Homemade Naan
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Learn to make irresistibly soft and pillowy naan in your own kitchen with this simple recipe – it far outshines any store-bought version.
Naan is a soft, pillowy flatbread traditionally baked in a tandoor. This cylindrical clay or metal oven, prevalent in restaurant kitchens across the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and Central Asia, reaches scorching temperatures, imparting a distinct smoky flavor to foods. Naan dough, enriched with yogurt and olive oil and flavored with anise seeds, is rolled out and slapped against the tandoor’s inner walls, where it adheres and bakes swiftly over open flames. Once done, it’s brushed with melted butter.
In this recipe, I’ve replicated the tandoor’s high heat and charred flavor using a very hot cast iron skillet or nonstick pan. Making naan at home is so worth the effort—aside from the rising time, it’s quick to prepare, and the taste is leagues above store-bought versions! Paired with saucy dishes like chicken curry, butter chicken, or chicken tikka masala, homemade naan truly shines.
“The dough came together easily, was nice to work with and cooked up beautifully… My search for the perfect naan bread is over—this recipe is the best!”
What You’ll Need To Make Naan
As you can see, the ingredients are very basic. The yogurt and olive oil add a bit of tang and richness. The anise seeds add just a hint of licorice flavor; feel free to leave them out, or replace them with nigella seeds (which have a subtle onion flavor), poppy seeds, or sesame seeds.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the flour, yeast, sugar, anise seeds and salt in a large bowl, then whisk to combine.
Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, and warm water.
Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients.
And stir with a fork until the dough comes together.
Dust your hands with flour and knead into a soft, sticky ball.
Cover with plastic wrap.
Let rise in a warm spot until about doubled in size, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Hint: the warmer the spot, the faster it will rise.
Fill a small bowl with flour. Dust some of the flour onto a work surface. Dump the dough on top and sprinkle the dough with more flour.
Shape the dough into a rectangle, adding more flour as necessary so it doesn’t stick.
Then, divide into six equal portions.
Heat a cast iron or heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. While it heats, roll one of the dough balls into an oval about 1/8-inch thick.
Place the dough in the hot, dry skillet and cook until the surface is full of air bubbles and the bottom is browned and blistered in spots.
Flip the naan and cook a few minutes more.
Brush the cooked naan with melted butter, and repeat with remaining dough balls.
Sprinkle with parsley, if using, then serve warm.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A: Depending on how far ahead you want to make the naan, you have a few options. If serving within one day, store the naan in resealable plastic bag at room temperature. For longer storage, wrap each piece of cooled naan securely in plastic wrap and put all the rounds in a sealable plastic bag, then freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, wrap the naan in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F oven until hot.
A: Instant yeast and active dry yeast are both types of yeast used in baking, but they have distinct differences. Active dry yeast has larger granules surrounded by a protective shell, which often requires it to be dissolved in warm water (a process known as proofing) before mixing with other ingredients. In contrast, instant yeast features finer granules without this protective layer, allowing it to dissolve and activate more rapidly. This means that instant yeast can typically be mixed directly into dry ingredients without the need for proofing.
A: Active dry yeast may be used instead of instant/rapid-rise yeast in this recipe, however, the dough will take longer to rise. To give active dry yeast a “head start” and speed things up, you can dissolve it in the lukewarm water and let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. After that, add it to the flour, sugar, salt, and anise seeds, and proceed with the recipe.
A: Sure! I’d add some minced garlic to some melted butter and brush it on the bread after it’s cooked.
Video Tutorial
Homemade Naan
Learn to make irresistibly soft and pillowy naan in your own kitchen with this simple recipe – it far outshines any store-bought version.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with a knife, plus more for rolling (see note)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast/rapid-rise yeast (see note)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Heaping ½ teaspoon anise seeds (optional)
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup warm water (about 100°F)
- 2 tablespoons melted salted butter, for brushing on finished naans
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley (optional), for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and anise seeds (if using). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together, the yogurt, olive oil, and ¾ cup warm water (about 100°F). Add the yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork. When the dough is about to come together, dust your hands with flour and knead gently into a soft, slightly sticky dough (sprinkle more flour, little by little, if the dough is too wet to work with). As soon as it comes together, stop kneading.
- Lightly oil or spray a clean bowl with nonstick cooking spray (the bowl should be large enough to allow the dough to double in size). Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let sit in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, or until about doubled in size (hint: the warmer the spot, the faster the dough will rise).
- Fill a small bowl with about ½ cup flour. Dust a work surface with some of the flour and dump the dough on top. Sprinkle some of the flour on top of the dough and on your hands. Shape the dough into a long rectangle and cut into 6 equal portions, dusting with more flour as necessary so the dough doesn't stick. Roll each portion of dough in the bowl of flour to keep them from sticking.
- Warm a large cast iron or heavy nonstick pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Using a rolling pin, roll one of the dough balls into an oval shape about ⅛-inch thick (it should be about 9 x 4 inches). Pick up the dough and flip-flop it back and forth between your hands to release any excess flour; then gently lay the dough in the dry skillet and cook until the top is bursting with air bubbles and the bottom is golden and blackened in spots, a few minutes. Flip the naan and cook about 1-2 minutes more until the the bottom is lightly browned and blistered in spots. Remove the naan from the skillet and brush with melted butter. Place the naan in a tea towel-lined dish to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining naans, adjusting the heat lower if necessary as you go (I usually find it necessary to lower the heat to medium after the first naan). Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve warm.
