An Indian chef showed me how to make naan when I worked at a hotel in London. He used yogurt, and I still do. It makes the dough a touch acidic, and that's what gives naan its chew. I used plain all-purpose flour in the video, and the difference from bread flour is barely noticeable.
Proper naan is made with yeast and yogurt. If you leave these out, you make a simple flatbread that's delicious but no match for traditional Indian naan. We cook them in a hot skillet to mimic the traditional tandoor method, and, like Greek pita, you can also bake them in the oven.
We brush them with a delicious garlic butter and a sprinkling of fresh cilantro, but you can easily modify this recipe to make cheese naan, coconut naan, or even add fillings like minced beef or chicken.
Serve it with Indian classics like butter chicken, Kerala chicken curry or aloo chana, with a bowl of basmati rice on the side.
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Ingredients
- Flour - Bread flour works best for that special chewy texture of proper naan, but all-purpose flour is completely fine. I actually used all-purpose flour in the naan video for this recipe.
In naan, the difference is barely noticeable, unlike sourdough bread or Japanese milk buns, which require high protein for proper structure.
Gluten-free flour? - You will get an edible, tasty flat bread when substituting the regular flour for gluten-free flour, but it will not be naan. Naan needs the gluten in wheat flour to puff up and stay chewy. - Yogurt - Yogurt adds acidity that's vital for texture. It softens the final crumb, and it's important for the right chew.
No yogurt? Milk or water works, but you lose some of the chew. Add ½ teaspoon of lemon juice to put back some of the acidity. - Yeast - Authentic naan is leavened by yeast or a sourdough starter.
For this recipe, we use instant yeast. It also works with fresh yeast (use about three times the weight, so 9 g) or active dry yeast (about 4 g).
Baking powder is used in quick versions that lack the proper texture and flavor of real naan. - Fat - Ghee is simply clarified butter. Butter that has been heated until the milk solids separate from the fat. The pure butterfat is poured off, and that's your ghee, or clarified butter. Easily done at home in the microwave or on the stove.
Ghee is the authentic fat to use, but if you don't have ghee, you can use regular oil or coconut oil as a replacement. We use the ghee not only in the dough but also to make our garlic butter, which we brush onto the warm, cooked naan. - Sugar, salt, and aromatics - Regular sugar and fine salt. Garlic to make the garlic butter, and cilantro to sprinkle on top.
No eggs? I find egg pointless in naan. Some recipes add it for a richer, softer dough and a little more browning, but it sets into a tight, cake-like crumb. Yogurt already softens the dough, and its acidity gives the chew and the big, irregular air pockets.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Whisk the warm water, instant yeast, plain Greek yogurt, and melted ghee together in a jug.
- Let the liquid stand until the yeast blooms and the surface becomes frothy.
- Pour the frothy yeast mixture into a large bowl containing the whisked dry ingredients.
- Begin mixing the wet and dry ingredients to bring the dough together.
- Continue mixing until the liquid is fully absorbed by the flour. You don't have to knead it, but the dough should be fully mixed.
- Stop mixing once a rough, shaggy dough forms with no dry spots remaining.
- Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes to fully hydrate the flour.
- Turn the hydrated dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it gently into a smooth, round ball.
- Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and leave it somewhere warm, about 26°C (80°F), to proof.
- Let the dough proof for 1.5 to 2 hours until it has doubled in size. An oven with only the light on is a good spot.
- Gently knock the air out of the risen dough and flatten it slightly on a lightly floured surface.
- Use a digital scale to divide the dough into equal pieces for consistent cooking. This recipe makes 8 pieces weighing 70 grams each.
- Begin shaping each portion by flipping the dough, smooth side down, then folding the edges inward to create tension.
- Pinch the bottom seams together securely to create a tight, round ball. Roll them into rounds, applying gentle pressure.
- Lightly oil them and check that the dough is smooth. This will ensure the correct final proof and texture once rolled out.
- Lightly coat a baking tray with cooking oil.
- Place the shaped dough balls onto the oiled tray.
