Homemade Naan is a soft, leavened flatbread traditionally cooked in a very hot tandoor oven. Our easy stovetop version uses a hot skillet to create those puffy bubbles, golden spots, and soft, chewy texture right at home, no special equipment needed.
We first made this naan years ago and have kept it in rotation ever since. After making it again and again, we’ve found that blooming the yeast first, keeping the dough soft and slightly tacky, and cooking it in a fully heated skillet gives us the best texture every time. Yogurt also helps keep the naan tender and flexible.
We love serving it warm with butter or garlic butter, but it’s also a favorite for dipping in Hummus, pairing with curries and soups, or serving as an easy side with dinner. It freezes well too, so we almost always make enough to save for another meal.
Why you’ll love it + Why it works:
- Restaurant-Style at Home. A hot skillet gives this homemade naan puffy bubbles and golden spots without needing a tandoor oven.
- Soft + Chewy. Yogurt, egg, and a soft dough keep every piece tender and flexible.
- Freezer Friendly. Make a batch ahead and freeze the cooked naan for an easy side on busy nights.
- Bloomed Yeast. Letting the yeast foam in warm water first confirms it is active and helps create a light, puffy dough.
- High Heat Matters. A fully heated skillet cooks the naan quickly so it bubbles and browns without drying out.
Naan Bread Ingredients
- Warm water (½ cup): Activates the yeast so the dough rises light and puffy (between 105-115°F).
- Instant yeast (2 teaspoons): Gives lift and those signature bubbles on the skillet. Or use active dry yeast. Normally, instant yeast does not need to be activated in warm water first, but for this recipe, we find it tends to create a fluffier texture than simply adding it to the flour or using active dry yeast.
- Sugar (1 teaspoon): Feeds the yeast and adds a hint of sweetness for balance.
- Olive oil (3 tablespoons): Keeps the dough supple and adds richness. Or use vegetable oil or melted coconut oil.
- Plain yogurt (¼ cup): Tenderizes the crumb for soft, flexible naan. Or use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Egg (1): Adds structure and a little extra softness.
- Salt (½ teaspoon): Seasons the dough so the bread tastes savory, not flat.
- All-purpose flour (2½ to 3 cups): Forms the dough body, added as needed to stay soft, not sticky.
- Butter, melted or ghee (2 tablespoons): Brush over the hot naan for extra flavor. Ghee gives it a more traditional buttery finish.
- Minced garlic (2 teaspoons): Stir into the butter for a classic garlicky finish.
- Toppings (optional) – We always finish with a sprinkle of fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley!
How to Make Naan Bread
DOUGH. Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl; let the yeast mixture sit for five minutes or until bubbly. Add olive oil, yogurt, egg, salt, and flour. Stir until smooth.
Start with 2½ cups and add more flour a few tablespoons at a time only as needed. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not stiff. Knead a few times on a floured counter until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
COOK. Preheat a skillet to medium heat. Cut dough into eight pieces and shape into balls. OPTIONAL: Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before rolling.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a 6-inch circle.
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add a little oil or non-stick spray to the skillet. The dough should begin bubbling shortly after it hits the pan.
Cook about 1 to 2 minutes on the first side, until bubbly with deep golden spots, then flip and cook another 30 to 60 seconds. NOTE: The naan is ready to flip when large bubbles form on top and the underside has deep golden brown spots.
Keep it soft. Stack the cooked naan on a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel while you cook the rest.
SEASON. Brush the homemade naan top (the bubbly side) of each naan with melted butter. We added minced garlic to the melted butter, but that is optional.
Naan Variations
- Garlic Naan. Brush with garlic butter and finish with cilantro.
- Cheese Naan. Add shredded mozzarella or another mild melting cheese inside before rolling.
- Herb Naan. Finish with cilantro or parsley.
- Buttery Naan. Brush with melted ghee instead of butter.
- Spiced Naan. Sprinkle with nigella seeds, sesame seeds, or a little flaky salt.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Soft dough. Aim for a soft dough, slightly tacky is perfect, it yields the fluffiest naan.
- Thickness matters. Roll each piece to about 6 inches wide and 3 to 5 mm thick. If the dough is too thin, the naan can turn crisp, and if it is too thick, it may not puff and bubble as well.
- Use a hot skillet. Homemade naan is traditionally cooked in a tandoor oven, but you can also use a cast iron skillet, which distributes heat well, giving an even cook to each piece of dough. Preheat the skillet fully, medium heat, and cook until deeply golden spots appear.
- Try bread flour. The extra gluten in bread flour can make the bread even lighter and chewier.
Homemade Naan Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2½-3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted (or ghee)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Instructions
- Combine warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl; let sit for five minutes or till bubbly. Add olive oil, yogurt, egg, salt, and flour. Stir till smooth.
