Valentina Ablaev
Uzbek bread is a traditional uzbek recipe that results in the perfect fluffy lepeshki. This easy dough recipe uses simple ingredients that only need to rise for two hours! Before you know it, you have the perfect fluffy bread as an addition to any meal!
This fluffy uzbek bread pairs perfectly with a bowl of lagman soup or baked rice plov.
What is Uzbek Bread?
Uzbek bread, also known as obi non, or lepeshka, is a beautiful round bread that comes in individual pieces. It’s perfect to pair with comfort soups and especially other uzbek recipes like chicken and potato manti.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Though making bread from scratch can seem intimidating, I think it is one of the most rewarding efforts. From making homemade sandwich bread to a classic loaf of focaccia bread, it’s so much easier than you would think! This bread recipe is the perfect introduction for beginner bakers or experienced cooks!
Ingredients for Uzbek Lepyoshki
- Butter – unsalted butter makes these lepyoshki flavorful and so soft.
- Liquid – a combination of milk and water for the perfect dough.
- Sour cream – the secret ingredient to a delicious dough.
- Yeast – active dry yeast helps the dough rise to perfection.
- Sugar – is key to activating the yeast, allowing for the dough to rise.
- Flour – all-purpose flour is perfect for this recipe.
- Salt – flavors the dough perfectly.
- Glaze – gives the dough the perfect shine and crust. We use a combination of egg, milk, and sesame seeds.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Lepyoshki Bread
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add milk and water, warming until the milk is lukewarm. Add to a glass bowl and stir in the sour cream. Sprinkle yeast and sugar on top.
2. Let the mixture sit for 3 minutes, allowing for the yeast to activate.
3. Add flour and salt, mixing until a dough forms. Knead by hand or with a mixer until smooth.
4. Cover and let rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
5. Divide the dough into 3 or 4 portions and shape each into a ball.
6. On a floured surface, gently press and stretch each ball into a 7-8″ circle, keeping the edges thicker than the center. Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet.
7. Mix egg yolk and milk for the glaze. Brush over the dough, then sprinkle sesame seeds in the center. Cover and let rise for 30-45 minutes until doubled.
8. Bake at 365°F for 25-30 minutes, until golden and firm to the touch. Let cool to soften.
Expert Tips:
- Check the yeast. It is important when baking with yeast, that you check that it is still active. If you’ve had the yeast for a while, you can test a small amount in warm water with sugar. If the yeast bubbles after 5 minutes, it is still alive.
- Let the dough rise in a warm area. To get the best rise, allow the dough to rise in a warm place, like the pantry.
- You don’t have to flatten the center. Though traditionally, the center is flattened, you can leave it as it is, and it will be an even round, flat loaf.
- Make larger or smaller breads. Traditionally, this bread is a bit bigger, so you usually make three breads, but we prefer the smaller loaves and making four. Both are equally delicious.
Serving Suggestions
- Chicken: These chewy lepyoshki pair perfectly with sliced chicken shawarma!
- Beef: This bread is the perfect way to enjoy ground beef kabobs! We recommend adding a side of hummus for the best mediterranean dish.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use instant yeast for this recipe. The dough may rise faster, so keep an eye on the dough so it doesn’t over-proof.
Lepyoshki is similar to obi non. However, obi non is cooked in clay ovens or tender ovens.
Store & Reheat
- Storage. Keep leftover lepyoshki in an airtight container 3 days.
- Freeze. If you happen to have extra, you can freeze them to enjoy later on!
More Bread Recipes
If you enjoyed this Uzbek flatbread recipe, be sure to try our other popular bread recipes; here are some of our favorites:
If you tried this uzbek lepyoshka recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
Uzbek Lepyoshki
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 Tbsp active dry yeast
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 8 cups all-purpose flour, measured then sifted
- 1 1/2 Tbsp salt
Glaze-
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 Tbsp milk
- Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- Over low heat, add the butter to a saucepan. Once the butter starts to melt, add the milk and water and heat just until the milk is warm. Add the liquid to a glass bowl and stir in the sour cream. Sprinkle the top with yeast, and sugar; whisk to combine. Allow yeast to activate, about 3 minutes.
- Add the flour and salt and mix with your hand or stand-up mixer until the dough is incorporated. Cover the bowl and rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the dough has doubled.
- Divide the dough into four parts. Form each part into a ball-like shape.
- On a lightly floured surface, gently press down into the center of the dough and pull the edges out. Keep doing this until the dough is stretched to about 7”-8” in diameter. The center of the dough should be flattened to about ¼-inch, but not the edges.
- Transfer the bread to the prepared baking sheet.
- Beat egg yolk and milk for the glaze.
- With a pastry brush, apply the glaze to the tops and sides of the lepeshki.
- Sprinkle sesame seeds in the middle. Cover the bread and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.
- Bake in a preheated oven to 365°F for about 25-30 minutes. The lepeshki should be golden brown and hard to the touch. Once cooled, they will soften.
Notes
- Check the yeast. It is important when baking with yeast, that you check that it is still active. If you’ve had the yeast for a while, you can test a small amount in warm water with sugar. If the yeast bubbles after 5 minutes, it is still alive.
- Let the dough rise in a warm area. To get the best rise, allow the dough to rise in a warm place, like the pantry.
- You don’t have to flatten the center. Though traditionally, the center is flattened, you can leave it as it is, and it will be an even round, flat loaf.
- Make larger or smaller breads. Traditionally, this bread is a bit bigger, so you usually make three breads, but we prefer the smaller loaves and making four. Both are equally delicious.
