Don’t tell me. You love Indian food and naan bread is your favorite, and since bread is usually vegan, you have your hopes up for this one.
Well, unfortunately, traditional naan bread is not vegan as it’s usually made with four non-vegan ingredients, including ghee, eggs, milk, and yogurt.
If you go to an Indian restaurant, that is probably the version you will find.
Though, don’t let it get you down. If you absolutely love naan bread, you can either make your own vegan version or actually look for vegan naan bread in the supermarket.
In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about naan bread.
What is Naan Bread?
Naan is a leavened, oven-baked flatbread that is found in many cuisines across the world, including Western Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Caribbean.
A typical naan recipe involves mixing white or whole wheat flour with active dry yeast, salt, and water. It is traditionally cooked in a tandoor, which is a clay oven shaped like a chimney pot. The dough is stuck on the wall of the tandoor, but you can also do it in a pre-heated pizza stone if you don’t have a tandoor.
There is plain naan, but there are also many other varieties, which will also vary based on the region or where you’re ordering your naan bread.
If you want to make naan bread, you start by proofing the yeast with warm water and sugar, which will encourage the yeast mixture to ferment and become frothy. The proofed yeast is then mixed with the rest of the ingredients, which include flour, milk, egg, yogurt, oil, salt, which may vary depending on the recipe.
The mixture is kneaded into a soft but loose dough that is placed into a bowl and left to rise. The risen dough is then kneaded lightly and divided into individual portions, rolled into balls, and left to rise again. Then you roll the balls and stretch them into a teardrop shape, stick them into the wall of the tandoor and wait until the top of the naan bubbles up and the bottom gets slightly charred before taking them out.
Are Naan Bread and Pita Bread the Same?
Naan and Pita bread are not the same, as they are made using different ingredients.
Naan bread is made with an egg and yogurt base that thickens and gives it a different texture when cooking, while Pita bread is a lean bread with a thin texture and is simply made with basic ingredients like flour, water, yeast, salt, and olive oil.
Traditionally, naan bread is cooked in a tandoor, a chimney-like oven, and pita bread is cooked in a traditional clay oven, though they can both be cooked in regular household ovens.
Also, while naan bread is original from Asia, Pita bread’s origins can be found in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, as well as a few neighboring areas.
Is Naan Bread Vegan?
Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of naan bread is not suitable for vegans, as they often contain ghee (clarified butter), yogurt, milk, and oftentimes eggs.
However, it’s still possible to buy vegan naan bread in supermarkets, but I would be careful about eating naan bread in restaurants, as they’re usually not vegan-friendly.
Where to Buy Vegan Naan Bread
This was the first legitimate vegan naan bread I found.
It was the first option that popped up with a quick Google search. According to the ‘Stonefire’ website, you can find this brand in the following franchises:
- Walmart
- Costco
- Albertsons Foods
- Food Lion Grocery Stores
- Ralphs
- Peterson’s
- and more.
Ralphs even has it available on its website.
Though from experience, I always prefer to visit a physical store because there’s a higher chance you’ll find it there than online
Although if you want to save money, there’s an even better way of eating vegan naan bread.
It might not help you save time, but it’s healthier.
Vegan Naan Bread Recipes
Making naan bread seems like something only a cook would be able to do, but it’s not that complicated. In fact, some even compare it to making pancakes.
It’s quite easy to make vegan pancakes but I can tell you naan bread takes considerably longer. Additionally, there’s a couple of people who can do it 100x better than me.
Here’s a list of recipes you can use to make vegan naan bread at home:
- Easy Vegan Naan by Nora Cooks
- Vegan Naan by Minimalist Baker
- Fluffy Vegan Naan by Loving It Vegan
- Homemade Vegan Naan by Simple Veganista
They are all based on yeast, flour, salt, and oil. All plant-based ingredients.
Expect to invest a bit of time trying to replicate any one of the recipes. And rest assured, they all try to stick to Indian roots, so you’re in for a nostalgic and amazing treat!
Summary
Yes, naan bread is still bread, but not all bread is made the same, and unfortunately, naan bread is often made using animal ingredients, so the overwhelming majority is not vegan-friendly.
With that being said, you can still find vegan naan bread, as some store-bought brands use only plant-based ingredients, and you can find them in places like Walmart, or other retailers like Amazon.
Naan Bread FAQs
Is Naan Bread Gluten-Free?
Naan is traditionally made with wheat flour, therefore, it’s not suitable for those with a gluten allergy, however, it’s not impossible to find gluten-free naan bread in the supermarket. Additionally, there are also recipes online that can help you make gluten-free naan bread.
Is Naan Bread Keto?
No, naan bread is not keto, as it still contains a lot of carbohydrates, however, there are low-carb keto naan bread recipes that you can replicate if you want to have naan bread on a keto diet.
Is Naan Bread Indian?
While it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact origin of naan bread, it did not originate in India, as “naan” is the Persian word for “bread”, and is of Iranian origin. Some sources claim that na