What's The Difference Between Pita And Naan Bread?

From simple sweet and savory quick breads to complex and tangy sourdough, there's no doubt that — as a species — humans are obsessed with bread's tasty carbs. In fact, breadmaking predates the implementation of agriculture by a whopping 10,000 years. That means humans produced the first warm, hearty, and filling loaves or flatbreads by harvesting and processing wild grain rather than cultivating it. Many cultures even include specific types of breads in rituals and religious ceremonies, such as braided loaves of challah at Rosh Hashanah or Catholic communion wafers.

Prior to the development of these fancier loaves, flatbreads were incredibly common because they had a long shelf-life, were easy to transport, and could be used as a rudimentary plate or utensil. Among these are naan and pita bread, two flatbreads so beloved that they've made their way into modern bakeries and restaurants across the globe. Despite the similarities these two carby creations share, differences in their origins and how they're used set them apart.

Though bread itself is tens of thousands of years old, the pita variety is quite a bit younger, likely originating around 2500 B.C. in the ancient Middle East. In this region, bakers combined flour, water, salt, and yeast into a dough they formed into flat circles and baked in a wood-fired oven. As the dough baked, the water evaporated, creating steam that formed a hollow bubble inside the finished bread. This hollow interior is what gives pita bread its name, since pita means "paunch" or "belly" in Greek.

Once cooled, the bread was sliced open and filled with dozens of different ingredients. In the very human tradition of stuffing delicious things inside bread, many different cultures filled pitas with meat, vegetables, falafel, and more. The Greeks also used pitas as the base for "plakous," a type of proto-pizza covered in herbs and melty cheese.

Pita bread has stood the test of time, migrating to the United States in the 1960s with Harry Toufayan, the son of an Egyptian baker. Since then, it's taken America by storm, becoming almost as popular here as it is in the Levant. That convenient pita pocket makes it perfect for making everything from a grilled cheese to an indulgent dessert stuffed with Nutella, fruit, and brie.

Though naan may have existed for much longer, the earliest known reference to it is in the diary of a Persian poet around 1300 A.D. Since the Persian Empire included much of Asia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and even parts of Europe, this doesn't give us specifics in terms of where naan may have originated. However, food historians believe naan likely migrated to the South Asian continent from Central Asia due to the vast trade routes that developed during the expansion of the Persian Empire.

Once naan reached India, it quickly became a coveted luxury food. That may seem strange to those of us who regularly make grilled cheese with naan from Trader Joe's, but during the 16th century, it was mainly enjoyed by royalty. Even today, chapatis and roti made with finely ground atta flour are more common staples of South Asian cuisine, with naan only making an appearance for special occasions. This may be because the process of making naan can be a bit complicated.

In addition to flour, water, salt, and yeast, naan dough also frequently includes yogurt or sour cream, ghee (clarified butter), and mix-ins like goat meat or raisins and pistachios. It's then baked inside a cylindrical clay or metal oven called a tandoor. The baker throws rounds of naan dough against the tandoor's inner walls, where heat holds it in place until it's finished baking. Naan can be eaten alone, or as a vehicle for kebab meat and other hot foods.

Though pita bread and naan are both flatbreads, there are quite a few differences between them — namely that pita bread was not only invented first, but there's also evidence that it's over 2,500 years older than naan. It's likely due to this wide age gap that pita bread recipes use much simpler ingredients than naan. Water, salt, flour from wild grains, and wild yeast were all readily available to cultures that hadn't yet mastered animal husbandry or discovered yogurt and clarified butter.

Besides their age gap, these two flatbreads also originated in slightly different areas of the world. Naan was likely invented in Central Asia, while pita bread originally popped up in the ancient Middle East. Pita bread was also a staple in the Levant peoples' daily diet, whereas naan was usually reserved for society's upper echelons, festivals, or other special occasions. As a special bread, savory and sweet add-ins are often kneaded directly into naan dough, while pita dough is usually kept plain.

Of course, the most obvious difference between these two tasty carbs is the classic pita pocket. The baking process for naan results in a chewy round with soft, stretchy insides. Meanwhile, cutting open a round of pita reveals a hollow center ready to be filled with everything from falafel or spiced gyro meat to peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. Pita bread is also a little leaner because it contains less of the fat needed to create a naan's tender texture.

Despite all of the differences between pita bread and naan, they're both still flatbreads that originated in warm, centrally located regions of Eurasia. Both are traditionally cooked in very hot, woodfired ovens and are highly valued by their respective cultures. Additionally, each type of flatbread is frequently combined with hot or messy foods to keep people's hands safe and clean. They also both require the same four base ingredients as most other types of bread.

Pita bread and naan have also both remained incredibly popular through the ages. As mentioned, pita bread made its debut in the United States during the 1960s. Meanwhile, English historian William Tooke brought naan to the Western world in the early 19th century. Though pita bread was invented first, and naan migrated to North America sooner, both types of flatbread have been around for literally centuries, and we're still obsessed with both of them today.

Almost every modern grocery store in the U.S. carries at least two types of pita bread and naan. Pita bread is most often available in white flour and whole grain varieties, but pita chips have gained popularity over the last few decades. Similarly, you can usually find both white and multigrain naan, garlic-infused varieties, and even mini versions perfect for dipping in hummus.