Vegan naan, absolutely delicious and ready with only 7 ingredients. A wonderful side dish to plenty of vegan Indian main courses!

Lately, I've been obsessed with vegan naan. Oh my - it is SO good! It is something that I'd always wanted to try making myself but never ended up doing somehow. However, I do regret it now!
It actually is a dairy-free, simple, and easy-to-make recipe that you can serve as a side dish to plenty of main dishes. Besides, this vegan naan bread is out of this world!
Ingredient notes
- Granulated sugar: feel free to use other types of sugar, like brown, coconut, or cane sugar. Make sure the sugar you’re using is vegan.
- Unsweetened vegan yogurt: although I used coconut yogurt, any kind of plant-based yogurt should work.
- Oil: I’m Spanish, so I use extra virgin olive oil to cook most of my dishes. However, any type of oil is okay. I always use extra virgin oils when possible because they’re healthier.
- Vegan butter or coconut oil: I used vegan butter. Although store-bought vegan butter works well, I suggest you make our easy recipe at home because it's healthier.
- Garlic: this ingredient is optional, but you can use it to make some deliciously flavorful garlic naan. Check out the instructions to see how it's done!
Dietary variations
- Make it gluten-free: I’ve only made this vegan naan bread recipe with all-purpose flour, but you could try and make it with other types of flour, such as whole wheat flour or a gluten-free flour blend. However, keep in mind that you may need to adjust the amount of it. If you succeed, please let me know in the comments!
- Make it soy-free: use soy-free plant-based yogurt and, if you use store-bought vegan butter, check out the ingredients so it doesn't contain soy (our homemade recipe doesn't!).
How to make vegan naan
- Mix the active dry yeast, sugar, and warm water in a small bowl and let the mixture rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and add all the remaining ingredients.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes difficult. Then transfer the ball of dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 2-3 minutes.
- Place the dough in a greased large bowl, cover with a damp towel, and place the bowl in a warm location. Let it rise for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Once the dough is ready, transfer it to a floured work surface, flatten it, and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball with your hands and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough ball until it forms an oval shape about ¼-inch thick (about 0.6 cm). If using garlic, press the garlic onto one side so it sticks.
- Heat a large non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place the dough onto the heated skillet or pan and cook until the bottom is golden brown and large bubbles have formed. Flip and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Serve your vegan naan immediately.
How to store
- Fridge: store the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: keep it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. The simplest way to defrost naan is to leave the bread on the counter the night before, but it’s optional.
- Reheat: cook on a skillet onto medium heat, and when it’s hot, add the flatbreads into it. Give the skillet a shake every 20 to 30 seconds to make sure the bread doesn’t stick. After 2 to 3 minutes, your naan bread should be defrosted and warmed up. Then flip them and heat up for another 1-2 minutes on the other side to make sure they’re evenly warmed.
Is naan vegan?
Traditional naan is not vegan, as it is usually made with regular butter, eggs, and dairy, although the recipe can vary.
Serving suggestions
Feel free to serve your vegan naan warm and plain or brush some melted vegan butter on top. You can also serve it along with your favorite veggies and a bowl of chickpea curry or vegetable korma, for example.
Looking for more how-to vegan recipes?
Did you make this vegan naan recipe?
Please leave a comment and rate it below. We’d love to hear from you!
Vegan Naan
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ cup warm water, about 110ºF or 40ºC
- 2 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsweetened plant-based yogurt, I used coconut yogurt
- 2 tablespoon oil, I used extra virgin olive oil
For serving (optional):
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter or coconut oil, melted
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- Fresh parsley or cilantro, finely chopped
Instructions
- Mix the active dry yeast, sugar, and warm water in a small bowl and let the mixture rest for 5-10 minutes until the yeast is foamy.
- Mix the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and add all the remaining ingredients (yogurt, oil, and the yeast mixture).
- Stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes difficult. Then transfer the ball of dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 2-3 minutes or until the ball of dough is smooth and soft. Add more flour if needed (if the dough is too sticky).
- Place the dough in a greased large bowl, cover with a damp towel, and place the bowl in a warm location. Let it rise for about 30 minutes to 1 hour or until the dough has nearly doubled in size.
- Once the dough is ready to go, transfer it to a floured work surface, flatten it, and divide it into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball with your hands and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough ball until it forms an oval about ¼-inch thick (about 0.6 cm). If using garlic, press the garlic onto one side so it sticks.
- Heat a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until it’s hot.
- Place the dough on the heated skillet and cook until the bottom is golden brown and large bubbles have formed. Flip and cook for 1-2 more minutes or until that side is also golden brown. Repeat with the remaining dough until all of the naan pieces are cooked.
- Serve your vegan naan warm and plain, brush it with melted vegan butter or coconut oil, and sprinkle with fresh parsley or cilantro.
- You can also serve it along with your favorite veggies and a bowl of chickpea curry, for example.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. The simplest way to defrost naan is to leave the bread on the counter the night before. To reheat, cook on a skillet onto medium heat, and when it’s hot, add the flatbreads into it. Give the skillet a shake every 20 to 30 seconds to make sure the bread doesn’t stick. After 2 to 3 minutes, your naan bread should be warmed up. Then flip them and heat up for another 1-2 minutes on the other side to make sure they’re evenly warmed.
Notes
- I’ve only made this vegan naan recipe using all-purpose flour, but you could probably try it with a different type of flour, such as this gluten-free flour blend. However, keep in mind that you may need to adjust the amount of it.
- Any type of salt, yogurt, or oil will work.
- Nutritional info has been calculated without the toppings.
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