Quick & Easy Gluten Free Naan Bread (No Yeast)

Soft, pillowy, puffy gluten free naan -- baking powder instead of yeast, ready in about 45 minutes

— 10% AI

Yield: 8 naan breadsPrep: 15 minCook: 30 minTotal: 45 minSource: The Loopy Whisk (Katrin Nurnberger)-Quick & Easy Gluten Free Naan Bread (No Yeast)

Naan Dough

IngredientEnglish1x2x3x4x
Whole Psyllium Huskif using psyllium husk powder, use 17 g; cannot be substituted20 g (4 tbsp)20 g40 g60 g80 g
Warm Water360 g (1 1/2 cups)360 g720 g1.08 kg1.44 kg
Millet Floursee Notes for substitution options235 g (1 3/4 cups), plus extra for flouring235 g470 g705 g940 g
Tapioca Starchcornstarch, potato starch, or arrowroot work equally by weight130 g (1 cup + 2 1/2 tbsp)130 g260 g390 g520 g
Sugarfor browning, not sweetness1 tbsp caster/superfine or granulated1 tbsp2 tbsp3 tbsp4 tbsp
Baking Powderreplaces yeast1 1/2 tsp1.5 tsp3 tsp4.5 tsp6 tsp
Salt1 tsp1 tsp2 tsp3 tsp4 tsp
Plain or Greek-Style Yogurtunsweetened; dairy-free untested by the creator but should work75 g (1/3 cup), room temperature75 g150 g225 g300 g
Olive Oilsunflower or vegetable oil also work25 g (2 tbsp)25 g50 g75 g100 g

To Finish

IngredientEnglish1x2x3x4x
Ghee or Buttersalted butter recommended45 g (3 tbsp), melted45 g90 g135 g180 g
Parsley or Cilantrooptional but adds flavourFinely chopped————

Pantry swaps

OriginalSwap1Swap2Swap3Swap4Swap5
Millet Flour1 cup plus 3 tablespoons cake flour (not advised for cookies or quick breads)1 cup self-rising flour (omit baking powder and salt from recipe)Reader suggestion:\xa05/8 cup potato flour1–1/4 cups rye flour or coarsely ground whole-grain flour1 cup cornmeal
1111.251
Sugar1 cup firmly packed brown sugar1–3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar (makes baked goods less crisp)1 cup superfine sugar
111.751
Baking Powder1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
10.25
Plain or Greek-Style Yogurt1 cup sour cream (thicker; less tart) or buttermilk (thinner; use in baking, dressings, sauces)
11
Ghee or Butter1 cup margarine1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup shortening7/8 cup vegetable oil
1110.87510.875
Parsley or CilantroParsley (for color only; flavor cannot be duplicated)
——

Method

  1. Make the psyllium gel: in a bowl, mix together the psyllium husk and warm water. A gel forms after about 30-45 seconds.
  2. In a separate large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), whisk together the millet flour, tapioca starch, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Add the yoghurt and olive oil to the psyllium gel, mix well, then add them to the dry ingredients.
  4. Mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the dough starts coming together, then knead thoroughly by hand, squeezing the dough through your fingers and working around the bowl. Make sure there are no patches or clumps of dry flour.
  5. The final dough should come away from the sides of the bowl and be springy and supple, not too sticky. It does not need a perfectly smooth surface – just homogeneous.
  6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball.
  7. Divide it into 8 equal portions (about 110 g each if using a scale) and shape each into a ball. Keep the dough balls covered with a dish towel so they do not dry out.
  8. Roll each ball into a round or oval about 7-8 inches (18-20 cm) in diameter and 1/8-1/4 inch (4-6 mm) thick, dusting the surface and top with flour as needed and rotating frequently.
  9. Roll out all the naan first, stacking them with parchment paper between and covering with a dish towel.
  10. Cook: preheat a large dry pan or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (a droplet of water should sizzle and jump). Cook each naan 1-2 minutes until bubbles form on top and the underside is deep golden or slightly charred, then flip and cook about 1 minute more until golden-brown or charred spots form.
  11. Brush immediately with the melted ghee or butter mixed with the finely chopped parsley or cilantro. Serve warm.

Notes

Servings: 8 naan breads. Per naan (estimated): ~265 kcal, ~4 g protein, ~39 g carbs, ~10 g fat, ~4 g fiber. Macros are estimates summed from USDA per-100 g values for the listed ingredients – the source does not state nutrition. Fiber comes mostly from the psyllium husk and millet flour.

Structure is everything here: the creator tested shop-bought 1-1 gluten free flour blends and a 2:1 tapioca-to-millet ratio, and both failed (gummy, doughy, undercooked) because the starch content was too high. The recipe’s ratio – more millet flour than tapioca starch, about 65:35 by weight – is what produces the soft, pillowy, chewy texture. Do not swap the ratio.

Psyllium husk cannot be substituted with another ingredient; it is what makes the dough pliable enough to knead and roll. If using psyllium husk powder instead of the whole husk, use only 85% of the weight (17 g).

Substitutions (all by weight, per the source): tapioca starch can be replaced with an equal weight of cornstarch (US) / cornflour (UK), potato starch, or arrowroot. Millet flour can be replaced with an equal weight of finely ground brown rice flour (naan may be slightly less fluffy), or with sorghum, corn flour (US) / maize flour (UK), light buckwheat, or white teff – but those absorb more moisture, so add about 45-60 g (3-4 tbsp) extra water slowly until the dough is soft and supple but not sticky.

Reheating (naan keeps 2-3 days in an airtight container): microwave 30-45 seconds; or stovetop in a covered pan over medium heat with a light water spray, 45-60 seconds per side; or oven at 350 F / 180 C for 3-5 minutes after a light water spray.

Source: The Loopy Whisk (Katrin Nurnberger), “Quick & Easy Gluten Free Naan Bread (No Yeast)”, published 2023-03-05. https://theloopywhisk.com/2023/03/05/easy-gluten-free-naan-bread/

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