Garlic Vegan Naan Bread
Skip the takeout and make this simple recipe for vegan garlic naan bread at home. It’s a lot easier than you might think. Makes 8 servings.
Why you will love this garlic vegan naan bread
Nothing pairs better with Indian food than a yeasty, garlic naan bread. Unfortunately for the us, so many contain dairy. Yogurt to be exact. It’s what gives the naan its subtle, tangy flavor. It’s hard to replicate, but it’s doable. I substituted alt-milk and a bit of acid (lemon juice) to mimic the flavor. Then I followed the general directions for making naan bread.
The method for this dairy free garlic naan is fairly simple. You activate the yeast, add the rest of the ingredients and mix until a ball forms, and wait for it to rise, just like bread.
Then you separate the dough into individual pieces that get cooked on the stove. The garlic is added as you cook, but you could skip that part if you want plain, fresh naan bread. Fairly simple, right? As long as you have the time, anyone can do it.
It’s been a while since we made this recipe, but each time, it turns out great. I think last time we made it we were having kofta, but you can pretty much pair it with anything.
It’s especially good with curry dishes, and it’s great for sopping up any extra sauce you might leave behind on your plate. You have to try this Thai chicken meatball curry, and this slow cooker massaman curry and this chickpea curry salad.
Searching for more recipes to serve naan with? chicken tikka masala / lemon orzo soup / vegan tomato soup / beef paprikash
Ingredients & substitutions
- Active dry yeast – Active dry yeast is a key ingredient in making any naan bread, it adds the necessary leavening to achieve the bread’s light and airy texture.
- Warm water – Using active dry yeast requires warm water, to activate the dry yeast which results in bubbles that rise that give naan its characteristic fluffiness.
- Dairy free milk – You can use your favorite, unsweetened dairy free milk – we used almond milk to make this, but you can use an milk alternative.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to make vegan naan bread
Make the dough. Start by mixing water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl, and let it sit until it gets foamy. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the activated yeast, flour, and the remaining ingredients. Mix at medium speed, using the dough hook until a ball of dough forms.
Allow the dough to rise. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it sit in a warm place for about an hour. Once the dough has doubled in size, divide it into eight small balls.
Fry the dough. Heat olive oil in a large, cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. and mix garlic with oil. Roll each dough ball to about 1/4-inch thickness and place them one at a time in the hot pan, brushing with the garlic oil mixture. When the dough starts to bubble, flip it over, brush it with oil again, and season with salt and fresh herbs.
Repeat the process with the remaining dough.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup warm water (ideally between 105˚F – 110˚F)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 0.25-ounce package active dry yeast
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup almond milk (or alternative milk of choice)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Coarse salt (optional, for garnish)
- Fresh parsley or cilantro (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, gently stir together water, sugar and yeast. Allow it to activate until it is foamy on top.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer (dough hook), add activated yeast, flour, and remaining ingredients. Beat with dough hook at medium speed until a ball has formed. Remove bowl from mixer and cover with a damp towel. Let sit in a warm place for about 1 hour.
- When dough has doubled in size, divide into eight small balls. Heat a skillet over medium high and stir together garlic and oil.
- Roll each ball to 1/4-inch thickness and place in hot pan, one at a time, brushing with garlic/oil mixture. When dough has started to bubble, flip to other side and brush again with oil. Sprinkle with coarse salt and herbs. Repeat with remaining dough.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Half Baked Harvest.
