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Naan bread may be from India, but it has fans worldwide! It is easy to make and tastes delicious with various dishes. Yogurt is a crucial ingredient of naan bread. There could be many reasons why Yogurt is not an option for you: you could be out of Yogurt, lactose intolerant, or vegan. Regardless, what would you do in such situations? The answer is…..yogurt substitutes!
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best yogurt substitutes in Naan bread
You can substitute yougurt in naan bread by buttermilk, sour cream, crème fraiche, soy yougurt or cocunut milk yogurt. If you are looking for a vegan susbtitute for yourgut in making naan bread, dariy free yougurt is the best option. The best yogurt substitute depends on your recipe and taste preference.
There is more than one suitable option for the best substitute for Yogurt in Naan bread. I know how disappointing it can be to ruin your Naan using the wrong ingredients. That is why I am here to help you! Continue reading today’s post to find the best substitute for Yogurt in naan bread.
What exactly is Naan Bread?
Originating from India, Naan bread is a delicious flatbread popular delicacy. Is it eaten with a wide range of dishes and the best part is that It is easy to make! Naan bread has grown out of India and is enjoyed by a large population worldwide.
Naan bread is made from flour, yeast, water, and salt. Typically, Naan bread is meant to be cooked in an oven called ‘tandoor.’ This gives the Naan bread its smoky, charred flavor and unique texture. However, many home chefs have adapted ways to create this delicious bread on a stovetop.
Many variations of Naan bread come with additional ingredients such as butter, cheese, or garlic. It is popularly eaten as a side dish and is used to scoop gravies or vegetables to complete the bite! Its texture makes it chewy but soft, while the taste is mostly neutral with a subtle sweet sourness.
7 Substitutes for Yogurt in Naan Bread
Yogurt and, sometimes, milk are the key ingredients of the Naan bread recipe. Why can’t you skip adding Yogurt to Naan bread dough? Well, the reason is that Yogurt contains lactic acid.
Lactic acid help breaks the gluten in the dough and increases its elasticity, making it less tough. It also helps to activate the yeast, which enhances its growth and helps the dough rise. This gives the dough a soft, sticky consistency required for proper bread cooking.
None of us wants our Naan bread dough to be dry and crumbly. So, what can we use instead of Yogurt?
Lucky for you, there are many yogurt substitutes you can use while creating the perfect Naan bread. To save you the headache of research, here is a list of some of the best yogurt substitutes for Naan bread:
1. Buttermilk
Let’s start today’s post with the best yogurt substitute for naan bread: buttermilk! One of the main reasons buttermilk is an ideal alternative for Yogurt in naan bread is its taste. It offers similar levels of tangy and subtly acidic flavor. This helps activate the yeast, making the dough rise and become softer.
Moreover, many say that substituting Yogurt with buttermilk may make the naans softer. So, if you want to create fluffier naan breads, you can use buttermilk instead.
Please keep in mind that buttermilk has a quicker fermentation process. So, if you allow buttermilk to ferment as long as Yogurt, you may notice a more pronounced difference. This can be considered an advantage of using buttermilk to shorten the fermentation period.
Are you wondering how to substitute Yogurt with buttermilk? Well, it is pretty simple. You need to substitute equal parts of buttermilk for the quantity of Yogurt mentioned in the recipe. So, if the recipe says one spoon of Yogurt, you can add one cup of buttermilk instead.
2. Sour Cream
Sour cream is another excellent substitute commonly found in many households or local grocery stores. Sour cream is a fantastic alternative to replicate Naan bread’s tangy, acidic flavor. It makes the dough fluffy and light, producing a soft and delicious flatbread. It also makes the Naan dough softer and easy to use when added in appropriate amounts.
Please keep in mind not to go overboard with the sour cream quantity. Adding too much sour cream makes the dough denser and more challenging.
If you’re unsure about the exact quantity required for your dough, add a small amount of sour cream. This way, you can ensure the desired consistency for the dough.
You can start by adding active yeast and sugar to the buttermilk at room temperature ad let it sit for about 30 minutes. A general guideline is one cup of Yogurt with a half cup of sour cream.
You can reduce the amount of milk while adding sour cream too. Please ensure not to overcook your known as it can lose moisture and become chewy.
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3. Milk
Here is a simple and quick alternative for Yogurt in Naan bread: Milk! Many people use milk instead of Yogurt when creating delicious Naan bread. While the kind of milk you choose depends on your preference, I strongly recommend whole milk as it contains more fat.
The only significant disadvantage of using milk is that it doesn’t offer the required acidic content. But you can consistently achieve this by separately increasing the acid levels by adding agents like lactic acid.
Are you wondering how much milk to use for Naan bread?
You can calculate the amount of milk required by doubling the required Yogurt. For example, if the recipe asks for one cup of Yogurt, replace two cups of warm milk.
Please keep in mind that milk has a much thinner consistency than Yogurt. So, you need to readjust the proportions of other ingredients like flour and water.
4. Crème Fraiche
Crème fraîche is a thick, rich, creamy dairy product originating in France. It is made by fermenting cream with lactic acid bacteria, which gives it a slightly tangy flavor and a velvety texture.
The texture of Crème Fraiche makes it a popular ingredient for sauces, dressings, soups, and desserts. It is commonly used in both sweet and savory dishes in French cuisine.
Crème Fraiche is an excellent substitute for Yogurt in Naan bread preparations. The best part about using Crème Fraiche as a substitute is its taste. It offers a taste very close to Yogurt in Naan bread; most can hardly tell the difference!
