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Naan Bread
Naan is an Indian recipe; it’s a type of flat bread.
Traditionally they are baked inside a very hot clay tandoor oven, with charcoal or wood fire.
The naan bread are stuck to the inside of the oven just like the picture below.
The tandoor oven retains very high heat, up to 900°F and hence fills the inside of the flat bread with air pockets and bakes them to perfection.
In a modern day kitchen, we do not have a tandoor oven, but you can make naan at home with a hot cast-iron skillet on the stove stop, or bake in the oven.
My naan recipe is made on a stove top, using a very hot cast-iron skillet.
The naan turn out extremely delicious, soft, puffy, airy, with the beautiful golden brown spots on the surface.
They taste just like the best Indian buffet restaurants!
Frequently Asked Questions about Naan:
Is Naan Bread Healthy?
Yes, it is super healthy. My recipe is quick and easy, fail-proof and cooked on a skillet. You do not need a tandoor oven!
Does It Have Eggs?
There is no eggs in the recipe. Vegan can’t eat them as this recipe calls for yogurt, which is not vegan-friendly.
The Origin of Naan
It originated from Iranian. However, different countries have its own version of the bread.
It’s a staple in Iran, many middle eastern countries, the Indian subcontinent countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc.
The Difference between Naan and Roti
They are both flat breads but different because of the ingredients used. Roti, for example, chapati is made with whole wheat flour and there is no yeast.
Naan is made with all purpose flour and you will need yeast to make the dough.
Tips on How to Make Naan
- First, you want to make the dough by combining the yeast and flour together. Knead the dough with hand or using a stand mixer and then rest to double the dough in size.
- Divide the dough into 8 balls. Heat up a cast-iron skillet on high heat to make naan.
- The high heat makes the dough rises and fills the middle part of the bread with an air pocket. It’s done when burnt brown “blisters” or spots appear, just like my pictures.
- Brush the fresh-off-the-skillet naan with some melted salted butter and top them with cilantro leaves.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 295 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with Naan?
They are great with Indian curries with sauce, for example: chicken tikka masala or butter chicken.
For a wholesome Indian dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
How to Make Naan Bread?
Please refer to the recipe card below for detailed step-by-step method on how to make naan at home.
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Naan Bread (The Best Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/4 oz. active dry yeast ((2 1/4 teaspoons) )
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
- some oil (for greasing the skillet)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the sugar, warm water, and yeast together. Stir to combine well. The yeast should be activated when it becomes foamy, about 10 minutes. Transfer the flour to a flat surface and make a well in the middle.
- Add the yeast mixture, yogurt, salt and oil, knead the dough until the surface becomes smooth and shiny, about 10 minutes. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place (for example: beside the stove top or warm oven). The dough should double in size, about 1 hour.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll the dough to a 8” circle using a rolling spin.
- Heat up a skillet (cast-iron preferred) over high heat and lightly grease the surface with some oil to avoid the dough from sticking to the skillet. Place the dough on the skillet. When it puffs up and bubbles and burnt spots appear, flip it over and cook the other side. Repeat the same until all dough are done.
- Brush the naan with the melted butter, serve warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
First time making it and it blew my mind! It’s soooooo fluffy and light and we love it!
I didn’t have plain yoghurt so I’ve used labneh with a bit of milk. They are perfect!
Thank you! I love when substitutions work out well.
It says you need 6tbsp of butter melted for the one I’m looking at and I never see where it goes in the recipe do I mix it in with the yogurt and etc with the flour?
You brush on the butter right after taking the naan off the skillet.
I’ve been making this recipe for the past 6 months now multiple times a week, it is by far the best Naan recipe i found. They taste authentic, and are super easy and fool proof to make.
Most of the time I don’t use fresh garlic, and mix onion powder and garlic powder in melted butter to brush on. I personally like that way better, but it might also be the laziness 😂
I am so happy to hear this and sometimes the lazy works, you can buy a garlic paste in produce sections which comes in handy sometimes.
I made this last night and it was the best I’ve ever made. Thank you for the recipe.
I am so glad you enjoyed it.
This is a good recipe and the one I use. Like most bread recipes, you can adapt it a bit.
I tend to use a small amount more water, maybe my flour is drier. Like most bread a bit of a wet dough works well. I e made with up to 1/2 whole wheat flour.
As an alternative to kneading all at once, I turn it out on a board and use wet hands to flatten the ball, stretch all 4 sides and pull over the ball, flip, and cover with the mixing bowl. Repeat 3 or 4 times at 10-15 min intervals. Like people do with sour bread.
Then I let rise, sometimes overnight in fridge.
The recipe is sound and once I made with milk soured with lemon. Thanks for a good recipe!
Could I add fresh garlic to this recipe and if so, how much would you recommend?
You can and it would just be to taste. I would usually start at 1 clove.
Hi, can you make the dough a day or so in advance and keep it in the fridge?
Yes you can, it sometimes even helps add to the flavor and texture.
I don’t usually have plain yogurt on hand, but always have a tub of plain greek yogurt. How hard would it be to substitute?
You can easily substitute greek yogurt, it just might not be as soft when done.
Can the yogurt be substituted with vegan yogurt version?
Yes it can, it just might now be as soft.
Oops, forgot the 5 star rating… I am a bit new at this..
😊👍