A Calculated Whisk

Creative paleo and gluten-free recipes

Paleo Flatbread (Naan)

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Paleo Flatbread | acalculatedwhisk.com
Looking for a delicious paleo flatbread to scoop up some curry? This grain-free recipe rivals regular naan in both texture and flavor!
 
I’ve cracked the code on paleo naan! This grain-free flatbread is soft and chewy just like its gluten-laden counterparts, and thanks to the yeast, its flavor is really authentic. I’m actually a little bit worried about having figured out this recipe, because I now want it with every single meal. It’s going to take a lot of restraint to not just eat this instead of vegetables!
 
I’d never considered making a yeasted paleo flatbread before, partly because yeast can be time-consuming and partly because I had heard that gluten-free doughs don’t rise as well. And while that may be true, I was pretty excited about how well this dough rose (see the photos near the end of the post for evidence). Also, since this bread just needs one quick, 45-minute rise, it’s not totally insane to make on a weeknight.
 
Paleo Flatbread | acalculatedwhisk.com
 
I got the idea for this bread when I saw Heather’s perfect paleo flatbread recipe on Cook It Up Paleo. Her recipe calls for yeast, but doesn’t have you wait for the dough to rise. I couldn’t try her recipe as-is because it calls for coconut flour (I’m allergic to coconut), so I decided to play around with it a bit.

Paleo Flatbread | acalculatedwhisk.com
 
Round one of this bread was one large flatbread that baked in the oven, with more almond flour than tapioca flour. Although Ben and I both enjoyed it, the texture was like that of a thick cracker, and I was dreaming of pillowy naan.
 
The bread also wasn’t elastic enough to fold without breaking, which gave me the idea to decrease the amount of almond flour and increase the amount of tapioca flour.
 
Paleo Flatbread | acalculatedwhisk.com
 
Since I had naan on the brain, I also decided to make several round flatbreads and pan-fry them in a skillet, like in this (glutinous) naan recipe. The results were perfect! I made some short ribs in the slow cooker and used little pieces of bread to scoop up pieces of the juicy meat. (The combination was amazing, but I think it’d be even better with some paleo or regular raita!)
 
This flatbread does break a little more easily than regular naan, but small pieces will wrap around something without a problem. Tonight I made this flatbread again to double check the quantities, and we ordered Indian food from our favorite local restaurant to go with it. It was so nice to have naan filled with curry without the guilt!
 
Dough for Paleo Flatbread | acalculatedwhisk.com
See how well the dough rises? This really is a must-try. If you make it, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments!
 
Looking for ideas of what to serve with this paleo naan? Try chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, or Instant Pot fesenjan (Persian pomegranate stew).
 
Paleo Flatbread | acalculatedwhisk.com
 

Top 16 Paleo Recipes of 2016: Paleo Flatbread (Naan)

Paleo Flatbread (Naan)

Yield: 4 flatbreads (4 large or 8 small servings)
Prep Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Looking for a delicious paleo flatbread to scoop up some curry? This grain-free recipe rivals regular naan in both texture and flavor!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Whisk together the warm water, olive oil, and honey in a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit for about 10 minutes, until nice and foamy.
  2. Whisk in the egg. Add the salt and 1 1/2 cups of the tapioca flour and whisk again, until a smooth, sticky batter forms.
  3. Switch to a spatula or wooden spoon and stir in the almond flour, and then stir in the remaining tapioca flour. The dough should appear shaggy. If it’s too wet to come together, add additional almond flour two tablespoons at a time. Dust your hands with a little tapioca flour and see if you can form the dough into a ball, kneading it a bit to get any floury bits mixed in. If it’s still too sticky, add a little more almond flour and try again.
  4. Put the dough ball in the bowl, cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and set it in a warm place for 45 minutes (I sometimes turn my oven to 200 just for a couple minutes, then turn it off. I then place the bowl of dough in the oven, which is just a little above room temperature). The dough won’t rise as much as a traditional dough made with gluten, but it should get noticeably bigger.
  5. Dust your hands with a little tapioca flour and divide the dough into four even balls. Heat about two teaspoons of ghee, butter, or oil in a large, cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Dust a cutting board or other surface with tapioca flour and pat one of the balls of dough into a circle about five inches across. Slide the dough into the hot pan and raise the heat slightly. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the surface of the bread looks bumpy with bubbles. Carefully lift up the edge of the bread with a spatula. If it threatens to rip, cook it for another minute. If it holds together well, flip it over and cook for 1-2 minutes, until browned on the second side. Transfer the bread to a plate and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm. Add more ghee to the pan and repeat with the next ball of dough until all the bread is ready.
  6. Serve warm, with melted ghee, butter, or olive oil brushed on top if desired. Wrap leftover bread and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days. I like to reheat the bread in a 400 oven wrapped in tinfoil, but you can also wrap it in a paper towel and microwave it for about 20 seconds.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Cook It Up Paleo.

