Go Back
–+ servings
how to make naan bread, stacked on a blue napkin
Print Recipe
4.81 from 46 votes

Naan Recipe

Make restaurant quality Naan Bread at home! If you have never tasted a fresh, tender, buttery homemade naan, you're totally missing out. I will show you just how easy this recipe is to put together and gives you the perfect receptacle for cleaning up all the curry on your plate!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
Rise Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 17 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 375kcal
Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup milk I use whole milk
  • 1/3 cup sour cream OR plain full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 2 to 2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup salted butter melted (for brushing)
  • 1-2 cloves garlic smashed and minced (for topping)
  • chopped parsley to garnish

Instructions

  • In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, add 1/3 cup milk and 1/3 cup sour cream or full fat yogurt. Microwave in 20 second increments until the mixture is warm but not hot. You should be able to put your finger in it without any discomfort at all. Like a bath for a newborn baby. The yeast is your baby. Do not scorch it or it will die!! Okay maybe I'm being dramatic. If you overheat your milk, just throw it in the fridge for a couple minutes until it cools down, before adding the yeast. 
  • Add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon active dry yeast. Stir it together and then let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes, until you can see bubbles forming from the yeast. If your mixture doesn't look at all foamy or bubbly, you've probably killed your baby yeast. Dump it and start over. 
  • Add 1 egg and 3 tablespoons oil to your foamy yeast mixture. Break the yolk and mix it all up. 
  • In a large bowl or stand mixer, add 2 cups all purpose flour and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir it all together. If you are using a stand mixer, switch to the dough hook. (Or start kneading by hand on a floured surface.) Knead for about 5 minutes. Add another 1/4 cup flour as needed, or up to 1/2 cup of flour. You want to add the minimum amount of flour possible to get a dough that is workable. After 5 minutes, the dough should be smooth, stretchy, and elastic. It might stick a little bit to your fingers but you should be able to shape it into a ball without a mess on your hands. 
  • Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray, or rub with a little oil. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in the bowl, then turn it over so that the top and bottom of the dough are greased. 
  • Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or 45 minutes in a pinch. 
  • Punch down the dough and divide into 6 or 8 equal pieces. (6 naans will yield thicker bread) Place on a lightly floured work surface (I love to use my pastry cloth for rolling out dough), cover with a tea towel, and let rest for 10 minutes. 
  • Use your hand to flatten out the first ball of dough. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into an oval or triangle shape that is about 9 by 5 inches. See photos. It doesn't have to be exact. (At this point, I like to let the naan rest for another couple minutes to get nice and thick naan like you see in the photos. Just roll out the dough and then let it rest for 3-5 minutes before cooking.)
  • Meanwhile, heat a 12 inch cast iron skillet or cast iron griddle over to medium or medium low heat. Spray the pan with oil or brush with oil (be generous). Add the rolled out dough one at a time. Let cook on the first side for about 1-2 minutes, until bubbles have formed all over the top of the dough. Use a spatula to flip the naan to cook the other side. Pay attention to the heat and adjust between medium and medium low. Everyone's stove is going to be different. If your naan is burning, turn it down a little bit. It will take about 1 minute to cook the second side of the naan. 
  • In a small bowl, melt 1/4 cup butter. Add 1-2 cloves minced garlic. The garlic is optional but so delicious!
  • After removing each naan from the heat, plate it and brush each naan with the garlic butter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot!
  • If dinner is not ready when your naan is, place the naan on a cooling rack and place in your oven on the keep warm setting (170 degrees F) until you are ready to eat. 
  • Store leftover naan in a sealed container or ziplock for up to 3 days. 

Notes

To freeze naan, cook as directed but do not brush with garlic butter. Let naan cool completely and place in a ziplock. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter with the bag sealed so that it can reabsorb moisture. Place on a baking sheet and heat at 350 degrees F for 5-10 minutes until warm. Brush with garlic butter just before serving. 

Nutrition

Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 383IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg