Soft, pillowy, and full of airy bubbles, this Quick Vegan Naan Bread recipe is lovely and extremely versatile. A touch of vegan yogurt or vegan sour cream gives this recipe the rich flavour of traditional naan. This fluffy yeast flat bread from the Indian subcontinent is traditionally cooked in a tandoor clay oven, but it comes out beautifully in a pan on a conventional stovetop.
SHOP INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE BELOW:
Why this Quick Vegan Naan Bread is Easy
Freshly made naan has become a staple with our frequent curry nights. Once you start making naan, you’ll never have a homeade curry without, partly because they are so easy to make!
Bread-making has a reputation for being tricky and time consuming. Not so with naan bread. The ingredient ratios are not as picky as loaf bread. You don’t have to worry about weighing flour and testing out yeast quantities.
Throw a few ingredients into a bowl, roll it out and pan fry it, and you’ve got some beautiful fluffy Indian flat bread. To get a fluff vegan naan I used Fleischmann’s Quick-Rise Instant Yeast which you can buy here.
Making Your Quick Vegan Naan Dairy-Free
Naan bread is usually made with an enriched dough, meaning that it often contains dairy; usually in the form of cow yogurt and ghee or butter. This is what helps to make it so soft and full of flavour. We know of course that dairy can be easily substituted with plant-based ingredients to achieve the same effect. Using vegan sour cream keeps your naan bread pillowy soft, just like the original kind. This quick and easy vegan naan recipe will give you a plant-based naan that is indistinguishable from that with dairy.
How to Eat Your Naan
Naan is a favourite bread typically served with the rich curries of North Indian. Not only a delicious curry accompaniment, it’s also an edible utensil of sorts! In lieu of forks and knives, tear long chunks of naan with your right hand, pulling with your thumb and forefinger while holding the rest in place with your other fingers. Wrap this around the food and gravy in your main dish and eat the whole morsel in one scoop.
Go with a traditional naan simply with melted butter on top, or add in some extra flavours. This Quick Vegan Naan Bread is great with garlic, and dusted with fresh herbs like cilantro, chive or parsley.
A classic Chickpea Chana Masala is the ultimate dish to eat with your homeade naan. Naan bread isn’t just for eating with curry.
Use this delicious Indian flatbread to make soft tacos, pizzas, paninis or flatbreads dressed with pesto and veg. It’s comforting on the side for soups and stews, or even pop them in the toaster and top with a generous amount of fruit jam.
While best freshly made for curries, it can be stored in an airtight container for a few days and then reheated in the oven, microwave or stove top.
Quick & Easy Vegan Naan
Ingredients
Naan
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp vegan sour cream (or coconut cream)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
- melted vegan butter for serving (optional)
Instructions
Naan
- Add the yeast and sugar to a large bowl and pour the warm water on top. Allow to sit for a few minutes until it is frothy on top.
- Add the flour, salt, baking powder, sour 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.
- 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 dough in a large bowl, cover with a tea towel and let it rise for about 30 minutes (this part is optional).
- After it rises, flatten the dough and divide into 8 pieces.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Roll each piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle or oval shape.
- Place the dough on the heated pan and cook until 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 with melted vegan butter and sprinkle with fresh herbs, such as cilantro or parsley.
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