Lactose Free Injera

Total time48 hr 45 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time30 min

4.5

(19)

Injera is one of those ancient, deeply satisfying breads that doubles as both utensil and canvas — spongy, slightly tangy, and full of those signature bubbled "eyes" that soak up every sauce and stew you pile on top. Made entirely from teff flour, water, yeast, and salt, this recipe is naturally free of any dairy, which means no substitutions or label-checking required. The magic here is fermentation: two days of slow, room-temperature bubbling transforms a simple batter into something complex and pleasantly sour, with a flavor that no shortcut can replicate. Cooking it is a one-sided affair — no flipping, just a quick swirl, a covered steam finish, and you're rewarded with a soft, lacy round that peels cleanly from the pan. Teff itself is a nutritional powerhouse with a mild, earthy depth that gives this flatbread its distinctive character, and it happens to be completely plant-based by nature. Whether you're serving it alongside a rich lentil stew or using it to scoop up roasted vegetables, this is the kind of recipe that makes you feel connected to something much bigger than your kitchen.

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 cups teff flour
2 ½ cups water, divided (plus more as needed)
¼ tsp active dry yeast
½ tsp salt

Instructions

1
Whisk together the teff flour, 2 cups of the water, and the yeast in a large mixing bowl until smooth and no dry flour remains. The batter will be thick at this stage, similar to a dense pancake batter.
2
Cover the bowl loosely with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 48 hours, until the batter smells pleasantly sour and small bubbles are visible on the surface. Stir once or twice a day.

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