My soft homemade chapati recipe is simple and made with just 4 ingredients -whole-wheat flour (atta), salt, water, and oil, then cooked over a hot griddle. I’ve included an easy step-by-step guide so even beginners can make soft, puffed chapatis at home instead of buying store-bought rotis.
I've grown up eating Cooked Fluffy White Basmati Rice and chapatis almost every day, and I've been making them for over 25 years now. I learned from the best—my mum, the real chapati expert in our home. This homemade Indian breads are perfect for serving with everyday dishes like easy paneer curry, yellow split peas dal or sabzi's like aubergine bhaji.
This chapati dough recipe is super versatile. With the same dough, you can also make whole wheat plain parathas and stuffed ones like Indian aloo parathas and gobi parathas. (my favourite!)
Thinking how to serve soft rotis - Check out my 9 Everyday Indian meal recipe inspirations.
Jump to:
- What Is Chapati?
- 💛Why You’ll Love This Recipe?
- 👩🏻🍳Sandhya's Pro Tips to make Soft Chapatis at Home
- 📋Ingredients
- How to make Soft Chapati? Step-by-Step Chapati Guide
- 🧂How to Store Cooked Chapatis?
- Storing Leftover Chapati Dough
- 🍽How to Serve Soft Chapatis (Rotis)?
- ❓Recipe FAQ's
- More Easy Indian Flatbread Recipes
- Chapatis recipe
What Is Chapati?
In simple words, chapati (also called roti, phulka, or rotli) is a Indian flatbread made with whole wheat flour, which is called “atta” in Hindi. The same Atta is also used to make other Indian breads like plain parathas and puris that people eat in the sub continent.
Above is a pic of my mum cooking the Indian Phuka roti on the flame. She makes the best ones ever. I still enjoy her rotis every time I visit India - they are perfect, super thin and delicious.
💛Why You’ll Love This Recipe?
- Only 4 Ingredients like this gluten free ragi roti.
- Traditional Indian Recipe - I have made it easier for you to master this recipe.
- Tested over 25 years - And I have simplified this Indian bread recipe for you with tons of tips, do's and don'ts
- Budget-friendly – Made with simple pantry ingredients easily found at your local grocery store.
- Naturally Vegan and Dairy-free– unless you add a dollop of ghee on top before serving.
Love Vegetable roti - you will love our Pumpkin Roti, Avocado Roti, and Spinach Roti.
👩🏻🍳Sandhya's Pro Tips to make Soft Chapatis at Home
I’ve made chapati thousands of times over the years, and with my tips, you can master this simple Indian flatbread too — soft, round, and perfect chapati recipe every time.
- Get the dough texture right – I recommend using 45–50% water-to-dough ratio. Make a soft dough that’s not tight or sticky.
- Use warm water / room temperature water and oil – Although you can make it with just 2 ingredients, these help make the dough softer.
- Allow the chapati dough to rest for at least 30 minutes – [Optional Step] The resting time helps in making soft vegan chapatis.
- Roll to even thickness – Rolling the dough to the same thickness ensures the Indian roti puff up and cook evenly.
- Roll evenly with a rolling pin – Use even pressure and roll the pin through the entire roti. This takes practice!
- Use a flat griddle (tawa) or a non stick frying pan - I don't recommend a cast iron pan, as it gets hot too quickly and difficult to move each time you want to cook on direct flame.
- Make sure the tawa is hot before cooking – A hot pan is key to soft, well-cooked rotis. I heat up the pan to medium-high heat and then add the rolled rotis. You’ll know it’s ready when you see a faint wisp of smoke.
- Do not use Plain Flour, White Flour or All-Purpose Flour - We make everyday Indian Chapatis with only whole wheat flour (chakki atta).
- Dust off excess flour before cooking – This prevents dryness and keeps the rotis softer.
- Practice, practice, practice! – Soft rotis are a skill. The more you make them, the better they get.
- Store in a casserole – After making them, stack them in a casserole covered. This helps keep the flatbread warm at the time of serving, and they remain soft.
📋Ingredients
Detailed measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Whole wheat flour (atta): Use chapati or atta flour. In the UK, try Elephant Atta, East End, or Ashirwad (Asian aisle in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, ASDA). In India, atta is widely available. Finely milled for soft chapatis.
- Water: Room temperature or warm water makes the dough soft and easy to knead.
- Oil: 1 teaspoon neutral oil (sunflower, canola, or vegetable) per 2 cups flour softens the dough.
