Vegan Naan

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Vegan naan is the ideal canvas for soaking up the bold flavors of your favorite Indian dishes! With a hint of coconut yogurt and the perfect char from the cast-iron skillet, it’s pillowy, tender, and chewy yet crisp. Serve it alongside dishes like butter tofu, chana masala, baingan bharta, dal, and more!

💛 Why you’ll love this recipe

• Restaurant quality: If you’re wondering if it’s possible to make vegan naan taste like the real deal, the answer is yes! It’s just as tender and delicious.
• Versatile: This naan is the perfect companion for a variety of dishes, from curries to soups. You can even use it as a wrap with your favorite fillings!
• Few ingredients: We’ve kept the ingredients to a minimum (7 to be exact), so this recipe is easily accessible and simple to make at home.
• Soft & pillowy: Each bite is soft, warm, and slightly chewy. If that isn’t pure comfort food, we don’t know what is!

If you love vegan naan, you might also want to check out our corn tortillas, vegan flour tortillas, and dairy-free bread.

🇮🇳 What is naan?

Naan is a type of leavened flatbread originating from India, but variations can also be found in the cuisines of other Asian countries, the Middle East, and the Caribbean. It’s traditionally cooked in a tandoor oven, resulting in a slightly charred flavor.

If you’ve ever enjoyed naan at a restaurant, you know how tender, bubbly, and melt-in-your-mouth it is. Our vegan naan retains the pillowy softness, rich flavor, and characteristic slightly chewy texture that you’d normally associate with traditional naan.

It all starts with flour, salt, baking powder, yeast, and sugar. Then, it’s infused with a subtle hint of coconut yogurt and oil to keep the dough tender. We cook ours in a hot cast-iron skillet to emulate the classic char of the tandoor oven.

Serve it warm, brushed with optional vegan garlic butter and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. It’s the perfect vehicle for scooping up your favorite curries, stews, and soups.

🌱 Isn’t naan vegan?

Yogurt or milk are common ingredients found in naan, so it is not generally considered vegan-friendly. You can sometimes even find eggs added to the dough. However, to make a vegan version, it only requires a few simple adjustments:

• Yogurt: We’ve switched out traditional milk or yogurt for coconut yogurt.
• Butter or ghee: Instead of brushing the naan with ghee or butter, we simply use vegan butter or olive oil.

Despite the changes, this vegan naan recipe maintains the authentic flavor and texture everyone knows and loves!

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

• Lukewarm water: Activates the yeast, creating a perfect dough texture. Make sure the water temperature is 120-130F for instant yeast.
• Instant yeast: Essential for a fluffy rise! We use instant yeast for this recipe, but active dry yeast will also work. While it isn’t necessary to proof instant yeast in water, it helps determine if the yeast is still active so we recommend it. You can find out more about the types of yeast from Season and Suppers.
• Cane sugar: Helps activate the yeast. If you don’t have cane sugar, you can use vegan-friendly granulated sugar.
• All-purpose flour: The backbone of this vegan naan recipe, creating a perfectly chewy-yet-tender texture. For a nuttier flavor, try a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour.
• Salt: Enhances the flavor of the naan. Sea salt or Himalayan pink can also be used.
• Baking powder: Gives an additional lift to the naan.
• Coconut yogurt: Adds creaminess and tang. If you don’t have access to coconut yogurt, try almond or soy yogurt. Alternatively, use any non-dairy milk. 
• Oil: Creates a light, tender, and moist dough while adding flavor. Good options include canola, sunflower, or avocado oil.
• Toppings: We love to top our naan with vegan garlic butter and cilantro, but feel free to get creative! You can even try sweet toppings like almonds, sesame seeds, raisins, and coconut.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make vegan naan

Step 1: Prepare the yeast mixture

In a small mixing bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and cane sugar. Give it a good whisk, then cover the bowl and set it aside for 10 minutes to bloom.

Step 2: Mix the dough

In the meantime, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Once the yeast mixture has become frothy, transfer it to the dry ingredients with the coconut yogurt and vegetable oil. Mix the dough with a spatula until it looks shaggy.

