Thepla Recipe | Methi Thepla (Fenugreek Flatbread)

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!

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!

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!

How to make Thepla

Preparing 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.

Making 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.

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

4. Now add the chopped methi leaves.

5. Mix everything well.

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.

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

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.

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

Rolling into flatbreads

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

11. Use a rolling pin to flatten.

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

Cooking 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.

14. Use a spatula to flip.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

What to eat with Thepla?

Serve methi thepla with plain curd (yogurt), lemon or Mango Pickle, Mango 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 3-4 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 (calabash). My lauki thepla recipe is different from methi thepla wherein I do not include millet flours but only 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

• 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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This thepla recipe post from the archives (July 2012) has been republished and updated on 25 January 2021.