Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Naan Recipe | Gluten-Free Palate (2024)

This easy recipe for Gluten-Free Naan made with all-purpose flour, yogurt, and a few other simple ingredients is precisely the gluten-free side dish you've been waiting for! This recipe is tried and tested, made without any eggs or yeast, and tastes just like traditional naan should.

You can make yeast-free and gluten-free naan at home for pennies rather than spending big bucks at the grocery store for a less than an amazing package of gluten-free naan. For a delicious and authentic experience, serve freshly cooked naan with melted butter or ghee, garlic, and fresh herbs.

If you are new to gluten-free flours, you don't have to worry. There are a lot of resources for you to use. If you love bread recipes, try this gluten-free pita bread! Alternatively, try one of the best gluten-free recipes. One of our favorite appetizers now is gluten-free latkes. If you want to try out more Indian recipes, try your hand at these crispy gluten-free samosas and this delicious Instant Pot dal makhani.

If you love learning different techniques and cooking skills, sign up for Udemy's Gluten-Free Cooking Courses.

What is Naan?

If you aren't already familiar, Naan is a flatbread that is a bit similar to pita bread. The main difference is that Naan is an enriched flatbread. All that means is that we'll add things to the dough, like oil, milk, and yogurt, to give the bread more flavor. As a bonus, adding enrichments to gluten-free bread dough makes the dough easier to work with.

Naan is often made with yeast, but this recipe is much easier without it. If you're an Indian bread connoisseur, you might find that this flatbread is sort of a cross between traditional naan and the less fluffy Kulcha flatbread.

Traditional Naan is cooked in a tandoor clay oven, but you don't need to own a tandoor to make naan. A cast iron skillet works just fine!

Gluten-Free Naan Recipe

There are so many amazing reasons to make your own naan bread! You will be so glad to have this easy gluten-free naan bread recipe in your toolbox, especially once you realize how simple it is to make and how much it's like traditional naan.

You can enjoy gluten-free Indian bread fresh from the skillet in about a half hour.

Why You’re Going to Love This Gluten-free Naan

Quick and Easy Gluten-Free Bread Recipe - Just like our gluten-free English muffins recipe, this bread is made on the stovetop. You can mix the dough and cook fresh gluten-free naan while the rest of your dinner is in the oven or the instant pot.

Use Any Gluten-Free Flour Blend- Like many of our gluten-free bread recipes. This one uses gluten-free all-purpose flour. You can use your favorite store-bought blend (we like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 baking flour and King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour), or you can mix up your own gluten-free flour blend using our recipe.

Tender and Delicious - Yogurt and olive oil in the dough give this flatbread the perfect amount of moisture and a soft, pliable texture that makes it ideal for folding, wrapping, or dipping into a bowl of Tzatziki.

Make-Ahead Instructions - You can make gluten-free naan dough early in the day or the night before so that it's ready to go when it's time to eat!

The Perfect Side Dish - There's nothing better than naan bread for wiping your plate clean after enjoying a warm curry or a hearty stew.

Ingredients In Homemade Gluten-free Naan

GF Flour - This recipe will work with a variety of gluten-free flour blends. We suggest a blend like Bob's Red Mill 1:1 baking flour that has rice flour as the base, or one of our homemade flour blends. It would be best to try not to make this recipe with almond flour. It's designed to be made with a baking blend.

Xanthan Gum - You only need to add xanthan gum if your flour blend doesn't already include it. Just take a peek at the ingredients to be sure. Xanthan gum helps to replicate the stretchiness of gluten and is a must when making all types of gluten-free breads.

Baking Powder - To give the naan a fluffy, airy texture, baking powder is key.

Salt - You don't need much, but salt gives this homemade bread just enough flavor.

Olive Oil - Use good quality olive oil for making the naan dough and for cooking the naan.

Milk - Warm the milk slightly to make the dough easier to mix. You can use unsweetened non-dairy milk if you want to make the dough vegan and dairy free.

yogurt - Plain, unsweetened, regular yogurt adds a tangy flavor, and the acidity of it reacts with the baking powder in the best way. Coconut yogurt is an excellent alternative if you want to remove all of the dairy from this recipe.

