Learn how to make vegan naan from scratch! This Easy Vegan Naan Recipe is made with 8 simple ingredients and gives you soft and fluffy Indian flatbread that’s perfect for serving with your favorite Indian-inspired dishes, from curry to dal to chana masala.
Pair your fluffy vegan naan with my Tofu Palak Paneer, One Pan Tofu Curry, Chickpea Tikka Masala, and more Indian-inspired meals!
Have you ever tried to find vegan naan at the grocery store? It’s harder than you think. The last time I checked, I couldn’t find a brand made without eggs, milk, yogurt, or all three.
Luckily, this Vegan Naan recipe is surprisingly easy to make from scratch with just 8 everyday ingredients!
Just like what you’d find in an Indian restaurant, this vegan naan is chewy and soft, with an almost elastic texture. This makes it sturdy enough to scoop or dunk in your favorite Indian meals (so much more fun than using a fork or spoon!). I’ll whip up a batch whenever we’re having curry or tikka masala for dinner because the meal just isn’t complete without it.
What is naan?
Naan is a type of leavened Indian flatbread. Traditionally, the naan dough is broken into small pieces and cooked in a tandoor oven (a very hot clay oven) until they bubble and are lightly charred. It’s crisp on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside, and super pliable, making it great for tearing and scooping up your favorite Indian recipes.
How to make vegan naan
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Combine the yeast, sugar, and warm water in a large bowl. Set the mixture aside for a few minutes until it’s frothy on top.
If the yeast mixture does not bubble or froth, it means your yeast is dead. It’s best to start the recipe over with fresh yeast.
Stir the flour, salt, baking powder, coconut cream, and olive oil into the yeast mixture until the dough is shaggy.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until it’s a smooth and soft ball. Add more flour if it’s too sticky or hard to work with.
Place the dough in a large bowl, cover, and set it aside to rise until it’s doubled in size. Afterward, flatten the risen dough and cut it into 8 pieces.
In a rush? You can skip the rise if you’d like. The naan will still be quite good!
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.
Meanwhile, use your hands or a rolling pin to roll a piece of dough into a circle or oval. Each piece should be about 1/4 inch thick.
Place the dough in the preheated pan and cook until large bubbles appear and the bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
Place the cooked naan on a plate and cover it with a clean kitchen towel to keep it warm. Serve the pieces plain or brush them with melted vegan butter and top with fresh parsley or cilantro. Enjoy with your favorite Indian-inspired recipes!
Serving suggestions
Naan is traditionally served as a side dish with curry, korma, butter “chicken”, and endless other vegan Indian dishes. Use the torn pieces of naan to scoop up every bite! I especially love serving naan with my Red Lentil Dahl, Vegetable Korma, Chickpea Curry, Vegan Butter Chicken, and Chana Masala recipes.
But that’s not all it’s good for! Check out these other fun ways to use naan:
- It’s great for vegetable wraps since it’s so soft and pliable. Spread some hummus over the bread, fill it with falafel, curry tofu salad, and/or vegetables, wrap it up, and enjoy.
- Top the dough with pizza sauce, vegan pepperoni, shredded vegan cheese, and vegetables for an easy vegan personal pizza.
- Use it instead of pita bread with your favorite dips, like hummus, spinach artichoke dip, or baba ganoush.
- Enjoy the warm naan by itself! It’s too heavenly to resist.
Frequently asked questions
Traditionally, no, naan is not vegan because it’s made with yogurt, milk, and/or eggs and is sometimes brushed with melted butter or ghee. Thankfully, you can buy vegan naan at some well-stocked grocery stores or South Asian markets or make it yourself with simple dairy-free and egg-free substitutes.
No, because it’s usually made with all-purpose or whole wheat flour. I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour but it would probably work with a quality gluten-free all-purpose flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1:1.
You can simply leave it out or replace it with unsweetened, non-dairy yogurt instead. I found that the naan is fluffier and richer with the coconut cream but is still soft and delicious without it.
You can press 1 or 2 minced garlic cloves into the naan dough as you’re shaping each piece. Alternatively, brush the freshly cooked pieces with melted vegan garlic butter as soon as they come out of the pan.
Sure! Prepare the dough and place it in a covered bowl as normal, but instead of setting it aside to rise, transfer it to the fridge. You can let it chill for up to 2 days.
Before forming and cooking the naan, let the chilled dough rest on the kitchen counter for 30 minutes so it can come down to room temperature. It will be easier to handle this way.
Personally, I think freshly cooked, warm naan is the best! The pieces do tend to dry out quickly, so try to eat the bread the day it’s made.
Otherwise, leftover naan will keep for up to 2 days at room temperature, in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Wrap the pieces in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent them from drying out.
Easy Vegan Naan
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons coconut cream or plain non-dairy yogurt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Optional: melted vegan butter for serving, minced garlic or fresh herbs
Instructions
- Add the yeast and sugar to a large bowl and pour the warm water on top (think bath temperature, not too hot or it will kill the yeast). Let sit for a few minutes until it is frothy on top.
- Now add the flour, salt, baking powder, coconut cream and olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes difficult, then turn the ball of dough out on a lightly floured surface (I just use my countertop). Knead the ball of dough for about 2-3 minutes, until the ball of dough is smooth and soft. If it is too sticky, add a little more flour.
- Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with a tea towel and let it rise for about 30 minutes. If you are in a hurry, you can skip the rising part. It will still come out quite good!
- After it rises, flatten the dough and divide into 8 pieces.
