For as much Indian food as we eat in our home (takeout and homemade), it was about time I knew how to make a good vegan naan. I’ve been working on this recipe for a while now, and it’s finally ready to be released into the world!
I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how easy it is to throw together. Let’s do this!
This recipe is simple, requiring just 7 basic ingredients you likely have on hand right now. And the method is easier than baking a loaf of bread. There’s hardly any kneading; just mix, rise, roll, and cook on the stovetop.
You’re so close to having fresh naan at your fingertips. Can you feel it?
This recipe is plant-based but not gluten-free. I tested many gluten-free versionS but couldn’t get them to where I wanted. But, if you give this recipe a try with gluten-free flours, let me know how it goes in the comments!
I hope you all LOVE this naan. It’s:
Tender
Fluffy
Flavorful
Easy to make
& So delicious
This would make the perfect snack or side to dishes like my Spicy Red Lentil Curry, Lentil Dal, Sweet Potato Kale Curry, or Chana Masala. I could also see this working well as a wrap with crispy chickpeas or as flatbread for a quick pizza. And I wouldn’t judge you if you just slathered it in peanut butter and jelly and went to town (Minimalist Baker approved).
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag any photos #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see what you came up with. Cheers, friends!
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm water
- 1 tsp active yeast (if using fast acting, cut rise time in half)
- 1 tsp organic cane sugar
- 2 cups (250 g) unbleached all-purpose flour (sub up to 1/2 with spelt or see notes* for whole-grain blend)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- optional: 3 cloves garlic, minced
- optional: 1/4 tsp ground cumin or curry powder
- 3 Tbsp (~42 g) plain plain dairy-free yogurt (coconut is best - I like COYO brand best or So Delicious)
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive or avocado oil
- 2 Tbsp (28 g) vegan butter or coconut oil, melted
- Sea salt
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- Fresh cilantro
- Measure out 3/4 cup of warm water (~110 degrees F or 43 C to properly activate yeast) and add yeast and sugar. Stir and set aside until frothy and foamy - about 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, add flour(s), salt, and baking powder to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Once the yeast mixture is foaming, add the vegan yogurt and oil* and stir to combine. Add to dry ingredients and use a fork to mix - the dough will be sticky.
- Turn onto a floured surface and add just enough flour to gently knead for 5 turns and form into a loose ball. Place back in mixing bowl and rub with a bit more oil and turn to coat. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and set in a warm place for at least 2 hours (up to 4 hours). (I like setting it in a sunny spot in the kitchen or in the laundry room.)
- Remove dough from bowl and turn onto a floured surface. Knead for 30 seconds (adding additional flour if sticky). Then divide into 6 even pieces with hands or a knife.
- Lightly knead each ball until it forms a loose ball (15 seconds) and set on a clean surface. Repeat until all dough is formed into balls. Then cover with plastic wrap again and let rest for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare any garnishes for topping (i.e. melted vegan butter or coconut oil, sea salt, minced garlic, or cilantro).
- Once the dough has rested, begin heating a cast-iron pan (not non-stick) over medium heat. Take a piece of dough and lay it on a floured surface. Then roll out into an oval or circle with a rolling pin. Carefully flip over and pat the dough with a bit of water so it doesn’t stick to the pan. At this time, press the garlic and cilantro onto one side so it sticks. Then place the wet-side down on the hot pan.
- Cook for 1 minute or until the edges of the dough look dry and it’s beginning to bubble. Then flip the dough with a spatula and cook until the underside is dark brown. If using a gas range, you can put the naan directly over the flame when cooking the second side, but be careful, as it goes fast and the naan can burn much more easily.
- Repeat until all naan is cooked. Then brush with melted vegan butter or coconut oil and sprinkle with cilantro and sea salt (optional). Serve immediately.
- Cover leftovers and store at room temperature for about 2 days or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.
*If omitting oil, sub additional vegan yogurt. I haven't tested it this way but think this would be the best way to keep it oil-free.
*Recipe loosely adapted from Food Network.
*Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients and is a rough estimate for 1 of 6 naan.
Not sure if it’s just my browser, but the images don’t exist/load in this particular recipe post, just your image tagline and hashtags. Sounds delicious though.
Hmm, looking fine here. Try refreshing / a different browser?
Ignore that and feel free to delete… loading now! Off to make it :)
This looks soooo good! Is there an alternative option for cooking without a cast iron skillet, I don’t have one :/
A metal one or non stick should do fine!
you can also use a barbeque ;-) It’s the only way I make naan, as I have one of those flat top stoves that are a pain in the butt
I was just talking about how much I wanted naan yesterday! I’m so glad that you came up with this recipe. Is there something else that I can use instead of the yogurt? It’s super expensive where I live.