Crème Fraiche differs from Yogurt in aspects such as proteins that affect overall texture and consistency. So, please remember that the resulting Naan may be slightly less chewy or crispier.
5. Dairy-free Yogurt
Lactose intolerance shouldn’t stop you from enjoying delicious Naan. Dairy-free or non-dairy Yogurt is an excellent alternative for those who want to enjoy dairy-free Naan bread.
Dairy-free Yogurt doesn’t contain lactic acid like regular Yogurt but contains a variation of this acid. So, it is still capable of offering a similar tanginess. It also activates the yeast to help the dough rise and make it softer, with the help of other proteins and minerals.
The best part about using dairy-free Yogurt is that it doesn’t alter the texture of the result. Dairy-free Yogurt has the same consistency as regular Yogurt. So it will not cause a change in the desired taste and texture.
6. Coconut milk yogurt
The next yogurt substitute is an excellent dairy-free option, especially for those following a vegan diet. Coconut milk yogurt has a similar creamy texture to traditional Yogurt, which helps in providing moisture and softness to the Naan bread. It has a slightly sweet flavor and can add a subtle tropical note to the Naan bread. It complements the savory flavors of the bread and can enhance the overall taste.
While coconut milk yogurt lacks the same tangy taste as dairy-based Yogurt, adding a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar to the dough can achieve a similar effect. This can help achieve the desired acidity in yogurt-based Naan bread recipes.
You may need to make minor adjustments when substituting coconut milk yogurt for traditional Yogurt in a Naan bread recipe. Please consider the moisture content of the coconut milk yogurt and adjust the flour or liquid accordingly to achieve the desired dough consistency.
7. Soy yogurt
The last substitute we will explore is another non-dairy yogurt substitute for naan bread. Soy yogurt is an excellent option for all vegans and those who are lactose intolerant. It is made from soy milk, which contains the beneficial probiotics in regular Yogurt.
You can replace Yogurt in naan bread by adding equal parts of soy yogurt. It has a milder taste which is more neutral compared to other substitutes. So, soy yogurt is perfect if you are looking for a less overpowering, neutral-tasting substitute that offers a similar taste and texture!
Soy yogurt also offers many nutritional advantages as it is plat-derived protein. It is rich in various vitamins and minerals and contains a lower fat. So, soy yogurt is an excellent option if you’re looking to shed a few pounds!
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Tips for Yogurt Substitutes in Naan Bread
Here are specific tips you can use to make yogurt substitution easier in Naan bread:
- For those opting for non-dairy substitutes, go for a rich, creamy texture. A yogurt substitute must produce the exact texture of Naan bread that Yogurt would. So, it helps if the substitute has similar physical properties as well.
- The ideal yogurt substitute for Naan bread doesn’t just mean having a similar taste but also having similar acidic levels. Ensuring the substitute offers acidic content, which helps in yeast activation and produces a soft and fluffy texture, is essential.
- If you’re a beginner at Naan bread making, following the traditional yogurt recipe is best. This way, you can understand how it tastes and how you can tweak your yogurt substitutes to produce the same result.
- Finally, there will always be a slight change in flavor, texture, or both if you use yogurt substitutes for Naan bread. To minimize these differences, I recommend using various substitutes in different quantities to understand which gives the most desirable results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I add Yogurt to the dough?
Yogurt has lactic acid, which breaks down the gluten in the dough. Because of this, your dough’s elasticity increases, contributing to its quality. It helps in making your dough softer and easy to work with. Yogurt also has probiotics that reduce the risk of mold formation, thereby increasing its shelf life.
Is using Yogurt in Naan bread a must?
The traditional Naan bread recipe mentions Yogurt as one of its key ingredients. The lactic acid of Yogurt helps in yeast activation and offers the desired tanginess that Naan bread has. However, using Yogurt is not the only way to make Naan bread. You can use yogurt substitutes for Naan bread to avoid using traditional Yogurt.
Buttermilk and sour cream are both ideal yogurt substitutes when creating Naan bread. If you want to avoid using Yogurt because you are vegan or lactose-intolerant, soy yogurt and coconut milk yogurt are excellent options too.
Does Naan bread contain dairy?
Yes, Naan bread contains dairy. The traditional recipe for naan bread includes the use of Yogurt and milk. However, if you want to create dairy-free Naan bread, you can replace dairy products with vegan alternatives. These vegan options include replacing the dairy part of the Naan bread recipe with Soy yogurt, coconut milk yogurt, dairy-free Yogurt, etc.
You might observe a slight shift from the original taste and texture, but it is not too significant. You can adjust the proportions of ingredients accordingly to get the desired result.
Does Naan bread contain eggs?
While there are many variations of the Naan bread recipe today, the traditional recipe doesn’t require any eggs. The ingredients of Naan bread are vegetarian and dairy products. However, many recipes offer ways to incorporate eggs into your Naan bread.
Conclusion
We’ve finally reached the end of today’s post! I hope this article on the best substitutes for Yogurt in Naan bread has helped you find suitable recipe options.
Many people don’t have or want to add regular or traditional Yogurt as an ingredient for various reasons. But this shouldn’t stop you from enjoying soft, crispy Naan bread!
Buttermilk, milk, sour cream, and crème fraiche are all incredible yogurt substitutes in Naan bread. There are also dairy-free options like coconut and soy milk yogurt for those lactose intolerant or vegan.
Thanks for reading today’s post. See you very soon!