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Cuisine Marrakech

Moroccan · Breads & Pastries

Rghda (Souss Amazigh Flatbread)

In the Souss valley around Taroudant and Agadir, Amazigh families bake rghda — a simple, unleavened or lightly leavened flatbread cooked on a dry griddle, thinner than khobz and meant to be torn and used to scoop tagines and salads at a shared table.

Prep
20 min
Cook
20 min
Total
40 min
Serves
6
Level
Easy
Rghda (Souss Amazigh Flatbread)

Ingredients

  • 400 g flour (or half flour, half barley flour)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp instant yeast (optional)
  • About 220 ml warm water
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Extra flour, for dusting

Method

  1. 1

    Make the dough

    Mix the flour, salt and yeast if using, then work in the warm water and oil until you have a soft, smooth dough. Knead 8–10 minutes.

  2. 2

    Rest

    Cover and rest 20–30 minutes (longer, up to an hour, if using yeast).

  3. 3

    Shape

    Divide into balls and roll each out thin, about 3–4 mm, dusting with flour to prevent sticking.

  4. 4

    Cook on the griddle

    Cook on a hot, dry griddle or heavy pan, 2–3 minutes a side, until lightly speckled with brown and cooked through, pressing gently so it puffs slightly.

  5. 5

    Keep warm

    Stack the cooked breads under a clean cloth to stay soft while you cook the rest.

  6. 6

    Serve

    Serve warm alongside tagines and salads for scooping.

Chef's tips

  • Roll the dough thin and even so it cooks through quickly on the dry griddle without burning the surface.
  • A dry, well-heated griddle is key — too little heat leaves the bread pale and tough rather than lightly speckled.
  • Stack cooked breads under a cloth as you go; exposed to air, they dry out and turn stiff fast.

Frequently asked questions

Is rghda leavened?

It can be made either way — a quick unleavened version for same-day eating, or with a touch of yeast and a longer rest for a softer, slightly puffier bread.

What is rghda eaten with?

Most often torn and used to scoop tagines, salads and dips, exactly as khobz is used elsewhere in Morocco.