Name: Easy Vegan Naan
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided; 1 cup warm water; 2 teaspoons coconut sugar, or granulated sugar; 1 and 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast, or 1 packet; 1/3 cup plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt; 3 Tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; Optional mix-in: handful of fresh chopped parsley or 1 Tablespoon dried parsley

Jump to Recipe

Homemade vegan naan is better than any store-bought flatbread! This soft pliable bread is irresistible with dips, curries, soups, and more! The dough easily freezes so fresh vegan naan can be enjoyed anytime!

Soft vegan naan bread stacked on a black plate.

Although vegan naan is mostly enjoyed at restaurants or prepackaged from the store, it can easily be made at home.

And trust me, fresh homemade naan is definitely better!

Plus it’s freezable!

So there is no fuss if you're making it for 1 or a whole family. Simply pop the leftovers in the freezer until you're ready to enjoy more naan.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Carefully follow these 13 easy steps to make the best vegan naan.

Water, sugar, and yeast mixed in a glass bowl.

Step 1. In a large bowl, mix together the warm water, sugar, and yeast.

Step 2. Allow the yeast to foam and activate. This should take 5-10 minutes.

water, sugar, oil, yeast, salt, garlic and parsley mixed together with a wooden spoon in a glass bowl.

Step 3. Once activated, mix in the yogurt, oil, salt, and garlic.

Flour added to a glass bowl of wet ingredients to make vegan naan.

Step 4. Then add 2 and ½ cups of flour.

A hand holding a wooden spoon mixing naan dough.

Step 5. Mix until the dough comes together.

Step 6. Using the last cup of flour, knead the dough adding flour to your hands and dough as needed.

Step 7. Shape the kneaded dough into a soft, slightly sticky ball. Brush the bowl and dough ball with oil.

Step 8. Cover and set aside to rise and double in size.

Round dough cut into 8 pizza shaped triangles.

Step 9. After rising, remove the dough from the bowl and divide it into 8 equal portions.

A rolling pin rolling dough out into an oval naan.

Step 10. Use a rolling pin to roll out one of the sections of dough.

Vegan naan dough after rolling out into an oval shape.

Step 11. Roll the dough out into an oval shape about ¼-inch thick.

Step 12. Place the dough in a hot dry (no added oil) cast-iron skillet. Cook until bubbles begin to form on top.

Tip: You can also cook the naan in a non-stick skillet, but since it will cook slower, I suggest coving the pan with a lid while the naan cooks to keep it from drying out.

Step 13. Flip and cook the naan on the other side until the bubbles are browned to your liking. Repeat steps 10-13 until all the dough is cooked.

Serving Suggestions

Naan is commonly served alongside curry dishes.

However, I am not a big fan of curry, which is why there are no curry recipes on the blog.

But, that doesn't mean I don't like naan. I just like to enjoy it in other ways.

For an easy lunch, this soft naan is delicious slathered with hummus and topped with avocado slices. It's also amazing topped with chickpea salad and sweet relish.

This vegan naan is the perfect appetizer when paired with spinach artichoke dip.

And recently, I've been making flatbread pizzas for dinner! Simply top the naan with marinara sauce and your choice of toppings for individual pizzas!

Fresh vegan naan on a black plate with olives and parsley in the background.

What if I don’t have yogurt?

Traditional Indian naan is made with yogurt which is why I used non-dairy yogurt in this recipe. I wanted to keep the ingredients authentic but in a vegan way.

If you don't have any non-dairy yogurt on hand, no problem. Simply omit the yogurt and water and replace them with non-dairy milk.

3 vegan naan stacked on a black plate with a gray towel.

Tips for the dough

Don’t add too much flour. When working with dough this is very important to remember. Adding too much flour will lead to dense tough naan. The dough consistency should be slightly sticky, but smooth and still hold a ball shape.
Altitude and humidity play a big part in dough making. If your environment is dry the dough will be drier. Therefore 3 cups of flour may be all that is needed. However, if the humidity is high the dough will stay moist. Knead in just enough flour to form a slightly sticky dough ball.
Roll the dough out in an oval shape no thinner than ¼-inch for fluffy vegan naan.

How to freeze the dough

I love having warm vegan naan bread on hand which is why I created this recipe to make up to 8 flatbreads. But sometimes it can be too much and I'll freeze a portion of the dough or any leftover naan.

To freeze the dough. divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Place the dough to be frozen spaced out on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Freeze for at least 2 hours before transferring to an airtight zipper bag or container. Keeps for up to 2 months in the freezer.
To thaw the dough. bring the frozen naan dough to room temperature on the counter for about 2-3 hours. Proceed with the cooking instructions below.
To freeze cooked vegan naan. Lay the cooked naan single layer on a baking sheet or equivalent. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 1-2 hours. Transfer the frozen naan to a freezer-safe bag or container. Reheat in the oven or on a pan. No need to thaw first.

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Easy Vegan Naan

Yield: 8 naans

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Rise Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

3 and ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons coconut sugar, or granulated sugar
1 and ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast, or 1 packet
⅓ cup plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
Optional mix-in: handful of fresh chopped parsley or 1 Tablespoon dried parsley

Instructions

In a large bowl mix together the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Set aside for 5-10 minutes and allow the yeast to activate and become "foamy".
Once the yeast is activated mix in the yogurt, oil, salt, garlic, and parsley if using.
Mix in 2 and ½ cups of flour until well combined.
Using the last cup of flour dust your work area. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes. Dust the dough and your hands with more flour as needed. Knead until the dough is slightly sticky but smooth and holds a ball shape. Tip: I never use the entire last cup.
Brush the bowl and dough ball with oil. Cover and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to an hour.
Turn the risen dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 8 equal portions.
Roll a portion of dough into an oval about ¼-inch thick.
Place the dough in a hot dry (no added oil) skillet and cook until bubbles begin to form on top. Flip and cook on the other side until the bubbles are browned/blackened (depending on your preference). Repeat until all the dough is cooked.
Optional: Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh parsley and coarse sea salt.
Serve Immediately.

ENJOY!

Notes

A heated cast iron skillet will quickly cook the naan so there is no need to cover the pan. (but you can if you'd like) If you're using a nonstick pan I suggest covering it with a lid or piece of foil while the naan cooks. This will help keep it soft and pliable.

Replace the yogurt and water with a total of 1 and ¼ cups of warm non-dairy milk, divided. Separate ½ cup of milk and add 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice to it--this is the yogurt replacement. Allow the mixture to sit for 3-5 minutes. Add the remaining ¾ cup of warm milk to a large bowl and mix in the yeast and sugar. Set aside to activate the yeast. Once the yeast is foamy pour in the milk and lemon juice mixture. Then proceed with step 2 in the instructions.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 naan breads Serving Size: 1 naan bread
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 153Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 27mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 4g

**Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**

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