- Salt: 1 teaspoon for flavor, optional if you prefer plain dough.
How to make Soft Chapati? Step-by-Step Chapati Guide
Step 1. Make a Chapati Dough – by hand.
- Place flour, and salt in a large bowl. Gradually add water as necessary and knead to a elastic pliable soft dough. At least 5 minutes. Now add a little oil and knead again.
- Chapati dough in a stand mixer. The other way I make it is in a Kitchen aid stand mixer. Add the the flour, salt and water to the bowl of a stand mixer and process into a soft pliable dough. Add oil and process again.
Step 2. Rest the Dough and Roll.
- Allow the chapati dough to rest for at least 30 minutes, covered.
Divide the dough – Pinch the chapathi dough and divide it equal portion of dough balls. I make 12 always. - Roll the dough – Pick one dough ball at a time, dust it into the flour or lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll it into a circle approximately 2–3mm thick. The circle must be of even thickness.
Step 3. Cook the Chapati on the Tawa (Standard Style)
- Heat your tawa (flat griddle) or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the rolled chapati on it.
- Cook for 20–30 seconds, until bubbles form on top. Gently lift the edge to check the underside—it should have light brown spots.
- Flip and cook the other side for another 30 seconds. When more bubbles appear, press the edges gently with a spatula or kitchen towel to help it puff up.
- Flip once more if needed and cook for 5–10 seconds.
- Remove from heat. Brush with ghee or butter if you like, and serve hot.
👩🏻🍳Tip: Chapatis puff up best when they’re rolled evenly! I don’t brush with ghee every day, but it’s a nice touch for kids, guests, or special meals.
Step 4. Cook the Chapati on Direct Flame (Phulka Style)
- Heat your tawa over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the rolled chapati on it.
- Cook for 20–30 seconds, until bubbles start forming on top.
- Flip and cook the other side for about 15–20 seconds — just enough to partially cook and give it some structure.
- WIth kitchen tongs, carefully lift the chapati off the tawa and place it directly over the gas flame.
- It should puff up within seconds if it’s rolled evenly and cooked just right.
- Flip once more for a few seconds to finish cooking, then remove from heat.
👩🏻🍳Tip: Keep the puffed chapatis wrapped in a kitchen towel or store in a casserole to keep them warm and soft.
🧂How to Store Cooked Chapatis?
- Same day: Keep chapatis warm in a casserole or chapati box lined with a towel.
- Refrigerator: Store cooled chapatis in an airtight container for 3–4 days. To reheat, I simply place a cold roti on a plate, sprinkle a little water on top, and microwave it for about 10–15 seconds until warm.
- In the freezer – Once cooled, I place each one between two pieces of parchment paper and store about 10 of them in a freezer-safe ziplock bag. I lay them flat in the freezer to freeze, then stand the bag up vertically to save space. To reheat, I take one frozen chapati, place it on a plate, and microwave it until just warm—just like heating store-bought Haldiram frozen rotis!
Storing Leftover Chapati Dough
I store leftover uncooked dough in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Before using, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes so it softens and becomes easier to roll and cook.
🍽How to Serve Soft Chapatis (Rotis)?
- I love to serve chapatis with everyday Indian dal like tarka dal or green lentils dal and sabzi like vegetable jalfrezi or Indian mixed veg sabzi.
- They also double up as a wrap to fill onion bhaji, Indian mango chutney, green chutney, and cucumber raita.
- On special occasions I love serving with Paneer curries like Paneer butter masala, Palak Paneer or simple side dishes like Dal Makhani, Aloo Gobi, Chana Masala, Aloo Matar or Saag Aloo.
❓Recipe FAQ's
Chapati flour is also known as gehun ka atta ( chakki atta / whole wheat flour). They can be pale brown to dark brown in color, depending upon the extraction process from whole wheat kernels.
There are many brands of atta easily available in the UK. I usually use Ashirward Atta. But you can also use Elephant Atta, East End Atta, Pilsbury's, Ashirdwad Atta, or Tesco brand chapati flour.
Yes, if you don’t apply ghee on the chapati after it’s cooked, then it is vegan.
Yes, you can make the dough up to 48 hours ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
It is very common that the Chapati's / Rotis didn't puff. Some of the many reasons are
1.The roti is not rolled to the same thickness.
2.It also happens if they are rolled too thin or the centre is thick.
3.The chapati dough is too hard/tight or too sticky.
