Soft and tender with a chewy interior, this super easy gluten-free naan bread recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. Flavored with parsley and garlic for aroma and taste, it’s totally yeast-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free (no yogurt required!), but it’s so good no one would care! Make a fresh batch of this delicious naan and eat it as a side dish or appetizer (with this delicious slow cooker lentil curry, alongside our popular creamy hummus, baba ganoush, or even on its own)!
Jump to:
- What is Naan?
- Missing Naan Bread
- The Best Gluten-Free Naan (Also Dairy-Free and Yeast-Free)
- Why This Recipe Works
- Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
- How to Make Gluten-Free Naan Bread (Step by Step):
- Tear into your naan and devour it!
- Dish by Dish Tips and Tricks
- Recipe FAQs:
- What to Eat With Gluten-Free Naan?
- Other Bread Recipes You’ll Love:
- Appetizer Recipes to Enjoy:
- Easy Gluten-Free Naan Recipe (No-Yeast, No-Yogurt, Dairy-Free)
What is Naan?
If you’ve never tried naan before, or if it’s the first time you’ve heard of it, naan is basically a soft, yeast-leavened flatbread eaten in south Asian cuisines (in particular Indian cuisine).
Traditionally cooked in an outdoor tandoor oven, naan looks very similar to pita bread, and traditionally uses wheat flour as the base and requires yeast for leavening.
I absolutely love Indian food, and one of my favorite versions of this Indian flatbread is garlic naan, in which fresh minced garlic is studded on the surface of this flatbread, and brings a burst of flavor so intense you can’t help but want to eat more of it.
Does Naan Contain Gluten?
Is naan gluten-free? Naan is traditionally made of wheat flour (which contains gluten). That means that regular naan is not gluten-free, and hence Celiacs and those with gluten-intolerances are not able to eat it.
Is Naan Dairy-Free?
Many traditional naan bread recipes also tend to include dairy yogurt, which means regular naan is not suitable for those with lactose intolerances.
Missing Naan Bread
Since we started cooking exclusively gluten-free at home 5 years ago (because my husband Juan is Celiac), one of the things I miss the most is dining out at Indian restaurants and tearing off a piece of garlic naan and eating it with curries of all kinds, such as this easy slow cooker lentil curry or this easy chickpea curry.
The Best Gluten-Free Naan (Also Dairy-Free and Yeast-Free)
Making Naan Gluten-Free: I love making homemade bread, and was determined to make gluten-free naan at home. I used a mix of gluten-free all-purpose flour and tapioca flour to replace normal wheat flour.
Making Naan Yeast-Free: Naan is usually leavened with yeast, but that requires more time and makes it more complicated. Since I didn’t want to spend time waiting for the naan to rise, I wanted to make a recipe that was also yeast-free.
In fact, using baking powder instead of yeast is a relatively quick fix that allows the dough to rise as you cook it, giving it the air pockets so characteristic of naan.
Making Naan Dairy-Free (No-Yogurt or Butter): And since Juan has been reacting to dairy lately, I also aimed to make the naan dairy-free. Many recipes also include yogurt (but that’s not dairy-free), so I was wondering “What can I substitute for yogurt in naan?”.
I decided to skip yogurt and use water instead, since we don’t always have dairy-free yogurt on hand. You could use unsweetened non-dairy milk (such as coconut milk, cashew milk or almond milk) in place of water too if you prefer. I just like to keep things as easy and simple as possible.
In some recipes, butter is brushed on top of the naan for extra flavor, but we’re using extra virgin olive oil instead.
Why This Recipe Works
It turns out that making gluten-free naan bread is really not as difficult as you’d imagine. This gluten-free naan recipe is also totally yeast-free (so no rising time needed) and dairy-free (no yogurt required at all!)
I know you’re going to be making this amazing garlic naan recipe on repeat simply because of how easy it is to make, and most importantly, because of how absolutely delicious it tastes!
Soft, tender and slightly chewy the way real naan should be, you won’t miss traditional naan at all! Plus, a batch of this naan recipe is ready in just 30 minutes, so what’s not to love??
We’ve already made it TWICE in a month and I’m guessing we’ll be making more of this soon!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients you’ll need to make gluten-free naan recipe. For exact measurements and quantities, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
- Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: For best results in making this gluten-free naan recipe, I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that is made of a mix of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch) to ensure a fluffier texture. I do NOT recommend using a flour blend with heavier flours such as garbanzo bean flour as that will result in a denser texture.
- Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is a replacement for gluten in gluten-free baked goods, and helps to bind the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend does not include xanthan gum, make sure to add it in.
- Tapioca Starch: You can substitute tapioca starch for the same amount of cassava flour or arrowroot starch. Basically this starch is necessary to give the naan bread a chewy texture.
- Baking Powder: Since this naan recipe doesn’t use yeast, we’ll need baking powder for a leavening effect. I recommend using aluminium-free baking powder to prevent any “metallic” taste that may be present especially when making a recipe that requires baking powder in high quantities to give it the yeast-free rise. If you are Celiac or intolerant/allergic to gluten, make sure you use certified gluten-free baking powder.
- Egg: The egg in this recipe helps to bind the ingredients together. I personally haven’t tried making this gluten-free naan recipe without the egg, but if you are vegan or allergic to eggs, you can try using aquafaba or a flax egg.
- Water: You may substitute the warm water for the same amount of non-dairy milk (such as my 5-minute cashew milk or my easy homemade almond milk). Alternatively, if you’re not lactose-intolerant, feel free to go ahead and use normal dairy milk.
- Olive Oil: I like the taste that extra virgin olive oil imparts to the naan, but if you don’t have olive oil (or simply prefer not to use it), you can use other oils such as sunflower oil or avocado oil instead.
How to Make Gluten-Free Naan Bread (Step by Step):
1. Combine Dry Ingredients:
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients (gluten-free all-purpose flour, xanthan gum (if using), tapioca starch, baking powder, and salt). Whisk well to combine.
2. Whisk Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, warm water, and olive oil together until combined.
3. Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients to Get Dough
Pour the wet mixture bit by bit into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon until you get a soft, pliable ball of dough. You should be able to handle the dough easily.
(If the dough is too dry, add a sprinkle of warm water at a time, and knead until pliable. If the dough is too wet, add a sprinkle of extra flour or tapioca starch until dough is no longer too sticky to handle).
4. Shape Dough into Round Disc and Cut into Portions
Use gluten-free floured hands to shape the naan dough ball into a round disc. Cut the round dough disc into 8 equal portions as you would a pizza. In my opinion this is the easiest and most logical way to get equal portions.
5. Flatten Dough
Flatten each dough portion with either a rolling pin or your fingers on a floured surface until each piece is roughly 1/8-inch thick. You want the dough to be as thin as possible without breaking so the naan doesn’t get too thick.
(The dough doesn’t have to look perfect, in fact, the more rustic is looks, the better!)
6. Prepare Garlic-Parsley Mixture
If using garlic and parsley, mix the fresh garlic and parsley together in a small bowl.
7. Press Garlic-Parsley Mixture into Flattened Dough
Press around 1 teaspoon of garlic-parsley mix evenly on both sides of each piece of flattened dough.
7. Heat Cast Iron Skillet and Add Oil
Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat and once hot, brush the skillet with a little bit of olive oil.
8. Cook Naan Dough
Place a piece of flattened dough in the middle of the skillet and let it cook for approximately 40 seconds until air bubbles start to form at the surface of the dough and the bottom starts to char slightly.
Brush the top of the dough with olive oil, flip it over, and let it cook for another 40 seconds before removing it from the skillet and placing it on a plate and covering it with a kitchen towel.
9. Repeat Until All Dough is Used
Repeat until all the naan dough is cooked and serve warm.
Tear into your naan and devour it!
Now what are you waiting for?
Start tearing into this delicious fragrant gluten-free naan bread and eat it real quick, because it won’t last very long (especially if you’re sharing it with a crowd!).
Dish by Dish Tips and Tricks
- Cast Iron Skillet: I believe using a cast iron skillet will yield the best results, as cast iron mains high heat well and for a long time. You also want the parts of the naan bread that have puffed up to char slightly for the characteristic look that traditional yeast naan has. However, if you don’t own a cast iron skillet, simply make sure to heat up your frying pan or nonstick skillet very well before cooking the naan.
- Make Plain Naan: If you prefer to have plain gluten-free naan bread without any extra flavoring, feel free to leave out the garlic and parsley.
- Garlic and Parsley for Extra Flavor: While you may make this gluten-free naan recipe without the garlic and parsley, I highly recommend adding them for a burst of incredible flavor and taste. (If you love garlic and parsley (like I do!), press some fresh minced garlic and chopped parsley on both sides of each flattened piece of dough. In this case, the amount of garlic is completely discretionary – I personally am a huge fan of garlic, so I put quite a generous amount. )
Recipe FAQs:
To store, place the cooled naan in an airtight container or wrap it in cling film and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Yes you can freeze this naan bread. To freeze, place the cooled naan in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Let frozen naan thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before heating it up and serving.
