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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
I made this, and it came out gummy on the inside. It was alright, but not good. I cut the rounds into pieces and put them in the air fryer with a little salt for about 10 min at 395° and I couldn’t stop eating them. They were crunchy, almost like a tortilla chip.
This is a great base recipe. I plan on adding a few spices the next time I make it.
I tried this with Otto’s cassava flour today. Also, I only had 1/2 cup arrowroot (Rob’s Mill) so I added tapioca starch (Rob’s Mill). The coconut milk had no guar gum and was organic. I used a non-stick Gotham pan. They all came out very.well and really softened after some minutes.
I had to come on here and comment. My brother was recently diagnosed with Hashimotos and I made these for him. We’re Pakistani and huge on rotis (flatbread) and this was a success! So thank you for sharing this!
Hi Michelle, I used cassava flour and tapioca flour and tigernut milk (as I am sensitive to coconut). Mine were gummy inside and very dry on the top side! The second lot I cooked longer and that helped a little. Should I try longer cooking still? Thanks Lilla
You can try to see if it helps, but they’ll always probably be at least a little gummy on the inside as the cassava flour and tapioca are both starchy.
Have you tried this with oat milk?
No, sorry…
This is as good as it gets for AIP tortillas! I happen to love cassava flour so I knew these would be a win. I LOVE that you can just poor the batter instead of having to roll and divide. Clean up couldn’t be easier either. And how fun to have them actually come out round and stretchy! Definitely watch the video for a good understanding of the process. The pan should be nice and hot. before starting and they just get better as you go, just like pancakes.
THANK YOU Michele for coming up with this, it makes life easier to have a recipe that doesn’t wipe your energy out and that doesn’t turn your kitchen into a tornado.
Hi there,
Have you used Bob’s red mill tapioca starch with Anthony’s Cassava flour? When cooking they bubbled up like naan bread but were gummy inside despite the length of time cooked and even when I put them in the microwave twice for 30s each time. I will attempt again with maybe the arrowroot flour, seems like the potential is definitely there!
I haven’t tried Bob’s tapioca, unfortunately. I really at am a loss of why some brands work and some don’t. It’s super frustrating for me as so many people have success yet others don’t and I can’t explain why!
I tried the recipe using arrowroot powder and tigernut flour. Trader Joe’s reduced fat coconut milk (no gums). While the resulting slightly undercooked product tasted good, I couldn’t get them to stop sticking to the pan so tore up most/all of them with the spatula when I tried to flip. I did oil the pan well since I don’t use nonstick pans (due to the chemicals/harmful substances involved).
HI!
I am new to the AIP protocol but I want to ask you if this recipe could work with homemade cassava flour? I have a Thermomix and would be able to process the cassava/yuca and dehidrate it. I do not think I can find it so easily in Mexico, and even less the Tigernut flour…
Hopefully it can be done.
Thank you so much
Hmm, it’s really hard to say as unfortunately the cassava flour really does seem to influence the end product. Different brands have been coming out gummy and not cooking all the way through as other ones cook beautifully. I wish I could give you a more definitive answer but this is definitely a picky recipe. You could make the cassava flour and try a very small amount (like a 1/4 of the recipe) and see if it works – and if it doesn’t you can use the flour to make pancakes (I have a cassava flour pancake recipe for instance) which tend to come out a lot better as they are so much smaller…. So at least your efforts of making the flour wouldn’t be wasted.
This recipe turned out AMAZING! I used a crepe pan, cassava flour, and used a small spoon to push the wet batter out as far as I could on the pan to make the wrap as thin as possible. With this strategy I was able to make 5 wraps. It took me 3 wraps to get the rhythm and timing down, but once I figured it out, I was amazed. This will be my go-to recipe going forward for taco tortillas, wraps, pitas for dips, etc. I am so grateful to have found this recipe. Thank you!
You’re so welcome! Glad you like it!
Yay, I really missed the texture/chewy bread taste. This recipe is great. I used Thrive Cassava Flour and Thrive Tapioca Flour. It was kinda think and I didn’t want to open another can of coconut milk for needing such a small batch. I used a little water and a little almond milk (a recent re-intro for me, but next time want to make it 100% AIP). For me the only way I could reheat successfully was in the oven. One time at 250 degrees while keeping something else warm and the next time at 350 degrees for a shorter time. Both times on the oven rack, a bit more texture, outer surface even more texture, I think maybe I liked them better reheated! Incidentally I froze the remainder. If not freezing how would you store them and how long? Thank you!
Thanks for letting us know about what worked for you! So I typically store mine in the fridge in a plastic bag that is open (not airtight) for a day or two, otherwise I wind up freezing them.