- Cover the dough balls with an inverted tray or plastic wrap to prevent the surfaces from drying out. Let the dough proof for roughly 30 minutes in a warm place.
- The dough is ready once the balls have grown by about 50% and have a slight jiggle when you shake the tray.
While the dough proofs, you can make the garlic butter.
- Place a stainless steel pan over medium heat and melt the ghee or butter.
- Add the minced garlic to the melted ghee.
- Cook lightly over low heat, allowing the garlic to soften without browning or caramelizing.
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the garlic butter to a bowl to sit at room temperature until needed.
- Place a proofed dough ball, smooth side down, on a lightly floured surface and gently flatten it with your hands.
- Press the edges evenly to maintain a round shape and prevent thick borders.
- Use a rolling pin to stretch the dough out evenly. You can make it the classic oval shape or keep it round.
- Continue rolling until the dough is very thin and almost translucent. You should be able to just about see your hand through it. Too thick and they turn bready and won't stay light. Too thin and they dry out into something closer to a flour tortilla.
- Place a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over low heat to warm gently, then increase the heat to high just before cooking. Cast iron works best to mimic the intense heat of a tandoor. It's hot enough when it starts to smoke slightly, or a drop of water turns to steam the moment it hits the pan. A cooler pan gives a weaker puff, a denser bread and less char.
- Wipe the base of the hot skillet with a paper towel, holding a few drops of cooking oil. You just want a touch. Enough to cover the surface in a very thin layer, but not enough to pool. Traditionally, the rolled-out dough gets a quick lick of ghee, so we try to mimic that.
- Place the rolled dough flat into the hot skillet.
- Watch the surface carefully as the intense heat causes the dough to puff up and form large blisters.
- Check the underside after a few seconds. Once it is adequately charred, flip the naan to cook the opposite side. Each side takes under 60 seconds.
- Remove the cooked naan from the skillet and immediately brush the hot surface with the garlic butter.
- Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and a pinch of flaky salt.
- Stack the cooked naans and cover them with a plate to keep them soft and warm while you cook the remaining portions.
Top Tip! Do not fight the gluten
When rolling out your naan, you may find the dough resisting your rolling pin and rapidly shrinking back into a smaller circle. This is called "gluten snapback," and it happens when the protein strands become tense from handling.
Do not force the dough by pressing down harder-this compresses the air pockets and results in dense, tough bread. Instead, simply step away. Cover the dough with your damp towel and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. This briefly relaxes the gluten network, allowing the dough to stretch out effortlessly into a paper-thin sheet.
Watch how to make it
Dietary substitutions
- Vegan - Replace the plain Greek yogurt with an unsweetened, unflavored plant-based yogurt. Substitute the melted ghee with a neutral cooking oil or plant-based butter.
- Whole wheat - Replace 150 g of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Increase the total warm water by 15 g, as whole wheat bran requires higher hydration to form a soft dough.
Flavor variations
- Cheese naan - Place 50 g of shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or pizza mozzarella in the center of a flattened dough portion. Fold the edges up to seal the cheese inside, then carefully roll the dough flat before cooking in the hot skillet.
- Peshwari style - My favorite is coconut only. Mix 80 g desiccated coconut, 20 g sugar and 40 g soft butter into a paste. Put about 17 g in the center of each flattened dough portion, seal it like the cheese naan and roll it flat. Brush the cooked naan with brown butter instead of the garlic butter (cook 50 g butter until it smells nutty and the solids turn golden). For the classic mix, use 60 g desiccated coconut, 40 g ground almonds, 40 g chopped golden raisins, 20 g sugar and 40 g soft butter.
Storage and make-ahead directions
- Making the dough ahead - To prepare the dough in advance, complete the initial mixing and the first 1.5-hour proof. Gently knock the air out, transfer the dough to an oiled container, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. The cold temperature will slow the yeast fermentation. Allow the chilled dough to sit at room temperature for 1 hour before portioning and rolling.
- Storing, freezing and reheating - Keep cooked naan at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from frozen. The full method is in the recipe card notes.
What to serve with naan
FAQ
Why did my naan turn out tough and dense?