Step 3: Knead the dough

Transfer the partially mixed dough onto a clean surface. To prevent sticking, lightly oil your hands and knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic, which should take about 7-8 minutes.

Step 4: Proof the dough

Oil the surface of the kneaded dough slightly and place it in a bowl. Cover it with a clean towel and let it rise in a warm location (like an oven with the light turned on) for 60-90 minutes.

After the rise, gently punch the air out of the dough and reshape it into a ball. Segment the dough into 12 equal portions and roll them into balls. Slightly flatten the balls, then arrange them on a lined tray and let them rest for an additional 10 minutes.

Step 5: Roll the naan

Roll out each dough ball as thin as possible on a clean surface. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on one side, pressing it gently with the rolling pin to make it stick. Moisten your fingers with water and flip the rolled-out dough to lightly dampen its underside.

Step 6: Cook the naan

Place a piece of rolled dough in a hot cast-iron skillet, cilantro side up. Cook it for 30-45 seconds or until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip the naan and immediately cover the skillet with a lid, cooking for an additional 30-45 seconds.

Once cooked, transfer the naan out of the skillet and brush it with plain or garlic-infused vegan butter. Happy eating!

If you have questions about this vegan naan recipe, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🥘 What to serve with vegan naan

Although vegan naan is great with Indian recipes, there are so many other dishes it can complement! Here are some of our favorite common and uncommon ways to use it:

• Curries: Dip your vegan naan in butter tofu, chana masala, baingan bharta, or even Thai red curry.
• Stews: Add some vegan naan to the side of a bowl of Moroccan chickpea stew, West African peanut stew, or vegan chili.
• Dips: Hummus, baba ganoush, and tzatziki make great dips for vegan naan.
• Pizza: Instead of vegan pizza dough, try making vegan pizza with pieces of naan as the base. You can even top it with vegan pesto!

🌡️ Storage & reheating

Naan stores really well, so follow these instructions if you have any leftovers:

• Fridge: You can store vegan naan in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Once completely cooled, wrap individual naan pieces in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and freeze them for up to a month.
• Reheating: To reheat your naan, warm pieces in a skillet over medium heat or in a 325F oven until they’re soft and warmed to your liking.
• Prep ahead: To save time on the day of cooking, you can make the dough and let it rest in your refrigerator overnight.

♻️ Variations

• Seeded: Incorporate sesame, flaxseed, or nigella seeds for a crunch factor.
• Spiced: Mix in some turmeric, coriander, or chili flakes for a hint of spice.
• Potato-stuffed: Try stuffing the naan with a spicy potato mixture before cooking.
• Sweet: Incorporate raisins, nuts, and a sprinkle of coconut into the dough.
• Cheese: Add vegan cheese inside for a melty, savory version.
• Whole naan: Use whole wheat flour for a heartier version. Just note that you will need to adjust the water from ⅔ to ~¾ cup and increase the cooking time.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

• Knead properly: Ensure the dough is smooth and elastic for the best results. If it’s too sticky, sprinkle a bit more flour. If it feels too dry, add a splash of water or non-dairy milk.
• Resting time: Don’t rush the proofing process. It’s necessary to let the dough rise to about double its original size before shaping it. 
• Use cast-iron: Make sure you use a cast-iron skillet if possible. It’s one of the closest ways of replicating a tandoor oven.
• Preheat the skillet: Ensure the skillet is properly heated for an even char on the naan. With cast-iron skillets, this can take a solid 5-10 minutes.
• Press the toppings: Press toppings gently into the dough so they don’t fall off the naan during cooking.
• Add moisture: Dampening the naan helps it stick to the skillet and cook properly. Don’t skip this essential step!
• Serve warm: Serve your vegan naan immediately after cooking for the most tender texture.

💬 FAQ

🍴 More bread recipes

If you loved this vegan naan recipe, check out some more bread recipes like these:

• Vegan Garlic Bread: Bursting with savory, garlicky, and cheesy flavors.
• Blue Corn Tortillas: Fresh corn tortillas infused with a beautiful blue hue. 
• Sourdough Bread: An easy bread recipe that requires no kneading. 
• Vegan Banana Bread: The perfect balance between sweet, moist, and tender.