This recipe for naan bread is our quick and easy rendition of traditional Indian flatbread. Absolutely addicting & will make your kitchen smell irresistible!
Before we dive in, it’s worth noting that this isn’t an authentic recipe for naan bread. Instead, it’s our simplified, easy take on this absolutely drool-worthy treasure from India. If you’ve never tried it before, get ready to fall in love with this perfectly textured, fluffy bread.
What is Naan Bread?
Naan bread is chewy, leavened Indian flatbread that’s typically made with yogurt, yeast and a little sugar. You’ll find it served warm alongside curry, chicken tikka masala, or butter chicken. Traditionally, it’s made in a hot clay tandoor oven with a wood or charcoal fire until it bubbles and turns golden brown. To make it more accessible to make at home, our version is made on a cast-iron skillet. Here, find an overview of the flavor, texture, and time it takes to make this recipe.
- Flavor: The flavor of this bread is slightly sweet and earthy.
- Texture: Because it’s made with eggs and milk, it comes out with a gummy and fluffy texture.
- Time: From start to finish, this recipe takes just under an hour to make.
Making Our Homemade Naan Bread from Scratch
To prepare this easy naan recipe, all you need is 7 simple ingredients and a stove top.
- Activate the Yeast: In large bowl, whisk together the active dry yeast, warm water, and sugar and let sit until frothy.
- Build the Dough: Next, stir in milk, egg and salt to the yeast mixture. Slowly, add in the all-purpose flour. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes by hand on a lightly-floured surface or in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Allow the Dough to Rest: Pop the dough in a bowl. cover with a plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for about an hour.
- Shape the Naan: Next, split the dough into equal portions. Roll them into balls and set them aside on a well-floured tray. Cover them with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for at least 15 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pieces into ovals.
- Cook the Naan: Cook each raw naan on a preheated skillet for about 3 minutes. Flip it over and cook the other side. Top it with fresh herbs and melted butter (hot tip on this further on!) or enjoy as-is. Enjoy!
3 Tips for the Tastiest Homemade Naan
Find a couple key tips from our test kitchen to help you knock this homemade naan out of the park.
- Give the yeast about 10 minutes to activate. To ensure your yeast is fully activated to make the naan nice and fluffy, give it at least 10 minutes to activate at room temperature with the warm milk and sugar.
- Don’t try to be perfect with the shaping. Naan is best when rolled out rustic and irregular. A nice oval shape is all you need – don’t break your back trying to be perfect!
- Keep the heat over medium. To avoid burning your naan, keep the heat of the skillet over medium. If you experience any sticking, grease the pan with a little butter or ghee in between each naan.
Herb & Garlic Butter Naan Bread
Typically, Indian chefs will fry the naan bread in garlic ghee (clarified butter) to give the outside nice, golden crust. If you love a flavorful naan, here’s how to up level your flatbread with a garlic and herb butter.
- Chop the Herbs: First, chop up 1/4 bunch of fresh cilantro.
- Mince the Garlic: Next, mince 2-3 cloves of garlic.
- Melt the Ghee: Then, melt 1/2 cup of ghee in a small bowl in the microwave. Whisk in the chopped herbs and garlic.
- Brush the Naan: Once you pull the naan out of the skillet, immediately brush the tops with your garlic-herb ghee or butter. Yum!
Never used ghee before? Grab a jar from the grocery store or Amazon and use it just like you would butter in most recipes.
Different Ways to Serve It
Naan is super versatile. Substitute naan for pizza dough and make homemade, personal flatbread pizzas. Or, use it to make a sandwich wrap. It’s also wonderful when paired with a piping hot bowl of soup or stew. Try making our cabbage roll soup and sop up your leftover broth with your fresh naan. Hello, perfect fall meal!
FAQ
What makes naan special?
What makes naan special is that it’s made with eggs, yeast, and sometimes yogurt. This gives it a denser and more chewy texture than typical breads and makes it perfect for scooping up different curries and stewed meats.
Is naan bread healthier than other bread?
Traditional naan bread that’s made with yogurt might be a little healthier than other breads due to the added protein and fiber. At the end of the day, it’s still bread and should be eaten in moderation.
Can you make homemade naan bread with whole wheat flour?
Yes, you can make homemade naan bread with whole wheat flour. However, it won’t be as light and fluffy as if you used regular white all-purpose flour.
Does naan bread have a pocket on the inside?
