Chickpea Flour Naan {vegan, grain-free, easy}

overhead shot of chickpea flour naan with a lace edged napkin alongside

4.86 from 71 votes

Chickpea Flour Naan {vegan, grain-free, easy}

Chickpea flour naan is the vegan, grain-free, yeast-free & gluten-free flatbread you've been looking for! Make it in minutes on the stovetop.

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: chickpea flour, chickpea flour bread, dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free vegan naan, nut-free, vegan, vegan flatbread, vegan gluten-free naan, vegan grain-free flatbread, yeast-free

Servings: naan (flatbreads)

Author: Camilla

Ingredients

1/2 cup nondairy milk (e.g., soy milk, cashew milk, almond milk)
1.5 teaspoons lemon juice (or use a light colored vinegar)
1 cup chickpea flour
3 tablespoons whole psyllium husks (see note for psyllium powder)
1.5 teaspoons baking powder (certified GF, as needed)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
Optional: 1 and 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

Optional:

2 teaspoons vegetable oil any variety
Nonstick cooking spray or additional oil for brushing

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a small bowl or cup, combine the milk and lemon juice. Let stand 5 minutes to curdle.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the chickpea flour, whole psyllium husks, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. If you want to make this garlic naan, stir in the (optional) garlic powder as well.
Add the nondairy milk mixture and oil to the bowl. Mix, scraping sides of the bowl, until a cohesive dough forms. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes (this allows the psyllium to absorb the liquid, making the dough easier to handle).
Divide the dough into 3 equal portions (you can use your kitchen scale, or just eyeball it). Using your hands, roll each portion into a ball and place on a well-floured (with chickpea flour) cutting board or other work surface.
Place one dough ball in the center of the well-floured board; sprinkle with some of the chickpea flour. With fingers, press dough into an oval-ish shape. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a wide oval shape that is about 7- to 8-inches long, 4- to 5-inches wide Spritz the dough with nonstick cooking spray or very lightly brush with additional oil.
Heat a medium or large cast-iron skillet (or other heavy, non-stick skillet) over medium-high heat until it is hot. Add a piece of the rolled-out dough, sprayed/oiled side down, to the skillet and cook for 1 minute, or until the top of the dough begins to bubble up slightly in a few places and the bottom has deep golden-brown spots (when you lift and peek).
Using a spatula, turn the dough onto the other side. Cook the second side for about 1 minute longer, or until the bottom it has deep golden spots, too. Transfer the naan to a rack or plate. Loosely cover with a clean dish cloth to keep warm.
Repeat with remaining dough. If desire, sprinkle with parsley, cilantro, or flaky salt. Serve warm.

Notes

Chickpea flour tip: You can use any variety of chickpea flour (including varieties labeled besan, garbanzo bean flour and gram flour).

Vinegar tip: If using vinegar instead of lemon juice, opt for a relatively neutral-flavored option (e.g., cider vinegar or white vinegar).

Psyllium Powder Substitution: For best results, I recommend using whole psyllium husks. However, if you only have psyllium husk powder, use 1 tablespoon powder (15 grams) in place of the whole psyllium husks (note: I have not tested the recipe with psyllium husk powder).

Nutrition