Hmm, I’d suggest full fat coconut milk. Good luck!
Hey Dana! This looks delicious! Is there a way to adapt it to be gluten-free? Thanks!
In the post I mentioned testing it GF but not loving the results. Stay tuned for other adaptations. Or if you try making it GF with success, let me know!
Whoops, I had skipped straight to the ingredients. I’ll definitely let you know if I can figure it out though! Thank you :)
This looks amazing!!!
Do you know of an easy to buy UK version of all purpose unbleached flour?
Izzy | Pinch of delight
Probably just any finely milled glutenous flour. Do you have all purpose?
If using the optional ingredients for the top, do you put the side with the toppers down first or after you flip?
Toppers down first! But really, it doesn’t matter. Good luck!
Hi I just discovered your site and I’m super jazzed by your recipes so far. I was wondering if I could cook this on my pizza stone in the oven instead. Thanks for your time. And keep those recipes comin’!
That should work! The higher the temp the better (so it will bubble and slightly char).
Do you think it would matter if I didn’t use any sugar? Just coming off whole30 and want to leave sugar out of my diet entirely.
The yeast does better if it has a source of sugar. What about maple syrup or coconut sugar maybe? If you try it without let me know how it goes!
I gasped excitedly when I saw your recipe!!!! Should one be so excited over vegan naan? I can’t wait to try this. We are having chickpea scramble breakfast burritos with your queso cheese inspired recipe tonight. Sorry, I do not recall the name of the cheese as I do my own thing now. Thanks for vegan naan!
Hope you love it, Mimi!
Can i use Kefir instead of vegan yogurt? (It’s all i have in the fridge)
Of course!
This is a great recipe to save a bit of time, have a healthy carb and look good on the table!-Laurel Bledsoe
I haven’t tried it yet, but based on the success of all your other recipes I’ve tried, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe for vegans. People is thinking that is easy to be vegan but is not. With this kind of recipes, you make our life easier.
So kind! Thanks Katelyn.
I was hoping that it did not contain yoghurt. Vegan yoghurt is not easily available where I live in South Africa – and if I can find it it is loaded with sugar.
Please work on one without yoghurt :).
I would suggest substituting full fat coconut milk in place of the yogurt!
Thanks for the reply. Will definitely try that. I always have the full fat coconut milk in the pantry :).
Would love to see a butter tofu recipe to go with this!! Yum yum yum
Ooh, smart idea! Adding it to the list.
You make naan look so good! And i didnt know it was quite this easy to make! Thanks for the recipe!! And i tried it to make sure it was as easy as I thought so, and it really was! Hope you wont mind me sharing this with my bloggers, (full credit no worries) on my website healthybeautifullives.com
Thanks for sharing! xoxo
My mom taught me to make these using our traditional tawa.
I holding one side with an oven mit i slide it a bit of the flame then place the naan after its been cooked on both sides on the open flame to char and rise. I grew up eating it this way and my mom would put a teaspoon of ghee on top to melt.
I swear, I want to try every one of your recipes (I have your cookbook). Naan is one of my favorite things – thank you!
I only have 2% greek yogurt in the fridge, will this work? I’m so looking forward to trying this recipe!! <3
Yep!
I added a bit of turmeric. I used kefir, and it worked well. Great recipe! Easy. Delicious.
Awesome, thanks Marianne!
Yum!! Love naan. We have been eating so much of it that its about time I try to make it at home! I’m curious to try some flavor additions as one of the previous commenters suggested adding turmeric. That sounds like a great idea!
I can’t wait to try this naan recipe. It looks fabulous!
Looks so good!
Will try to supplement the yeast. Thanks for sharing :)
AMAZINGLY AWESOME!!! I made the naan bread yesterday to go with a vegan dal makhani my family loves and this recipe exceeded all of our expectations. My husband said they were better than the naan at our local Indian restaurant. Although it takes a couple of steps and a lot of prep time, they are totally worth the effort. I followed the recipe exactly and added the optional garlic and cilantro toppings. They looked beautiful and tasted delicious. Thank you Dana for another banger!
Oh yay! Thanks for sharing!!! xoxo
This is a great recipe! I used unsweetened soymilk instead of yogurt, so for anyone wondering, that substitution works.
Made this naan to fix my 11pm naan craving and it satisfied me beyond expectations! I was wondering what a gluten free friend of mine would do to make this amazing recipe GF?
Thank you!
