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/ Last Modified On August 28, 2023
This easy recipe for Gluten-Free Naan made with all-purpose flour, yogurt, and a few other simple ingredients is precisely the gluten-free side dish you've been waiting for! This recipe is tried and tested, made without any eggs or yeast, and tastes just like traditional naan should.
You can make yeast-free and gluten-free naan at home for pennies rather than spending big bucks at the grocery store for a less than an amazing package of gluten-free naan. For a delicious and authentic experience, serve freshly cooked naan with melted butter or ghee, garlic, and fresh herbs.
If you are new to gluten-free flours, you don't have to worry. There are a lot of resources for you to use. If you love bread recipes, try this gluten-free pita bread! Alternatively, try one of the best gluten-free recipes. One of our favorite appetizers now is gluten-free latkes. If you want to try out more Indian recipes, try your hand at these crispy gluten-free samosas and this delicious Instant Pot dal makhani.
If you love learning different techniques and cooking skills, sign up for Udemy's Gluten-Free Cooking Courses.
What is Naan?
If you aren't already familiar, Naan is a flatbread that is a bit similar to pita bread. The main difference is that Naan is an enriched flatbread. All that means is that we'll add things to the dough, like oil, milk, and yogurt, to give the bread more flavor. As a bonus, adding enrichments to gluten-free bread dough makes the dough easier to work with.
Naan is often made with yeast, but this recipe is much easier without it. If you're an Indian bread connoisseur, you might find that this flatbread is sort of a cross between traditional naan and the less fluffy Kulcha flatbread.
Traditional Naan is cooked in a tandoor clay oven, but you don't need to own a tandoor to make naan. A cast iron skillet works just fine!
Gluten-Free Naan Recipe
There are so many amazing reasons to make your own naan bread! You will be so glad to have this easy gluten-free naan bread recipe in your toolbox, especially once you realize how simple it is to make and how much it's like traditional naan.
You can enjoy gluten-free Indian bread fresh from the skillet in about a half hour.
Why You’re Going to Love This Gluten-free Naan
Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Bread Recipe - Just like our gluten-free English muffins recipe, this bread is made on the stovetop. You can mix the dough and cook fresh gluten-free naan while the rest of your dinner is in the oven or the instant pot.
Use Any Gluten-Free Flour Blend - Like many of our gluten-free bread recipes. This one uses gluten-free all-purpose flour. You can use your favorite store-bought blend (we like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 baking flour and King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour), or you can mix up your own gluten-free flour blend using our recipe.
Tender and Delicious - Yogurt and olive oil in the dough give this flatbread the perfect amount of moisture and a soft, pliable texture that makes it ideal for folding, wrapping, or dipping into a bowl of Tzatziki.
Make-Ahead Instructions - You can make gluten-free naan dough early in the day or the night before so that it's ready to go when it's time to eat!
The Perfect Side Dish - There's nothing better than naan bread for wiping your plate clean after enjoying a warm curry or a hearty stew.
Ingredients In Homemade Gluten-free Naan
GF Flour - This recipe will work with a variety of gluten-free flour blends. We suggest a blend like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 baking flour that has rice flour as the base, or one of our homemade flour blends. It would be best to try not to make this recipe with almond flour. It's designed to be made with a baking blend.
Xanthan Gum - You only need to add xanthan gum if your flour blend doesn't already include it. Just take a peek at the ingredients to be sure. Xanthan gum helps to replicate the stretchiness of gluten and is a must when making all types of gluten-free breads.
Baking Powder - To give the naan a fluffy, airy texture, baking powder is key.
Salt - You don't need much, but salt gives this homemade bread just enough flavor.
Olive Oil - Use good quality olive oil for making the naan dough and for cooking the naan.
Milk - Warm the milk slightly to make the dough easier to mix. You can use unsweetened non-dairy milk if you want to make the dough vegan and dairy free.
Yogurt - Plain, unsweetened, regular yogurt adds a tangy flavor, and the acidity of it reacts with the baking powder in the best way. Coconut yogurt is an excellent alternative if you want to remove all of the dairy from this recipe.
When you're ready to serve your naan, I suggest coating it with a generous amount of melted ghee, butter, olive oil, crushed garlic, and chopped parsley.
Equipment Needed for This Gluten-free Naan
Cast Iron Pan - Use a Cast Iron Pan that holds heat the best and will do a fantastic job of cooking the naan quickly and evenly.
Mixing bowls - These Pyrex mixing bowls come in handy.
Rolling pin - I use the traditional wooden rolling pin.
If you have any questions about making gluten-free naan, please leave a comment, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
How To Make Gluten-Free Naan
- Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
- Once the ingredients start to come together, use your hands to press the dough into a big ball. Knead briefly to be sure that all of the ingredients are combined. If the dough seems sticky, add a small amount of flour until you get a smooth naan dough.
- Dust the surface with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.
- Turn each portion into a smooth ball.
- Dust the surface with more flour so that nothing sticks.
- Use a rolling pin to roll each ball into an oval, naan shape, about a quarter of an inch thick.
- Cook the rolled GF naan in a heavy skillet that has been heated and brushed with oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until you see some bubbles forming, then flip and cook for two more minutes on the other side.
- To serve, brush the naan with melted butter, crushed garlic, and chopped fresh parsley.
These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions in gluten-free naan, please see the complete recipe below.
Tips for Making The Best Gluten-Free Naan
Use a Cast Iron Pan - This pan holds heat the best and will cook the naan quickly and evenly.
Serving size - We've made 8 servings with this recipe, but you can feel free to divide the dough differently to make smaller naan pieces.
Vegan option - Make your naan vegan by replacing milk and yogurt with dairy-free alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Naan Gluten-Free?
Sometimes people think that flatbreads like tortillas and naan are already gluten-free, but unfortunately, that's not generally the case. Flatbreads are traditionally made with wheat flour, so this wheat-free naan recipe is needed!
This gluten-free naan recipe is also egg-free and nut-free and can be made dairy-free with some simple ingredient adjustments.
Once you master naan, you should also learn how to make this super easy Gluten-Free Roti!
How Do You Store This Easy Gluten-Free Naan?
This crispy naan is genuinely best when eaten immediately. However, if that's impossible, you can keep them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
How Do You Reheat Gluten-Free Naan?
This yeast-free gluten-free naan reheats best in the oven. Please place it in a preheated 350°F oven for about 5 minutes.
We don't recommend microwaving, as the naan will get soft and potentially overcooked this way.
Can I Make Gluten-free Naan Dough Ahead Of Time?
The dough for this gluten-free naan recipe can be made and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before cooking it.
What Is The Best Gluten-free Flour For Naan?
We've developed this recipe using an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. Generally, we recommend blends that are rice flour based. See our guide on Gluten-Free Flours for more details and recipes for our favorite DIY flour blends.
What Substitutions / Replacements Can I Make in This Gluten-Free Naan Bread?
Dairy-free - Coconut yogurt is an excellent alternative if you want to remove all of the dairy from this recipe. In addition, you can use unsweetened non-dairy milk if you make the dough vegan and dairy free.
Egg-free - This recipe does not contain any eggs.
Yeast-Free - This recipe does not have any yeast in it.
How Do You Make This Into A Gluten-Free Garlic Naan Bread?
Brush the cooked naan with melted butter, crushed garlic, and chopped parsley. Serve it warm. And you have garlic and naan!
What Can You Eat With Gluten-Free Naan Bread?
The traditional naan is eaten with curry. You can also use it as a pizza base or even an appetizer with a dip.
Why Is My Gluten-Free Naan Dough Too Dry?
If your dough is too dry or crumbly, add additional olive oil. I suggest another tablespoon.
Why Did My Gluten-Free Naan Dough No Rise?
This GF naan recipe does not use yeast in it. So it does not need to rise.
Gluten-Free Naan
This easy recipe for Gluten-Free Naan made with all-purpose flour, yogurt, and a few other simple ingredients is precisely the gluten-free side dish you've been waiting for!
Ingredients
- ½ cup yogurt, plain unsweetened
- ¼ cup milk, preferably warm
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for cooking the naan
- 1.5 cups gluten-free flour
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your flour already contains it)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Optional, for Serving:
- Crushed garlic
- Melted butter, ghee, or olive oil
- Chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix to combine. You can use your hands to form a big ball of dough. You can knead the dough briefly to make sure all the ingredients are combined. The dough should be soft but if it's too sticky add a little bit more flour.
- Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Dust a clean surface with some gluten-free flour and using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough in a sort of naan shape.
- Heat up a frying pan and brush with a drop of oil.
