If you’ve been missing naan bread since going gluten free, this one is for you. This gluten free garlic butter naan is soft, fluffy, and tastes just like the real thing.

It’s made with a simple dough using gluten free all-purpose flour, yogurt, and warm water. No yeast needed, so you don’t have to wait around for anything to rise.

Once the naan is cooked, you brush it with a garlic butter and cilantro topping that makes it honestly hard to stop eating. It smells incredible too.

You can serve it with curry, soup, or just eat it on its own. It works with pretty much anything.

The whole recipe comes together in about 30 minutes, and you only need a handful of ingredients. Let me walk you through it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Finally, Real Naan Without the Gluten – If you have been missing naan bread since going gluten free, this recipe is your answer. It tastes like the real deal and you won’t believe it is made with gluten free flour.

That Garlic Butter Is Unreal – Brushing each piece of warm naan with melted garlic butter takes it to a whole new level. The garlic soaks right into the bread and makes every single bite incredibly flavorful.

No Yeast Required – A lot of naan recipes call for yeast, which means waiting around for dough to rise. This recipe skips the yeast entirely and uses baking powder instead, so there is zero waiting time.

Soft and Pillowy Texture – The combination of yogurt and warm water in the dough gives this naan a soft, fluffy texture that is hard to get with gluten free baking. It does not come out dry or crumbly like some gluten free breads do.

Ingredients

2 cups Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Plain Yogurt
1/2 cup Warm Water
1/4 cup Melted Butter
2 cloves Minced Garlic
1 tbsp Fresh Chopped Cilantro

How to Make

Step 1

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 2

Add the plain yogurt and warm water. Stir with a spoon until the mixture comes together, then knead gently with your hands to form a soft dough. Let rest for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each piece out into an oval shape about 1/4 inch thick.

Step 4

Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place one piece of dough onto the hot, dry skillet.

Step 5

Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until large bubbles form on the surface and the bottom is browned, then flip and cook for another minute.

Step 6

In a small bowl, mix the melted butter, minced garlic, and fresh chopped cilantro. Brush this generously over the warm naan as soon as it comes off the skillet.

Helpful Tips

Check Your Flour for Xanthan Gum

Not all gluten free all-purpose flours are the same. Some brands already have xanthan gum mixed in, and some don’t. For this naan, you want a blend that includes xanthan gum because that’s what helps the dough hold together and stay flexible instead of cracking apart.

If your flour blend doesn’t have xanthan gum listed in the ingredients, add about 1 teaspoon to the dry ingredients when you whisk them together. Without it, the dough will be crumbly and really hard to roll out.

Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure both have xanthan gum already included and work great here.

Don’t Over-Knead the Dough

When the recipe says to knead gently, it really means gently. You only need about 30 seconds to a minute of light kneading just to bring everything together into a smooth ball. This isn’t bread dough where you need to work it for 10 minutes.

Gluten free dough gets sticky and gummy fast if you handle it too much. If you notice it starting to feel wet and gluey under your hands, stop right there because that means you’ve already gone far enough.

If the dough feels too sticky to work with, lightly dust your hands with a little extra gluten free flour. Just a small amount is all you need.

Don’t Skip the Resting Time

That 15 minutes of resting isn’t optional. During that time, the flour absorbs the moisture from the yogurt and water, which makes the dough way easier to roll out without it springing back or tearing on you.

Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap while it rests so the surface doesn’t dry out. If the top dries out, you’ll get dry flaky bits mixed into your naan and it won’t cook evenly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What gluten free flour works best for this naan?

A good gluten free all-purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum works best here. Brands like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 or King Arthur Measure for Measure are popular choices because they mimic the stretch and texture of regular flour pretty well.

If your blend doesn’t already include xanthan gum, you may want to add about half a teaspoon to help the dough hold together and get that soft, pliable naan texture.