Soft, puffy, and golden, Homemade Naan is the easiest way to bring warm bakery style flatbread to your table.
We first tried it a few years back and the whole family is OBSESSED with how soft, simple, and delicious it is. Most often we eat naan warm with butter or garlic butter (it’s heavenly on its own), but it’s also perfect for dipping in hummus, pairing with soups or curries, or as a tasty side dish.
This bread (similar to Fry Bread) freezes very well so you can have plenty on hand when you need a quick and easy side or dinner. Although this flatbread may seem intimidating, our homemade naan is fail-proof and more simple to make then you think!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Just a few steps! Believe it or not, this recipe is very simple and fail-proof.
- Perfect for dipping. Yes, naan bread is great to eat on its own, but it’s also the perfect side for Curry as well as other Indian dishes.
- Have plenty on hand. This recipe is perfect for making ahead of time as well as freezing for later, which is great for busy weeknights.
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 (2 tablespoons): Brushed on for sheen and flavor after cooking.
- Minced garlic (2 teaspoons): Stir into the butter for 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 till bubbly. Add olive oil, yogurt, egg, salt, and flour. Stir till smooth.
Add enough flour to make a soft naan dough. 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.
COOK. Preheat a skillet to medium heat. Cut dough into eight pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a 6-inch circle.
Add a little oil or non-stick spray to a hot skillet. Cook each circle for 2-3 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on the bottom. Flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
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.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Soft dough. Aim for a soft dough, slightly tacky is perfect, it yields the fluffiest naan.
- 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. Roll each piece to about 6 inches, if it is too thick it will not bubble 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 the high heat equally, 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.
Easy Naan Bread Recipe
Video
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
- 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.
- Add enough flour to make a soft dough. 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.
- Preheat a skillet to medium heat. Cut dough into eight pieces. On a floured surface, roll out each piece into a 6-inch circle.
- Add a little oil or non-stick spray to the skillet. Cook each circle for 2-3 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on the bottom.
- Flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- 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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
The higher amount of gluten in bread flour is what gives this recipe the soft, chewy texture. You can substitute the bread flour with 1:1 gluten-free baking flour, but it will affect the texture.
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, use 3 teaspoons of yeast in the dough to compensate for any that will die in the freezer. Let the dough rise to double, punch it down, and divide it into balls. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet and freeze for up to 3 months. Once frozen, store them together in a freezer-safe container. To serve, let the dough thaw and cook.
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
Collections
This recipe was originally published January 2019.
First time I have ever made Naan bread. recipe worked great.
Happy to hear that! Glad you gave it a try 🙂 Thank you!
Absolutely the best. Easy to make. Recipe is in high demand.
Thank you so much for sharing that 🙂
Can i use buttermilk instead of yoguRt
Can i use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast
I am sure you could, though, I personally have not, so the measurements might be different.
Awesome. Will try to make this during my my free time.
I hope you will & like it!
Made this recipe last evening to go along with my Chicken Tikka & grilled vegetables. Turned out great & taste was good but didn’t have the “bubbles” while it was cooking. Also, mine only took about 1 1/2 to cook. I let it rise for about 1 hr.
Glad you tried it! Not sure why it didn’t bubble, but glad it turned out!
Can these be baked instead of fried?
I personally have not tied, but I am sure they could. I wouldn’t know what temp or how long though.
Have made many flatbreads and naan during isolation. Yours is amazing. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
You are so welcome! Glad you tried it! And, I totally know what you mean..making all kinds of breads! Thank you!
I tried this recipe and was so pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to make and how good it was. This is my new favorite recipe! Thanks you!
You are welcome! Glad you liked it!
The naNs tasted good …but i think i did something wrong as dough did not bubble…only had active yeast….so had to put kore flour in as carried out instructions with the active yeast and nans looked like soda bread….any advice would be appreciated
I’m sorry. If it did not bubble, the yeast is probably not good. That would be my guess.
This recipe is simple and delicious!
So glad you think so 🙂 Thank you so much!