Make a batch of fluffy naan bread to serve with your favorite main dish! This vegan recipe doesn’t require any yogurt, so you can make delicious naan with just a few pantry staples!

naan on a cutting board
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Anytime I’m making Indian food, I love having fresh naan on the side! It’s a great way to soak up extra sauce and it makes a simple meal feel more substantial. This also makes a lovely side to serve with a hearty soup, these vegetable pakoras, or a tasty salad!

What is Naan?

Naan is a traditional flatbread from India. It’s soft and chewy and served with many different types of Indian dishes. Naan is traditionally made with yogurt, but I wanted to create a vegan-friendly version. This is not a traditional naan recipe, since we’re keeping it vegan. For an authentic naan recipe, try this naan recipe from Meera Sodha.

Ingredients for Vegan Naan

Naan is typically made with yogurt, but this recipe is completely vegan—no yogurt needed! Instead, all you need are these basic pantry staples:

  • Almond milk- Almond milk is combined with a spash of vinegar to create a substitute for the yogurt.
  • Sugar– A little sugar helps feed the yeast.
  • Yeast– This is essential for fluffy, chewy naan.
  • Salt– Salt adds flavor to the bread.
  • Vinegar– I tested this recipe with both white and apple cider vinegar.
  • Flour– All purpose flour is perfect for this chewy bread.
  • Olive oil- A little olive oil adds fat to make this bread moist and chewy. It’s also necessary for cooking.

How to Make Vegan Naan

Warm ½ cup of almond milk in the microwave or on the stove until heated about 110 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the warm almond milk, sugar, and yeast and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.

yeast and almond milk

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and remaining almond milk and let sit for 10 minutes. This helps create a vegan substitute for yogurt.

Add the vinegar mixture and olive oil to the yeast mixture and stir to combine.

naan dough in a bowl, water, yeast and oil

Then add the flour and salt, one cup at a time. Knead for 6-7 minutes until a dough ball is formed.

naan dough in a bowl, water, yeast and oil

Cover and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.

naan dough in a bowl, water, yeast and oil

Divide the dough into 8-10 pieces. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into flat pieces. Add as much flour as needed to prevent sticking.

naan dough on a cutting board

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegan butter or olive oil over medium heat. Place the naan in the pan, cooking one 2 pieces at a time, for 2 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until browned on the outside.

baked naan on a plate

How to Store Leftover Naan

You can keep the naan at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but it’s best when fresh. To restore the softness of the bread, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds until warm. Brush with additional olive oil, if desired.

Substitution Ideas

If you don’t have yeast, try making these easy whole wheat flatbreads instead! You can use white or whole wheat flour and they come together quickly and easily.

I like to use olive oil in the bread and vegan butter when cooking on the stove, but you can substitute olive oil when cooking as well. For vegan butter, my favorite brands are Earth Balance and Miyoko’s.

What to Serve with Naan

Some of my favorite recipes to pair with this naan are:

More Bread Recipes

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A plate of naan on a cutting board

Vegan Naan Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 8 reviews
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Resting: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 10 Pieces 1x
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

Make a batch of fluffy naan bread to serve with your favorite main dish! This vegan recipe doesn’t require any yogurt, so you can make delicious naan with just a few pantry staples!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup almond milk, divided
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (7g)
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/4 cups flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter

Instructions

  1. Warm ½ cup of almond milk in the microwave or on the stove until heated to about 110 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the warm almond milk, sugar and yeast and let sit for 10 minutes until foamy.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and remaining ½ cup of almond milk and let sit for 8-10 minutes.
  4. Add the vinegar mixture and olive oil to the yeast mixture and stir to combine.
  5. Add 1 cup of flour to the yeast mixture and stir to combine.
  6. Add a second cup of flour and the salt.
  7. Knead for 6-7 minutes, adding the final ¼ cup of flour, if needed.
  8. Cover and let rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.
  9. Divide the dough into 10 pieces.
  10. Sprinkle each piece with flour and use a rolling pin to roll the dough into flat pieces. (Add as much flour as needed to prevent sticking.)
  11. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegan butter or olive oil over medium heat.
  12. Place the naan in the pan, cooking one 2 pieces at a time, for 2 minutes.
  13. Flip and continue to cook until browned on the outside.
  14. Add additional butter or oil to the pan as needed.