Sourdough naan recipe

5 from 3 votes

These vegan sourdough naan flatbreads are soft, fluffy and perfect for dunking into spicy curries. You can make them with an active starter or discard.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Rise time2 30

Total Time3 5

Course: Bread

Cuisine: South Asian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: 9-inch sourdough naan breads

Calories: 259kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

Stand mixer or large bowl
Cast iron griddle (or non-stick griddle)
Rolling pin (not necessary if shaping naan by hand)

Ingredients

3½ cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt (tweak this to your preference)
½ cup sourdough starter (or discard from a healthy, active starter)
1¼ cups soy milk (or another non-dairy milk)
2 tablespoons oil (olive oil or any neutral oil)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place the bread flour in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the salt, mix it in, then add sourdough starter. Mix the sourdough starter into the flour until it is evenly dispersed. Drizzle in the milk and knead until a dough forms. Continue kneading for five more minutes.
When finished kneading the dough should feel just slightly tacky to the touch and should be smooth and pliable. If the dough feels too wet, add more bread flour, a tablespoon at a time, until you get the right consistency.
Shape the dough into a smooth ball and place in an oiled bowl. Coat the top of the dough with some oil as well. Set the dough aside in a warm spot in the kitchen.
If you used a strong sourdough starter, the dough should have doubled in a couple of hours. If you used discard, it will take longer, up to eight hours.
Divide the dough into eight equal parts. Roll into smooth balls and set aside, covered with a napkin, for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, use your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch the naan to a length of about nine inches and a width of six inches. Don't sweat the shape too much -- a naan is meant to look rustic.
Heat a cast-iron griddle until it's screaming hot. Place the shaped naan on it. Bubbles should appear all over the naan in a minute or two. Once the underside has golden-brown spots, flip the naan and let it cook a minute or two more. Brush with oil as soon as the naan comes off the griddle. Keep the baked naans wrapped in a kitchen towel while you finish the rest. Serve the naan hot.

Notes

Don't sweat trying to form the sourdough naan into a perfect round or teardrop. A naan is a rustic bread and it doesn't need a definitive shape, like a roti would - that's part of its charm. Focus instead on getting the texture of the naan right. Stretch it with your fingers or a rolling pin until it is quite thin but still has some thick spots around the edges. This naan made with bread flour has a resilient dough, but if a tear appears just patch it by pinching together the torn edges.
The sourdough flavor in the naan will be more pronounced if you let the dough stand for too long. I wouldn't recommend a rise of more than eight hours if you use discard, unless you want the stronger flavor.
Use a cast iron griddle or skillet, if possible, because you can safely bring it up to a high temperature. Cast iron also distributes the heat more evenly. A non-stick griddle or skillet will work, but keep in mind that the non-stick coating can be damaged by high heat. There is also a chance the non-stick coating could release toxic chemicals at high temperatures.
I like making the naans big - about nine by six inches. You can make smaller naans if you like. Divide the dough into 12 balls instead of eight, and shape them to a length of six inches.

Nutrition