18 Types of Indian Bread To Try in 2025

From leavened and unleavened to rolled, griddled and filled, Indian bread comes in a full range of flavors, shapes and textures. Ingredients such as rice, lentils, chickpeas and green mung beans are often used to create these authentic and unique rolls, puffs, pancakes and flatbreads. Whether toasted, fried or baked to a golden hue, Indian cuisine uses delicious dough-based sides to accompany dishes like curry and even as complete meals. 

If you’re looking for something beyond the traditional naan and roti, we’ve compiled a list of Indian bread types to serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The next time you’re planning a traditional Indian menu or searching for new bread varieties to pair with your recipes, you’ll have a wide range of flavors to mix, dip and stuff with your favorite ingredients.

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• How Many Types of Indian Bread Are There?
• 18 Traditional Indian Types of Bread
• Learn to Make Indian Bread

How Many Types of Indian Bread Are There?

Indian types of bread like naan and roti are well-known, but there are several other varieties of traditional Indian bread you may be interested in trying. Traditional baking techniques include using a tandoor or clay oven, but it’s easy and convenient to use a standard stove. We will explore 18 types of traditional Indian breads to use for dipping, serving with chutney or stuffing with vegetables and ghee.

18 Traditional Indian Types of Bread

1. Naan

One of the most famous Indian breads, naan is a leavened flatbread most often used for dipping. It’s baked with flour, wheat flour or a blend of both, along with yeast, milk and eggs. Light and fluffy with a pillowy and bubbly texture, naan is often paired with North Indian recipes like aloo matar or coconut curry chickpeas. It can also be topped with garlic or filled with nuts and fruits. For a variation on traditional naan, keema naan is stuffed with spiced minced meat, like lamb or goat and spread with butter.

2. Appam

Appam is a South Indian bread, similar to a pancake and shaped like a bowl. The outside and edges are crispy and soft, while the inside is chewy. It’s prepared with coconut milk and fermented rice batter and often served with stews and sweet coconut milk recipes. Popular in the Kerala and Tamil Nadu regions of India, this South Indian food is also a staple in Sri Lanka, where it’s made with an egg base.

3. Bhatoora

Bhatoora, also known as bhatura, is a fluffy and deep-fried leavened Indian bread that’s made with maida (a finely milled all-purpose wheat flour similar to cake flour), ghee and yogurt. It’s made with or without yeast. Originating in the Punjabi region of Northern India, it’s often served as a snack or with chickpea curry, Punjabi chole, yogurt, fried green chiles and a refreshing glass of lassi. Celebrate your love for Indian food on October 2nd, known as World Chole Bhatura Day.

4. Puri

Similar to but smaller than bhatura, puri (also known as poori) is an unleavened Indian bread that puffs up when added to the oil. It turns into a crispy and golden ball of dough that’s served with authentic curries like chana masala, vegetable kurma or potatoes. Puri is a popular breakfast item when spices like turmeric, coriander and amchoor powder are added.

5. Roti

Roti is a popular flatbread made with water and wheat flour, millet or rice. Some recipes call for olive oil or salt. It’s often prepared by layering with a smooth and generous spread of ghee or clarified butter. Roti is traditionally baked on a tawa, a flat cast-iron frying pan and served with curries, stir-fries or hearty vegetables. When roasted over an open flame, you’ll create the phulka variety, which takes in steam that puffs up the dough into an airy ball.

6. Paratha

Paratha is a layered or stuffed flatbread from North India. It’s made from milled flour made from whole wheat grains. To prepare paratha, layer and fold it with ghee and bake on a hot cast-iron frying pan for a crisp finish. Paratha can be served on its own or stuffed with potatoes, veggies or paneer, an Indian cheese. With savory stuffed ingredients bursting from the sides, this North Indian food can be a complete meal.

7. Parotta

Made with bleached wheat flour, parotta is a popular street food in the Kerala region of Southern India. This layered flatbread has a flaky texture (like phyllo dough). Prepare by rolling into a ball and then into a long rope shape. Next, coil it up and then roll it out a second time. This process creates the parotta’s unique texture. Layers range from crunchy and pillowy to light and soft. Serve this rich Indian bread with vegetable korma, beef fries or meat and tomato-based gravy recipes.

8. Dosa

Dosa, an Indian bread made from black lentils and rice batter, can resemble a thin crêpe or a pancake. It comes from the South Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Originating in the 5th century, dosa has a crispy texture. It can be torn off and dipped or stuffed with various fillings. Dosa is a popular breakfast item that’s often served hot with coconut chutney, sambar or spiced potato dishes.

9. Thepla

Thepla originates in the western region of Gujarat. It’s made with whole wheat, besan, chickpea or millet flour. Spices such as turmeric and red chile powder are also added. This Indian bread can feature mix-ins like bottle gourds, radishes or fenugreek leaves. Blend the veggies in with the dough and then roll and bake. Serve with mango preserves or Indian yogurt for a sweet and savory breakfast option.

