Thepla – Gujarati Flatbread

EVENT: SUNDAY FUNDAY
THEME: MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH
RECIPE: THEPLA – GUJARATI FLATBREAD
Thepla – Gujarati Flatbread is a popular savoury, delicious flatbread that is enjoyed for breakfast, brunch or even as a part of a main meal. Mention thepla to anyone and the first few words they will utter is ‘Gujjus love their theplas.” And yes we do!
Thepla is a versatile food item for Gujaratis. Take it for picnics, carry with you as travel food, pack it in lunch boxes or make it to enjoy with some curry instead of normal roti, naan or paratha. Leftover thepla taste equally good even when they are cold.
We love them so much that I also make Farali Theplato have during fasting days. These gluten free version of thepla can be enjoyed without any problem by people who suffer from celiac disease.
SUNDAY FUNDAY
By the way, Sunday Funday is a group of Food Bloggers. Every Sunday we share some fun, traditional, hearty or easy recipes to make Sunday Family Meals a bit more exciting. To join this fun group, visit the Sunday Funday Facebook Page. Request to join in.
THEME: MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH
Today (8th May) is Mother’s Day. Amy who blogs at Amy’s Cooking Adventures suggested we celebrate moms with tasty brunch mains, drinks, sides,etc. I knew immediately that I would be posting my mum’s favourite breakfast/brunch – thepla.
First Published on 08/05/2018. Updated on 08/05/2022
SUNDAY FUNDAY GROUP CELEBRATES MOTHERS’ DAY
- Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Brownie Bottomed Raspberry Cheesecake
- A Day in the Life on the Farm: Molettes de Jamon y Frijole
- Food Lust People Love: Fresh Peach Cream Pie
- Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Oil-Cured Fromage Blanc-Stuffed Nasturtium Leaves
- Sneha’s Recipe: Churros French Toast
Making Miracles: Apple Cinnamon Rolls - Mayuri’s Jikoni: Thepla – Gujarati Flatbread
- Cook with Renu: Avocado Stuffed Celery Sticks (Oil-Free)
CELEBRATING MOTHER’S DAY WITH MY MUM’S FAVOURITE – THEPLA
When I was younger, remember my mum making huge piles of theplas. We were a big family. Also she made enough so that there were some leftover to enjoy the next day. My mum not only loved making thepla but she loved them. I think she made them often as she would want to have one or two with her masala tea for breakfast. She was never the bread, cereal, oats kind of person. Breakfast for her was always plain paratha, leftover roti or theplas.
So no wonder, I learned how to make thepla when I was pretty young. Always helped her to make them and by watching learned the different variations. First it started of helping her to roll the dough balls, then progressed to rolling them out and as I grew older, helping her to roast them on the tawa or skillet.
Whenever, I make certain Gujarati dishes, including thepla always remember my mum fondly. As much as I miss her with all my heart, Mothers’ Day tend to get me all emotional. I remember she use to boast to my siblings that I wished her Happy Mother’s Day twice a year! Once when UK celebrates Mothers’ Day and then when we celebrate it in May like so many countries do.
This year will be no different, not only will I miss my mum so dearly, but my kids too. Though they will call and wish me, they all are too far away to physically celebrate it with me. Not complaining too much as last weekend was an early Mothers’ Day celebration as my son and his girl friend came down from Montreal.
MEMORIES
When people travelled by ship(the famous SS Karanja) from Mombasa to India, they had to carry with them enough food and snack items to last at least 2 weeks especially if you travelled by third class. I think at that time only one main was served. So, no wonder Gujaratis would carry with them thepla, handvo, magas and dhebra. Back then there were no plastic tins, cling wraps or aluminum foil used. When my siblings and I travelled to Mumbai with my mum in 1968 by SS Karanja I remember we carried the snacks in brass and steel containers. On our return journey, they we filled with food by my mum’s family.
WHAT CAN YOU ADD TO THEPLAS?
