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Been missing sandwiches or bread while on the AIP Diet (Autoimmune Paleo Protocol)? This easy-to-make flatbread may be the answer to your dreams!
Table of contents
- Life Without Bread?
- Paleo Naan Bread to the Rescue
- AIP Flatbread Video
- AIP Flatbread Tips and Tricks
- Using Tigernut Flour Vs Cassava Flour
- Freezing the AIP Flatbread for Later
- Troubleshooting
- You May Need
- Use this Flatbread with the AIP Gyro Wrap
- More Helpful AIP & Paleo Resources in the Freebie Library
- AIP Flatbread Recipe
- You May Also Like
Life Without Bread?
There are people in this world that hear they can't have bread again, shrug and go on their merry way.
I am NOT one of them.
When I first heard I was Celiac and wouldn't be able to have glutenous, crusty french bread, pita bread, and pretty much anything else that had made up the majority of my diet my whole life, I was crushed. I mean, what was the point?
And then to make matters worse, as soon as I learned I was Celiac I went straight onto AIP. No eggs and no almond flour meant even fewer options – even my beloved Paleo muffins and quick bread were out.
Now mind you, this was back in 2014, the Dark Ages of AIP. Even pancakes were rare. Today there are MANY more options luckily.
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Yet, even when I went back on AIP for a few months in 2018 I still missed some sort of way to make sandwiches. My kids were a lot older this time around and that meant we were constantly going out on adventures every weekend. Sandwiches would have just made things easier – easier to tote around, not have to have completely chilled, not need a fork and knife – the list goes on and on.
I heavily relied on Squirrel in the Kitchen's crepe recipe from her book Simple French Paleo to make simple wraps, and while they were great, I wanted something a little more substantial.
See Also: The ULTIMATE Guide to the AIP Diet – Everything you need to know to be successful
Paleo Naan Bread to the Rescue
Fast forward a few months later when I was back on regular ole' Paleo (what I typically eat to keep my Hashimoto's and Celiac diseases under control) and I made a regular favorite recipe of ours – My Heart Beet's Paleo Naan.
Now if you've never had Ashley's Paleo Naan, you must do it. Well, if you aren't currently on AIP or can have almond flour that is. It's freakin delicious, makes the BEST side for curries, Indian Butter Chicken, and well, any other Indian dish you can think of. I've even passed this recipe on to non-Paleo Indian friends and they've loved it, plus I've served it to countless non-Paleo friends and they rave over it. So try it.
One evening recently I was making some of this Paleo Naan as a side to an Indian dish and wondered to myself – what if I replaced the almond flour with cassava flour to make it AIP-compliant?
So the next day I set about trying it out. It took a few tries as the ratios weren't exactly the same, but once I hit on the right ration I was PSYCHED!
I tried it again with tigernut flour and again, success. I know some of ya hate cassava flour, so I'm lookin' out for you 🙂
After making a ton of batches to make sure it wasn't a fluke, I decided to share it with you.
AIP Flatbread Video
For a full explanation of the process, watch this video on YouTube.
AIP Flatbread Tips and Tricks
To make this a successful recipe I have these tips for you:
• Use a small non-stick crepe pan if possible, as that will work the best for this. If you have to use a larger non-stick pan that's fine, you may have to cut your flatbread in half once you cook it to make it manageable and you might also have to cook it longer. When I've used a large pan I've almost doubled the time per side.
• The batter should be runny, not super thick. If you need to, add more milk or water to make it this way.
• I state in the recipe to cook it 4 minutes a side at first, and then you may have to adjust the time downwards as your pan gets hotter. This is a good starting point, but if you notice your breads are gummy in the middle or aren't flipping easily, give it more time. They will bubble up at first and then once the bubbles recede you can flip them.
• I like to put these on a baking rack after cooking to let them get air all around them. If you do not have a rack you can put them on a plate, but they tend to get a bit sticky/gummy/wet if you stack them before they are completely cool. So make sure to not stack them.
Using Tigernut Flour Vs Cassava Flour
I liked both the cassava flour version and the tigernut flour version, but I did notice that the tigernut flour version was a bit sweeter, darker, and also seemed to be a bit thinner. It seemed like a thick crepe to me.
The cassava flour one felt and tasted a lot more like a traditional pita bread or naan than the tigernut one.
Unfamiliar with either tigernut flour or cassava flour? See AIP Foods You May Not Be Familiar With
It really is up to you what one you'd make, but if you can't decide, I'd go with tigernut for a sweeter application (maybe a jam and tigernut butter wrap?) and with cassava flour for a savory sandwich (like the gyro wraps I'll share next week).
Freezing the AIP Flatbread for Later
One of my favorite parts of this recipe is that they freeze BEAUTIFULLY. This to me is a game changer in itself.
To freeze, simply make up a batch (or 2 or 3) and then put a piece of parchment paper in between each bread. Put into a bag or freezer-safe container and freeze.
