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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.
What a great naan recipe!!! Followed the recipe exactly as written. Next time I will double it bc this bread is soooo good!!!
I am so glad you enjoyed it.
Excellent Recipe. I kneaded with dough hook in my Kitchen Aid stand mixer for about 4 minutes which gave great result. I also upgraded to garlic naan which my family loved. This is super easy to do by just sprinkling finely chopped garlic over almost fully rolled out naan, then just rolling it over again with rolling pin to its final size. Then I put some more chopped garlic with approx 50 grams butter in microwave for short time (I recommend using the defrost setting) and then put out on dinner table, allowing it to be spooned over cooked naan right before eating. Yum!!!
Thank you for such an amazing recipe! It’s easy to follow and super yummy!
My parents in-law and my husband enjoyed the Naan bread so much. This will certainly be my go to recipe. 😀
I was thinking to substitute Greek yogurt instead.
Hi Verda, Greek yogurt is a bit thicker than plain yogurt, so you may have to adjust the amount of water.
The recipe was great! I was worried, I don’t have much counter space since I live in such a small apartment, so I had to hope my food processor had what it took to knead for me. Well, it worked! The naan is chewy, puffed up tremendously, and was a perfect compliment to some lentil curry. Thank you!
Awesome!
What can yogurt be substituted with?
I just made it a used buttermilk.
Buttermilk worked perfectly.
Favorite naan recipe. Thank you :)
Thank you!
I followed your recipe to the letter, and the naan turned out perfectly! Restaurant quality, for sure.
Thank you SO much!
Thank you!😊
Hi! I’ve made this recipe a couple times and love it! If I make the dough the night before should I let it rise 1 hr and then wrap it and put it in the fridge, or put it in the fridge before it rises? Thanks!
Rise first.
I use this as my go to for naan. It is easy and tastes GREAT! Thank you!
That is great, and thank you for the kind words.