The most common cause of tough naan is cooking at too low a temperature. If the pan is not hot enough, the dough sits in the skillet for too long and slowly bakes, drying out the crumb. The pan must be smoking hot so the bread blisters and cooks in under 60 seconds per side.
Can I make this recipe without yeast?
Authentic, pillowy naan requires a leavening agent to create its characteristic large air pockets. Historically, this was achieved with a wild sourdough starter, while modern recipes utilize instant yeast. If you omit the yeast entirely, you will create a flat, dense bread that is closer in texture to an unleavened Indian roti or chapati.
Do I absolutely need a cast-iron skillet?
While highly recommended for its superior heat retention, you do not strictly need cast iron. A heavy carbon steel pan or a thick-bottomed stainless steel skillet will work. You must, however, avoid non-stick pans with Teflon coatings, as the extreme heat required to blister the dough will permanently destroy the pan's surface.
Can I bake these in a standard oven instead of on the stove?
Yes, but you must replicate the scorching heat of a traditional tandoor. Place a heavy baking steel or pizza stone in your oven and preheat it to its absolute maximum temperature (usually 260°C or 500°F) for at least 45 minutes. Place the rolled dough directly onto the hot stone and bake for 2 to 3 minutes until puffed and blistered. For an even closer tandoor-style naan, heat the skillet in the oven and turn on the broiler. The broiler acts as the fire source.
More authentic Indian recipes
Recipe
Garlic Butter Naan
This authentic Indian naan recipe produces a soft, pillowy flatbread with the distinct chew characteristic of traditional Indian restaurant naan. We use plain Greek yogurt to build the crumb structure without requiring a commercial tandoor oven or eggs.
Servings 8 portions
Ingredients
For the naan dough
- 300 grams (2 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
- 6 grams (1 teaspoon) fine salt
- 9 grams (2 ¼ teaspoon) white sugar
- 125 grams (½ cup) warm water
- 3 grams (1 teaspoon) instant yeast
- 100 grams (scant ½ cup) plain Greek yogurt
- 20 grams (1 ⅓ tablespoon) melted ghee - or cooking oil
For the garlic butter
- 50 grams (3 ⅓ tablespoon) ghee
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro - finely chopped
- Flaky salt - for finishing
Instructions
- Bloom the yeast and mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 300 g of all-purpose flour, 6 g of fine salt, and 9 g of white sugar. In a separate jug, mix 110 g of the warm water with 3 g of instant yeast, 100 g of plain Greek yogurt, and 20 g of melted ghee. Keep the last 15 g of water back (Note 3). Let the liquid stand for 10 minutes until the surface becomes frothy.300 grams all-purpose flour, 6 grams fine salt, 9 grams white sugar, 125 grams warm water, 3 grams instant yeast, 100 grams plain Greek yogurt, 20 grams melted ghee
- Mix the dough: Pour the bloomed yeast mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix the ingredients by hand until the liquid is fully absorbed. Continue mixing until a rough, shaggy dough forms with no dry spots of flour remaining. If the dough stays dry, work in the reserved water.
- Hydrate, knead, and proof: Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes to fully hydrate the flour. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it into a smooth, round ball. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with the damp towel, and place it somewhere warm, about 26°C (80°F) (Note 4). Let it proof for 1.5 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
- Portion and weigh: Transfer the risen dough to a lightly floured surface and gently knock the air out. Flatten it slightly, then use a digital scale to divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, weighing 70 grams each.
- Shape and final proof: Shape each portion into a tight, round ball. Flip the dough smooth-side down, fold the edges inward, and pinch the bottom seam together. Lightly coat a baking tray and your hands with cooking oil. Roll the dough balls on the table to seal the bottoms, then place them on the oiled tray. Cover the tray and let the dough proof for 30 minutes until about 50% bigger. The balls should jiggle slightly when you shake the tray.