When you want to eat them, remove one or more from the freezer, thaw on the countertop or in the fridge for a few hours, over low heat in a pan or in the oven for a few minutes, or in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Then use as desired.
I now have a batch of this in my freezer ready to go any time I need to have a sandwich ready to go in minutes, or have some sort of bready side to go with a curry, etc.
Troubleshooting
As soon as I posted this video on YouTube some viewers took to their kitchens to make this bread and helpfully shared some tips that may help you as well:
- This recipe does not do well on stainless steel pans, use a nonstick pan if possible.
- I used Native Forest Simple Coconut Milk with no guar gum but a viewer (Jen G, thanks!) used Golden Star Coconut Milk and had to add some water to make it less thick. She stated she was able to get 7-8 flatbreads out of the recipe as a result.
- A nonstick griddle can work as well (thanks GeekGirlGA!)
- You can put them back over the heat if you discover they aren't done
- I used Anthony's Cassava Flour and Organic Gemini Tigernut Flour – you may have different results with different brands (update: it sounds like Bob's Redmill Cassava flour and Lya Cassava flour lead to gummy breads – so do NOT use these. So interesting how cassava flour can differ so much between brands!)
- IF you do get a gummy flatbread, some people have reported that putting them in the microwave for 10-30 seconds seems to get rid of some of the gumminess. Again, I think this is based on the cassava flour you use, but this may help!
You May Need
These are the things I found helpful for making this recipe:
8-inch non-stick pan (this is the frying pan I used but you can also use a crepe pan)
A baking cooling rack for letting the air flow around the breads as they cool
I personally like Anthony's Cassava Flour the best, but use whatever brand you're loyal to
I like the Native Forest Simple brand of guar gum-free coconut milk, but there are several others. You can also make homemade milk.
Use this Flatbread with the AIP Gyro Wrap
One of my favorite ways to use this flatbread is with my AIP Gyro Wraps!
The meat is actually pretty easy to make, and it freezes well, so you can have a genuine-tasting gyro sandwich in minutes from frozen!
More Helpful AIP & Paleo Resources in the Freebie Library
If you find this recipe helpful, you may really enjoy the resources in my Paleo & AIP Freebie Library! There's a “dump” freezer meal plan, a list of AIP-compliant breakfast toppings, and so much more. Plus, you'll get even more ideas sent to your inbox! Get the password here.
AIP Flatbread Recipe
I hope you enjoy these flatbreads! If you make them I'd love to hear how it turned out! Either comment below or share a pic on Instagram and tag me @thrivingautoimmune!
AIP Flatbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 13.5 oz can Coconut Milk (OR use 1.5 cups homemade Coconut Milk or Tigernut Milk per 4 tortillas)
- 3/4 cup Cassava Flour (OR Tigernut Flour)
- 3/4 cup Tapioca Flour (OR Arrowroot Powder)
- 1 Pinch Sea Salt
Instructions
- Preheat a small nonstick pan over medium heat.
- Mix all of the ingredients into a bowl. If using tigernut flour, really make sure all of the lumps are broken apart (it really likes to clump). Make sure the batter is somewhat runny, you don't want it really thick. Add water or more milk if necessary.
- Pour enough batter into the pan to cover the bottom of the pan + about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. These are a tad bit thicker than crepes.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, adjusting the time up above 4 min if the batter doesn't look completely dry when you flip it, and adjust the time down if you get too many brown or black spots. Black or brown spots are totally fine, just don't want to burn these!
- You'll notice that the cooking time will get less as you continue to cook the breads, since the pan gets hotter. If the bread is gummy inside it needs to be cooked longer. (This all sounds kind of fussy and complicated but trust me, you'll figure it out after a few – it's just different pans, cassava flours, coconut milks, amount of heat, etc all makes it a little bit different for everyone).
Notes
Nutrition
Hm, Another heads up to variable that makes gooey bread is using COLD coconut milk. Canned milk you leave at room temp, but if you have your refrigerated, that is probably causing the issue, also makes the dough pretty firm instead of runny.
Pretty sure this is one of the issues as I had gooey bread while using the anthony’s cassova flour.
Ah, that’s a variable I just didn’t think of since I always keep mine at room temp. But great insight and thanks SO much for sharing!!
This recipe is great, so simple to make and worked perfectly (with adding more water for a runnier consistency). i was craving something bready so bad and it was yummie with cassava flour! Thank you!
Isn’t it great to soothe that bready craving? That’s exactly why I made it since I get that a lot 🙂 Glad you like it!!
Can I use coconut flour and Tapioca instead of tigetnut or cassava ? I have to watch out for oxalates as all 3 are very high in oxalates Tapioca, tiger nut & cassava
If I use Tapioca flour I can combine it with a low oxalate flour like coconut, can that be doable ?
