomatoes. Whatever you use, slice it thin so it cooks and caramelizes evenly.
- Fresh Basil: Rinse and dry fresh basil leaves. The best way to use them on this pizza is to tear them by hand. I add a handful before cooking and use the remaining for garnish. Use more or less as you like.
- Seasoning: I like to use classic Italian herbs here to complement this pizza's flavors. Use a teaspoon of Italian seasoning, or simply combine ⅓ teaspoon each of dried oregano and basil, plus a pinch of thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Optional ingredient- Garlic: I prefer a subtle garlic flavor, so rub a clove of garlic on the flatbreads before pouring the sauce. For a garlic-y taste, add finely chopped garlic along with the cheese.
Low-Carb Flatbread Pizza: Instead of traditional flatbreads, assemble the pizza on your preferred low-carb flatbread or tortilla, and cook for 7-8 minutes in the oven or 5-6 minutes in the air fryer.
How to Make Flatbread Pizza
Prepare flatbread: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the flatbread on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Cut the tip of a peeled garlic clove and gently rub it on the flatbread to add a subtle garlic flavor. Or add finely chopped garlic for a more prominent garlic flavor.
Spread Sauce and cheese: Spread a layer of sauce, using as much or as little as you like. Spread the thin layer of mozzarella cheese on top.
- Add tomato, basil, and spices: Place the tomato slices and basil leaves on top. If using minced garlic, spread it along with the cheese. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning all over.
Basil Tip: When using the air fryer, tuck the basil leaves under the tomatoes so they don't fly off the pizza.
- Bake in the oven for 10-11 minutes or until the flatbread is crispy and the cheese has melted. Alternatively, cook it in the Air Fryer at 325°F for 7-8 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the flatbread turns crisp. (No preheating required)
Storing & Reheating
To store any leftover pizza, wrap it in aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To reheat, microwave it for 45 seconds, or heat it in a preheated oven at 350°F for 5 minutes, or air fryer for 2 minutes.
Flavor Variations for Flatbread Pizza
- Pepperoni & Cheese: Add 5-6 slices of pepperoni per pizza in addition to shredded cheese.
- Pesto & Chicken: Spread 2 tablespoons of store-bought of homemade pesto on flatbread and top with ¼ cup cheese and 1 cup chopped grilled chicken.
- BBQ Chicken: Spread 2 tablespoons of store-bought bbq sauce, ¼ cup thinly sliced onions and 1 cup cubed rotisserie chicken.
- Fruit & Cheese: Spread ½ cup of blue cheese or goat cheese crumbles on the flatbread. Top with thinly sliced pears, pine nuts and dried cranberries. After cooking, top with arugula tossed with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt. Lightly drizzle honey on top.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Adjust the cook time based on your flatbread. If using lavash or any flatbread with ¼-inch thickness, follow the same timings. If using Pita, increase the time by 1-2 minutes, depending on how crisp you like your pizza.
- For a prominent garlic flavor, finely chop garlic and spread it on the pizza instead of rubbing it on the flatbread.
- For a crispy, non-soggy crust, deseed tomato slices and pat them dry. If using cherry tomatoes, place cut side up. Also, when cooking in the air fryer, skip using liners to ensure proper airflow.
- If air-frying the pizza, make sure the basil is tucked under the tomatoes; otherwise, it might fly off the pizza with the high-pressure air.
- Make it keto/Low Carb: Instead of traditional flatbreads, assemble the pizza on your preferred keto flatbread or tortilla. Adjust the cook time to 7-8 minutes in the oven, or 5-6 minutes in the air fryer.
More Pizza Recipes on the Blog
Frequently Asked Questions
While the concept of both dishes is the same, there is a small difference between the two. While Flatbread is made with unleavened dough, without any yeast, Pizza requires dough that has been fermented with yeast.
Pita bread os slightly leavened, which means rising agents are added to the flour and it is fermented before cooking. Flatbreads are typically made without any leavening.
This flatbread recipe is healthy as compared to a traditional pizza. We use whole wheat flatbread which is rich in whole grains and fiber, plus when we make these pizzas at home, we can limit the quantity of cheese and add toppings that are healthy.
To make your crust extra crispy, before adding any sauce or toppings, bake it in a preheated oven at 400F for a 2-3 minutes. This will dry up some moisture in the dough ahead of baking the pizza, resulting in an extra-crispy crust.
📖 Recipe
Crispy Air Fryer Flatbread Pizza (Oven Method Included)
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Video
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 4 flatbreads (store-bought) individual sized
- 1 clove garlic peeled
- ½ cup pizza sauce or marinara
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese cut in thin slices
- 2 large tomatoes cut in thin slices
- 1 cup basil leaves, hand torn divided
- 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or a mix of oregano, basil and rosemary)
Optional toppings
Instructions
- If using the oven, preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the flatbread on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Cut the tip of a peeled garlic clove and gently rub it on the flatbread to add a subtle flavor. Or, add finely chopped garlic for a more prominent garlic flavor.
- Spread a layer of sauce, using as much or as little as you like. Spread a layer of mozzarella cheese on top.
- Place the tomato slices and basil leaves on top. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning all over.
- Bake in the oven for 10-11 minutes or until the flatbread is crispy and the cheese has melted. To brown the cheese, cook on Broil (High) for 1 minute.
- Alternatively, cook it in the Air Fryer at 325°F for 7-8 minutes or until the cheese has melted and flatbread turns crisp. (No preheating required)
Notes
- Adjust the cook time based on your flatbread. If using lavash or any flatbread with ¼-inch thickness, follow the same timings. If using Pita, increase the time by 1-2 minutes, depending on how crisp you like your pizza.
- For a prominent garlic flavor, finely chop garlic and spread it on the pizza instead of rubbing it on the flatbread.
- For a crispy, non-soggy crust, deseed tomato slices and pat them dry. If using cherry tomatoes, place cut side up. Also, when cooking in the air fryer, skip using liners to ensure proper airflow.
- If air-frying the pizza, make sure the basil is tucked under the tomatoes; otherwise, it might fly off the pizza with the high-pressure air.
- Make it keto/Low Carb: Instead of traditional flatbreads, assemble the pizza on your preferred keto flatbread or tortilla. Adjust the cook time to 7-8 minutes in the oven, or 5-6 minutes in the air fryer.
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