You'll love my Easy Vegan Naan Recipe. It's an Indian flatbread that's soft, pillowy and airy with the perfect chew!! Just like your favourite Indian Restaurant! It’s made with yeast and vegan yoghurt and is Dairy free and egg free. Top with garlic butter and serve with curries, soup or with your favourite dip. Makes great pizza! Freeze the dough for fresh Vegan Naan any time!
I love Indian dishes and you cannot eat them without some kind of Indian flatbread to sop up all that curry - Am I right! You bet I am?
This Vegan Naan Recipe is the best bread for curry! It’s Super easy to make at home and tastes just like the real deal.
What is Naan:
It's an authentic leavened Indian yeast bread recipe originating from India, most popular with curries. It's one of the simplest doughs to make and comes together easily in a bowl.
There is no need for a stand mixer. Naan is traditionally cooked in a tandoori oven. For my homemade version I use a cast iron frying pan, which works great!
I add fresh herbs and spices to my dough which makes it even more flavourful and once the dough is cooked I top it off with vegan garlic butter! OH it is over the top good!!
My husbands favourite way to eat this Vegan Naan is topped with veggies (like a personal pizza) and baked. I must say it makes the best pizza dough, chewy and slightly crispy like a New York style pizza.
So not only is it delicious with curries, soups and dips it makes great pizza crust too! Bonus?
How to freeze Vegan Naan:
To Freeze dough: After the first rise and once you have divided the dough into 6-8 equal portions place them on a parchment lined baking tray and freeze. Once frozen wrap them individually in plastic wrap or a freezer bag. They will keep for 2-3 months in the freezer.
To Thaw dough: Defrost in your fridge overnight, or on your counter for 3 hours or until room temperature, then follow recipe instructions in recipe card below.
How to Make Easy Vegan Naan:
Add the warm water (not hot), yeast and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Give it it a stir and let sit for about ten minutes to proof. The yeast should rise to the top and become frothy. (If this does not happen it means you water wasn't hot enough or your yeast is expired and you will have to start again).
While the yeast is proofing add the dry ingredients and fresh herbs to a medium bowl, stir to combine and set aside.
When yeast is ready add in the oil and yoghurt and whisk together. Next add dry ingredients and stir until combined, (I usually use a wooden spoon).
Sprinkle a little flour on your counter and turn out the dough. Kneed for a minute. Form the dough into a ball.
Lightly grease the large mixing bowl you just used and add the dough ball. Add a little oil to the top of the dough and spread it around the surface.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or so until roughly doubled in size (depends on how warm your house is). It usually takes 1 and ½ hours for my dough.
While dough is rising make Vegan Garlic butter (if using).
Lightly flour your countertop again. Turn out the dough and form it into a disk. Divide the disk into roughly six or eight equal portions and form into balls (at this point you can freeze dough individually in plastic wrap or refrigerate for up to 3 days for later use). Set on counter top until ready to cook.
Heat your cast iron pan or non stick pan to medium heat and brush very lightly with oil ( make sure pan is good and hot). Roll out one ball at a time as you cook them, (round, oval shapes, approximately ¼ of an inch thick or thinner). If dough springs back a little as you are rolling it , that's ok just keep rolling, it'll get there. If dough is sticking to your rolling pin, sprinkle very lightly with more flour if needed as you go.
Place dough in the pan and cook until air pockets form on top of dough and the underneath is getting brown. Flip and cook and additional one to two minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. I usually add a little more oil to the pan after the third Naan bread has been cooked.
Brush with vegan garlic butter ( if using) and serve with your favourite Indian curries, soups, dips or make a wrap or some personal pizzas! For full ingredients and instructions see recipe card below.
Ok let's make some Easy Vegan Naan Bread! You'll love it, it's:
soft & pillowy
easy
slightly chewy
perfect for personal pizzas
delicious with soups
so tasty with hummus and dips
great with curries
garlicy
healthy
delicious
Enjoy guys! Happy day to you? feel free to leave a comment and a rating below. I would love to hear from you.
Follow me on PINTEREST and INSTAGRAM for more tasty Plant Based Vegan Recipes❤️
Here's a few more Vegan Snacks & Sides for you to enjoy:
Tex Mex Vegan Taco Meat
Breakfast burritos (Tofu & Potatoes)
Best & Easiest Marinated Tofu
Cauliflower buffalo Wings
Recipe adapted from Jo cooks and Budget Bites
Print
Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread)
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
Description
You'll love my Easy Vegan Naan Recipe. It's an Indian flatbread that's soft, pillowy and airy with the perfect chew!! Just like your favourite Indian Restaurant! It’s made with yeast and vegan yoghurt and is Dairy free and egg free. Top with garlic butter and serve with curries, soup or with your favourite dip. Makes great pizza! Freeze the dough for fresh Vegan Naan any time!