When you're ready to serve your naan, I suggest coating it with a generous amount of melted ghee, butter, olive oil, crushed garlic, and chopped parsley.

Equipment Needed for This Gluten-free Naan

Cast Iron Pan - Use a Cast Iron Pan that holds heat the best and will do a fantastic job of cooking the naan quickly and evenly.

Mixing bowls - These Pyrex mixing bowls come in handy.

Rolling pin - I use the traditional wooden rolling pin.

If you have any questions about making gluten-free naan, please leave a comment, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

How To Make Gluten-Free Naan

1. Add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.
2. Once the ingredients start to come together, use your hands to press the dough into a big ball. Knead briefly to be sure that all of the ingredients are combined. If the dough seems sticky, add a small amount of flour until you get a smooth naan dough.
3. Dust the surface with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and cut the dough into 8 equal pieces.
4. Turn each portion into a smooth ball.
5. Dust the surface with more flour so that nothing sticks.
6. Use a rolling pin to roll each ball into an oval, naan shape, about a quarter of an inch thick.
7. Cook the rolled GF naan in a heavy skillet that has been heated and brushed with oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until you see some bubbles forming, then flip and cook for two more minutes on the other side.
8. To serve, brush the naan with melted butter, crushed garlic, and chopped fresh parsley.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions in gluten-free naan, please see the complete recipe below.

Tips for Making The Best Gluten-Free Naan

Use a Cast Iron Pan - This pan holds heat the best and will cook the naan quickly and evenly.

Serving size - We've made 8 servings with this recipe, but you can feel free to divide the dough differently to make smaller naan pieces.

Vegan option - Make your naan vegan by replacing milk and yogurt with dairy-free alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Naan Gluten-Free?

Sometimes people think that flatbreads like tortillas and naan are already gluten-free, but unfortunately, that's not generally the case. Flatbreads are traditionally made with wheat flour, so this wheat-free naan recipe is needed!

This gluten-free naan recipe is also egg-free and nut-free and can be made dairy-free with some simple ingredient adjustments.

Once you master naan, you should also learn how to make this super easy Gluten-Free Roti!

How Do You Store This Easy Gluten-Free Naan?

This crispy naan is genuinely best when eaten immediately. However, if that's impossible, you can keep them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

How Do You Reheat Gluten-Free Naan?

This yeast-free gluten-free naan reheats best in the oven. Please place it in a preheated 350°F oven for about 5 minutes.

We don't recommend microwaving, as the naan will get soft and potentially overcooked this way.

Can I Make Gluten-free Naan Dough Ahead Of Time?

The dough for this gluten-free naan recipe can be made and stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before cooking it.

What Is The Best Gluten-free Flour For Naan?

We've developed this recipe using an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. Generally, we recommend blends that are rice flour based. See our guide on Gluten-Free Flours for more details and recipes for our favorite DIY flour blends.

What Substitutions / Replacements Can I Make in This Gluten-Free Naan Bread?

Dairy-free - Coconut yogurt is an excellent alternative if you want to remove all of the dairy from this recipe. In addition, you can use unsweetened non-dairy milk if you make the dough vegan and dairy free.

Egg-free - This recipe does not contain any eggs.

Yeast-Free - This recipe does not have any yeast in it.

How Do You Make This Into A Gluten-Free Garlic Naan Bread?

Brush the cooked naan with melted butter, crushed garlic, and chopped parsley. Serve it warm. And you have garlic and naan!

What Can You Eat With Gluten-Free Naan Bread?

The traditional naan is eaten with curry. You can also use it as a pizza base or even an appetizer with a dip.

Why Is My Gluten-Free Naan Dough Too Dry?

If your dough is too dry or crumbly, add additional olive oil. I suggest another tablespoon.

Why Did My Gluten-Free Naan Dough No Rise?

This GF naan recipe does not use yeast in it. So it does not need to rise.

Did you make this gluten-free Naan recipe? Please leave a comment below and let us know what you thought!

Related:Gluten-Free Curry