Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (2024)

Posted on Last updated:

5 Comments

Jump to Recipe

Easy Vegan Naan – if you’re into super fluffy flatbreads, then this is THE recipe for you! The dough is just a simple yeast dough, which you can keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (1)

I’m always on a mission for the fluffiest vegan naan bread. And I kind of feel like, it can’t get any fluffier than this.

I’ve gotten so many compliments for my naan, it always ends up being the star of the meal (sorry, curry!).

It’s really easy to make. Mix the ingredients for the dough (I am using my kitchen machine but you can also use your hands). Coat the dough ball in oil, and let it rise for at least 2 hours. Then you can break off a small chunk, roll it out and cook it in the pan for a super fresh flatbread.

You can also store the risen dough in the fridge for up to 3 days, so you’ll always have the option for spontaneous, bubbly naan.

Bonus points for sprinkling salt and fresh parsley (or cilantro) on top.

If you don’t have the time for the dough to rise and you need a naan asap, check out my yeast-free Garlic Naan recipe.

Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (2)

You can use the flatbreads also for fluffy wraps or a pizza base! I may or may not have added mashed avocado onto the flatbread for a quick breakfast.

How to make an Easy Vegan Naan

The ingredients

You will need:

  • all-purpose wheat flour
  • instant yeast
  • salt
  • olive oil
  • water

This is a super basic version for vegan naan. You can always work garlic slices, sesame seeds, chili flakes (or whatever you feel like) into the dough before adding it to the pan!

The basic steps

Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (3)
Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (4)
Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (5)
Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (6)
Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (7)
Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (8)
Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (9)
Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (10)
Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (11)

Serve the Naan with

  • Falafel Curry
  • Palak Tofu
  • Dal Makhani
  • Sweet Potato Curry
  • or any of these15 Amazing Vegan Curry Recipes

Love it? Rate it!

I hope you enjoy this Easy Vegan Naan as much as I do!

And don’t forget to rate the recipe if you like it, this helps other users figure out if it is worth a try!

If you don’t wantto miss out on any new recipes,subscribe to my newsletter, follow me onInstagramandFacebook!

Cheers, Bianca

Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (12)

Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (13)

Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread)

Bianca / Elephantastic Vegan

Easy Vegan Naan – if you’re into super fluffy flatbreads, then this is THE recipe for you! The dough is just a simple yeast dough, which you can keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Resting Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course Basics

Cuisine Indian, Vegan

Servings 4 naans

Calories 303 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour + more to dust the dough and surfaces
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1/3 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil + more to coat the dough and for the pan
  • 2/3 cup water

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Then add the olive oil and water. Stir to combine, then knead with your hands (or use a kitchen machine with a dough hook) until it's a smooth dough.If the dough is too sticky, add more flour; if it's too crumbly, add more water.

  • Coat the ball ofdough in a drizzle of olive oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it sit in a warm place until the dough doubles in size (for about 2 hours).

  • Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (about 100g each). Roll out each piece on lightly floured parchment paper.

  • Heat a flat pan (a crepe-pan works best) until really, really hot! Lay the first flatbread into the hot pan with a bit of oil until it's you can see bubbles on the bread. Then, for the second side, add a bit more oil to the pan, let the other side of the bread cook for 1-2 minutes. Repeat for the other naans.

  • Sprinkle the naans with salt, fresh parsley and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 303kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 9gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 199mgPotassium: 112mgFiber: 3gSugar: 0.2gVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 4mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @elephantasticvegan or tag #elephantasticvegan!

Affiliate Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn referral fees if you make a purchase through my link. While clicking these links won't cost you any extra money, they will help me keep this site up and running!

Easy Vegan Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe - Elephantastic Vegan (2024)

FAQs

What makes naan not vegan? ›

Unfortunately, the majority of naan isn't suitable for vegans as they often contain ghee (clarified butter), yoghurt, milk or even eggs. However, it's not impossible to find vegan-friendly naan in supermarkets, it's just worth double-checking ingredients lists.

What's the difference between flatbread and naan bread? ›

Naan is another flatbread traditionally served in Indian restaurants but the difference is that there will already be a filling inside these flatbread pockets. Naan may be stuffed with curd, fresh desiccated coconut, butter, nigella seeds, and raisins.

What is vegan naan made of? ›

So, really, all you need to make great naan is: flour, salt, yeast, water, and oil. The only “specialty” ingredient you need is a few tablespoons of vegan butter for brushing on at the end (please don't skip that part, and make it even better by grating fresh garlic into the butter for garlic naan).