What to Eat With Gluten-Free Naan?
Curries of Any Kind: The best way to enjoy this fabulous naan bread is to eat it with curries, and these two curries are perfect for that:
Our Favorite Dips: Alternatively, you can also eat this naan bread with either of these dips:
Other Bread Recipes You’ll Love:
- Easy Gluten-Free No Knead Bread (Dairy-Free)
- Easy Gluten-Free Pizza Crust (No-Rise, Dairy-Free)
- Rosemary Focaccia Bread (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Soft, Fluffy Gluten-Free Bread (Dairy-Free)
- Soft, Fluffy Buckwheat Bread (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Easy Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread (Vegan)
- Gluten-Free Flaxseed Coconut Bread (Paleo, Dairy-Free)
- Grain-free Multi-Seed Bread
- Gluten-Free Honey Oat Quick Bread
- 10 Easy Gluten-Free Bread Recipes to Make on Repeat
Appetizer Recipes to Enjoy:
P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!
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Easy Gluten-Free Naan Recipe (No-Yeast, No-Yogurt, Dairy-Free)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 pieces of naan 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Soft and tender with a chewy interior, this super easy gluten-free naan bread recipe is ready in just 30 minutes. Flavored with parsley and garlic for aroma and taste, it’s totally yeast-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free (no yogurt required!), but it’s so good no one would care! Make a fresh batch of this delicious naan and eat it as a side dish or appetizer (with this delicious slow cooker lentil curry, alongside our popular creamy hummus, baba ganoush, or even on its own)!
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already includes it)
- 1/2 cup tapioca starch, plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup warm water, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 1/4 cup fresh minced garlic, optional
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, optional
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Combine all the dry ingredients (gluten-free all-purpose flour, xanthan gum (if using), tapioca starch, baking powder, and salt) in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, warm water, and olive oil together until combined.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients to Get Dough: Pour the wet mixture bit by bit into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon until you get a soft, pliable dough ball. (If the dough is too dry, add a sprinkle of warm water at a time, and knead until pliable. If the dough is too wet, add a sprinkle of tapioca starch until dough is no longer too sticky to handle).
- Shape Dough into Round Disc: Use gluten-free floured hands to shape the dough ball into a round disc.
- Cut Dough into Portions: Cut the round dough disc into 8 equal portions as you would a pizza.
- Flatten Dough: Flatten each dough portion with your fingers or a rolling pin on a floured surfact until each piece of dough is roughly 1/8-inch thick. You want the dough to be as thin as possible without breaking so the naan doesn’t get too thick.
- Prepare Garlic-Parsley Mixture: If using garlic and parsley, mix the fresh garlic and parsley together in a small bowl, and press around 1 teaspoon of garlic-parsley mix evenly on both sides of each piece of flattened dough.
- Heat Cast Iron Skillet: Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat and once hot, brush the skillet with olive oil.
- Cook: Place a piece of flattened dough in the middle of the skillet and let it cook for approximately 40 seconds until air bubbles start to form at the surface of the dough and the bottom starts to char slightly. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil, flip it over, and let it cook for another 40 seconds before removing it from the skillet and placing it on a plate and covering it with a kitchen towel.
- Repeat Until All Dough is Used: Repeat until all the naan is cooked and serve warm.
Notes
Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that is made of a mix of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch) to ensure a fluffier texture. I do NOT recommend using a flour blend with heavier flours such as garbanzo bean flour as that will result in a denser texture.
Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is a replacement for gluten in gluten-free baked goods, and helps to bind the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend does not include xanthan gum, make sure to add it in.
Tapioca Starch: You can substitute tapioca starch for the same amount of cassava flour or arrowroot starch. Basically this starch is necessary to give the naan bread a chewy texture.
Baking Powder: I recommend using aluminium-free baking powder to prevent any “metallic” taste that may be present especially when making a recipe that requires baking powder in high quantities to give it the yeast-free rise. If you are Celiac or intolerant/allergic to gluten, make sure you use certified gluten-free baking powder.
Egg: The egg in this recipe helps to bind the ingredients together. I personally haven’t tried making this gluten-free naan recipe without the egg, but if you are vegan or allergic to eggs, you can try using aquafaba or a flax egg.
Water: You may substitute the water for the same amount of non-dairy milk (such as my 5-minute cashew milk or my easy homemade almond milk). Alternatively, if you’re not lactose-intolerant, feel free to go ahead and use normal dairy milk.