- Start with 2½ cups and add more flour a few tablespoons at a time only as needed. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not stiff. Knead a few times on a floured counter until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat a skillet to medium heat. Cut dough into eight pieces. On a floured surface, roll out each piece into a 6-inch circle.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. The dough should begin bubbling shortly after it hits the pan. Add a little oil or non-stick spray to the skillet.
- Cook about 1 to 2 minutes on the first side, until bubbly with deep golden spots, then flip and cook another 30 to 60 seconds. NOTE: The naan is ready to flip when large bubbles form on top and the underside has deep golden brown spots.
- Keep it soft. Stack the cooked naan on a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel while you cook the rest.
- Brush the top (the bubbly side) of each naan with melted butter. Add 2 teaspoons garlic to 2 tablespoons butter (opptional).
Notes
- Thickness matters. The thickness should only be about 3-5mm thick. If rolled too thin they’ll be crispy, but if rolled too thick, they won’t form bubbles.
- Use a hot skillet. Homemade naan is traditionally cooked in a tandoor oven, but you can also use a cast iron skillet, which distributes heat equally, giving an even cook to each piece of dough.
- Try bread flour. The extra gluten in bread flour can make the bread even lighter and chewier.
Nutrition
Recipe FAQ
Make sure the skillet is fully preheated, the dough has doubled during the rise, and each piece is rolled about 3 to 5 mm thick. Dough that is too thin, too thick, or too dry will not puff as well.
Too much flour, rolling too thin, or cooking too long can make naan dry and tough. Keep the dough soft and slightly tacky, use only enough flour to keep it workable, and cook just until golden and bubbly.
All-purpose flour gives this naan a soft, chewy texture, while bread flour can make it a little chewier. A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour can be substituted, but the texture will be different.
Place dough in an airtight container large enough to accommodate a gradual rise, refrigerate 1-2 days. Punch down, divide, and bake according to the directions.
To freeze, let the dough rise until doubled, then divide it into individual dough balls. Place them on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, let the dough come closer to room temperature, then roll and cook as directed.
Store cooled bread in a Ziploc bag at room temperature for 1-2 days, in the fridge for 5-7, or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Complete The Meal
Main Dish
Coconut Curry Chicken
35 mins
Lentil Soup
45 mins
Buttery Baked Chicken
1 hr 40 mins
Easy Baked Salmon
40 mins
Desserts
Bread Recipes
Fry Bread
4 hrs 35 mins
Focaccia Bread
8 hrs 55 mins
No Knead Bread
3 hrs 14 mins
Sourdough Bread
8 hrs 40 mins
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This recipe was originally published January 2019.
This is my first time making a bread with yeast, and it turned out perfectly. Thank you for posting such a user friendly recipe
I’m glad the recipe was easy to follow and your naan turned out perfectly!
My family is obsessed with this recipe, it is my 5 year olds favorite thing that I make! I return to it almost weekly and always make a double batch as it goes QUICK
Finding a kid approved recipe is always a win! I’m glad your family enjoys this so much.
I used this to make flat pitas that I eventually filled open after cutting in half. Worked great. Tasted delicious and was flexible so that they could be filled open with a knife. Just don’t heat too much and roll out a couple mm thicker.
I’m glad it worked well for the pitas!
Yummy naan! Recipe was clear and easy to follow. I used bread flour and a cast iron pan and it turned out perfectly! Will definitely make again 🙂
PS. Forgot to mark it as a five-star recipe!!
I love hearing that the bread flour and cast iron pan worked perfectly for you!
Thank you for the reminder, your Naan bread choice recipe. Namaste.
The naan bread was soooooooo good!!! Perfect easy recipe, so fluffy, the sauce was top notch.
My husband was the one that made it, It was great!!
We are so glad you both loved the naan, and it sounds like your husband did an amazing job.
I have never made naan before today. I am a skilled baker though. And this recipe was so beginner friendly. The only things I did differently was to make my dough ahead of time and let it rise slowly overnight. I pulled it from the refrigerator this morning and allowed it to spend an hour inside my microwave the has a warm rise feature. I also decided to split the recipe into 16 portions instead of eight. And I used a spray olive oil to keep my bread from being too oily.
I made mine plain but I’m sure the garlic butter will be delicious. This is an amazing recipe. Most likely the best naan I have ever eaten. I will be making this at least once a week. It pairs insanely well with my husband’s homemade humus. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Oh I used a regular old non stick pan and made sure not to use too much flour when I rolled them out. I used my rolling pin set for 3mm.
Thank you for trying the recipe! I’m so glad it turned out so well for you and that it’s earned a spot in your weekly rotation. It sounds perfect with homemade hummus! 😊
Easy and delicious with clear directions. Making a double batch – the family loves it.
I’m so happy your family loves the naan, and making a double batch sounds like a great idea! 😊