Thepla is popular for its versatility as a breakfast, lunch and dinner item. When milk is used in place of water, along with a generous spread of ghee, the shelf-life increases dramatically, making thepla popular for traveling, packing for lunch and longer-term storage.

10. Bakarkhani

A popular part of Northern Indian cuisine, bakarkhani originated in Bangladesh. This Indian bread is a spiced thick flatbread with a biscuit-like texture. It’s unleavened and contains ingredients like saffron-soaked molasses, flour, semolina and poppy seeds. The dough is layered with oil or ghee. It’s traditionally baked in a tandoor, but you can use a thick metal pan for excellent results. Bake quickly at high heat and serve for breakfast with rice pudding, sweet curds and fruit preserves.

11. Pathiri

Are you searching for an Indian bread to pair with spicy recipes? Pathiri, also known as pathi, is made with rice flour and warm water. It becomes a super thin pancake that’s light and soft. Popular in the Malabar coastal region of Southern India, pathiri is served for breakfast or dinner and paired with chana masala or other savory chicken or mutton curry dishes.

12. Kulcha

Similar in appearance to naan, kulcha is a leavened Indian bread made with baking powder or yogurt. It’s fairly bland in taste, but it’s meant to be served with other items, such as chutneys, curries, masala chana and paneer bhurji. Bake on a griddle and sprinkle with pecorino for a savory side. Originating from the Punjab region, Amritsari kulcha has a crispy exterior that’s covered with ghee. When filled with potatoes, this round Indian bread makes a hearty meal. Kulcha is also popular in Persia, where it’s disc-shaped.

13. Litti

Originating in East India’s Bihardi, litti bread is made from wheat flour that’s salted, formed into a ball and baked in a clay oven. It’s filled with dried peas, beans or sattu, a flour made from powdered chickpeas or lentils. Serve with chokha, a vegetable relish made with tomatoes, potatoes, roasted eggplant, chiles, ginger and garlic.

14. Baati

Are you searching for unique types of Indian bread to serve at your next dinner party? Baati is an excellent choice. This unleavened bread is commonly made in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Baati is prepared with whole wheat flour and kneaded with salt, yogurt and water. Form into balls that become hard when baked. Baati can also be filled with onions, sattu powder and peas. Traditionally, it’s dipped in ghee and served in an earthenware pot. Serve this Indian bread with churma and daal.

15. Thalipeeth

Are you searching for Indian bread with the warmth of coriander? Similar to thepla, thalipeeth is a savory Indian flatbread accented with a bit of spice. Popular in Maharashtra and other areas in Western India, it’s prepared by mixing rice, bajra, chana, wheat, coriander, urad and jowar to create a hearty and nutritious multi-grain pancake to serve with yogurt, pickles or chutneys.

16. Taftan

Taftan, a leavened bread from the Uttar Pradesh region, is like naan but lighter and flakier in texture. It’s prepared with eggs, flour, spices and saffron. Taftan is kneaded in milk and sometimes flavored with cardamom powder. Eat soft and fluffy taftan on its own or fill it with meat, vegetables and other ingredients for a hearty meal. Topped with cheese and olives, it makes a wonderful appetizer. You can also dip taftan into creamy baba ganoush or hummus mixes.

17. Sheermal

Sheermal is a saffron-flavored leavened flatbread variety made with maida, yeast and eggs. It’s traditionally baked in a tandoor. Also known as shirmal, this Indian bread comes from the Kashmir region. Introduced to North India by Mughal emperors during the medieval period, sheermal is served with kebabs, nihari, tikkia, curries and thick and hearty gravy-based recipes.

18. Chapati

Chapati is an unleavened flatbread from Northern India. The word “chapat” means “to slap,” which refers to how the Indian bread is prepared. The dough is shaped into a round piece and slapped between wet hands. It’s very similar to roti, but roti is made with all-purpose flour and chapati is made with wheat flour. Chapati can also be made by adding ghee or oil. Chapati is an incredibly popular Indian bread served with lentil curries and butter chicken.

Learn to Make Indian Bread

Are you curious about how to bake Indian bread? Cooking classes near you can help you develop the skills to make your favorite types of Indian bread and other authentic recipes. Led by gourmet chefs and bakers, you’ll learn tips and secrets to prepare Indian bread at home. Consider online cooking classes for even more convenience and versatility while learning how to make these delicious Indian types of bread.

Authentic Indian food features bold flavors, vibrant colors and aromatic spices. These Indian bread types complement and add smooth, crunchy or crêpe-like textures to a menu. Using this list, you can impress your friends at your favorite Indian restaurant or add a touch of global influence to your next dinner party or weeknight meal.

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