This recipe for besan roti, a delicious gluten-free Indian flatbread made with chickpea flour, is loaded with protein and fiber. You need just two essential ingredients and is so easy to make. It's a wonderful gluten-free substitute for a roti made with wheat flour and it is low-carb-friendly as well!
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The best gluten-free roti
Besan ki roti is a great option if you're looking for a flatbread recipe that's easy, nourishing and not loaded with unhealthy starches, as gluten-free rotis can often be.
Besan, finely milled chickpea flour, is frequently used in Indian cuisine for dishes that range from the savory Indian veg omelet besan chilla to vegetable pakoras and Indian style cookies like this vegan nankhatai. It gets another chance to show off its versatility with this besan roti.
Whether you are gluten-free or not, you will love how tasty these gluten-free rotis are. They are nutty and aromatic and they are also soy-free and nut-free. You need just two essential ingredients: besan and oil. The seasonings make the roti tastier, but they are optional. I recommend using them; if you don't have them all you can use just one or two.
If you are new at making rotis, it may take a few attempts before you get this roti right. But you will get better each time you make them. Make sure you:
- Use chickpea flour that's labeled as "besan". You can buy this online or at an Indian store. Locally available chickpea flour or garbanzo bean flour is not as finely milled as besan is and won't work for roti.
- Knead the dough to the point where it's pliable and soft, not stiff.
- Flour the surface liberally with chickpea flour or rice flour when you roll out the gluten-free roti. Move the besan roti often as you roll it out, to ensure it doesn't stick.
- Oil your hands when your shape the individual pieces of the besan dough into balls.
Follow these simple tips and you will be rolling and eating delicious besan rotis in no time at all! And if you are interested in more gluten-free Indian flatbreads, check out these recipes for gluten-free aloo paratha, arbi paratha and vegan, gluten-free naan.
Why besan works better than other gluten-free flours
- Chickpeas are healthier: Most gluten-free flours, including rice flour, are loaded with starch and not much protein. Besan, which is milled from a legume (black or brown chickpeas or kala chana) is not only lower in starch than all-purpose gluten-free flour, it also has more protein and fiber, making it an all-round superstar. For instance, a cup of besan flour has 21 grams of protein and 10 grams fiber compared to just nine grams of protein and 3.8 grams fiber in rice flour.
- Binds better. Chickpea is a great binder, which is the reason it's often used in vegan recipes like dishes like vegan omelet and vegan scrambled eggs. This also makes it easier to roll a besan dough into a flatbread than most gluten-free doughs, and there's no need to add any gums.
- Tastier. Besan has an appetizing, nutty flavor and aroma. As you cook this flatbread, everyone in the house will be drawn to the kitchen for a taste!
Recipe card
Besan roti (gluten free roti) recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups besan (chickpea flour)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (optional if using red pepper flakes)
- 2 tsps kasoori methi
- 1-2 teaspoons salt (tweak according to your requirements)
- 3 tablespoons oil
Instructions
Make the dough
- Place water in a saucepan. Add the seasonings to it--turmeric, red pepper flakes or cayenne, cumin powder, crushed kasuri methi, ground black pepper, if using, and salt. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
- Once the water boils, turn heat to low and stir in the chickpea flour or besan along with a tablespoon of oil. Mix quickly and thoroughly with a wooden spoon until a dough forms, without taking the saucepan off the heat. Continue to mix for about a minute, then turn off heat.
- Let the dough stand in the saucepan for about 10 minutes or until the dough is cool enough to handle. Turn the dough out on an unfloured surface. Drizzle another tablespoon of oil over the dough.
- Knead the dough until smooth, this should take just about a minute. Place the dough into an airtight container, cover, and set aside for 15-30 minutes.
Make the roti
- Cut the dough into eight even pieces. Knead each piece briefly before forming into a smooth ball.
- Place the ball of dough on a plastic sheet or cling wrap or silicone mat or any non-stick surface (I have a silicone rolling board for rotis that works perfectly for this). Generously dust the surface and the ball of dough as well as the rolling pin with chickpea flour.
- Roll the ball of dough into a roti about seven inches in diameter. Move the roti around as you roll it and add more dry flour to prevent it from sticking to the surface.
Roast the roti
- Heat a cast iron griddle or non-stick griddle over medium high heat. Place the roti carefully on the hot griddle.
- Once the roti begins to bubble, flip it and brush on some oil or spray with cooking spray. Roast the roti, flipping as necessary, until golden-brown spots appear on both sides. Serve the besan roti immediately.
Notes
- Try and roll out the roti as thin as you can, but if you make it a bit thick the first few times that's okay. You will get better with practice. A thinner roti will be softer.
- The edges of the roti might look a bit frayed because it's gluten-free. It doesn't bother me, but if it bothers you, use a knife to trim out the rough edges. You can use a plate as a guide.
- Brush the besan roti with oil or spray with a cooking spray as it roasts. This will also help make it softer.
Nutrition Information
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Recipe FAQs
You can add finely grated vegetables like spinach, carrots and cilantro to the dough but don't attempt this until after you've already made this roti a few times. Do this only after you have a good understanding of the dough and how much moisture it needs because the veggies will add more moisture.
A besan roti has more protein and fiber in a serving than a whole wheat roti does, and is more filling. This makes it both healthy and a better food for weight loss.
Serve this gluten-free roti with your favorite Indian curry recipe, including vegan butter chicken, chickpea curry, and zucchini kofta curry. Or serve with a simple dal like this one for a weeknight dinner. I also recommend dal tadka, spicy urad dal and vegetable dhansak.
You can also use the besan roti to scoop up an Indian sabzi with a spicy gravy, like bhindi masala, baingan bharta and vegetable jalfrezi.
Or snack on the roti with Indian lime pickle.
Besan roti is best eaten fresh. But if you have leftover rotis, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to three days. Freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to two months. Reheat the besan roti on a hot griddle. Brush a little oil on top as needed.
Charles Page says
This is another excellent recipe. There is another recipe which I came across as a video, but somehow I lost it before saving. This was a chickpea roti in which the ingredients were blended with water forming a puree which was spread in a baking dish lined with baking paper. Olive oil was drizzled over the top & some Italian herbs were also sprinkled on top. This was baked in an oven, after which it was cut into squares using a pizza wheel.
Would you please give a link to this recipe. Thank you.
Alina says
That looks delish. Can I use fenugreek seeds (ground) instead of kasoori methi?
I would rather use what I have on hand already, if possible.
I assume that if I use the seeds I will have to use less of the spice? Maybe 2 tsps? Please advice. Thank you
Vaishali says
Hi Alina, just skip the kasoori methi. The seeds are more bitter so don’t use those.
Val says
Hi, I need to move away from rice as it bloats me so badly. I love roti with curry and found your recipe as it was using chickpea flour and so is also great for protein intake.
Please can you tell me - can you freeze them once cooked or rolled and uncooked as it would be ideal to be able to batch make them at the weekend and use during the week.
Many thanks.
Vaishali says
Yes you can cook these and freeze.
Venola Munsamy says
tried it today for the first time and was perfect - thank you so much for this recipe - I have been searching for months for a good gluten free roti recipe and this did not disappoint
has such a nice flavour to it
Neena says
I was looking for a gluten free option apart from almond flour. Came out great. Thank you. I added ajwain seeds with the spices as I do with all besin prepared batters.
Vaishali says
Awesome, so happy you made it Neena.
Pamela says
Can't wait to try these on the camp fire! Thank you!
Vaishali says
That sounds wonderful! Let me know if you try. 🙂