Naan

Soft and chewy with a charred, bubbly exterior, this homemade naan recipe rivals that of your local Indian restaurant! A hot cast iron pan is key for replicating the traditional tandoor cooking method at home.

Course Appetizer, Bread, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2

Rising Time 1 15

Total Time 1 47

Servings servings

Calories 239kcal

Author Sam Merritt

Equipment

Mixing bowls
Cast iron skillet (I love this skillet - reasonably priced and will last forever)

Ingredients

½ cup (120 ml) water
3 Tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast* see note on for instant yeast
2 ½ cups (312 g) all-purpose or bread flour divided
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup (60 g) full fat Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic optional, for garlic naan

For topping (optional but so good!)

4 Tablespoons (57 g) salted butter
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons minced garlic for garlic naan

Instructions

Make the dough

In a microwave safe dish, warm water and milk until it reaches 100F (38C) (always stir before checking temperature).
½ cup water, 3 Tablespoons milk
Pour warmed liquid into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl), add yeast and a pinch of sugar and stir to combine. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until mixture becomes foamy (if it never foams, you’ll need to start over with fresh yeast).
2 teaspoons active dry yeast*
Once foamy, add about 1 ½ cups (188g) bread flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, Greek yogurt, olive oil, and garlic (if making garlic naan) and stir until well-combined.
2 teaspoons granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon table salt, ¼ cup full fat Greek yogurt, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Gradually stir in the remaining 1 cup (125g) flour until dough begins to cling to itself and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Place bowl on your stand mixer and, using dough hook attachment, knead on low-speed for 4 minutes (alternatively turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for about 5 minutes). Knead until dough is cohesive and no longer shaggy (it still may be slightly sticky/tacky, especially if you used the stand mixer – this is good!). Note that this dough does not become completely smooth and elastic like many yeast breads nor will it pass the “windowpane test”.
Transfer dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat all sides with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm space until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

Roll & bake

Once dough has risen, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, stretching and tucking the edges underneath if necessary to create a ball shape. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 10-15 minutes until slightly puffed.
Heat your cast iron skillet over medium/high heat for at least 5 minutes (you should be able to feel the heat radiating from it if you hover your hand a few inches above it).
Once skillet is heated and dough has risen, working with one ball at a time, roll dough out into a 6-8” (15-20cm) circle.
Carefully place circle (just one or two at a time, depending on the space in your skillet) into your heated skillet and heat on one side for about 45-60 seconds, until bubbles start to form. Flip over and cook until naan is cooked through, this will usually take another 30-60 seconds.
Remove naan to a plate, and repeat until all naan is cooked. Prepare the topping

Garlic butter topping

In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat.
4 Tablespoons salted butter
Add parsley and garlic (if making garlic naan) and stir to combine. Cook several minutes, until fragrant.
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Use a pastry brush to brush topping over warm, cooked naan. Enjoy!

Notes

Instant yeast

To use instant yeast, substitute 1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast and follow the recipe as written. Rise time will be the same or very similar as when using active yeast.

Flour

I prefer bread flour for a chewier naan, but all-purpose flour will work in a pinch.

Storing

Allow to cool completely and place in an airtight container or resealable ziploc bag. Refrigerate for 2-3 days or freeze (I wrap the naan individually in plastic wrap first if freezing) for 1-2 months.
To reheat, warm in a 325F (160C) oven for several minutes, until warmed through.

Nutrition