Olive Oil: I like the taste that extra virgin olive oil imparts to the naan, but if you don’t have olive oil (or simply prefer not to use it), you can use other oils such as sunflower oil or avocado oil instead.
Cast Iron Skillet: I believe using a cast iron skillet will yield the best results, as cast iron mains high heat well and for a long time. However, if you don’t own a cast iron skillet, simply make sure to heat up your skillet very well before cooking the naan.
Storing/Freezing: To store, place the cooled naan in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, place the cooled naan in a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Let frozen naan thaw completely overnight in the refrigerator before heating it up and serving.
This recipe was originally posted in May 2020 but has since been updated to include ingredient photos, ingredient notes and substitutions, as well as clearer step-by-step instructions.
Adapted from: Tea for Turmeric
- Category: Bread
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: gluten-free naan bread, dairy-free naan bread, easy gluten-free naan recipe, no-yeast naan recipe
Hi, I am only a 12 year old (oldest, and a brother), with a 11 year old sister and we made these for supper with curry mad by our parents. They taste amazing! Thanks soooo much for posting this recipe.
★★★★★
Hi Ethan!
Sooo nice to meet you, and so happy to hear that the gluten-free naan turned out well with the curry (which sounds delish, btw!). Thank you for your sweet comment, and I hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
Cheers,
Felicia
I love the easy ingredients of your gf naan (especially since dairy-free yogurt is not required)! Much better than another recipe I tried which was too crumbly. While I had to double the amount of water to get my mixture into a pliable dough, they fried up just fine in a non-stick pan (I don’ t have a cast iron pan), with 2 minutes on each side. The garlic/parsley mixture is an excellent touch. Also, after refrigerating them (where they were rather rock hard), I wrapped a small stack of the naan in aluminum foil and baked them at 300F for about 10 minutes. They came out nice and soft again! These naan are worthy to be made again. Thank you!
★★★★★
Hi Victoria!!
I’m so happy to hear that you love this naan!! Garlic and parsley always make any savory dish so much tastier, don’t they? Thanks for the tip on reheating the naan in foil in the oven to get them soft again, that’s definitely something to keep in mind!
Thanks for the lovely comment, and I hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
Cheers,
Felicia
These turned out waaayyy better than the yogurt GF naan that I tried to make lady weekend, except they were just a tad too salty. I also overcooked some, but that’s user error. I may try adding just a drop of lemon juice for a slightly yogurt taste. This is currently my go to for flat bread. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Hi Lisa! so happy to hear that you enjoyed this naan! Adding lemon juice for a tangy taste sounds like a good idea too! 🙂 Have a great weekend, and hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
Wonderful flavor and texture. I love this!
★★★★★
Hi Tammy! So happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know, and I hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
Good morning Felicia,
I have to give a big shout-out that your simple naan-making recipe not only saves us precious preparation time but it also retains the superb texture and taste of the naan prepared in the traditional way.
Your gluten-free and dairy-free recipe will no doubt benefit the community of people (Juan included) who are intolerant of gluten and lactose but still yearn to enjoy naan!
Thank you for your diligent contribution to make this world a better place – food-wise! Good job ! ! !
We love and appreciate you 🙂
Mum
★★★★★
Hi mummy!! So happy that you found the instructions and tips useful 😉 If you make this naan one day let me know how it goes. Next time let’s go to Chat Masala when I’m back in SG!
Love you too!!
So good! I was wondering if it’s possible to make the dough ahead of time and fry when ready?
★★★★★
Hi Emily! So happy to hear you loved the naan! Yes, I don’t see why not. Make the dough and then freeze them (separating each piece of naan dough with a plastic separator so they don’t stick together when frozen). Remove the pieces of dough and let them thaw until soft before frying 🙂 Let me know how that goes if you do that!
Hope to see you around the blog again sometime soon!
xx,F.
Best gluten free naan recipe! It’s so easy to make and comes out great every time! My family is obsessed when I make this. I find that the tapioca starch is really necessary for the chewy naan texture. Thank you for sharing an amazing alternative for naan; nothing can replace real yeasty milk naan, but this recipe is milk and gluten free and I appreciate that. Thanks!
★★★★★
Hi Michelle! I am sooo happy to hear this and thank you for the great review and feedback! I know what you mean – nothing can replace real yeasty milk naan, but this is a pretty darn good alternative as you said! Glad you and your family enjoy it dear! Hope to see you around the blog again soon!