I’m not going to say you can’t use it, but the recipe is going to be much different as coconut flour acts a lot differently than either cassava or tigernut flours and tends to absorb a lot more liquid. I haven’t tried it, but I’d start with the recipe as stated but keep more coconut milk or even water on hand to make the batter looser since the coconut will suck the moisture up like a sponge. Let me know how it turns out though if you do try!
Coconut flour did not work well with the cassava…
I suspected that might be the case but couldn’t say for sure since I hadn’t tried it. Thanks for letting us know.
Thank you!
What can I use instead of tapioca starch?
You can use arrowroot powder instead.
I used 3/4 cup carrington farms cassava flour, 1/2 cup pamela’s tigernut and 1/4 coconut flour and it was gummy. I also used chicken stock as my liquid. Totally strayed from the recipe but it was worth a try. Made me feel ill. 🙁
Ack, sorry to hear that. The coconut flour is probably what did it, since it just acts so differently than the other flours. Interesting use of the chicken stock though – I haven’t tried that but it does kind of make sense! Sucks it didn’t work for you though.
I am new to AIP, but I am assuming that tapioca flour and tapioca starch are interchangeable? What brand do you use for the tapioca flour?
Yeah, tapioca flour and starch are the same thing. It sure gets confusing! I use Anthony’s for that as well (I pretty much use Anthony’s for everything these days as it seems to be the most cost-effective and I love the quality).
Hi Michele, I was so excited to see this recipe, but mine also turned out gummy with the Cassava flour I had. 🙁 I am a total bread person and am about to go AIP, so I am willing to give it another try and order the Anthony’s via Amazon. I have read weird reviews about the Cassava flour from Anthony’s though. Something that it changed from being great to being weird, color and taste wise worsened. Have you made any of those experiences? Thanks!
Hmm, no, I’ve never had any issues with the Anthony’s at all! I wonder what those people experienced. Mine has been consistent…. Also, I’m about to update the post, but some people have had luck with microwaving the bread if it turns out gummy and that seems to help get rid of some of the gumminess. Thought I might mention that!
I used Otto’s and AroyD combo and they came out gummy, BUT I added garlic powder and some crushed rosemary and it tasted like cheese bread! I LOVE IT as did my 15 yr old! I will try your flour/milk combo and see if I can get it dryer in the center. Earlier in the day I had a bunch of organic blueberries needing to be used so I threw them into my bullet and whipped them up into jam… this would be awesome on a tigernut flatbread! Thank you for a terrific recipe!
Ooh, that sounds really yummy actually! I might have to get some Ottos and Arroy-D and try it! I miss cheese 🙁
I am new to AIP – I finally found a doctor that figured out what was wrong with me – Hashimotos! For YEARS I’ve weighed close to 350lbs and a lot of doctors quoted me with the “eat less, exercise more”. Ugggh… But finally I have help.
AIP is a bit daunting but I your recipes – thank you. Does this end up tasting coconutty? (is that a word?) I like coconut but I don’t like it when everything I make tastes like coconut.
Thank you 🙂
I’m so glad your doc figured out what was causing your weight gain! That must have been so frustrating to have dealt with that for so long. As for the flatbread, no, I don’t find it to taste coconutty. I like coconut too but only in coconut things – like a pina colada or a macaroon or whatever, not in something that isn’t making me feel like I’m on a tropical island 🙂
hello,
I am new to this way of baking and using flours. I was at my store and the brand they had was IYA is this the same as LYA cassava flour? So if I only have that brand what should I do differently to make it work?
Ugh, unfortunately, I have NO idea what that actually means! I’ve never dealt with either type, I just get Anthony’s Cassava Flour from Amazon. Sorry to not be of any help whatsoever on this!
You can add Thrive brand cassava flour to the list of brands that turn out gummy.
Ugh, ok, thanks for letting me know!
Can you use water instead of milk? Not a fan of coconut taste. If so would it be the same amounts?
I honestly have no idea as I have not tried it, but I’ve never really tasted the coconut in these and I’m usually pretty sensitive to the taste. But if you want to try the water, I’d start off on the low end to make sure it’s not too runny. I can’t imagine it would be much different than using homemade tigernut milk, so if you give it a try let us know how it comes out!
Hi Michele! I tried making this and my flatbread always comes out gummy on the inside. The outside cookes beautifully but I’m not sure whether or not it’s supposed to have that texture? I also didn’t use canned coconut milk, but the coconut milk where you’d find the other milks. Could that be it?
TL;DR How is the inside of this flatbread supposed to look and feel?
This seems to be a very picky recipe when it comes to brands and types of ingredients. I’ve only used Anthony’s Cassava flour but with both Native Forest coconut milks (both with guar gum and the simple one without) and homemade coconut milk and it’s worked for me. But if you’re using different cassava flour it may come out gummy. It shouldn’t be very gummy – like it might be *slightly* so inside but not enough that it really should be that noticeable. Mine come out more like a pita bread – but not as dry.