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ⅓ cup vegan yoghurt, (I used Silk Plain unsweetened coconut yoghurt)
- 2 and ½ tablespoons oil
- dry ingredients:
- 2 and ⅓ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ cup fresh herbs, finely chopped ( I used cilantro and parsley) (optional)
- vegan garlic butter ingredients (optional):
- 3-4 tablespoons vegan butter (I used Earth Balance)
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped ( around 2 tablespoons)
- ¼ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add the warm water (not hot), yeast and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Give it it a stir and let sit for about ten minutes to proof. The yeast should rise to the top and become frothy. (If this does not happen it means you water wasn't hot enough or your yeast is expired and you will have to start again).
- While the yeast is proofing add the dry ingredients and fresh herbs to a medium bowl, stir to combine and set aside.
- When yeast is ready add in the oil and yoghurt and whisk together. Next add dry ingredients and stir until combined, ( I usually use a wooden spoon).
- Sprinkle a little flour on your counter and turn out the dough. Kneed for a minute. Form the dough into a ball.
- Lightly grease the large mixing bowl you just used and add the dough ball. Add a little oil to the top of the dough and spread it around the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or so until roughly doubled in size (depends on how warm your house is). It usually takes 1 and ½ hours for my dough.
- While dough is rising make Vegan Garlic butter (if using): mix garlic butter ingredients together in a small bowl and cook in the microwave for 45-60 seconds. (you don't want the garlic raw).
- Lightly flour your countertop. Turn out the dough and form it into a disk. Divide the disk into roughly six or eight equal portions and form into balls (at this point you can freeze dough individually in plastic wrap or refrigerate for up to 3 days for later use). Set on counter top until ready to cook.
- Heat your cast iron pan or a non stick pan to medium heat and brush very lightly with oil (make sure pan is good and hot). Roll out one ball at a time as you cook them, (round, oval shapes, approximately ¼ of an inch thick or thinner). If dough springs back a little as you are rolling it , that's ok just keep rolling, it'll get there. If dough is sticking to your rolling pin, sprinkle very lightly with more flour if needed as you go.
- Place dough in the pan and cook until air pockets form on top of dough and the underneath is getting brown. Flip and cook and additional one to two minutes. Repeat with remaining dough. I usually add a little more oil to the pan after the third Naan bread has been cooked. (for step by step photos refer to the post above)
- Brush with melted vegan garlic butter ( if using) and serve with your favourite Indian curries, soups, dips or make a wrap or some personal pizzas!
Notes
- fresh herbs are optional if you don't have then don't worry
- if you don't want to make garlic butter just brush cooked naan with melted butter and season with sea salt and fresh chopped herbs if you have them.
- To Freeze dough: After the first rise and once you have divided the dough into 6-8 equal portions place them on a parchment lined baking tray and freeze. Once frozen wrap them individually in plastic wrap or a freezer bag. They will keep for 2-3 months in the freezer.
- To Thaw dough: Defrost in your fridge overnight or on your counter for 3 hours or until room temperature, then start at number 8 in recipe instructions.
- To Freeze cooked Naan: let cooked naan bread cool to room temperature (don't add garlic butter) then freeze in freezer bags or wrap in plastic wrap. Reheat in oven or microwave.
- To use Vegan Naan as a pizza crust: add desired sauce and toppings to cooked Naan and cook on pizza pan or baking sheet at 400° for 8-10 minutes and broil for a couple minutes if necessary.
- Recipe adapted from Jo cooks and Budget Bites
- Nutritional chart does not include vegan garlic butter
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snacks & Sides
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
Angela
Hi, can this recipe be made 7sing chicken pea flour?
Verna
Hi Angela, I have not tested with chickpea flour so I cannot say.
Janet
Do not use chickpea flour. It is a mess! If one would use 3 1/3 cups of this flour it might have been able to shape into @ ball without being a mess. Lesson learned: read comments before trying a new recipe. I presumed chickpea flour was used since it is a vegan recipe. My bad, my mess to clean up.
Janet
This recipe was found under the cheeky chickpea, so that would explain why I was misled to think the naan was made with chickpea flour. List flour by AP in the future. Thanks
Greg Wood
What type of flour should be used for this recipe?
Verna
Hi Greg, all purpose flour. Enjoy!
Allyson Ross
FAB!!
Verna
thank you so much for your comment Allyson! glad you enjoyed it?
Geoff
The nann bread turned out so good. I didn’t have any herbs but I did make some butter for it. Really impressed. Appreciate your recipes thx
Verna
glad you liked the recipe Geoff. Thanks for your comment.
Vanessa
These look amazing! Any suggestions for making them gluten free? I'm making them as I tried with Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour, but they aren't bubbling up and they're a bit gummy. Still taste amazing, but I'd like to have a better texture.... Thank you in advance for any advice you can offer!
The Cheeky Chickpea
Hi Vanessa I have not tried making this recipe gluten free, I'm sure there are gluten free recipes out there. good luck! One suggestion would be to reduce flour to 2 cups (gluten free,I like Robin Hood blend) and add 2 tablespoons cornstarch.
Mindy
So fresh and tasty ,
The Cheeky Chickpea
Thanks so much Mindy! It is super tasty!
Caroline
Oh I'm excited to make this! We make curry often in our house.
The Cheeky Chickpea
oh nice! Enjoy the recipe Caroline, thanks for your comment!