Vegan Naan Flatbreads
IndianBakingbudget friendlycomfort foodmake ahead
Recipe by Nikoleta · @surovadcerka
Naan is cooked on a dry pan, no oil, and the pan has to be properly hot before the first one goes down. Sometimes thirty seconds a side is all it takes. If it's taking longer than that, the pan isn't hot enough and the bread is drying out rather than blistering.
The dough is soft and will want to stick to everything. Keep your hands lightly oiled the whole time you're working it rather than reaching for more flour — extra flour tightens the dough and you lose the pillowy texture that makes naan worth making.
Brush with melted vegan butter while still hot, so it soaks in instead of sitting on top. Sixteen pieces, and they freeze well.
Ingredients
dough
- 300 g warm water
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 9 g active dry yeast
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 30 g sunflower or canola oil
- vegan butter, for brushing
Contains: gluten
How to make it
- In a small bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Pour the yeast mixture and oil into the dry ingredients. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough either for 10 minutes in a stand mixer, or first mix it with a wooden spoon until it thickens, then work it by hand on a countertop until smooth. If you are handling the dough manually, keep your hands lightly oiled at all times.
- After kneading, shape the dough into a ball and coat it lightly with oil all over. Place it in a bowl and let it rise under a damp cloth for about 60–90 minutes, until it doubles in size.
- After the dough has risen, divide it into 16 portions and shape each into a ball. Place them on a floured board.
- Once the dough is prepared, start heating a pan over medium heat for cooking the vegan naan until it is nice and hot. Meanwhile, melt some plant-based butter for brushing the naan (or use oil instead). For garlic naan, add grated garlic to the butter before melting.
- Cook the dough on a dry, hot pan on both sides. Watch it carefully to prevent burning – sometimes 30 seconds per side is enough. Adjust the cooking time according to your pan’s temperature; if it takes too long, increase the heat. If the naan starts to burn, reduce the heat. The pan will smoke, so I recommend turning on the extractor fan and ventilating the kitchen.
- Gradually cook all the pieces of dough and brush them with plant-based butter while still hot. The finished naan can also be frozen and stored for later use.
Nutrition
135Calories
3 gProtein
25 gCarbs
2 gFat
1 gFiber
per serving
