Clean Eating Naan Recipe (2024)

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This whole wheat naan is simply one of the most delicious flatbreads I’ve ever made.

I love Indian food. I had it for the first time with my ex-husband when we were still dating in 2004. He took me to an Indian restaurant for one of our dates, and after my first bite, I was ready to marry him on the spot. I absolutely fell in love with the food I was eating…

Clean Eating Naan Recipe (1)

My little world of baked chicken breasts and a baked sweet potato with a salad was suddenly shattered by the amazing taste of India sauces and bean dishes. I discovered butter chicken, tandoori chicken, and yes… chicken masala too (which will be on my blog next!).

There were fabulous pakoras and dips which I never did learn the names of, and to drink, there was the most amazing beverage called a mango lassi. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. In fact, I think I even saw the robust, bronze statue of Ganesh sitting in the corner wink at me. Ya, it was that good. A fabulous, fabulous experience.

And then there was naan. Beautiful, bready, buttery, carb-filled, garlic naan. I have never looked at bread in the same way since. It completed my experience that night and pretty much guaranteed the man sitting across from me another date. Whoever said that food is the way to a man’s stomach never understood the relationship a woman can have with her food.

But once I started eating clean, I left my favorite Indian dishes behind and designated them as cheat meals. I can tell you, that got old pretty quickly. So I finally decided it was time to clean up this delicious encore to a meal. While it doesn’t get bubbly like traditional naan, it tastes remarkably similar. In fact, my husband likes this version just as much as the restaurant variety, and I hope you will too!

Recipe Variations

  • Instead of apple sauce, try using yogurt. It can be diary-based or vegan yogurt. It reduces any sweetness.
  • Try mixing in sesame seeds.
  • Mix dry herbs and spices into the dough. Curry is a nice addition.
  • Make a melted butter sauce by melting butter, adding chopped garlic and pouring it over the top of the naan when you serve it. You can use vegan butter if you wish.

Recipe Tips

  1. This is easiest to make in a cast iron skillet or on a griddle on the stovetop. I used a cast iron pan.
  2. This naan is very similar to pita bread or roti and can be used to make flatbread pizzas quite easily.
  3. Try flavoring melted ghee and brush it over the top of your still-warm naan. It’s delicious!
  4. If it’s easier, you can use a stand mixer to make this.
  5. If you want a bit more sweetness in your naan, add 1 tablespoon of honey to the dough.

Can Naan Be Made Gluten Free?

It can, yes. But the way I make it, it’s not as fluffy or flexible. But if naan that has a crisp outside and a soft inside works for you, you can try my recipe for Oat Flour Flatbread here. We love it just as much as this whole wheat naan bread.

About The Ingredients

Whole wheat pastry flour – If you can’t find this, then look for white whole wheat flour. It’s more readily available in stores.

Baking soda – Make sure it’s newer. Old stuff won’t work well.

Salt – Use whatever salt you normally cook with. I used pink Himalayan salt. If you like a saltier bread, you can go up to 1 teaspoon salt in this recipe. But I wouldn’t do more than that.

Milk– Any type like soy, oat or even cashew milk as long as they are unsweetened. I used unsweetened almond milk.

Unsweetened apple sauce – This replaces the need for oil or other fats in the recipe while still providing moisture.

Garlic powder – Garlic granules work too.

Fresh cilantro – For garnish. Fresh parsley works too. Either herb can also be mixed into the dough.

How To Make Whole Wheat Naan

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and garlic powder until well combined.

Pour in the apple sauce and milk, stirring with a wooden spoon until it become too thick to continue. Then knead with your hands until you have a slightly sticky yet smooth dough.

Break off pieces of dough and roll with a rolling pin on a floured surface. Keep in mind that the naan will hold whatever shape you roll it into, but it will double in thickness as it cooks (roll to about ¼ inch thickness if you want something the thickness of a slice of bread).

Using a non-stick pan and an oil mister, mist the pan with oil and place a rolled piece of dough into the pan. Spray the top of it with a light coat of oil. Flip frequently until both sides are golden brown.

Remove from pan and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Serving Naan

To serve this, you’ll want to warm it up. You can do that in a microwave, or in a dry skillet. But at the very least, you’ll want to serve this at room temperature. These are not very good served cold.

Storage For Leftover Naan

If you have leftovers, wrap them well in plastic wrap, a plastic, zipper-top bag, or any other airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. If wrapped well, these can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Healthy Flatbread Recipes

  • Chickpea Flatbread
  • Sweet Potato Flatbread
  • Garlic Grilled Flatbread

Whole Wheat Naan Recipe Card

Clean Eating Naan Recipe (3)

Whole Wheat Naan

Delicious naan made with wholegrain flour.

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Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Calories: 1296kcal

Ingredients

  • cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ cup milk (any type – I used unsweetened almond milk)
  • ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1 tbsp. garlic powder
  • fresh cilantro for garnish (can also be mixed into the dough)

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda and garlic powder until well combined.

