The Paratha Trick That Gives You 10 Flaky Layers Every Time

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Make perfectly flaky, layered triangular paratha at home with this easy whole wheat Indian bread recipe. Soft, crispy, and delicious — ideal for any meal of the day.

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Parathas were prepared every other day at my home and it was usually associated with fun, exciting curries and good TV. The aroma of the delicious ghee scented smoke from the hot tava still brings back beautiful memories. And the triangular shape was as much fun to prepare as it was to tear and enjoy.

Now I did not always get the chance to enjoy the classic triangular paratha, usually when my mother was tired and did not want to put in the extra work. Regardless, you can make them in any shape you can imagine, but triangle is by far the best! Just because if you tear it just right, you can peel off three perfect layers from one paratha.

The key to making the best layered paratha recipe is hidden in the folding technique. I will do my best to depict this process using pictures and my words, but if you really want to see the technique in action, I would recommend watching the video here.

I mostly enjoy parathas with dry or semi-dry curries while I can have rotis with a curry with gravy as well. Personally, the reason is the crisp outside of the paratha which I feel works great with curries that do not take away from the texture.

What is Paratha?▼

Parathas are a soft, thin and flaky bread that are a staple in Indian households. You can enjoy parathas with your favourite curries, and they’re perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The classic paratha, which is the one I’ll be showing you how to make in this recipe, is made with atta flour, a type of whole wheat flour. We knead the dough with ghee and water. Then, we’ll roll out the dough into triangular-shaped layers, and cook on a hot tawa pan or griddle. We brush on some ghee or oil on both sides to get a lovely golden brown colour. You can also make stuffed parathas, and I’ve got some great recipes that you can check out!

How to Make Paratha Vegan?

The only component of parathas that are not vegan is the ghee that’s used in the dough and for cooking. To make this recipe vegan, simply use your favourite plant-based oil. I would recommend coconut oil because it will add a nice flavour, and coconut oil is great to cook at high temperatures.

Best Flour to Make Parathas?▼

This layered paratha is made with a type of whole wheat flour called Atta Flour. You can purchase atta flour at any Indian or South Asian grocery store, and some grocery stores may sell it, depending on the region. My favourite brand of atta flour is the Aashirvaad Whole Wheat Atta.

How to Make Layered Paratha

Preparing the Dough

Add water slowly onto the flour while kneading, The dough should be soft not sticky. If the dough becomes too dry, add more water 1 tsp at a time and continue kneading. If it is too wet, add flour 1 Tbsp at a time until the dough is soft and smooth.

Stand mixer with stainless steel bowl kneading dough for paratha, showing soft dough texture during mixing process.

Soft dough ball resting on a granite countertop before rolling for paratha.

Rolling Out the Dough

Once the dough has rested, divide the dough into 4-5 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, roll the portion into a smooth ball. Gently flatten and roll the dough into a disk, about 4-5 inches wide.

Hand flattening dough portions into balls on a dark granite countertop for paratha preparation.

Paratha dough portions with ghee in a bowl and flour dusted on granite counter during preparation.

Brush the surface with ghee and dust lightly with atta flour. Fold the dough in half and again brush with ghee and lightly dust with atta flour. Fold the dough in half again, into a triangle and gently roll out the dough into a thin triangle.

Paratha dough portions being prepared with ghee and flour on a granite countertop, showing brushing and folding steps.

Paratha dough preparation showing rested dough portions, ghee in a bowl, and rolled dough at various stages on a granite counter.

Hands rolling triangular paratha dough with rolling pin, ghee in bowl, and finished parathas on granite countertop.

Hands rolling layered paratha dough with wooden rolling pin, ghee in bowl, and four shaped dough balls on granite counter.

Cooking the Paratha

Heat a tawa/cast iron pan on medium high heat. When the tawa begins to lightly smoke, place the dough on the pan. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Paratha cooking on a cast iron tawa, with finished parathas plated on the side

Flipping a partially cooked paratha on a black skillet with a spatula during the cooking process.

Using tongs, flip the paratha and brush some ghee. Flip again and apply more ghee and cook until light brown patches appear.

Triangular paratha cooking on a dark skillet, with golden-brown spots and visible layers from ghee brushing.