- To keep the cooked naan warm, place them in a 200°F oven. Store leftovers in a Ziplock bag and reheat in a 350°F oven wrapped in foil.
- Note: I use King Arthur flour, which is higher in protein than some other all-purpose flours. If using a flour with a lower protein content, such as Gold Medal, you will likely need to add a few more tablespoons of flour.
- Note: Active dry yeast may be used instead of instant/rapid-rise yeast, however, the dough will take longer to rise. To give active dry yeast a boost, you can dissolve it in the lukewarm water and let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. After that, add it to the flour, sugar, salt, and anise seeds, and proceed with the recipe.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The naan can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once it’s completely cooled, wrap each piece securely in plastic wrap and put all the rounds in a sealable plastic bag prior to putting in the freezer. To reheat, wrap the naan in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F oven until hot.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 naan
- Calories: 241
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 323 mg
- Cholesterol: 11 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Nooooo way – was soooo dry. I made again to try to understand why! This time l put 1 cup water. I will say later how it is done this time!
I wished I had read some of the lower reviews before attempting to make this. The ratio for water was way too high, the dough was extremely sticky. I had to add over a full cup of flour to make it less sticky but it still stuck when trying to roll it out. I cooked one just to see if I could salvage it and it tasted very bland with a slight sourness from the yeast. Ick. I like some of your other recipes, this one however was horrible. Not quite sure what all of the 5 stars are about, really hope you didn’t buy reviews :/
Okay so either
a. you either pay for 5 star reviews
b. no one who reviews actually makes it, and just think it looks good
or
c. both of the above
because there is way too much liquid. I must have dumped at least an extra cup of flour in while kneading to get the texture described and pictured. I am letting the dough rise right now, so I don’t know how this will turn out, but I think it’s fair to review before it’s done, in this situation.
Sorry to hear you had such a problem with this, Jill! Are you using a standard liquid measuring cup for the water and a dry ingredient measuring cup for the flour?
I’ve made these twice in 24 hours. Perfect. I followed the recipe to the letter and had no problems. I’m in the UK and don’t use cup measurements but have a set of ceramic cup measures which I’ve used for the naan. I can not fault this recipe at all. And I’m not paid for my review 🤣
Hello I just made and it turned out just fine, my husband liked them. I think you learn as you go with bread and yeast. I’m a beginner, and have lots of thoughts for the next time I make these, like using a different pan. Mine burnt in the middle and didn’t cook on the outer so I’m rolling thinner, making them smaller and rounder and maybe just a touch more water in the initial dough mix. But overall its a fail proof recipe for my first attempt.
I’ve been making this recipe for the past couple of years now. I am definitely not paid for my review and I can confidently say that this is the easiest, most versatile bread recipe EVER! Some days the dough is really sticky and I just add more flour until I can handle it. Some days the dough is drier but softens up after rising. I’ve substituted 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of ap flour for whole wheat flour; and greek yogurt, goat’s milk cheese, almond milk and coconut milk for the yogurt and all have worked out fine. I make all the naans, freeze the leftovers and pop them in the toaster oven whenever I need them. They make a fast mini pizza crust which my kids LOVE to eat. Honestly, so grateful to Jenn for posting this recipe 🙏🏼
Thank you for this recipe! I tried this yesterday, it was easy to make. I substituted 1/4 of the flour with whole-wheat flour to make it a bit more wholesome. It tasted delicious. But the naan did not turn out quite as fluffy as I would have liked it. Is it because I used some whole-wheat flour? Should I add a bit of baking powder next time? It is not a big deal, just wondering if I can perfect it with the whole-wheat flour option. I will make this again, already imported it into my CookBook APP. Not affiliated, just sharing that in my view, this is be best app for organizing recipes.
Hi Karin, I feel confident that the use of whole wheat flour made the naan a bit flatter. I would not recommend adding baking powder to the mix. So using the whole wheat flour is fine — it will just make the naan less fluffy.
Sorry. This was awful. Used traditional yeast and followed your instructions and I give it a big fail! So disappointing. I have a great recipe for naan at home but am on vacation and did not have access, so was excited to use your recipe with such a strong 5 review. Although it did indeed rise, it did not fluff up upon cooking. Please try again with the traditional method and come up with measurements that produce a quality product.
My first time making bread of any kind and this turned out wonderful! Great instructions! I ended up substituting sour cream and cumin seeds because I was using what I had on hand. I ate them with cauliflower korma but they were delicious right off the skillet!
Could I use sour cream in place of yogurt as I don’t have any yogurt at home and it’s raining like a monsoon out there so I don’t fancy the grocery store?!
Sure, Sarah, sour cream will work. Hope you enjoy the naan!
I consider myself an pretty competent homecook, but bread and pastry are not my strong point… this recipe is AMAZING… My naan turned out simply perfect, exactly like the picture… husband approved too!! Thank you so much, this is a really great recipe!! Definitely going into the rotation.
I just made this recipe for the first time. I used half whole wheat flour as this was mentioned in the reviews. Turned out so well! It was quite easy too. I will never buy store bought naan again.
Can you use whole wheat flour and if so, how much would you use?
Hi Laura, I would start by subbing 1/2 of the flour with whole wheat flour; it will be a little more dense, but still good.