Methi Paratha are Indian flatbreads made with fresh fenugreek leaves and spices. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or a snack.

Methi paratha on a brown parchment paper next to a small bowl of green chutney. - 1

Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published January 2013. I’ve added new images and helpful content, with recipe changes highlighted below.

IMO paratha in all forms are the ultimate comfort food! I’m pretty sure most of you would agree!

Plain paratha are great alongside curries but I love flavoured parathas for breakfast or brunch. Think stuffed masala lachha paratha , paneer pyaaz paratha , or cabbage paratha .

These methi paratha are similar to Gujarati methi thepla but with some key differences. Thepla are made with a wider variety of flours, have the addition of yogurt and jaggery in the dough. Thepla are also rolled thinner.

I like to serve these with yogurt, a pickle such as gajar achar or ginger chai .

Ingredients notes

Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.

  • Whole wheat flour – aka chapati aata.
  • Methi leaves – they should washed and chopped or torn. Do not substitute kasoori methi – it won’t give the same flavour.
  • Coriander leaves – finely chopped. The coriander leaves with the methi add
  • Aromatics – Green chillies and ginger – fresh is best. Garlic – freshly minced is best but you can also use bottled garlic paste.
  • Spice powders – Red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala – these spices add heat and flavour
  • Oil or ghee – ghee or oil is added to the dough and oil is needed separately to pan-fry the paratha.

The original published recipe was for methi avocado paratha. Essentially the same as above but with mashed avocado instead of ghee/oil inside the dough, giving softness, colour and a little flavour. You can still give this version a go, simply swap the ghee/oil in the dough for half an avocado. Bind the dough as usual.

Three methi paratha served in a plate next to two cups of tea, pickle and chutney. - 2

Storage

Methi paratha can be stored in an airtight container and stored at room temperature for up to two days.

The paratha can also be frozen. Simply roll out into paratha and stack in between alternating layers of parchment paper. Cook directly from frozen on a hot tawa.

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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Three methi paratha served in a plate next to two cups of tea, pickle and chutney. - 3

Methi Paratha

Equipment

  • Rolling Pin
  • Griddle Tawa
  • Spatula

Ingredients

  • 1 cup methi
  • 2½ cup wheat flour
  • 3 tablespoon ghee or oil
  • salt per taste
  • 1 tablespoon garlic puree
  • 1 tablespoon ginger
  • 2 tablespoon green chillies minced
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon ajwain carom seeds
  • oil for shallow frying

Instructions

  • Place (except oil) 1 cup methi , 2½ cup wheat flour , 3 tablespoon ghee , salt , 1 tablespoon garlic puree , 1 tablespoon ginger , 2 tablespoon green chillies , 1 teaspoon turmeric , 1 teaspoon red chilli powder , 1 teaspoon ajwain in a mixing bowl or wide plate.
  • Mix everything with your hands, at this point do not add any water.
  • Keep mixing and form a dough, if you think the dough needs water, add few tablespoons of water and knead the dough.
  • Set aside covered with clean kitchen towel about 10-12 minutes.
  • Divide the dough in equal large lemon size balls.
  • Roll out ball on a flat surface using dry flour and make a small round paratha.
  • Then apply a little oil or ghee and dust some flour on the top side (this step will give you flaky layers).
  • Fold the circle into a semi-circle and once again apply little oil or ghee and flour, fold it again.
  • You will now have small triangle paratha.
  • Roll into a bigger triangle without giving too much pressure and if needed dust some more flour to roll paratha.
  • Shallow fry on a hot griddle or tava using oil till both sides are equally golden brown.
  • Then make all the parathas with remaining dough and shallow fry.