If we make thepla to carry with us travel food, they are simple without vegetables, leftover rice, yogurt, etc. Just simple spices and they are rolled out thin. These last for over a week at room temperature but if kept in a cool place.
However, when we make them for picnics, breakfast, brunch, lunch boxes, main meals, etc lots of other ingredients go into them.
What options are there to add to the thepla dough? There are so many but I’ll name a few:
- chopped fresh coriander
- fresh fenugreek (methi),chopped
- spinch, chopped
- leftover rice or khichdi
- grated cabbage
- doodhi /bottle gourd – grated
- chow chow/chayote, grated
- zucchini,grated
- boiled potato, sweet potato
- leftover dals
- soft sabjis like potato, pea, cauliflower, etc curries that are leftover. Must be thick and soft.
Below in the recipe I have used leftover pulao. That can be replaced with any one of the above or combinations of it. Just make sure the total amount is about 1 -1½ cups. For example use a combination of leftover rice and grated cabbage, both together should be about 1 -1½ cups
Sometimes we add other flours along with the wheat flour. Here are some of the options:
Usually we take 1½ cup of wheat flour and ½ cup of any of the below. If you use a mixture, the total should be around ½ – ¾ cup.
- besan/chickpea flour
- pearl millet/bajra flour
- Jowar/sorghum flour
- Ragi/finger millet flour
- Jau/ Barley flour
- Oat flour
- rice flour
SOME USEFUL TIPS
Whenever I make thepla, there is no fixed amount of ingredients that I use. I have only measured out the ingredients as I wanted to add this recipe to my blog.
- I always first put cooked rice, pulao or khichdi first. Then I add the flour and spices accordingly. While mixing, the texture will indicate whether you need to add water or yogurt or not. Sometimes khichdi can be soft and gooey, then you may not need any liquid to make the dough.
- If using yogurt or water, add little at a time on kneading the dough as you don’t want the dough to become too soft. It should be soft and manageable dough.
- Always use flour for dusting while rolling the thepla, that way it will not stick to the rolling pin or your rolling board.
- After kneading the dough, immediately make the theplas. If you have used vegetables, on resting they give out their natural juice making the dough soft. So best to make the thepla as soon as the dough is ready.
- For softer thepla add oil and yogurt in the dough.
- Thepla should not be rolled out too thin or too thick.
- Add some lemon juice if your are not using yogurt.
- Adding a bit of sugar is optional. I don’t add any but some families do.
MY FAVOURITE WAY TO ENJOY THEPLA
I love to dunk them in masala tea or enjoy them with plain yogurt. Hubby loves them with pickles like chundo or lemon pickle. That is if I have not made his favourite Yogurt Potato Curry.
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR THEPLA – GUJARATI FLATBREAD WITH LEFTOVER PULAO
- Wheat Flour – can use a combination of different grain flours. For every 1½ part of wheat flour use ½ part of different grain flour. Need some extra for rolling the thepla.
- Leftover Rice – use plain rice, khichdi or pulao. If you don’t have leftover rice, simply replace it with grated cabbage, bottle gourd, chow chow, pumpkin, zucchini, etc.
- Fresh Coriander – or fresh fenugreek, spinach, kale, amaranth leaves, etc.
- Sesame Seeds – use white or black.
- Ajwain – carom seeds, ajmo. Easily available in Indian Stores or online.
- Cumin Seeds – jeera, jiru. Easily available in Indian Stores or online.
- Green Chillis – minced or paste, add according to your flavour.
- Fresh Ginger – minced or paste, add according to your flavour.
- Garlic – minced or paste, add according to your flavour.
- Salt – add according to your taste.
- Turmeric Powder – haldi, hardar. Is easily available in most grocery stores. Also available in Indian Stores or online.
- Red Chilli Powder – optional. I add only if the green chillis are not too hot.
- Oil – some to add to the dough and the rest for roasting the thepla.