- Heat a large, heavy bottomed pan (cast iron preferred) over medium heat. Take a piece of the dough and roll it on a lightly floured surface into a circle or oval shape (about 1/4 inch thick). If using garlic, gently press a little minced garlic onto one side so it sticks at this point.
- Place the dough on the heated pan and cook until large bubbles have formed and the bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes more until that side is golden brown as well.
- Repeat with the remaining pieces. Cover the naan with a towel or wrapped in foil to keep warm until ready to serve. Serve plain or brush with melted vegan butter and sprinkle with fresh herbs, such as cilantro or parsley.
Video
Notes
- For the coconut cream, open a can of full fat coconut milk or coconut cream, and scoop out 3 tablespoons of the white, thick creamy part. May also substitute plain non-dairy yogurt (soy, almond, or coconut). Or leave it out, I have done this in a pinch and it worked fine.
- I haven’t tested this with gluten free flour, but it would probably work ok. I would use a gluten free mix, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1:1.
- If you only have regular active yeast, that is fine, you will just need to let the dough rise for longer (1-1 1/2 hours).
Ah-mazing. I didn’t think I would be able to pull it off, but it was just like the restaurants! I struggled with stickiness, but added more flour to be able to handle it and roll it out. It worked. You must try it!
I’m so glad you liked it!
Can you make this using almond flour????
Sorry, I don’t think it would work!
Do you think it would work without a sweetener?
Yes, you can just leave out the sugar.
Oh OK, thank you. My mom is allergic to yeast however, I would really love to try this recipe. Do you know if there is a yeast substitute i can use instead?
Thank you!
Sure! I’ve seen other recipes use baking powder instead, so that could work! I would try 1 teaspoon of baking powder instead of yeast, and then there would be no need to let it rise, you could skip that step but still knead it a bit, then cook it right away. Hope that works!
This looks delicious! 1 question, do you think it would work without the yeast?
I don’t think so, it would be very flat and not fluffy.
Thank you! This is amazing Naan bread and so easy to make.
You’re welcome! Glad it turned out great!
I added a clove of garlic into the dough while mixing. I brushed vegan butter on each side as it cooked. These were amazing!
Wonderful, thank you!
Hi Nora,
This naan looks so yummy yummy!
Could I substitute the flour for Spelt flour?
I’m allergic to Wheat 🙁
Thank you
Sarah
I think that would be fine, though the bread will taste quite different. Thanks, and I hope you enjoy!
I was skeptical that I’d be able to make my own naan, but that was super easy. They came out great! Thank you!
Oh great, thank you!
Thats me right now. Im about to try it. *fingers crossed*
This is a wonderful recipe! It’s super tasty, especially with minced garlic and cilantro. We had this with the vegan butter chicken by Nora. We ran out of white flour and substituted with banana flour and it worked great. I’d recommend adding oil before each piece of dough. The hotter the skillet, the better!
Love this recipe!! We’re newly vegan and I am making this recipe for the 3rd time. It is just as good as anything I’ve purchased or better while at an Indian restaurant! My husband and son love when I make this to go with our curries or just to steak fresh out of the skillet!
This naan is amazing!!!! What a hit at my house! I’m wondering what’s the best way to store? Leave it out on the counter in a closed container or put in the refrigerator? Thanks so much for another amazing recipe!
Thank you, I’m so glad you enjoyed the naan! A closed container on the counter is fine, or wrapped in foil or plastic wrap. You could also keep it in the refrigerator to help it last longer, but mine’s always gone within a day! 🙂
Made them yesterday with vegan sour cream instead of the coconut cream. They are excellent. Thanks
So good and so easy. What a simple, non-sticky dough! So happy to have vegan naan.
Thank you, happy you enjoyed the naan!
I’ve made this recipe a few times for my 5 kids and husband and it is their favorite part of the dinner when I make curry! Pretty easy to make and has always turned out yummy. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks Tami! I’m so happy your family enjoys the naan! It’s always my kid’s favorite part of dinner, too.
Amazing, I tried this recipe two o three times already, and always is perfect. Thank you, Nora!
This naan was a big hit! Both myself and the SO loved it. Will try the oil free next time, I just didn’t want to stray from the original recipe on the first go. Made with your falafel and added carrots and cucumber, delicious!
Looks amazing! Is there a sub for something lighter than coconut cream? Like vegan yogurt or sour cream?
Yes, either non-dairy (unsweetened) yogurt or vegan sour cream should work. Thanks!
I tried a few vegan recipes for Naan and this one is my favorite by far!
This sounds amazing! Do you know if these would freeze well?
Yes, you could freeze the naan after cooking. We just eat it so fast it never gets to that point, hah!
You can also freeze the dough. I tried it: Naans from defrosted dough is just as good as fresh!
This sounds both delicious and easy! Would it work with almond or coconut flour?
Thanks! Unfortunately, I don’t think it would work with either of those. I’m sure whole wheat, white whole wheat or spelt flour would work quite well, but almond and coconut flour are quite different to work with.
What can I do with the rest of the can of coconut milk?
You could add it to smoothies. Make creamy vegetable curry or tofu.
Do you oil the pan at all?
No, you don’t need to.
Do you think this would work well using a gluten free all purpose flour?
I’m not sure as I haven’t tried it, but it may not work out the same. I know working with gluten free flours is a bit tricky!
I attempted this Naan with all-purpose gluten free flour and waited over 2 hours for something to rise, only thing to rise was my sadness. Lol, fail. But the taste was still good, it was just super dense and not quite the texture like regular Naan. If you ever try it with a GF flour and it works, PLEASE let me know.
This naan is unbelievably good! I was surprised how easy it was, too.