Thepla | Gujarati Methi Thepla Recipe

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Faintly bitter, and wonderfully spiced Methi Thepla are savory flatbreads that are delicious to enjoy as a delicious snack any time of the day. My step-by-step instructions with photos and video will show you how to easily make this classic Thepla recipe with fresh fenugreek leaves and whole wheat flour. Plus, get tasty suggestions for some sides to eat with Methi Thepla!

a methi thepla roll placed in a slant direction over five stacked methi thepla rolls on white plate on blue black board with a side of raita on top left

What is Thepla made of?

Thepla are flavorful flatbreads that are made with spices, herbs, yogurt, whole wheat flour and millet flours with or without the inclusion of greens or veggies.

Methi thepla is made with fresh fenugreek (methi) leaves and whole grain flours. These leaves are slightly bitter with a hint of maple, and smell fantastic both raw and when cooked.

Fenugreek also happens to be quite healthy and is known for helping to reduce inflammation and blood sugar levels.

When combined with spices and a blend of whole wheat flour, gram flour, sorghum flour, and pearl millet flour, the deep earthy taste of the methi is beautifully balanced.

The thepla dough is then flattened and lightly roasted to create tender and soft flatbreads that are delicious as a snack or fun side dish.

Methi thepla pair well with nearly any savory or sweet dipping sauce, mango pickle, or creamy yogurt. Continue reading for easy steps and tips (plus video!) for making the best thepla recipe with fenugreek!

methi thepla rolls placed stacked vertically in white square plate on a dark blue black board

How do you store fenugreek leaves?

As soon as they are purchased and home you should pluck the leaves from the fenugreek stems. Then thoroughly wash and dry the leaves, and keep them in an airtight container or a zip lock bag in the fridge.

I like to keep the plucked methi leaves in a steel container, and the leaves stay fresh for 4 to 5 days. Then whenever I want I can add a sprinkling of methi leaves to pakoras or pulao and even dal.

For more advice for properly cleaning methi be sure to read this Aloo Methi recipe post!

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Methi Thepla Recipe

Prep Methi Leaves

Before you begin making thepla recipe, you have to prep the methi leaves and make the dough. Pluck the leaves from the stems and tightly pack them in a measuring cup of 240 or 250 ml. Only use the leaves and not the stems.

1. First prepare the fenugreek: Rinse 1 cup of methi leaves very well in cool running water. Then drain them thoroughly and dry with a kitchen towel or paper towel. Chop the leaves finely and set them aside.

Tip: You need to finely chop the methi leaves. If not finely chopped, you will find it difficult to roll the dough and the leaves may tear the dough when rolling.

finely chopped methi leaves

Make Thepla Dough

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the following listed flours:

  • 1 cup of whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup besan or gram flour – you can replace it with chickpea flour
  • ¼ cup of pearl millet flour also known as bajra atta in Hindi
  • ¼ cup sorghum flour called jowar flour or jowar atta

Note that if you don’t have or prefer not to use millet flour – simply leave out and instead add 1¼ cups of whole wheat flour and ½ cup of besan flour.

flours for making thepla recipe

3. Next, add the spices and herbs:

  • 1-inch ginger, grated or crushed (in a mortar-pestle)
  • 1 or 2 green chilies, crushed – about ½ to 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies or serrano pepper
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • ¾ teaspoon salt or add as required
spices and seasonings added to flours

4. Now add the chopped methi leaves.

methi leaves added

5. Mix everything well.

methi leaves mixed with flours

6. Next add 4 to 5 tablespoons of curd or yogurt. To make a vegan thepla add 4 tablespoons of water or vegan yogurt instead.

curd on top of the mixed flours

7. Mix again and knead into a dough. Do not add any additional water while kneading, as the methi leaves release water.

dough being kneaded

8. Knead very well to form a soft, smooth dough. You can add more curd a tablespoon at a time if required while kneading.

Tip: If the dough looks hard, add a few tablespoons of curd and knead. If the dough becomes sticky, add some wheat flour. Mix and continue to knead.

dough kneaded to a soft smooth ball for methi thepla recipe

9. Now make 10 or 11 medium sized balls from the dough.

dough balls rolled from the dough

Roll Into Flatbreads

10. Working one at a time, take a thepla dough ball and lightly sprinkle with flour on a clean, lightly floured surface.

flour sprinkled on dough ball

11. Use a rolling pin to flatten.

rolling thepla with a rolling pin

12. Roll the thepla to a round flatbread of about 5 to 6 inches in diameter.

rolled thepla

Cook Methi Thepla

13. Heat a tawa or large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the flattened thepla onto the surface.

Let cook for under a minute until just starting to become light golden or you see faint air pockets on the top.

rolled thepla on a skillet or tawa

14. Use a spatula to flip.

thepla flipped with some brown spots seen on top

15. Spread oil lightly on the top side to coat, like in the picture below.

oil being spread on thepla with a steel spoon

16. Flip the thepla again when the second side is half-cooked.

methi thepla flipped again

17. Now spread a bit of oil on this side, too.

oil being spread with a steel spoon on the second side

18. Continue to flip back and forth a couple of times, allowing the thepla to cook for just under a minute or so each time until the flatbread becomes golden brown with even, slightly darker brown spots.

methi thepla roasted evenly

19. If needed you can press methi thepla with spatula to get an even cook.

pressing thepla with a black spatula

20. Note: Since I plan to serve them after a few hours, I have added a good amount of oil so that they remain soft. If you plan to serve them immediately then you can add less oil.

methi thepla cooked well

21. Remove the thepla from the skillet, and keep transfer to a roti basket or a covered platter to serve. Continue to make all thepla this way.

a thepla roll placed in a slant direction over five stacked methi thepla rolls on white plate on blue black board with a side of raita on top left

What to eat with Thepla?

