Besan roti, a delicious gluten-free flatbread made with chickpea flour, is loaded with protein and fiber. It needs needs just two essential ingredients and is so easy to make. Serve it as a healthy snack or for dinner. It’s a wonderful, gluten-free substitute for a roti made with wheat flour and it is low-carb-friendly as well!
This delicious, golden, gluten-free flatbread, besan ki roti, is a great option if you’re looking for a flatbread recipe that’s easy, nourishing and not loaded with unhealthy starches.
Besan, finely milled chickpea flour, is frequently used in Indian cuisine for dishes that range from the savory Indian veg omelet besan chilla to vegetable pakoras and Indian style cookies like this vegan nankhatai. It gets another chance to show off its versatility with this besan ki roti.
Besan vs. other gluten-free flours
- Healthier: Most gluten-free flours are loaded with starch. Besan, which is milled from a legume (black or brown chickpeas or kala chana) is not only lower in starch than all-purpose gluten-free flour, it also has more protein and fiber, making it an all-round superstar.
- Binds better. Chickpea is a great binder, which is the reason it’s often used in vegan recipes like omelets and scrambled eggs. This also makes it easier to roll a besan dough into a flatbread than most gluten-free doughs, and there’s no need to add any gums.
- Tastier. Besan has an appetizing, nutty flavor and aroma. As you cook this flatbread, everyone in the house will be drawn to the kitchen for a taste!
Why you will love this recipe
- Delicious. Whether you are gluten-free or not, you will love how tasty these besan rotis are. They are nutty and aromatic and the optional seasonings add so much yum!
- Simple ingredients: You need just two essential ingredients in this recipe: besan and oil. The rest of the ingredients make this flatbread tastier, but they are optional. I highly recommend using them, or if you don’t have them all you can use just one or two.
- Easy-ish. Depending on how experienced a cook you are, you might have a learning curve with this gluten-free flatbread recipe. But overall this is a relatively easy recipe and one you will master with some practice.
- Soy-free, gluten-free, nut-free and suited to low-carb diets.
Ingredients
- Besan. It is critical you use the chickpea flour labeled as “besan” because this is more finely milled than garbanzo bean flour. Besan is also different because it’s made not with garbanzo beans but with kala chana, or black chickpeas. Besan is easily available online and in Indian stores.
- Spices: Ground cumin, red pepper flakes or cayenne or any red chilli powder, ground black pepper, and turmeric.
- Kasuri methi. These dried fenugreek leaves add a wonderful flavor and they also enhance the nutritional value of these chickpea flour rotis.
- Oil. Use any oil of your choice, including avocado oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil or coconut oil (liquid at room temperature).
How to make besan roti
Place water in a saucepan. Add the seasonings to it–turmeric, red pepper flakes or cayenne, cumin powder, crushed kasuri methi, ground black pepper, if using, and salt. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
Once the water boils, turn heat to low and stir in the chickpea flour or besan along with a tablespoon of oil.
Mix quickly and thoroughly with a wooden spoon until a dough forms, without taking the saucepan off the heat. Continue to mix for about a minute, then turn off heat.
Let the saucepan stand for about 10 minutes or until the dough is cool enough to handle. Turn the dough out on an unfloured surface. Drizzle another tablespoon of oil over the dough.
Knead the dough until smooth, this should take just about a minute. Place the dough into an airtight container, cover, and set aside for 15-30 minutes.
Cut the dough into eight even pieces. Knead each piece briefly before forming into a smooth ball.
Place the ball of dough on a silicone mat or any non-stick surface (I have a silicone rolling board for rotis that works perfectly for this). Generously flour the surface and the dough as well as the rolling pin using chickpea flour.
Roll the ball of dough into a roti about seven inches in diameter. Move the roti around as you roll it and add more dry flour to prevent it from sticking to the surface.
Heat a cast iron griddle or non-stick griddle over medium high heat. Place the roti carefully on the hot griddle.
Once bubbles appear, flip the roti and brush on some oil or spray with cooking spray. Roast the roti, flipping as necessary, until golden-brown spots appear on both sides. Serve the besan roti immediately.
Expert tips
- The besan roti dough should be firm but also soft and pliable, not stiff. If it appears too dry and crumbles, add a tiny bit of water and knead it further. If it appears too wet, add more besan, a little at a time, until a smooth dough forms.
- Flour the surface liberally with chickpea flour or rice flour when you roll out the chickpea roti.
- Oil your hands when your shape the individual pieces of the besan dough into balls.
