This is the only gluten free naan recipe that you need! Soft, springy, and brushed with melted garlic butter, this gluten free garlic naan tastes amazing and is simple to make.

WHY I MADE THIS GLUTEN FREE NAAN

I’m a HUGE fan of any flatbread from any culture, and the same goes for naan. The first time I had naan was when I was in college, and it quickly became my favorite snack, side dish, and late night nibble. To this day, I’ll always order garlic naan at any Indian restaurant!

So, I was craving garlic naan recently and got ready to make it for the upteenth time. I was legitimately right about to pull the canister of all purpose flour out of my cabinet when a thought hit me–what if I tried to make gluten free naan, instead? I had no idea where to start, though. Gluten free breads are a whole different beast than what I’m used to, but I was up to the challenge.

It took me four tries to get this recipe just right.

I first tested this recipe with a 1:1 Gluten Free Flour substitute, and the result was a disaster. The dough did not hold together at all, obviously, because of the lack of gluten. So I did some research and learned about Gluten Free Bread Flour, which is the cheat code to gluten free bread making. Gluten Free Bread Flour is made from gluten-free wheat starch, so it mimics the properties of wheat, without the gluten!

HERE is a link to the Gluten Free Bread Flour that I use, it’s a game changer! This is not sponsored at all, by the way. I seriously just want you to have great results when you make this recipe.

The second game changer to making this gluten free naan recipe is using whole psyllium husk, which may be a new ingredient for some of you. I actually already had a canister of psyllium husk in my cabinet because I used to add it to water and drink it every morning. It’s an awesome source of fiber and super good for your gut health!

Psyllium husk is the key to adding strength to the dough and helping it stick together. Psyllium husk has a wonderful gelling property, which is why it’s good for your gut (and for gluten free bread making)! Note that I used whole psyllium husk for this recipe, not psyllium husk powder, which is different.

Because gluten free bread is missing the structure that gluten gives it, using this combination of wheat starch flour and psyllium husk makes this recipe work beautifully.

GARLIC NAAN KEY INGREDIENTS

• Yeast and Baking Powder: Naan is a fluffy, pliable flatbread that gets part of its wonderful texture from yeast, a common rising agent. Sometimes, baking powder is also added to make the bread even lighter. We use both here because we’re already working without gluten, so our gluten free naan definitely benefits from the work of both. If we didn’t use a rising agent, then our naan would be tough and crumbly like a cracker (no thanks).
• Honey: Yeast needs to eat sugar in order to activate, and I almost always use honey as my sugar agent for recipes that call for yeast (like for my Easy Focaccia Recipe). You could also use white sugar, brown sugar, or even maple syrup, if you prefer.
• Egg: Adds a bit of moisture which makes the dough pliable, and just the right amount of stickiness to hold the dough together.
• Yogurt: A key ingredient to making naan. Adding yogurt makes the dough super duper soft, which is what you want.
• Gluten Free Bread Flour: Is made from gluten-free wheat starch, so it mimics the properties of wheat, without the gluten. You MUST use a gluten free bread flour if you are following this recipe. Other 1:1 Gluten Free Flours will not work! HERE is a link to the Gluten Free Bread Flour that I use, it’s a game changer! This is not sponsored at all, by the way. I seriously just want you to have great results if you try this recipe.
• Psyllium husk: Adds structure to the dough, and allows it to stretch without breaking. Psyllium husk has a wonderful gelling property, which is why it’s good for your gut (and for gluten free bread making)! Because gluten free bread is missing the structure that gluten gives it, using a combination of wheat starch flour and psyllium husk makes this recipe work beautifully.

MY GLUTEN FREE NAAN RECIPE

The full recipe for my gluten free naan is in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post, but here’s a quick overview of how to make it. Be sure to scroll down though to view the full recipes to get all of the measurements and instructions!

Garlic Naan

• Combine the warm water, yeast and honey together in a large bowl.
• Mix in the egg, oil, yogurt, and minced garlic until combined.
• Add in the gluten free bread flour, psyllium husk, baking powder, and salt. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough together until it is round and smooth.
• Rest in the fridge for one hour.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 8 pieces. Shape each piece of dough into a loose ball.
• Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a rough oval.
• Working one naan at a time, place the flattened dough on a hot cast iron skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the bottom has brown spots.
• Flip over and cook for 2 more minutes.

Garlic Butter Topping

• Brush both sides of the hot naan with the garlic butter topping. Serve warm.

HOW LONG DOES THIS NAAN TAKE TO MAKE?

The full recipe is below, but here’s the gist of it:

Activate the yeast, and then add in the rest of the dough ingredients. These steps take about 15 minutes total.

Then, you’ll rest the dough in the fridge for an hour. Remove the dough from the fridge and divide it into 8 dough balls, and roll them flat.

Cook each of the naan individually for about 2 minutes on each side.

So, here’s a breakdown of how long this recipe takes to make:

• Prep time: 40 mins
• Cook time: 30 minutes
• Rest Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

HOW TO STORE THIS GLUTEN FREE NAAN?

Cool the naan completely and place in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Reheat the naan either in a hot skillet (best method), or in the microwave. Because this naan is so soft and pliable, you don’t have to worry about it getting hard or drying out over time.

GARLIC NAAN FAQ

1. Can I make this naan dairy-free?

Yes! You can substitute the yogurt with a thick, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt (like coconut or almond yogurt), and use plant-based butter for the garlic butter topping. Just be sure the yogurt isn’t too liquidy.

2. What kind of gluten-free bread flour should I use?

Here is the one I used for this recipe: King Arthur’s Gluten Free Bread Flour.

3. What does psyllium husk do in this recipe?

Psyllium husk acts as a binder and helps give the naan its elasticity and structure, mimicking the role of gluten. It also improves the texture, making the dough easier to roll out and preventing it from being too crumbly.

4. Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes! You can refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours.

5. Why didn’t my dough rise?

If your dough didn’t rise, your yeast may have been inactive or the water may have been too hot or too cold. Check out this helpful blog post for other tips: 6 Reasons Why Your Dough Didn’t Rise.

6. Can I freeze the naan?

Absolutely. Once cooked and cooled, wrap the naan individually in plastic wrap or foil and store in a freezer-safe container. To reheat, warm it in a skillet or oven until hot. Brush with a bit more garlic butter before serving.

7. Do I need a cast iron skillet?

A cast iron skillet gives the best texture and browning, but if you don’t have one, a heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet or griddle will work. Just make sure it gets hot enough to cook the naan quickly to create those surface bubbles.

8. Can I leave out the garlic?

Yes! If you prefer plain naan, you can skip the garlic in both the dough and the butter topping.

9. Why is my dough sticky?

Gluten-free dough is naturally a bit stickier than traditional dough. If it’s too sticky to handle, dust your hands and surface with a bit more gluten-free flour while shaping.

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