- Make the garlic butter: While the dough proofs, place a stainless steel pan over medium heat and melt 50 g of ghee or butter. Add 6 minced garlic cloves. Cook lightly over low heat without browning the garlic. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a bowl to sit at room temperature.50 grams ghee, 6 cloves garlic
- Roll out the naan: Place a proofed dough ball onto a lightly floured work surface with the smooth side facing down. Flatten the dough gently with your hands, pressing the edges. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out until it is very thin and almost translucent. Too thick and it turns bready. Too thin and it dries out like a flour tortilla.
- Cook and blister the dough: Warm a cast-iron skillet over low heat, then turn it to high just before cooking (Note 5). It's ready when it smokes slightly, or a drop of water turns to steam at once. Wipe the base with a paper towel holding a few drops of cooking oil. Place the rolled dough flat into the hot skillet. Watch for the surface to puff and form large blisters. Check the underside, and once adequately charred, flip the flatbread to cook the opposite side. Each side takes under 60 seconds.
- Brush and serve: Remove the cooked flatbread from the skillet. Immediately brush the hot surface with the prepared garlic butter. Add chopped cilantro and a pinch of flaky salt. Stack the finished flatbreads and cover them with a plate to keep them soft and warm while you cook the remaining portions.½ bunch fresh cilantro, Flaky salt
Video
Notes
- Yeast blooming: Dissolving the instant yeast in the warm liquid first is not strictly necessary for rapid-rise yeast, but it jumpstarts the fermentation process and acts as a viability test, ensuring your yeast is active before you commit the flour.
- The egg myth: Authentic Indian naan does not contain eggs. Modern recipes use eggs to mimic the rapid lift of a commercial tandoor oven, resulting in a tight, cake-like crumb. By utilizing precise hydration and the lactic acid from Greek yogurt, this dough achieves the correct chewy, large-pocketed texture naturally.
- Flour hydration: Both bread flour and all-purpose flour work. However, different flour brands and ambient humidity levels affect liquid absorption. Hold back 15 g of the warm water during the initial mix and only add it if the dough remains excessively dry and shaggy.
- Proofing environment: For a perfectly controlled, draft-free environment, place the covered bowl inside an unheated oven with only the interior light turned on. This maintains a steady temperature of roughly 26°C (80°F).
- Skillet science (No non-stick pans): Proper blistering requires surface temperatures exceeding 260°C (500°F). Standard non-stick Teflon coatings degrade and off-gas toxins at this heat. Use a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, a heavy carbon steel pan or a thick stainless steel skillet. I use this skillet. It's affordable and lasts a lifetime if you take care of it.
- Garlic butter technique: Do not microwave raw garlic in butter. It creates an acrid, bitter flavor and risks causing the fat to explode. Gently infuse the minced garlic into the melted ghee over low heat.
- Cold fermentation (Make-ahead): To make the dough 24 hours in advance, complete the first proof, knock out the air, and refrigerate the dough in a tightly sealed, oiled container. The dough must sit at room temperature for 1 hour to warm up before you portion and roll it.
- Freezing and reheating: Flatbreads keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. Stack cooled portions with parchment paper dividers in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Don't thaw them before reheating. Put them directly from the freezer into a hot skillet or a 200°C (400°F) oven to prevent gumminess.
- Room temperature storage: Cool cooked flatbreads completely on a wire rack to prevent condensation. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Never refrigerate cooked bread, as cold environments crystallize the starches and rapidly accelerate staling.
- Dietary substitutions: For a vegan flatbread, use unsweetened plant-based yogurt and a neutral oil. For whole wheat, replace 150 g of all-purpose flour and increase the total water by 15 g to hydrate the bran.
- Nutrition: The nutritional information assumes you use all the garlic butter evenly across all the naan.
Nutrition
Serving: 70grams Calories: 230kcal Carbohydrates: 31g Protein: 5g Fat: 9g Saturated Fat: 5g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g Monounsaturated Fat: 3g Trans Fat: 0.001g Cholesterol: 23mg Sodium: 298mg Potassium: 73mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 2g Vitamin A: 34IU Vitamin C: 1mg Calcium: 25mg Iron: 2mg
Keywords:how to make naan, indian naan recipe, naan bread
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