Chapati is made only with whole wheat flour (also known as chapatti atta or gehun ka atta). If you are making with plain flour, they are called rotis.
Yes, you can! There are two easy ways — either semi-cooked or fully cooked:
Freeze semi-cooked chapatis – Cook the chapatis lightly on both sides (just until you see a few light spots), then let them cool completely. Stack them between squares of parchment paper or plastic sheets, place in a Ziploc bag, and freeze. When you're ready to eat, cook them directly on a hot pan until fully done.
Freeze cooked chapatis – Let the chapatis cool completely after cooking. Place parchment paper or plastic sheets between each one, pop them in a Ziploc bag, and freeze. To reheat, just microwave for a few seconds or warm them on a pan until soft and heated through.
Chapatis usually turn hard if the dough isn’t kneaded with enough water, if it hasn’t rested long enough, or if they’re cooked on a pan that isn’t hot enough. Rolling unevenly or overcooking can also make them dry instead of soft and pliable.
More Easy Indian Flatbread Recipes
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Rolling board chakla
- Rolling Pin belan
- Flat griddle tawa
Ingredients
- 2 cup Whole wheat flour
- ¾ - 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt Optional
- 1 teaspoon sunflower oil Optional
Instructions
Chapati Dough
- Place atta flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add water as necessary and knead into a soft pliable dough for at least 5 minutes. Add oil and knead again. The dough should be smooth. Press the dough with your fingers and it will leave an impression. Alternatively, knead the dough in a stand mixer. Cover and allow the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes.2 cup Whole wheat flour, ¾ - 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sunflower oil
Roll the Chapati
- Portion the dough into small balls about 12.
- Pick one dough ball at a time, dust it into the flour, and roll it into a 5 - 6 inch circle of approximately 2–3mm of even thickness.
Cook Chapati (Phulka Roti) on direct flame method
- Heat the tawa / non stick frying pan to medium heat. Now add the rolled dough to the tawa and cook for a few seconds until you see bubbles on the top side.
- Flip it over and cook on the other side for a few more seconds. Once you see bubbles, use kitchen tongs and transfer the chapatis on the flame. They will puff up
- Remove from heat, and brush with ghee or butter (optional) Store in a casserole or wrap in a kitchen towel to keep them warm until you are ready to serve.
Cook Chapatis - standard method
- Heat the tawa / frying pan to medium heat. Now add the roti to the tawa and cook for a few seconds until you see bubbles on the top side. Flip it over and cook on the other side for another few seconds.
- Once you see bubbles, gently press with a flat spatula or kitchen towel until they are evenly cooked. The chapatis may puff up if they are evenly rolled.
Video
Notes
Equipments Needed
- Large mixing bowl – You’ll need one to knead the dough.
- Rolling board (chakla) – I use a marble one, but honestly, any flat, steady surface works. Just make sure it doesn’t wobble when you roll.
- Rolling pin (belan) – I’ve had mine for ages. You’ll find them easily at any Indian grocery shop — wooden ones are classic.
- Flat griddle (tawa) or non-stick frying pan – This is what you’ll cook your chapatis on. I use a traditional tawa, but if you’re just starting out, a non-stick pan is perfectly fine too.
- Insulated hot pot casserole – I call it the Indian casserole with a lid. It’s the best way to keep them warm and soft till you’re ready to eat. You’ll find it in most Indian homes!
Storing Cooked Chapatis
- Same day: Keep chapatis warm in a casserole or chapati box lined with a towel.
- Refrigerator: Store cooled chapatis in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Reheat with a sprinkle of water in the microwave for 10–15 seconds.
- Freezer: Layer chapatis with parchment, store in a ziplock bag, and freeze flat. Reheat frozen chapatis in the microwave until warm.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding too much or too little water – This makes the dough either too hard or too sticky. Aim for a soft, pliable dough.
- Skipping the resting time – Resting the dough (at least 30 minutes) makes chapatis softer and easier to roll.
- Rolling unevenly – Thick and thin patches stop chapatis from puffing properly. Always roll evenly.
- Cooking on a cold pan – If the tawa isn’t hot enough, chapatis turn dry and won’t puff.
- Using plain/all-purpose flour – Everyday chapatis are made with whole wheat flour (atta), not white flour.
- Not dusting off excess flour – Extra flour on the surface makes rotis dry and hard.
- Overcooking – Leaving chapatis too long on the pan makes them crisp instead of soft.
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