An easy gluten-free flatbread recipe (naan) that only takes 5 ingredients to make. It’s done in 35 minutes and can be eaten as a side with curry, or used as the base for pizza, gyros, or your favorite wrap.
Easy and Delicious Gluten Free Naan (Flatbread) Recipe
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This gluten free naan bread recipe should probably come with a warning label.
Like…
Carbs will be extremely easy to consume label.
Or, you will eat so much bread label.
This gluten-free naan bread recipe is easy and results in a super tasty, soft, bendable, and versatile flatbread.
All you’ll need is a handful of ingredients (five ingredients, to be exact) and you’re on your way to the most delicious naan bread ever.
What baking ingredients do you need?
This is the best bread recipe because you only need five ingredients, and one of them is water.
Here’s what you need:
A good gluten free flour blend, salt, water, cane sugar, and yeast.
That’s it.
Ok, and oil for the pan, but that doesn’t really count, does it?
What kind of flour is best
Since there are so few ingredients in this bread, it’s important to use good ones, especially the flour! Not all gluten free flours are created equal. My favorite gluten free flour to use is this homemade blend.
If you want to use a pre-made bend, I like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, Pamela’s All-purpose, and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure. Mostly, I just advise against gluten-free flours that contain garbanzo beans, or chickpea flour. It has a distinctly “gluten free taste” that is, in a word, nasty (to me ;)).
You can use any gluten-free all-purpose blend that you like, of course! Do not use plain rice flour, almond flour, or coconut flour. Even though they are gluten free, you want to use a flour blend so that the naan is soft and flexible. This requires starch and some sort of gum for the best texture.
Jump over to this recipe for my gluten free flour blend that has a great ratio of grain, starch, and gum. Then come on back. I’ll wait.
Gluten free naan doesn’t mean dry
This gluten free naan recipe is actually quite soft and bendable, just like the naan bread I remember eating at a restaurant in my pre-gluten-free life time. It has beautiful chew, especially hot off the pan.
I really like to brush on some oil as soon as I take these off the griddle and wrap them in a damp cloth to keep them warm.
These are best the first day, but can be refrigerated or frozen after cooking and reheated as needed.
What to eat with your gluten free naan bread
I like to make these…well…whenever I can justify it.
Here are some ideas for what to eat this gluten free naan bread with, just to get you started:
- Side with Chicken Tikka Masala
- Crust for open faced “grilled cheese” (with carmelized onions)
- Wrap for Greek gyros
- Falafel wraps with goat cheese
- Crust for mini pizzas
How to roll out gluten free naan bread
Gluten free bread is notoriously sticky. It’s very much like working with a thick batter rather than regular (wheat-based) dough. While this easy bread is not nearly as batter-like as this delicious gluten free sandwich bread, it is still on the sticky side.
You can do one of two methods:
- Use gf flour/starch to roll out the naan.
- Use water on your hands to press the naan.
If you choose to use the water method, you’ll re-wet your hands and you’ll have to press the dough right onto the hot griddle. This is not great for beginner bakers.
Ya have to work fast and have no fear of getting burned.
You’ll also want to have an oiled cooking surface, no matter which method you go with.
Gluten Free Naan Flatbread
An easy gluten-free flatbread recipe (naan) that only takes 5 ingredients to make. It's done in 35 minutes and can be eaten as a side with curry, or used as the base for pizza, gyros, or your favorite wrap.
Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten free flour blend
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cane sugar or honey
- 1 packet dry yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast)
Instructions
- In a measuring bowl, add warm water (about 110 degrees F, not too hot) and stir in sugar to dissolve it slightly. Gently stir in the yeast and allow mixture to proof for 5 minutes, getting nice and bubbly.
- While the yeast is proofing, combine flour and salt in the bowl of a mixer. I like to use my KitchenAid stand mixer, but you can mix this by hand in a large mixing bowl as well.
- Once yeast is done proofing, add it to the flour and mix it until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and cover the dough with plastic wrap or a reusable silicone cover.
- Allow to rise in a warm spot for 20-25 minutes. If you're in a hurry, you can shorten the time, but this will create a denser flatbread.
- Heat a griddle or large pan to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease the pan with a high heat oil like coconut or grapeseed.
- To make your naan, lightly flour a flat surface and scoop 1-4 to 1/2 cup worth of dough into the center. Flour the top of the dough ball and your hands and then use your hands to roll it into a ball.
- Place the round dough ball back on the floured counter and dust the top again with flour. Use a rolling pin or smooth round glass to roll out the naan until it's 1/2 thick.
- Use a flat spatula to help pick up the rolled dough and place it on the hot griddle.
- Repeat with the rest of the dough.
- Cook the naan on each side for 2-4 minutes, until puffy and opaque.
- An alternate method is to roll the dough with wet hands. To do this, wet your hands and take a large golf-ball sized piece of dough. Roll it into a ball and then flatten slightly before putting it on the hot griddle and quickly flattening with your hands.
sounds great, going out to buy yeast, and make for dinner Wednesday eve to compliment barbqued chicken and a nice vege dish.
thank you
Lorip
Lorip, That sounds like a delicious menu plan! Enjoy <3
This is a great recipe, so simple. I pre baked , then froze and baked later for pizza . My husband , not fond of gf breads , loved them.
Nadene, thank you for sharing such a great idea! I’m so happy to hear you loved them. <3
this looks amazing. can’t wait to make it for Christmas day.