- Move the besan roti often as you roll it out, to ensure it doesn’t stick. But be gentle. Remember, this is not a wheat roti and there’s no gluten holding it together.
- Try and roll out the roti as thin as you can, but if you make it a bit thick the first few times that’s okay. You will get better with practice and as you get a better understanding of the dough. A thinner roti will be softer.
- The edges of the roti might look a bit frayed because it’s gluten-free. It doesn’t bother me, but if it bothers you, use a knife to trim out the rough edges. You can use a plate as a guide.
- Brush the besan roti with oil or spray with a cooking spray as it roasts. This will also help make it softer.
Serving suggestions
Recipe FAQs
You can make this chickpea roti with just the besan flour, oil and salt. That said, the seasonings, including the cumin flour, turmeric, red pepper and kasoori methi add lots of flavor and really enhance the roti. I recommend using them.
You can, but I won’t recommend adding veggies when you are new to making the chickpea roti. That’s because veggies will express additional moisture and you need to get a good feel for the texture of the dough before you can tweak it enough to add more moisture. Once you know how to adjust the water level, you can add fresh veggies like finely chopped spinach, grated carrots or cilantro.
A besan roti has more protein and fiber in a serving than a whole wheat roti does, and is more filling. This makes it both healthy and a better food for weight loss.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: Besan roti is best eaten fresh. But if you have leftover rotis, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to three days.
- Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to two months. The roti could get a little brittle after freezing.
- Reheat: Reheat on a hot griddle. Brush a little oil on top as needed.
Love this gluten-free besan roti recipe? Check out more gluten-free vegan recipes on Holy Cow Vegan!
Besan Roti
Besan roti, a delicious gluten-free flatbread made with chickpea flour, is loaded with protein and fiber. It needs needs just two essential ingredients and is so easy to make. Serve it as a healthy snack or for dinner. It’s a wonderful, gluten-free substitute for a roti made with wheat flour and it is low-carb-friendly as well!
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Servings: 8 besan rotis
Calories: 165kcal
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Instructions
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Place water in a saucepan. Add the seasonings to it–turmeric, red pepper flakes or cayenne, cumin powder, crushed kasuri methi, ground black pepper, if using, and salt. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
-
Once the water boils, turn heat to low and stir in the chickpea flour or besan along with a tablespoon of oil.
-
Mix quickly and thoroughly with a wooden spoon until a dough forms, without taking the saucepan off the heat. Continue to mix for about a minute, then turn off heat.
-
Let the dough stand in the saucepan for about 10 minutes or until the dough is cool enough to handle. Turn the dough out on an unfloured surface. Drizzle another tablespoon of oil over the dough.
-
Knead the dough until smooth, this should take just about a minute. Place the dough into an airtight container, cover, and set aside for 15-30 minutes.
-
Cut the dough into eight even pieces. Knead each piece briefly before forming into a smooth ball.
-
Place the ball of dough on a silicone mat or any non-stick surface (I have a silicone rolling board for rotis that works perfectly for this). Generously flour the surface and the dough as well as the rolling pin using chickpea flour.
-
Roll the ball of dough into a roti about seven inches in diameter. Move the roti around as you roll it and add more dry flour to prevent it from sticking to the surface.
-
Heat a cast iron griddle or non-stick griddle over medium high heat. Place the roti carefully on the hot griddle.
-
Once the roti begins to bubble, flip it and brush on some oil or spray with cooking spray. Roast the roti, flipping as necessary, until golden-brown spots appear on both sides. Serve the besan roti immediately.
Recipe notes
- The besan roti dough should be firm but also soft and pliable, not stiff. If it appears too dry and crumbles, add a tiny bit of water and knead it further. If it appears too wet, add more besan, a little at a time, until a smooth dough forms.
- Flour the surface liberally with chickpea flour or rice flour when you roll out the chickpea roti.
- Oil your hands when your shape the individual pieces of the besan dough into balls.
- Move the besan roti often as you roll it out, to ensure it doesn’t stick. But be gentle. Remember, this is not a wheat roti and there’s no gluten holding it together.
- Try and roll out the roti as thin as you can, but if you make it a bit thick the first few times that’s okay. You will get better with practice and as you get a better understanding of the dough. A thinner roti will be softer.
- Brush the besan roti with oil or spray with a cooking spray as it roasts. This will also help make it softer.
- Refrigerate: Besan roti is best eaten fresh. But if you have leftover rotis, you can refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to three days.
- Freeze: Freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to two months. The roti could get a little brittle after freezing.
- Reheat: Reheat on a hot griddle. Brush a little oil on top as needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1besan roti | Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 266mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 53IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 2mg