Serve Methi Thepla with plain curd (yogurt), lemon or Mango PickleMango Chutney, or Mango Chunda. The bitterness from the fenugreek pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the mango!

You can also eat these with a simple Batata nu Shaak. Methi thepla also pairs well as a side snack with Masala Chai. I also love to eat it with Dal Fry.

How do you store Methi Thepla?

Methi thepla are best when enjoyed either right away or later the same day. They will keep well for up to 3 to 4 days when you make them without curd.

So if you want to have them later after a few days, do not add curd as it will lessen its shelf life. Simply knead the dough with water. Store cooled flatbreads in an airtight container and keep at room temperature.

They also freeze well. Simply wrap a stack of cooled methi thepla in foil before storing in an airtight freezer bag, and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Thaw in the fridge and later reheat these flatbreads either in a skillet on the stove or in the oven for just a few minutes until warm.

Thepla Recipe Variations

There are many variations of making thepla recipe and each family has their own method and proportions of flours that they add. Make a plain thepla recipe or add a few veggies that make them healthier. I have shared a few thepla recipe variations and have listed them below.

  1. Lauki Thepla: I make these soft flatbreads with bottle gourd (opo squash, calabash). My lauki thepla recipe is different from methi thepla wherein I do not include millet flours but only add whole wheat flour and gram flour.
  2. Mooli Thepla: These rustic flatbreads made with tender white radish, whole wheat flour and spices are simply delicious. Both mooli thepla and mooli paratha are different unique recipes. To make mooli thepla mix the radish with the flour and then knead to a soft dough. But to make paratha, you stuff the grated radish as a separate layer in the rolled dough.
  3. Plain Thepla: Make the simplest version of plain thepla recipe without any vegetables. Omit fenugreek leaves in this recipe. Add some water to knead the dough. You can also omit the millet flours and include 1½ cups of whole wheat flour and ¼ cup of gram flour.
  4. With Kasuri Methi: We call dried fenugreek leaves ‘Kasuri Methi’ in Hindi. These dried aromatic leaves come in handy when you do not have fresh leaves. You can substitute fresh methi leaves with Kasuri Methi in this recipe – simply add about 2 to 3 tablespoons. Add some water as needed while kneading.
  5. Other Greens: You can make this thepla recipe with green leafy vegetables like spinach or amaranth leaves.

Expert Tips for Best Thepla

  • Flours: You can include various combinations of flours with different ratios. However, always add more whole wheat flour. With lesser amounts of wheat flour, your thepla can become chewy or hard and you won’t be able to roll the dough easily. A relevant point to be remembered is not to increase the amount of gram flour (besan) too much. This can make your methi thepla hard and dry.
  • Dough consistency: The thepla dough has to be smooth, soft, and pliable. If your dough looks hard, the thepla will become dry and hard. With a soft and sticky dough, you won’t be able to roll evenly and it may tear. To correct hard dough, add a few tablespoons of curd or water and knead. For a sticky dough, add some wheat flour.
  • Longer storage: If you want to make thepla for a journey or you plan to store it for some days. Then add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil to the flour, while you form the dough. Not only adding oil will make thepla soft but also help in preserving them for some days. Omit to add the curd (yogurt) as it decreases the shelf life of thepla.
  • Spicing: For a spicy thepla add more green chilies and red chili powder. You can always add less or more ground spices and green chilies according to your preferences.
  • Fats: For roasting thepla, you may use ghee (clarified butter) instead of oil.
  • Other Greens: You can make this thepla recipe with green leafy vegetables like spinach or amaranth leaves.

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methi thepla rolls placed stacked vertically in white square plate on a dark blue black board

Thepla | Gujarati Methi Thepla Recipe

Thepla recipe comes from the Gujarati cuisine and are popular flatbreads made with whole grain flours. Spiced and savory methi thepla are healthy flatbreads made with fresh fenugreek leaves and multi grain flours.
4.92 from 60 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Cuisine Gujarati
Course Breakfast, Snacks
Diet Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Easy
Servings 11 Methi Thepla
Units

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fenugreek leaves (methi) – tightly packed
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour – 120 grams
  • ¼ cup gram flour (besan), 40 grams
  • ¼ cup pearl millet flour (bajra flour), 40 grams
  • ¼ cup sorghum flour (jowar flour) or 40 grams
  • 1 inch ginger – crushed to a paste
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon chopped green chillies or serrano pepper – crushed to a paste
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder (ground cumin)
  • ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt or add as required
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 4 to 5 tablespoon Curd (yogurt) or water for kneading or add as required
  • oil as required for roasting thepla