  • Pour in the apple sauce and milk, stirring with a wooden spoon until it become too thick to continue. Then knead with your hands until you have a slightly sticky yet smooth dough.

  • Break off pieces of dough and roll with a rolling pin on a floured surface. Keep in mind that the naan will hold whatever shape you roll it into, but it will double in thickness as it cooks (roll to about 1/4 inch thickness if you want something the thickness of a slice of bread).

  • Using a non-stick pan and an oil mister, mist the pan with oil and place a rolled piece of dough into the pan. Spray the top of it with a light coat of oil. Flip frequently until both sides are golden brown.

  • Remove from pan and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data below is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible. Data is for the ENTIRE recipe. Divide this data by the number of naan you end up with.

Nutrition

Serving: 1batch | Calories: 1296kcal | Carbohydrates: 267g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 1896mg | Potassium: 1625mg | Fiber: 37g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 262mg | Iron: 13mg

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Clean Eating Naan Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the healthiest naan bread? ›

Opt for whole wheat naan if you're looking to maximize your health benefits, and try to serve it alongside other nutritious foods.

What is a healthy alternative to naan? ›

Lo-Dough is much more than an alternative to bread (or naan, in this case), it's a low carb bread and pastry alternative which can be used in a number of different ways. One of the most. It's an Asian classic that could be a superb Friday night feast, only without the calories and carbs.

Is naan bread OK for Mediterranean diet? ›

Trying your hand at the Mediterranean diet? This vegetarian (but still with 19 g protein) salad on naan bread is a great dinner option.

What is more fattening naan or rice? ›

naan is calorically dense due to the refined flour. 100 grams of naan contains 310 calories, compared to 100 grams of steamed brown rice, which contains 125 calories. naan contains no fiber compared to the rice, which leads to an imbalance of gut bacteria, constipation, and a potentially increased risk of bowel cancer.

What can I replace naan bread with? ›

If you do not have a problem with gluten, then you can have tandoori roti (which is cooked in the very hot oven/tandoor), ordinary roti (cooked on a hotplate/tawa), or one of the numerous varieties of roti e.g. Rumali roti, Punjabi style roti, Gujarati style roti (where the dough is made with some oil and boiling water ...

How unhealthy is Butter Naan? ›

One Butter Naan provides about 3.2 percent of the total daily calorie requirement of a standard adult diet of 2,000 calories. Naan or plain naan recipe makes 10 naans. 65 calories for 1 Naan, Cholesterol 0.2 mg, Carbohydrates 10.1g, Protein 1.7g, Fat 1.9g.

Why do you put yogurt in naan bread? ›

Naan gets its pleasing, chewy texture from the addition of full-fat yogurt. Without it, your finished naan won't have the proper consistency.

Why do you sprinkle water on naan bread? ›

you put it on naans to keep them soft.

What makes naan bread so good? ›

Naan bread is soft, fluffy, and chewy, whereas pita bread is denser with a slightly crispy texture on the outside. Naan bread also has a buttery flavor due to the ghee and buttermilk in the dough, which adds an extra dimension of flavor compared to pita bread's more neutral taste.

Why is butter not allowed on Mediterranean diet? ›

Processed Dairy Products

Cheese slices and spreads are a good example of processed dairy food. Cream and butter that contain trans fats and additives are also not allowed on the Mediterranean diet. Emulsifiers and artificial coloring are only part of the list of additives processed dairy products contain.

Does naan spike insulin? ›

Though not directly linked to glucose metabolism, the ingredients and cooking techniques of naan can impact glucose metabolism indirectly and lead to insulin resistance and other health issues if overconsumed. Consider pairing naan with fibre, protein, and fat to slow down glucose release.

What cheese is OK on Mediterranean diet? ›

Cheese & Yogurt

Dairy products common to the traditional Mediterranean Diet include: brie, chevre, corvo, feta, haloumi, manchego, Parmigiano-Reggiano, pecorino, ricotta, yogurt (including Greek yogurt).

Which Indian bread is healthiest? ›

From health perspective, flat breads made of whole wheat flour (roti/paratha/chapati/phulka) are better than the ones made with all-purpose flour (naan & kulcha).

What is the best type of naan bread? ›

Plain Naan Bread

The Big Plain Naan is a flatbread made from wheat flour and is thick on the outside with a fluffy inner texture and when it comes to different types of naan breads, plain naan is one of the most popular.

How unhealthy is butter naan? ›

One Butter Naan provides about 3.2 percent of the total daily calorie requirement of a standard adult diet of 2,000 calories. Naan or plain naan recipe makes 10 naans. 65 calories for 1 Naan, Cholesterol 0.2 mg, Carbohydrates 10.1g, Protein 1.7g, Fat 1.9g.

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