Why is my naan bread not fluffy? ›

Naan doesn't get bubbles – Pan not hot enough, dough not moist enough or improper leavening. Naan turns hard – Toasting for too long, not enough moisture in the dough, toasting on low heat or not kneading the dough enough.

Is ghee vegan? ›

For the reasons listed above, no, commercial ghee is not dairy-free and is definitely not vegan. However, there are vegan options in stores, just as vegan butter, vegan cheese, and vegan yogurt are available!

Why is naan unhealthy? ›

Skip: Naan

And like those fluffy spuds, this soft flatbread has little nutritional value. Most naan recipes call for Greek yogurt to give it that airy texture. But that's more than offset by less healthy ingredients like white flour, sugar, and oil.

What is the Indian flat bread alternative to naan? ›

Non-naan: 6 Indian breads you need to eat right now
  • Kulcha. Kulcha is a kind of variation of naan. ...
  • Parotta. Parotta is a layered flatbread. ...
  • Bhatoora. This bread sometimes looks like an inflated football. ...
  • Tandoori Roti. ...
  • Stuffed Paratha. ...
  • Idli.
Feb 22, 2018

Which Indian flatbread is alternative to naan? ›

A healthier alternative that is eaten daily in most indian households, is roti (also called chapati or fulka). It's an unleavened flatbread made of just two ingredients - whole wheat flour and water.

What Indian flatbread is similar to naan? ›

Kulcha is a mildly leavened bread prepared with all-purpose flour without any yeast, but rather leavened with yogurt and/or baking powder. Though it's similar to naan, you don't need a tandoor oven to make kulcha; you can easily prepare it on a griddle.

Do restaurants use egg in naan? ›

In many traditional recipes, naan bread does not contain eggs. However, there are variations of naan where eggs might be added to the dough. Whether eggs are added to naan largely depends on the specific recipe used by the restaurant and regional preferences.

Can vegans eat rice? ›

Yes, absolutely! Rice is a common grain in all cooking and has a significant place in the plant-based world too. Some rice dishes may not be suitable for vegans though, so if you're eating out or following a recipe make sure there are no meat, fish or other animal products being used before you tuck in!

Is Trader Joe's garlic naan vegan? ›

Crunchy, salty, and don't let the buttery flavor fool you, these are vegan!

Why do you sprinkle water on naan bread? ›

you put it on naans to keep them soft.

Is yeast or baking powder better for naan? ›

It wasn't a bad taste, but it was noticeable. I also found the baking soda doughs burned more easily. The baking powder-yeast dough compared to the yeast-only dough were nearly identical — similar air bubbles in the pan, similar dough texture, similar flavor — so, in the end, I stuck with yeast alone as a leaven.

What does naan mean in Indian? ›

The term "naan" comes from Persian nân (Persian: نان), a generic word for any kind of bread. This word was borrowed into a range of languages in the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia, where it came to refer to a specific type of bread. The term then spread around the globe along with the style of bread itself.

What ingredients make bread not vegan? ›

You can easily distinguish vegan from non-vegan bread by looking at the ingredient list. Bread containing eggs, honey, royal jelly, gelatin, or dairy-based ingredients like milk, butter, buttermilk, whey, or casein isn't considered vegan.

Why is white bread not vegan? ›

Is white bread vegan? Generally speaking, yes—most white sandwich breads don't contain animal products. But highly processed white sandwich breads like Wonder Classic White Bread and Sara Lee Classic White often contain dough conditioners and emulsifiers as well as dairy and eggs.

What makes white bread not vegan? ›

Similarly to whole wheat bread, white bread can be vegan if it doesn't include any animal-derived ingredients like eggs, milk, or honey.

Does naan traditionally have egg in it? ›

In many traditional recipes, naan bread does not contain eggs. However, there are variations of naan where eggs might be added to the dough. Whether eggs are added to naan largely depends on the specific recipe used by the restaurant and regional preferences.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Greg Kuvalis

Last Updated:

Views: 5940

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (75 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Greg Kuvalis

Birthday: 1996-12-20

Address: 53157 Trantow Inlet, Townemouth, FL 92564-0267

Phone: +68218650356656

Job: IT Representative

Hobby: Knitting, Amateur radio, Skiing, Running, Mountain biking, Slacklining, Electronics

Introduction: My name is Greg Kuvalis, I am a witty, spotless, beautiful, charming, delightful, thankful, beautiful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.