5 Easy Vegan Naan Breads You Can Make at Home
These 5 Vegan Naan Breads are easy to make and will make you feel like you just stepped out of an Indian restaurant. From classic garlic naan to fruity, nutty Kashmiri naan, these easy bread recipes are made with simple ingredients and are 100% dairy-free, egg-free, and bursting with flavor.
Vegan Naan is a delicious, soft, and slightly chewy flatbread that’s perfect for pairing with a wide range of dishes, especially curries, stews, and dips. Its slightly smoky flavor from traditional tandoor baking, combined with options like garlic, vegan butter, or vegan cheese toppings, makes it both comforting and versatile.
Eating naan is not just about taste—it’s also a way to connect with rich South Asian culinary traditions and enjoy food in a more hands-on, communal way. Whether used to scoop up sauces or as a wrap, naan adds warmth and depth to any meal.
Let’s learn more about how to make this delicious bread recipes at home!
Basic Ingredients for Vegan Naan Breads
- Flour – all purpose flour, whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour will work.
- Leavening Agent – active dry yeast, instant yeast or baking powder are commonly used.
- Sugar – to help activate the yeast. Remember, all sugar is NOT vegan.
- Non-Dairy Milk or Yogurt – soy milk, unsweetened amond milk, oat milk or plain vegan yogurt.
- Oil – olive oil, coconut oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil.
- Seasonings – think fresh minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, red pepper flakes, fenugreek seeds, chopped cilantro, dried fruit, chopped nuts and dates, nigella seeds, flaky sea salt, melted vegan butter
- Warm Water – to help activate the yeast if using.
Equipment You Need to Make Vegan Naan Breads
No need for a traditional Tandoor oven when making fluffy vegan naan at home. Vegan naan breads can be made in the oven or on your stove top right in your very own kitchen. Here are a list of kitchen tools you may need:
- rolling pin
- large mixing bowl
- wooden spoon
- stand mixer
- kitchen towel or any clean damp towel
- floured work surface
- warm place to allow for naan dough rise
- hot skillet – use a cast iron skillet if cooking on the stove top or any non-stick, hot pan will do. For baking in the oven, you can use a pizza stone or large sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
5 Vegan Naan Breads
To follow are 5 vegan naan bread recipes brought to you by myself and some of my fellow fabulous food bloggers:
How To Store Vegan Naan
Storage: to store leftover naan, wrap cooked naan bread in plastic wrap then place in an air-tight container for up to 7 days.
Freezer: for freezing, it works best if you wrap individual balls in plastic wrap and freeze remaining dough balls in a freezer bag or other air tight container for up to 3 months.
Reheating: to reheat vegan naan, you can add spread a thin layer of vegan butter to both sides and reheat in a skillet or a stack of vegan naan in foil and reheat in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
What To Serve With Vegan Naan
- Spinach and Potato Curry
- Vegan Paneer Butter Masala
- Indian Butter Chickpeas
- Chickpea Coconut Curry
- Spicy Pecan Pumpkin Hummus
- Roasted Beet Hummus
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
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Kashmiri Naan Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp active yeast or one packet
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 1 tsp sugar
For the Filling
- 3 tbsp dried apricots chopped
- 2 tbsp dried dates pit removed; chopped
- 2 tbsp pistachios chopped
- 2 tbsp raw cashews chopped
- 1 tsp cardamom ground
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- small pinch of saffron
- 1 tbsp date syrup or maple syrup
For Garnish
- vegan butter melted
- cilantro chopped
- almonds sliced
- pumpkin seeds or pepitas
Instructions
- Before you begin, preheat your oven to 450F/232C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To start, activate the yeast by mixing, in a small bowl, warm water, yeast and sugar. I usually give it a little stir, then let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- Make the dough by adding flour, baking powder, salt and olive oil to a mixing bowl.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture with your fingers and add the liquid yeast mixture.
- Mix together with a wooden spoon, then knead for 8-10 minutes with your hands or the dough attachment on a stand mixer until soft and smooth. Add a spoonful of flour if too sticky, or a splash of water if too dry.
- Place dough in a slightly oiled large bowl (or you can leave it in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and set in a warm spot. Let it rise for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.
- While the dough is rising, make the filling by adding all the chopped filling ingredients to a medium bowl. Add date syrup and mix to combine until everything is evenly coated.
- Once the dough has risen, punch down the dough with your fist, smooth it into a large ball and divide into 4 equal balls. Place on a lightly floured surface and roll the dough out into a cylindrical shape with a rolling pin until it's about 1/8 inch thick. To keep dough from sticking to rolling pin, coat it lightly with flour.
- Add 2 tbsp of filling to the center of the dough and fold over like a dumpling, pinching the 2 sides together.
Cooking Instructions
- SKILLET: Heat a small amount of neutral oil in a large skillet. Add naan bread to skillet and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat until all dough balls are cooked. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!
- OVEN: Place 4 pieces of Kashmiri Naan bread on a parchment line baking sheet. Brush with vegan butter and cook in the oven at 400F/C for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
To Garnish
- Once out of the oven or skillet, brush again with vegan butter. Top with chopped cilantro or parsley and sliced almonds. Serve piping hot with your favorite chutney.
Notes
- Traditionally, Kashmiri Naan bakes in a tandoor oven (see below), but they are very expensive. A tagine also works – and it’s less expensive – but the texture may not turn out the same as when cooked in the oven which also works great. For my version, you’ll make it in a regular oven or on the stove.
- If you don’t want to turn your oven on, pour a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side.
- Be sure to use fresh yeast and proof it first by mixing warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. It should turn foamy after 5-10 minutes. If it doesn’t you should get new yeast before proceeding.
- Watch Kashmiri Naan carefully in the oven. Because it’s cooked at a very high heat, the edges of the dough can easily get too brown. If you notice the edges getting far browner than the middle, cover edges with small strips of foil.
- If using saffron in the filling, use only a small pinch taken with your fingers. Using too much tends to overpower the other flavors.
So fluffy and soft, and the filling is super flavorful.
Thank you Krystle.