- Carefully place the rolled naan into the pan. Allow the naan to cook on one side for 3-4 minutes (you should notice some bubbles forming) then flip and cook for 2 more minutes on the other side. The naan should be golden brown with darker spots. Set aside once done.
- Repeat the same process with all the dough pieces. If there’s any flour remaining in the pan, wipe the pan between each naan so it doesn't burn.
- Brush the naan with melted butter, crushed garlic, and chopped parsley. Serve warm.
Notes
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1 naanAmount Per Serving: Calories: 103Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 464mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g
This nutrition info is based on the exact ingredients and brands that I used a the time. It may not be 100% accurate. Please check your ingredients nutrition labels.
Related: Gluten-Free Curry
Claire
First let me say, I love your recipes, thank you! This looks delicious, I'm surprised no stars yet. Here is my question, once the dough is made, can I freeze it? I'm thinking of using it periodically or would it be better to make the Naan and then freeze it already cooked? Any insight would be great, thank you, for everything you do.
Lindsay
Hi Claire! This is a fairly new recipe, so I'm sure it will be reviewed soon. We didn't try freezing the dough, only making it and refrigerating it for a few days ahead of time. I think you could try it and come back and let me know? 🙂 Otherwise, if you only want to make a few pieces at a time, it might be best to cut the recipe in half so that you are working with fresh dough.
Donna H.
YUMMY! I dont think i can leave it alone! I did add: garlic powder, pepper, and rosemary. My dough was a bit dry so additional Tbs. of milk. I used King Arthur GF measure for measure and coconut milk with Greek yogurt. I happen to have both K.A. flour and Bob's Red Mill and compared the carb counts with yours. K.A. comes out to almost 19gm per serving and Bob's Red Mill has 22.5gm carbs per serving. The only gf flour I have used with that low of a carb count would be a nut flour like almond or coconut. Pretty significant for carb counters like some diabetics or keto folks. Have some conversions for those flours, after I gobble these up?
Wendy Stoltz
Thank you for trying our recipe Donna and letting us know how it turned out. Your feedback is much appreciated!
Donna
Can I use sour cream instead of yogurt????
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Donna,
Yes, you can often substitute sour cream for yogurt in recipes usually, I have however not tested this yet. Sour cream has a similar creamy and tangy quality to yogurt, so it can work well in many cases. However, keep in mind that the flavor and texture might be slightly different, but it shouldn't drastically affect the outcome of the recipe. Remember that baking is a bit of a science, so there could be minor variations in the final result when making substitutions. Always consider doing a small test batch to see how the flavor and texture turn out before making a larger batch.
Sp
Your recipe lists "all purpose flour" but claims to be gluten free. Please correct.
Lindsay
Hi there! This recipe is in fact gluten free, and gluten free all-purpose flour is in the ingredient list. Thank you.
Alana
Hi! Just made this for the first time after falling in love with many of your other recipes. I'm wondering what heat you suggest for the pan to fry up the naan? The recipe doesn't seem to specify medium/medium high etc. Thank you!
Lindsay
Hi Alana, Cook the naan at medium-high heat. You want them to cook quickly, but not burn.
Fay
I’m so excited to try this recipe and so thankful to have coke across your website!! I’ve already tried the strawberry shortcake/cupcake recipe, modified it a little by adding frozen strawberries to the batter itself along with a light dose of strawberry syrup and they were INCREDIBLE!!
Before I try this recipe, however, I wanted to know if there is a way to make the naan softer with maybe even a slight fluffy texture. I noticed a few times your recipe mentions the crispiness, but I prefer soft naan.
Thanks a bunch!! I can’t wait to try more!
Lindsay
Hi Fay! So glad you're finding recipes you love here 🙂 This naan recipe is yeast-free, so you won't get a very fluffy product. You might look for a yeasted gluten free naan recipe somewhere else. sorry!
Kim
Hi Lindsay,
I am so excited to try this recipe, but I don't have a cast iron skillet. do you know if a regular pan (like an all-clad skillet) also work?
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Kim, yes but try using a heavy-bottomed pan.
Liz
I had a hard time getting this right. I used Bob’s measure for measure flour and whole milk. It was pretty sticky so I added more flour. I cooked the naan in a cast iron skillet but it took more like ten minutes to cook instead of 3-4. I started with the heat around medium high and lowered it to medium so that the inside would cook, too.
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Liz,
Did you use this flour https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FW7SCB2.