Naan bread does not have a pocket on the inside like pita bread does. However, you can make a slit in the bread and attempt to stuff it if you keep the dough thick enough before cooking.
Storing, Freezing, & Reheating Tips
Have some naan to stow away or freeze? Here’s all you need to know to keep it fresh in storage.
- Refrigerator: To keep the naan fresh for up to three weeks, store it in an airtight container in the fridge. To note, it will need to be warmed up as it tends to get a bit hard in the fridge.
- Room Temperature: If you plan to eat your naan within a week, store naan bread in an airtight container on the counter. This will keep it from turning stale too quickly.
- Freezer: If you want to have naan on hand for up to 3 months, store it in a zip-top bag in the freezer for up to three months. When you are ready to eat it, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheating Tip: To reheat naan without burning it, stack a couple of pieces in aluminum foil and bake them in the oven for 5-7 minutes at 200°F.
More Easy Bread Recipes to Try
- No-Knead Bread – Quick & easy bread round
- Flax Wheat Bread – High fiber, hearty bread
- Brioche Bread – Braided egg bread
- Honey Wheat Bread – Slightly sweet wheat bread
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water around 110°F
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp active dry yeast
- 1 egg beaten
- 3 tbsp milk
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk the water, yeast, and sugar together. Let the ingredients sit for about 10 minutes at room temperature until frothy.
- Nest, whisk in the milk, egg, and salt. In small portions, carefully add the flour as you mix. Knead the flour for 6-8 minutes by hand on a lightly floured surface or in a stand mixer.
- Place dough in a bowl and cover it with a plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for about an hour, or until it has doubled in volume.
- Split the dough into 10-15 equal sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place it on well-floured work surface. Cover the dough balls with a towel and allow them to rise for 15-20 minutes.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out each dough ball until it's thin.
- On a preheated cast iron skillet, cook each naan for about 3 minutes on each side.
- Serve with garlic-herb ghee or plain.
Made naan bread for the first time today. I will never buy store bought again. They turned out amazing. Love the step by step instructions. They will be made again and again especially over the winter months when I make lots of soups.
Hi Mary Ann, So glad to hear the recipe was a success! Thanks so much for your feedback! Enjoy!
I have tried so many different naan recipes over the years and I have never been successful, UNTIL NOW!! 😀 I knew this was going to be the one when I was kneading the bread and it just smelled like naan. Thank you for a great recipe and for taking the time to include clear photo instructions--it really helped me get it right.
Thank you for the feedback, Kate. I'm so glad this recipe was a winner for you!
Can you freeze the leftover Naan? And if so, die how long?
Hello, you can store naan bread in a plastic storage bag in the freezer for up to three months. When you are ready to eat it, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat and crisp it in the oven for a couple of minutes. Enjoy!
Hi can I use almond flour for naan bread instead of All purpose Flour?
Hey CeeKay, I am afraid that the texture wouldn't be the same. If you do try it, please let me know how it goes.
Hello what is the ingredients of the dip in Naan Bread
Hey, it's just a combo of garlic, herbs and olive oil.
This is so easy to make!! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Right, it's so simple! I am glad you enjoyed the recipe.
So incredibly easy & tasty!! I love naan bread for salad!!
Natalie, I am glad you enjoyed the recipe! It really is a super easy recipe.
This. This is my FAVORITE part of eating out at Indian restaurants! The bread. And especially when it's Naan. I mean, I like Roti, but Naan will always hold a special place in my heart! Great, easy recipe with good instruction and pictures!!
Thank you for the kind compliment. I am glad you enjoyed the recipe! I'm a naan fan too!
Hello , Dry yeast ?? instant dry yeast. ???? is that ok if so do I need to let it ferment or can I just mix with flour first ??
Yes, instant dry yeast. I would definitely follow step one and let the yeast get activated.
Question? Calorie content and can the sugar be left out or is it necessary for the Naan to rise and cook correctly?
Hey Maggie, I added nutrition to the recipe. You do want to add at list a tiny bit of sugar to activate the yeast.
O yes this is a simple recipe that is easy to cook and enjoyed by the whole familySill make these again and again Thank you
Thanks! Yes, I love this recipe so much as well. Naan bread is so bomb 🙂
It looks wonderful, but FYI, naan means bread. So when you say, bread naan, you're saying bread bread. Just call it naan.
Hahhaa 🙂 that's good to know.. For those who are like me may want to read bread twice lol
sounds like a stupid question but do you stack them or how do you fit 10-15 circles on a cookie sheet to raise the extra 30 minutes?
