Easy Naan Bread

Naan Bread Ingredients

• ½ cup warm water – between 105-115°F
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast – or 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.
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar – to help the yeast bloom
• 3 tablespoons olive oil – vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
• ¼ cup plain yogurt – or plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 whole egg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2½ – 3 cups all-purpose flour – see How to Measure Flour Correctly
• 2 tablespoons butter – use salted or unsalted butter 
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic – optional flavor (that we love!), add it to the butter and then melt
• toppings (optional) – We always finish with a sprinkle of fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley!

WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?

Just enter your email and we’ll send it to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!

Email *

Save

How to Make Naan Bread

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. SEASON. Brush the 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

• 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 the high 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.

4.99 from 922 votes

Easy Naan Bread Recipe

By: Kristyn Merkley

Our famous homemade Naan bread is soft and chewy with the perfect hint of garlic. It's an easy side – perfect for pairing with any meal.

Servings: 8

Prep: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Cook: 6 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 26 minutes mins

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 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).

Video

Notes

Recipe tips.

• 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.

Store the dough. 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 184mg, Potassium: 70mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 125IU, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 1.9mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipe FAQ

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

Easy Rice Pudding

55 mins

Fruit Tart

50 mins

Dessert Kabobs

10 mins

Dessert Parfait

1 hr 10 mins

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

No Knead Bread Recipes

Quick Bread Recipes

Yeast Bread Recipes

Dinner Rolls and Biscuits

This recipe was originally published January 2019.