Oops just saw your comments on the bottom! You think of everything, thank you loads!
hyyee! Dana Shultz Thanks for this Delicious naan. I do lots of love indian food . Can You post Indian Dal Makhani recipe. :)
Thank you very much…
My oh my! I’d been looking for naan recipes and I saw yours. As a longtime follower, I felt compelled to try your recipe. Incredibly easy to prepare and you’re right, the naan doesn’t take long to cook. My husband was eating almost off the stove and same for myself. I love the flavor and the pliability. This recipe goes perfectly well with your One Pot Lentil Dal. My only change would be to decrease the amount of garlic I used or omit. This was a real hit at my house!
Looks lovely, can’t wait to give it a go the next time i’m making curry!
Thanks for sharing!
Very tasty delicious
Flavor and texture was absolutely perfect! We ate 2 batches this weekend!
Had this tonight along with 1-Pot Lentil Dal from the Minimalist Baker. It was my first time making something like this and it actually turned out super well and was easy to make! Big win.
I’m not vegan, neither is my family so I used regular yogurt and it worked just fine. I used fast acting yeast and let it rise about 2 hours. I didn’t include any of the optional garlic, cumin or curry powder in the dough. I did put minced garlic and cilantro on top to serve though, like the recipe says. Dana’s method for cooking the naan in a cast-iron skillet worked perfectly for me. I found a medium, medium-high heat was the cooking sweet-spot for my electric stove.
Will for sure make again!
So kind! Thanks Lydia!! xoxo
Love the recipe, will try it this weekend. I’m already excited for all the coriander. :D
And the pictures are gorgeous.
Looks great!! I love naan, but never tried to make it. Can I let the dough rest for more than 4 hours? I would need to make it in the morning before work…
Yes! Overnight would be fine. But after 3 hours at room temp, I would move it to the fridge so it doesn’t rise too much.
Thanks for your reply. I didn’t see it until after I made the dough, so I just wanted to follow up. I left the dough on the counter for ~9 hours. It was cold (and snowing!) where I live, so I think that helped prevent it from rising too much. But it still turned out wonderful and bubbled up beautifully when cooking! I will definitely be making this again.
Also, I mixed the chopped garlic into the dough when I made it, because I didn’t read through all the directions. I really liked it that way and it was super garlicky! My fave :)
O M G. I just made this Vegan Naan along with your 1-Pot Lentil Dal and cauliflower rice. Don’t even get me started on your cauliflower rice. So tasty! Ok focus. Naan. I’m literally in heaven. Heaven! This will definitely be a regular us. So easy to make and full of flavor. Thank you Dana!
I never imagined naan to be vegan but this recipe looks solid!
it usually is not, due to the yoghurt
Great recipe! I used coconut milk in place of the yogurt and that worked well. I will definitely make this again.
This was so delicious! I made these last week used them as pizzas!
Hello, Im actually in the middle of making this right now and tried to substitute half the flour for spelt, the other half all purpose and the dough is more than a little sticky; Im still adding flour in order to get a ball. What could have gone wrong?
Hi Monique! Spelt is more water-soluble than wheat, so you may need less liquid than with whole wheat flour. The higher level of gliadin, the protein that makes dough stretch, also means that the dough can spread a lot. Using less liquid can help prevent this. You can try using 25% less liquid than the recipe states but you will do best by judging the texture and consistency of the dough. This may explain why you found that your dough is quite sticky. Hope this helps!
I’ve made this now more times than I’m proud to admit. It is SO GOOD. I made it for my parents while visiting and they loved it too. Thanks for another hit recipe!
My girlfriend makes chickpea curry every other week. I’ll have to try this out next time she does it. I LOOOOVE NAAN. And the pictures make it look soo good!
Will the naan come out alright if I use the plain regular dairy yogurt that I have on hand? I was thinking I might make some naan to be the wrapping for your chickpea shwarma recipe that I love so much.
Yep!
Would using wheat flour for this recipe work?
Hi Dana! Can i use coconut cream instead of yogurt?
Hi Laura! We haven’t tried it, but if you do, report back on how it goes!
I can’t wait to try this! I’ve recently become addicted to making homemade naan, and I’m supposed to be cutting down my cholesterol, so I was looking for a good vegan recipe, and yours was the best I’ve found! I’ll definitely report back when I’ve tried it! I want to make a bunch of your other recipes too!
This was a hit, even though I bought wrong type of flour (with seeds :D)! Thank you.
i wish your recipes were actually ‘easy’ to make, any more than 4 ingredients and 15 minutes, im out. But i do enjoy the pictures :)
So I used GF all purpose flour from King Arthur and it worked! I am making it again tonight, thank you for the recipe!
I followed the recipe! It is delicious😋 By mistake, I added the garlic and cumin to the dry ingredients…. and it turned out great! I love all your recipes! Thank you for sharing.