Because they are not rolled out, it should easily fit into a cookie sheet.
Thank you for this recipe. I've tried several naan recipes before and this is by far the best. I'm working on my second batch in two days. My Punjabi husband loves them!
Hey, thanks so much for letting me know. You made me smile. 🙂
Wowsa with the sugar. Does there need to be this much?
You van cut down a little bit of sugar. Naan bread is typically is on a sweet side.
I'm so glad I found this recipe! It's really hard to find a good-tasting Naan, even when I shop at my local Indian Foods store. I 'pinned' this the minute I saw it on Pinterest.
Oh thank you dear! I am with you, good naan bread is hard to find. This recipe is so perfect.
Has anyone tried this with whole grain flour? or added seeds/nuts/etc?
I haven't so I can't tell you for sure but I think it would work. Maybe it would be more dense than with white flour but it will work
Hi. Thank you for sharing this recipe. You can actually take it to next level by filling the dough with stuffings like mashed potatoes, cooked ground meat, Indian paneer or get creative. Fill the dough balls just before rolling them out. Try rolling them on a cotton or muslin cloth. That way the dough does not stick to the surface and you will also end up using less oil. I have been doing this for years. My fav is mashed potatoes stuffing with some indian herbs.
Oh wow, that actually reminds me of this recipe. Sounds like we are all the same just a little different http://momsdish.com/r466
Hi. Can i refrigerate or freeze this dough? Thanks
Hi, I never tried freezing the dough. I think it would be easier to cook them and than freeze them. Later you can bake them until they warm up, and they will taste just as fresh.
So what are some things you can serve with this? Like not making a pizza but some food to go along with it do you suggest anything 🙂 ?
I just got a recipe for sweetpotato hummus that you put on crostinis with a dollop of ricotta and sprinkle of sage-so Delish. But I ran out of crostini, so I am going to try it with naan today
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Oh, your hummus sounds really delicious. If you can, please share a recipe. I hope you love this Naan bread. Keep me posted 😉
Well I did not get to the Naan yesterday but my hummus awaits, maybe today!
GO TO PINTEREST and put in Sweet Potato Tahini Crostini from loveandlemons. I'm afraid I don't have time to type recipe today, but that should work. If it doesn't let me know.
Cool!!! Thank you. I will definitely be trying that recipe!
We Asians love this with curries 🙂
Kebabs would work perfect with it or hummus. I have used it for gyros too, recipe link-> http://momsdish.com/r324.
I really love and appreciate the step by step photos. It's so helpful when you can visualize what's suppose to be happening.
Lula, thank you! I agree with you 🙂 It's much easier to understand a recipe with more photos!
Hi! I just want to say what an amazing job you're doing on the website! It's so nice to be able to follow such awesome recipes that make sense, look amazing, and tastes like home 🙂 Thank you so much! 🙂 I have a quick question: Do you think I could make this with whole wheat flour?
I just made this recipe substituting one of the cups with whole wheat flour. Used bread flour with the other 2 1/2 cups.
That's an awesome idea. I miss naan bread!! Need to make it
Wow, thank you for taking your time to write out such a sweet comment. You made my day 🙂
You know, it may work but it will not be the same. I only made it with white flour and loved the turn out. If you are trying to make them healthier, maybe try doing 1/2 of each flour. Let me know how it works for you, it would be great to hear how they are with whole wheat flour.
Hello. Did you use all purpose flour or Canadian flour for this recipe?
I always cook with Canadian Flour at home
What is Canadian flour?
Canadian flour is sold in very few stores in USA. It's better in quality than most flour that is sold in stores.
But it's just basically flour made in Canada. If you ever get your hands in it, you will see how much better it is.
We make a trip to Vancouver BC and stock up on it.
Natasha, I really wish you would fix your recipe printer if there is a way. I printed this recipe and it came out on two pages - DIVIDED! My ingredients were cut off and the text was large. It is very inconvenient and it discourages me to print any of your recipes.
Oksana, my computer is printing it on one page. See Timofey's comment. Thanks
Hi Oksana - can you send your issue and browser version to http://momsdish.com/contact. Select Technical Issues from the categories.
Thanks
Yum! These look amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
You will love it!
Did you try to cook chicken tikka masala, looking for good recipe
I have tried one at my friends house, it was so amazing, I keep on thinking to ask her for a recipe. I will try to get that posted soon.