*Most active dry yeast is gluten free (including Red Star, which I used) but double check the brand you’re using if you have strong reactions to gluten.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 pieces Serving Size: 1 piece
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 537Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 285mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 4gSugar: 7gProtein: 8g

The nutrition label provided is an estimate for informational purposes only and may not be accurate. I am not a nutritionist or medical professional.

© Becky Winkler
Cuisine: Indian
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Paleo Flatbread | acalculatedwhisk.com

Comments

  1. Anna says

    I just made a double batch. It’s delicious. I plan to use some in a fattoush salad and the rest to dip in a cauliflower hummus for our outdoor staff reunion gathering. I did find that the yeast did not proof very well or in the normal amount of time with the olive oil in it. I redid that part without the oil and added it after. This worked well. Also working with such a big amount i found that if I kept adding just a little bit of olive oil and a drizzle of water it kept the dough pliable to continue frying.

    Thank you very much for this recipe. I will absolutely make it again.

    Reply

  2. Emily Edgren says

    I really love your paleo recipes but as a fellow blogger, the ads on your page just take over and are incredibly distracting/annoying and make me want to leave the page because it takes so much effort to make them go away. Just wondering if you’d consider removing some of them?

    Reply

  3. Gregg says

    This recipe looks like what I have searching for but tapioca flour has more cars than regular flower. I’m looking for a way to cut it down or sub it out. Has anyone tried?

    Reply

    • Becky says

      Hi Gregg, I haven’t but maybe someone else will chime in! It’s true that tapioca flour has slightly more carbs than wheat flour and this is definitely not a low-carb bread, but with the almond and other ingredients I bet it still comes out lower than some standard flatbreads. The tapioca flour is important here because it lends stretchiness and flexibility to the dough, so I’d keep that in mind when considering potential substitutes.

      Reply

  5. Urooj says

    We love this recipe and have made it multiple times! Wondering if you have stored the premade dough for a period of time? And if it is still good after Several hours or even a day?

    Reply

    • Becky says

      Hi Urooj! I have not tried that so I’m not sure how it would affect things. If you do try refrigerating the dough, I would definitely bring it back to room temp before cooking. Let us know how it goes if you decide to experiment!

      Reply

  7. Matt says

    Made the Flatbread twice. Very nice.

    Just used same recipe and divided into 6 portions and cooked 425 degrees 15 min – fantastic bread rolls

    Reply

    • Natalie says

      Suggestions from my gluten free cookbook are:

      Replace 1 large egg with one of the following:

      3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce + 1 teaspoon baking powder
      1 tablespoon flaxmeal, chia seed, or salba seed + hot water (Let stand, stirring occasionally, about 10 min. or until thick. Use without straining.)
      Egg replacer, according to package directions
      4 tablespoons pureed silken tofu + 1 teaspoon baking powder
      *NOTE* Replacing more than two eggs will change the integrity of a recipe. For recipes that call for a lot of eggs, like quiche, use silken tofu. Because egg substitutions add moisture, you may have to increase baking times slightly.
      * From “Polly Dunegan’s 20 Amazing Gluten- Free Bread Recipes” * (With 5 bonus recipes)

      Reply

    • Becky says

      The tapioca starch makes the dough nice and stretchy and gives the finished product a bit of chew like regular flatbread. I’ve never used amaranth so I can’t say whether it would work.