- Yogurt – plain and thick. Or add some lemon juice.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE THEPLA – GUJARATI FLATBREAD

THEPLA - GUJARATI SAVOURY FLATBREAD
Ingredients
- 2 cups wholewheat flour
- 1½ cup leftover pulao
- ½ cup fresh coriander chopped
- ¼ -⅓ cup plain yogurt thick
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp green chilli paste
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp carom seeds
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric powder haldi
- 2 tbsp oil
- extra oil for roasting
- extra flour for dusting
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients except the extra oil, extra flour and yogurt.
- Mix all the ingredients, try and form a dough.
- Add the yogurt little by little and make a soft dough.
- The dough should be a manageable soft one.
- Heat the tava, skillet or frying pan over medium heat.
- Divide the dough into 10 to 12 parts. Roll them into balls.
- With the help of extra flour, roll out one part about 6" in diameter or so.
- Put it on the hot tava (it should not be too hot). Reduce the heat to low setting. Let one side cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side.
- Smear a tsp of oil on the top side and flip it. Smear oil on the top side. Cook both sides till you have light brown specks.
- Put on a wire rack to cool a bit or serve hot with pickles.
- Repeat the above steps with the remaining dough.
Notes
- Use mashed potato instead of rice.
- If you do not have any leftover rice thenadd grated cabbage,doodhi, zucchini, etc
- Use fresh chopped fenugreek, kale or spinach instead of coriander
- For more crispy theplas smear a bit more oil on both sides.
- If your dough becomes too soft, add more flour.
- Once you make the dough, roll out the theplas immediately because if the dough is left, it will become soft.
- Enjoy them with hot masala tea, pickles, yogurt or a curry/sabji.
PIN FOR LATER:
A little request:
If you do try this recipe then please either
add a comment below,
send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962
41 Comments
usha
May 27, 2018 at 11:54 am
This is one healthy thepa with loads of veggies. It must be a filling meal with some yogurt. Lovely pictures.
mayurisjikoni
May 27, 2018 at 7:07 pm
Thanks Usha, we often have it for dinner with pickle and yogurt.
farah
May 27, 2018 at 3:33 pm
yummy!…….iv never made these before………….but used to love it when my friends used to bring it in their school snack boxes!!:D…………..now mayb I can make it for my kids…………lovely pics mayuri!
mayurisjikoni
May 27, 2018 at 7:06 pm
Thanks Farah, they are easy to make, try the recipe out.
Priya Suresh
May 27, 2018 at 7:20 pm
Wow, those theplas looks just prefect and my kind of food. I love these sort of flatbreads. My mouth is watering here. Well done Mayuri.
mayurisjikoni
May 27, 2018 at 7:20 pm
Thank you so much Priya.
vaishalisabnani
May 28, 2018 at 3:56 am
We too make lot of theplas and enjoy them as our travel food , these theplas look so well made , love these methi ones , though the complete list is interesting .
mayurisjikoni
May 28, 2018 at 11:51 pm
Thanks Vaishali.
Varada
May 28, 2018 at 7:20 am
We love theplas and you have given so many variations to the standard methi theplas that I make, Your theplas look delicious.
mayurisjikoni
May 28, 2018 at 2:17 pm
Thanks Varada. Every variation tastes different.
Rafeeda – The Big Sweet Tooth
May 28, 2018 at 11:18 am
Feels like there is crunch in every bite of these theplas. So much filled with goodness, some achar and yogurt and dinner is set!
mayurisjikoni
May 28, 2018 at 2:13 pm
Thanks Rafeeda, definitely dinner is set with thepla, yogurt and pickle.
Renu Agrawal Dongre
May 28, 2018 at 1:57 pm
Wow the theplas look so so tempting and so perfect…I can eat them any time of the day, in lunch , dinner or with a cup of tea.
mayurisjikoni
May 28, 2018 at 2:07 pm
Thanks Renu.. my favorite too.