Paratha cooking on a dark cast iron pan with ghee brushed on top, showing light brown spots forming on the surface.

Tips for Making the Softest Parathas

Make sure to knead a soft dough, this will help you to roll the dough thin which will make it softer.
Allow the dough the full time to rest. The kneading process makes the dough tight from the constant compression. The resting time not only allows you to roll and portion the dough easier, it ensures the dough has no cracks and is soft as ever.
Dust the dough with flour while rolling and layering. The layering process adds ghee into several layers of the paratha and the flour helps to ensure the layers remain separate. As the paratha cooks, the steam released from the various layers make the paratha soft.
Don’t over cook the paratha on the hot tawa pan. Making it too crispy will take away from it’s softness. We are just looking for light brown spots - think of a Dalmation!

Storing Unused Dough and Parathas

If you are anything like me, I would make sure there is no unused dough! Paratha is just so good. But, in case you do have some, I would suggest wrapping up the dough in plastic wrap and placing it in the refrigerator. Make sure to use it within 2-3 days, the dough may turn dark the longer it stays in the fridge.
If using refrigerated dough, take the dough out of the fridge at least an hour before to allow it to come up to room temperature. This will make the dough pliable and make the kneading process easy.
Any cooked paratha, on the other hand can be wrapped in a moist kitchen towel and stored in a container. To reheat, simply place in the microwave/hot tawa/oven for 30 seconds to a minute to bring it back to life.

Scoop up a hearty rajma masala with these flaky layers.

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!

Recipe by Anadi Misra

Classic Layered Paratha | Triangular Paratha Recipe

Make perfectly flaky, layered triangular paratha at home with this easy whole wheat Indian bread recipe. Soft, crispy, and delicious — ideal for any meal of the day.

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10 min

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

parathas

medium

Level

Ingredients

Tap any quantity to scale

(125 g) atta flourShop →
(7.5 ml) ghee (optional) · make your ownShop →
(120 ml) water(or as required)
ghee (as required for cooking) · make your ownShop →

Instructions

1
In a large measuring bowl, add atta flour and ghee (if using). Mix well to combine.
In a large measuring bowl, add atta flour and ghee (if using). Mix well to combine.
2
Add water, little bit at a time and mix until dough combines to a ball. Next, knead for 3-4 minutes until dough turns into a smooth ball. Let dough rest for 10-15 minutes in a bowl, covered with a moist kitchen cloth or paper towel
Add water, little bit at a time and mix until dough combines to a ball. Next, knead for 3-4 minutes until dough turns into a smooth ball. Let dough rest for 10-15 minutes in a bowl, covered with a moist kitchen cloth or paper towel
3
Once the dough has rested, divide the dough into 4-5 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, roll the portion into a smooth ball. Gently flatten and roll the dough into a disk, about 4-5 inches wide. Brush the surface with ghee
Once the dough has rested, divide the dough into 4-5 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, roll the portion into a smooth ball. Gently flatten and roll the dough into a disk, about 4-5 inches wide. Brush the surface with ghee
4
Dust lightly with atta flour and gently fold dough in half. Brush with ghee and lightly dust with atta flour. Roll the dough in half again, into a triangle and gently roll out the dough into a thin triangle.
Dust lightly with atta flour and gently fold dough in half. Brush with ghee and lightly dust with atta flour. Roll the dough in half again, into a triangle and gently roll out the dough into a thin triangle.
5
Heat tawa/cast iron pan on medium high heat. When the tawa begins to lightly smoke, place the dough on the pan. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until bubbly and lightly browned.
Heat tawa/cast iron pan on medium high heat. When the tawa begins to lightly smoke, place the dough on the pan. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until bubbly and lightly browned.
6
Using tongs, flip the paratha and brush some ghee. Flip again and apply more ghee and cook until light brown patches appear.
Using tongs, flip the paratha and brush some ghee. Flip again and apply more ghee and cook until light brown patches appear.

Notes

•Dusting with flour helps keep the layer separate when rolling out the dough. The final product should be immensely soft yet crispy, do not worry, you will get the hang of it.

Nutrition per serving

351

Calories

Protein

24g

Carbs

27g

Fat

Fiber

Sugar

18mg

Sodium

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Tested & written in Anadi’s kitchen

How to Make Paratha Vegan?