      Reply

  11. Carol says

    Love the bread. Next time I will try it in the oven instead of a skillet. I think I will roll it out under plastic wrap then I can peel up the plastic and make cut marks so it will break where I want it to break. I am considering putting in some rosemary and garlic next time also. What temperature would you suggest I use in the oven?

    Reply

    • Becky says

      I’ve baked this in the oven at 375°F and it was tasty but quite crunchy–almost like a big cracker. I prefer the pan-fried version but it’s fun to experiment! Rosemary and garlic sounds great!

      Reply

  12. Tina says

    I’m so going to try this! I’m not allergic to coconut but i hate how it tastes, so I’m glad you have this recipe as almost every other one i found has some form of coconut in.

    Reply

  13. Christina Verespey says

    Has anyone tried this with a bread machine? Obviously use the setting where you take it out and flatten it before baking. I have Lyme and am trying to use my limited energy wisely. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Becky says

      Hi Christina! I don’t have a bread machine, but I imagine it could work. This recipe doesn’t require much kneading, so maybe use a setting that reflects that? Hopefully there’s a reader who’s tried it and will chime in. 🙂

      Reply

  14. Tessa says

    I really love this! We got all bubbly just like you said it would 🙂 and it was very easy to throw together and it tasted awesome with our keema, thank you!

    Reply

  15. Melissa Donohoo says

    Hi Becky. Im really excited to try this recipe!
    Also…I’ve been wondering if I’m having a reaction to coconut..
    I’m wondering how your coconut allergy show up?
    Thank You!

    Reply

  16. Rachael says

    Just wanted to say how amazing this recipe is!! I have tried many different recipes for paleo bread like foods and have failed every time. (Maybe not failed, but they definitely shown how paleo they were ) I’ve used it as a sandwich bread and it holds up amazing. I’m going to try to make some sort of pizza crust with it too! You have made it great to have a go to recipe that I love. Thank you thank you!

    Reply

  17. Sarah says

    This recipe is so so good!! My non-paleo husband loved it, too!! I made it last weekend and I loved it so much I made chicken tikka masala just to have a good excuse to make this naan again!

    Reply

  18. Terri says

    I absolutely LOVED this Naan bread recipe!! I
    Am a baker, so going Paleo meant sifting thru
    Some of the recipes out there to find some amazing
    Recipes that seriously make you feel like you’re
    Eating the real thing, but being good!!

    This recipe is the BOMB!! I will use it as my go to
    For turkey /basil pesto sandwiches!! So many
    Ways to use this recipe!! Last night made
    Yellow chicken curry with a lot of veggies, this
    Bread went with it amazingly well!

    Thank you sooooooo mic for making my life happier
    With the easy and SUPER tasty Naan Bread!!

    Reply

  19. Ikeena says

    Hey Becky! Thanks for this. I’m also allergic to coconut and finding it a challenge in my new paleo adventures. Unfortunately, I’m also allergic to almonds and most nuts (excluding cashews, peanuts & pecans). Can you suggest another flour alternative (to almond and coconut)?

    I so want to try this tonight!!!

    Cheers!

    Reply

    • Becky says

      Hi Ikeena! I think it’d be worth a try with either cashew or pecan flour (you could just grind them up really finely yourself in the food processor) in place of the almond flour. Let me know how it goes! 🙂

      Reply

  25. Julia says

    YUUUUUUUS! This is briliant! I've never even attempted to make paleo flatbread because I thought it was impossible, but looky here: you done did it! I have aaaaaall the tapioca flour in the world in my freezer, plus loads of almond flour and Red Star yeast, so I'm ready to make this happen! Many thanks for the wonderful recipe, m'dear!

    Reply

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