Instructions
 

Kneading dough

  • Rinse 1 cup methi leaves very well in water. Then drain them and chop finely.
  • In a mixing bowl, take whole wheat flour, besan, sorghum flour and pearl millet flour. I have used millet flours but you can skip them if you don't have. In this case, simply add 1.25 cups whole wheat flour and ½ cup besan.
  • Add all the spices and herbs.
  • Add the chopped methi leaves. Mix everything well.
  • Add curd (for a vegan option add very little water instead of curd).
  • Mix again and knead into a dough. Don’t add water while kneading as methi leaves release water.
  • Knead to a soft and smooth dough. Add more curd if needed while kneading.

Rolling to flatbreads

  • Make medium sized balls from the dough.
  • Take a medium sized ball and sprinkle some flour on it.
  • With the rolling pin begin to roll the thepla.
  • Roll them to a round of about 5 to 6 inches in diameter.

Cooking thepla

  • On a hot tawa or skillet, place the thepla. Flip when one side is partly cooked, about one-fourth or half cooked. You will see some faint air pockets on the top and this is the time when you need to flip it.
  • Spread oil on this side. Flip the thepla again when the second side is half-cooked.
  • Now spread the oil on this side. Flip a couple of times till you get golden spots and the methi thepla is cooked evenly.
  • You can also press the thepla with spatula while cooking.
  • Remove and keep it in a roti basket.
  • Serve methi thepla hot or warm or at room temperature.

Serving suggestions

  • Enjoy methi thepla with plain curd (yogurt), lemon or Mango Pickle, Mango Chutney, or Mango Chunda.
  • You can also eat these with a simple Batata nu Shaak. Methi thepla also pairs well as a side snack with Masala Chai or Ginger Chai.

Storage

  • Methi thepla are best when enjoyed either right away or later the same day. They will keep well for up to 3-4 days when you make them without curd.
  • So if you want to have them later after a few days, do not add curd as it will lessen its shelf life. Simply knead the dough with water. Store cooled flatbreads in an airtight container and keep at room temperature.
  • They also freeze well. Simply wrap a stack of cooled methi thepla in foil before storing in an airtight freezer bag, and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Thaw in the fridge and later reheat these flatbreads either in a skillet on the stove or in the oven for just a few minutes until warm.

Video

Notes

  • Flours: You can include various combinations of flours with different ratios. However, always add more whole wheat flour. With lesser amounts of wheat flour, your thepla can become chewy or hard and you won’t be able to roll the dough easily. A relevant point to be remembered is not to increase the amount of gram flour (besan) too much. This can make your methi thepla hard and dry.
  • Dough consistency: The thepla dough has to be smooth, soft, and pliable. If your dough looks hard, the thepla will become dry and hard. With a soft and sticky dough, you won’t be able to roll evenly and it may tear. To correct hard dough, add a few tablespoons of curd or water and knead. For a sticky dough, add some wheat flour.
  • Longer storage: If you want to make thepla for a journey or you plan to store it for some days. Then add about 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil to the flour, while you form the dough. Not only adding oil will make thepla soft but also help in preserving them for some days. Omit to add the curd (yogurt) as it decreases the shelf life of thepla.
  • Spicing: For a spicy thepla add more green chilies and red chili powder. You can always add less or more ground spices and green chilies according to your preferences.
  • Fats: For roasting, you may use ghee (clarified butter) instead of oil.
  • Other Greens: You can make this recipe with green leafy vegetables like spinach or amaranth leaves.

    Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

    Nutrition Facts
    Thepla | Gujarati Methi Thepla Recipe
    Amount Per Serving (1 methi thepla)
    Calories 136 Calories from Fat 54
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 6g9%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Cholesterol 1mg0%
    Sodium 167mg7%
    Potassium 102mg3%
    Carbohydrates 17g6%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 4g8%
    Vitamin A 37IU1%
    Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
    Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
    Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg5%
    Vitamin B6 1mg50%
    Vitamin B12 1µg17%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Vitamin D 1µg7%
    Vitamin E 2mg13%
    Vitamin K 1µg1%
    Calcium 101mg10%
    Vitamin B9 (Folate) 9µg2%
    Iron 2mg11%
    Magnesium 27mg7%
    Phosphorus 71mg7%
    Zinc 1mg7%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    This Thepla recipe from the archives first published in July 2012 has been republished and updated on January 2021.

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    168 Comments

      1. Thanks for this website which is a great resource for me living in the UK. I have learnt a lot of new recipes, they are very clearly written and come out well. Keep up the good work!5 stars

    1. Hi, I love all your recipe especially this one. I want to try with whole wheat flour, ragi and besan. Can you help me with the proportion. Thank you in advance5 stars

      1. Thanks Sejal. You can try with 1 cup whole wheat flour, ¼ cup ragi flour and ¼ cup besan. Welcome.

    2. Excellent recipe.!! Absolutely fabulous taste, all your recipes are great.

      1. Yep you definitely can. I always make with dried leaves due to lack of availability of fresh leaves.

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