Srivalli Jetti
May 29, 2018 at 3:50 pm
Oh I love theplas and you have surely got them done so well!
mayurisjikoni
May 29, 2018 at 5:21 pm
Thank you so much Srivalli.
Sandhiya
May 29, 2018 at 6:57 pm
It’s in my todo list for very long time, the theplas looks so good, with those veggies, it makes a healthy meal for sure.
mayurisjikoni
May 29, 2018 at 7:19 pm
Thanks Sandhiya. Try them, its pretty easy to make.
gayathriraani
May 30, 2018 at 7:44 am
The theplas look so good Mayuri. I didn’t know about adding leftover rice and dal in theplas. Thanks for all the suggestions.
mayurisjikoni
May 30, 2018 at 7:57 pm
Thanks Gayathri and most welcome. Usually my dals are thick. When you add dal add water accordingly if need be.
Sowmya:)
May 30, 2018 at 9:36 pm
Those theplas look absolutely delicious. With so many veggies, it looks like a perfect combination of taste and health!
mayurisjikoni
May 31, 2018 at 8:51 pm
Thank you Sowmya.
Pavani
May 31, 2018 at 11:05 pm
Beautifully made theplas Mayuri. It’s true that where ever there are Gujaratis, there are wide variety of theplas. They are just perfect for lunchboxes, picnics, long journeys – just about for every day.
mayurisjikoni
June 1, 2018 at 11:41 am
Thanks Pavani and you’re right… such a versatile flatbread.
Harini
June 1, 2018 at 12:58 am
Lovely looking Theplas. I also heard that theplas are very dear to Gujaratis:)
mayurisjikoni
June 1, 2018 at 11:19 am
Thanks Harini and yes they are 🙂
themadscientistskitchen
June 10, 2018 at 12:07 pm
Yummy theplas. I love the colour your theplas have.
mayurisjikoni
June 11, 2018 at 9:45 pm
Thanks Archana.. its the haldi.
cookingwithsapana
June 12, 2018 at 10:03 pm
I never knew that cooked rice is also added in the theplas. Nice to know the interesting and tasty recipe.
mayurisjikoni
June 13, 2018 at 9:52 pm
Thanks Sapana, we add so many things to the thepla dough. Just yesterday had a small amount of moong dal left over so added that.
Chef Mireille
June 13, 2018 at 8:04 pm
these look so good = such a healthy snack
mayurisjikoni
June 13, 2018 at 9:41 pm
thanks Mireille.
Simply Tadka
August 7, 2018 at 3:03 pm
This thepla recipe looks so inviting.
CAMILLA M MANN
May 9, 2022 at 11:38 pm
I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing it with the group.
mayurisjikoni
May 11, 2022 at 10:29 pm
Thanks Camilla and enjoy when your try out the recipe.
Renu
May 11, 2022 at 10:50 am
Wow that looks like an interesting way to use leftover rice. I love theplas and either love it hot or with my adrak wali chai. Theplas look very good and definitely they are one of the best travel food.
mayurisjikoni
May 11, 2022 at 10:22 pm
Thank you so much Renu.I love thepla and make them ever so often. Makes a good snack too when sometimes I am looking for something to dunk in my afternoon tea.
Jayashree T.Rao
May 12, 2022 at 1:21 pm
I never knew rice was added to theplas. Would love to try adding it next time. Thanks for the recipe.
mayurisjikoni
May 13, 2022 at 9:23 pm
Jayashree we add not only rice, but so many other different ingredients to make thepla.
Seema
May 12, 2022 at 8:31 pm
Theplas are my mainstay to make for the
Week and store. It make my morning runs so easy. I am glad to have this version which is different.
mayurisjikoni
May 13, 2022 at 9:09 pm
Thanks Seema, I too have a supply of theplas in the fridge. So much easier to serve them for any meal time.