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Fall brings comfort food craving for soups and stews. Now it's the best time to fire up your slow cooker and make a batch of satisfying fragrant curry!
As a side I usually make plain or flavoured cauliflower rice or shirataki rice. What I've been missing on keto was good old naan bread dipped and soaked in deliciously creamy sauce.
This low-carb naan is just what I was looking for. It's not like the regular naan you are used to but it's a really good keto flatbread recipe to serve with your Indian inspired favourites. I've tried a few ways to make it, with or without eggs and with different low-carb flour mixes. This nut-free keto naan is the best one I've tried so far and I hope you like it too!
How To Make Keto Naan Bread
Use the right type of yeast
Make sure you use dried active yeast and NOT nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast that is often used by those who avoid dairy to mimic the flavour of Parmesan cheese. Compared to nutritional yeast, active yeast not only adds flavour but is also the driving force behind fermentation and it's the key ingredient that creates a well-risen bread.
Use sweetener to activate the yeast
The one ingredient that is often listed in naan bread recipes is sugar in the form of either table sugar, coconut sugar, honey or maple syrup.
The good news is you don't have to worry about that in recipes with yeast. How does it work? The yeast metabolises sugar and turns it into carbon dioxide and alcohol to create air bubbles in the dough. Even if you use sugar or honey, it will be used up by the yeast and no carbs will be left.
Apart from sugar, inulin-based sweeteners such as yacon syrup can also be used. I don't have any sugar at home so I used yacon syrup. Carbs and calories from yacon syrup are not included (Note: Yacon syrup is listed in this meal in our KetoDiet App but I only used 1/8 tsp to calculate the nutrition facts).
Water temperature plays a key role
Use water that is hand hot, about 40 °C/ 105 °F. Too hot and the temperature will kill the yeast, too cold and the fermentation won't start.
Use ghee for flavour
This recipe works best with ghee or butter but you can even use olive oil or melted duck fat.
Psyllium powder will add volume and texture
Psyllium powder is an essential ingredient in most keto bread recipes because it provides volume and improves the texture. I make my own psyllium powder from whole husks by placing them in a food processor or a coffee grinder. I don't like using store-bought psyllium powder because many brands that I've tried are too dense and don't work in keto bread recipes.
Topping to taste
You can use plain melted ghee or mix it with minced garlic if you prefer more flavour. I sprinkled the keto naan tops with sesame seeds, nigella seeds and fresh cilantro. If you are not a fan of cilantro you can use chopped parsley.
Can I Make Cook Keto Naan Bread in a Pan?
I baked the naans in the oven but you can fry them in batches on a pan greased with ghee. This way you will get that "blistery" naan effect. Just make sure the ghee is hot and there is enough of it or it will stick to the pan. Keep in mind that if you fry the flatbread on a pan, it will soak up a lot of fat — that is why I prefer oven baked naan. Don't get me wrong, I love ghee and butter but the extra fat combined with rich curry sauce may be too much as it would significantly increase your daily fat and calorie intake.
Can I Make Egg-Free Keto Naan Bread?
Yes, you can! To do that, swap the egg for 1/4 cup (60 ml) of full-fat yogurt or sour cream instead. Just keep in mind the egg-free naan won't rise as much and will be more dense. Also, if you're omitting the egg, you should use 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum added to the dry mixture. That will help with the texture and keep the bread from being too dense and crumbly.
Hands-on Overall
Serving size 1 naan bread
Nutritional values (per serving, 1 naan bread)
Net carbs2.1 grams
Protein4.3 grams
Fat12.5 grams
Calories156 kcal
Calories from carbs 6%, protein 13%, fat 81%
Total carbs8.5 gramsFiber6.4 gramsSugars0.8 gramsSaturated fat6.4 gramsSodium237 mg(10% RDA)Magnesium34 mg(8% RDA)Potassium131 mg(7% EMR)
Ingredients (makes 8 servings)
Instructions
- Start by mixing all the dry ingredients: coconut flour, flax meal, psyllium powder, baking powder and salt. Set the bowl aside.
- In another bowl, mix 1/2 cup (120 ml) of hand hot water (about 40 °C/ 105 °F) with 2 teaspoons of yacon syrup or sugar. (Don't panic, no sugar will be left after the fermentation of yeast!) Make sure the sweetener is dissolved before adding the dried active yeast.
- Sprinkle the dried active yeast on top, stir and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes until foamy and frothy. This is when the yeast becomes activated.
- Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of melted ghee, egg, apple cider vinegar and the remaining 1 cup (240 ml) of water.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, process until well combined. Gradually add the dry mixture until all of it is combined with the wet mixture.
- Set aside and keep in a warm place for 25 to 30 minutes. You can place it in a sunny spot or in the oven with the light on. (If you do that, do not turn the oven on, only use the light.)
- Preheat the oven to 175 °C/ 350 °F (fan assisted), or 195 °C/ 380 °F (conventional). When the dough is ready (it will increase in size), use a sharp knife and divide it into 8 parts. Use a rolling pin or simply flatted with your hands until just about 1/2 cm (1/4 inch) thick. I like my OXO rolling bag because it also works for these keto tortillas!
Note: A better way to cut the dough into equal pieces is to make a large bun and then make 4 cuts across to make 8 identical pieces.
- Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (I could fit 4 naan breads at a time). Brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of ghee and sprinkle with sesame and/or nigella seeds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and set on a cooling rack. Just before serving, sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
- Keto naan bread tastes best fresh but can be stored at room temperature in a container loosely covered with a lid for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ingredient nutritional breakdown (per serving, 1 naan bread)
| Net carbs | Protein | Fat | Calories |
|---|
| Coconut flour, organic |
| 1.1 g | 1.7 g | 1.5 g | 37 kcal |
| Flax meal (flaxmeal), ground flaxseed |
| 0.1 g | 0.9 g | 2 g | 25 kcal |
| Psyllium husk powder |
| 0.4 g | 0.1 g | 0 g | 2 kcal |
| Baking powder, gluten-free |
| 0.1 g | 0 g | 0 g | 1 kcal |
| Salt, sea salt |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Water, still |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Yacon syrup, natural sweetener |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Yeast, activated dry yeast |
| 0.2 g | 0.5 g | 0 g | 4 kcal |
| Egg, whole, fresh, raw (free-range or organic eggs) |
| 0 g | 0.8 g | 0.6 g | 9 kcal |
| Ghee |
| 0 g | 0 g | 7.5 g | 68 kcal |
| Apple cider vinegar |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Sesame seeds |
| 0.2 g | 0.3 g | 0.8 g | 10 kcal |
| Coriander (cilantro), fresh |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | 0 kcal |
| Total per serving, 1 naan bread |
| 2.1 g | 4.3 g | 12.5 g | 156 kcal |
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