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Three methi paratha served in a plate next to two cups of tea, pickle and chutney. - 4

Methi Paratha

Equipment

  • Rolling Pin
  • Griddle Tawa
  • Spatula

Ingredients

  • 1 cup methi
  • 2½ cup wheat flour
  • 3 tablespoon ghee or oil
  • salt per taste
  • 1 tablespoon garlic puree
  • 1 tablespoon ginger
  • 2 tablespoon green chillies minced
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon ajwain carom seeds
  • oil for shallow frying

Instructions

  • Place (except oil) 1 cup methi , 2½ cup wheat flour , 3 tablespoon ghee , salt , 1 tablespoon garlic puree , 1 tablespoon ginger , 2 tablespoon green chillies , 1 teaspoon turmeric , 1 teaspoon red chilli powder , 1 teaspoon ajwain in a mixing bowl or wide plate.
  • Mix everything with your hands, at this point do not add any water.
  • Keep mixing and form a dough, if you think the dough needs water, add few tablespoons of water and knead the dough.
  • Set aside covered with clean kitchen towel about 10-12 minutes.
  • Divide the dough in equal large lemon size balls.
  • Roll out ball on a flat surface using dry flour and make a small round paratha.
  • Then apply a little oil or ghee and dust some flour on the top side (this step will give you flaky layers).
  • Fold the circle into a semi-circle and once again apply little oil or ghee and flour, fold it again.
  • You will now have small triangle paratha.
  • Roll into a bigger triangle without giving too much pressure and if needed dust some more flour to roll paratha.
  • Shallow fry on a hot griddle or tava using oil till both sides are equally golden brown.
  • Then make all the parathas with remaining dough and shallow fry.

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Prepare Gujarati plain thepla, a lightly spiced Indian flatbread, made with whole wheat flour, yogurt and basic masala powders only (no fresh fenugreek). Perfect for breakfast or lunch and ready within 20 minutes.

One folded plain thepla placed on other flat laid theplas on the plate. - 5

Note – This recipe has been updated from the archives – first published June 2016. I’ve added new images and helpful content, the recipe remains the same.

Although these thepla are made using basic spices, we still call them plain (sada) thepla as we are not using any kind of vegetables, greens, herbs or garlic and onion.

You will often see methi thepla being referred to as “thepla” alone, but there is a difference between the two.

Sada thepla are not heavily spiced can be eaten alongside other dishes like sukhi bhaji , bateta chips nu shaak or ringan bateta nu shaak . They can be enjoyed simply with yogurt, masala chai or a pickle such as keri no chundo or apple murrabo .

The Recipe Details

As with most thepla recipes, we start with whole wheat flour. The difference is that no other grains, like added in my oat jowar methi thepla , are used. This keeps them softer for longer (great for travelling).

Plain yogurt is added to the dough which helps bring softness to the thepla.

We keep the spices basic – red chilli powder and turmeric to add a little flavour and colour. You just need a pinch as we don’t want these particularly spicy, just savoury.

You’ll find whole cumin seeds and/or sesame seeds in most authentic Gujarati thepla recipes, like my bajra methi dhebra and dudhi thepla , so they’re also added here.

Thepla can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, if kept in an airtight container.

Gujarati thepla are good for travelling if cooked in a generous amount of oil. These keeps them soft and prevents them from going dry.

Soft Gujarati flatbreads served with chai and pickle. - 6

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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Soft Gujarati flatbreads served with chai and pickle. - 7

Soft Gujarati Thepla (Plain/Sada)

Ingredients

  • 2 cup whole wheat flour roti aata
  • ¼ cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 3 tablespoon oil
  • salt to taste
  • oil to roast

Instructions

  • Place all the ingredients with 3 tablespoon oil in a big bowl or parat ( wide plate )
  • Mix well, and add water little by little and knead a pliable dough.
  • Leave the dough to rest for 10-12 minutes.
  • Once you are ready to make thepla, knead the dough again for 2-3 minutes. This procedure will make thepla soft.
  • Divide the dough into equal-sized portions and turn into balls.
  • Heat the tawa or griddle on high heat.
  • Roll the thepla thin ( slightly thicker than Gujarati Rotli ) using a rolling pin and flour.
  • Place rolled thepla on to heated tawa, and cook both sides applying oil very quickly.
  • Repeat the same procedure with the remaining dough.

Nutrition

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.