This vegan naan is so soft and fluffy, you won’t believe it is made without yeast! Made with just 2 ingredients, this easy naan bread takes minutes to make!
Vegan Naan
When it comes to vegan bread recipes made without yeast, my favorites to make are flatbread, pizza dough, and this vegan naan.
If there is one cuisine I could eat for the rest of my life, it would be Indian food. Although neither of my parents is from an Indian background, many of their foods drew inspiration from there. As a child, we’d often order Indian food on our Friday night takeout nights, and they were a family favorite. While I loved the kormas and the tandoori vegetables, nothing was better than the naan bread.
What is naan?
Naan is a type of leavened flatbread that is popular in many western Asian countries. While it is often oven baked, it can also be made stovetop.
I’ve been meaning to share a vegan naan recipe for a while now, ever since I found myself without yeast. It needs just 2 main ingredients and literally takes minutes to make. What I love about this homemade naan bread is just how versatile it is! It’s perfect to serve with curries and stews, or enjoyed simply with a smear of butter.
No yeast, no eggs, and no dairy are needed, but you’d never tell. The texture is soft, fluffy, and slightly chewy. It’s mild tasting and is perfect to customize as you would with any bread!
With this recipe in my back pocket, I’ve completely stopped buying bread- Whenever a craving hits, I put ten minutes aside to whip this up!
How do you make vegan naan without yeast?
The Ingredients
- Self rising flour– you must use self rising flour, not standard or alternative flour. You can use store bought or make your own.
- Vegan yogurt– Any thick, plant based yogurt can be used. Coconut yogurt and soy yogurt both work well, as does vegan Greek style yogurt.
- Salt– Optional, but add this in if you use coconut yogurt.
- Vegan butter and garlic– Optional, to brush the cooked naan.
The Instructions
Start by mixing together the flour, yogurt, and salt, if using it, until combined. Once combined, use your hands to gently smooth out the dough and shape it into a ball. Next, lightly flour a kitchen surface and transfer your ball of dough onto it. Gently knead it several times, before dividing the dough into 8 equal portions. Roughly roll the dough out and shape them into a naan shape.
Now, heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, place the dough on top and cook for 3-4 minutes, before flipping and cooking for a further 3 minutes. Repeat the process until all the dough has been used up before brushing with melted vegan butter and garlic.
Can I prepare the dough in advance?
You can prepare the dough up to 2 days in advance. Once it has been shaped into a ball of dough, cover it with saran wrap (plastic wrap), ensuring no air pockets remain, and refrigerate it.
Once ready to use, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it thaw to room temperature.
Can I make this gluten free?
For vegan and gluten free naan, replace the self rising flour with gluten free self rising flour. We recommend using the Dove Farms brand.
Why is my naan dough sticky?
If you use a thin yogurt, you’ll find that the dough can be quite sticky. To combat this, add an extra 1/4 cup or so of flour, or until it becomes formable.
How do you keep naan soft?
Naan bread should always be soft in the middle when served warm. If your naan bread is not soft in the middle, it is likely due to the dough being rolled out too thin before cooking it.
Flavor variations and ways to use naan
- Garlic naan– Add 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder into the dough and spread with the garlic butter on top.
- Cheese naan– Fold through vegan cheese into the dough and sprinkle extra while the naan is baking.
- Naan pizza– Make 4 portions of dough instead of 8. Make 4 large naan bread and top with your favorite pizza toppings and bake in the oven
- Avocado toast– Replace the avocado toast with naan instead!
Storing and freezing naan
- To store: Naan should be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week.
- To freeze: Place leftovers in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: Either microwave for 30 seconds or in a non-stick pan until warm.
Vegan Naan
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups self rising flour
- 1 cup vegan yogurt I used unsweetened coconut yogurt
- 1/2 tsp salt optional
For the garlic butter topping
- 2 tbsp vegan butter melted
- 1/2 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and yogurt and mix well, until combined. Once combined, use your hands to shape the dough into a ball.
- Lightly flour a kitchen surface. Transfer the ball of dough onto it and gently knead it. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Gently flatten the dough out and form it into a rough triangular 'naan' shape.
- Place a non-stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, place the dough on top and cook for 3-4 minutes, before flipping and cooking for a further 3 minutes. Repeat the process until all the dough has been cooked.
- Once cooked, brush with the melted butter and garlic mixture and serve.
For the garlic butter topping
- Whisk together the melted butter, garlic, and salt, until combined.
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