The Best Homemade Naan Bread Recipe

Warm and slathered with garlic butter, this homemade naan bread recipe is by far, one of the most requested recipes in my home. I fell in love with Indian cuisine in my early 20's and have spent the last several years perfecting my own recipes for curries, naan, roti, and tandoori. Time and effort have gone into these recipes over the years, but it comes down to simplicity is best. For this naan, you will find yourself following an easy recipe that is sure to please and alarmingly simple.

Homemade Naan Bread Recipe

When my youngest was just a little boy, we introduced him to curry. He loved curry, but I really think he enjoyed those curry nights because he loved naan. In fact, when I make homemade fresh naan like this, I have to make a double batch. If I don't, nobody else gets any! He absolutely loves naan, and well, it is worth that smile for me to make this all the time!

Can I Add Different Flavors to Naan?

Most restaurants will over 3-4 flavors of naan on their menu. You will find traditional plain or garlic naan is served most often and typical with each meal, but there are other flavors and styles.

One of my favorite experiences that I have yet to duplicate was a potato and scallion stuffed naan. It was soft creamy, had a bright flavor of the naan, and heat from what I presume was some garam masala. Just delicious!

So, in answer, yes, you can add different flavors to your naan. I prefer basic or brushed with garlic butter. You can add any herbs or spices to the dough if you prefer, or when rolling out the individual pieces, stuff them with herbs or different spices. You could even try your hand at stuffing with chicken potatoes, vegetables, or even cheese for a unique flavor.

How Long is Naan Good?

This recipe is good for 5-7 days on the counter in an airtight container. If refrigerated, it could easily last up to 10 days. Naan with meats or cheese should be refrigerated and I recommend eating those within 2-3 days. Other flavored naans may require refrigeration depending upon the ingredients.

Do I Need to Refrigerate Naan?

For this recipe, it is not necessary to refrigerate the naan. However, as mentioned above you may wish to refrigerate it to extend the life of the naan or if you have perishable ingredients or fillings to consider.

How Do I Shape Naan for Cooking?

There is no specific way to shape naan that is perfect or exact. Most traditional or authentic recipes will be somewhat oblong and are hand shaped. I often think of them as shaped much like a traditional pizza would be by simply hand pulling and shaping the dough.

For convenience, I recommend cutting the dough ball into portions (8 for this recipe), then lightly flour and roll out to ¼" thickness. This makes cooking easier and gives you a bit more uniform appearance. You can, however, shape them in any size or shape you prefer, including "mini" naan bites.

What Should I Serve Naan With?

In my opinion, naan goes with every meal. Sure, it's traditional with curry or Indian cuisine, but we have it with all sorts of meals. Naan is ideal for scooping up my favorite green curry or potato curry. It's also ideal for toasting a bit and dipping into jalapeno dip or even this easy homemade hummus recipe.

Naan can be served as bread with any meal from breakfast to dinner as well as snacks. I've used it for dips and alongside soups. It's ideal for any meal with sauces or gravies, and of course, the traditional use of using naan as a utensil of sorts to scoop up rice and curry is always a hit.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Water
• Yeast
• Sugar
• Plain yogurt
• Garlic
• Butter
• Parsley
• Red pepper flakes

How to Make a Homemade Naan Bread Recipe

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt then make a well in the center of the mixture.

Add the water to well in the center of the flour then add the yeast into the water and stir to combine with the water then allow it to sit for 5 minutes or until bubbles begin to form.

To the bowl, add the yogurt and mix the flour, water, and yogurt together until a dough forms. The dough will be a bit sticky but should form easily.

Turn out onto a clean lightly flour surface and knead folding the dough over itself for 2-3 minutes.

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap then place in a warm place to double in size. This takes approximately one hour.

When doubled in size, divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place it on a clean surface then cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for another 30 minutes.

Roll each dough ball into a round or oval that is ¼" thick.

In a small bowl, combine melted butter, garlic, parsley, and red pepper flakes and set aside.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.

When the skillet is hot, add a dough piece and cook until the top begins to bubble then flip and cook for 1 additional minute or until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through.

Once cooked, brush lightly with the butter mixture and set aside.

Serve hot with your favorite curry.

More Homemade Bread Recipes

If you are looking for more bread sides to add to your menu, don't worry, we have more to share! You can start with the slightly sweet but always tasty corn cake, but don't forget about this delicious homemade French bread recipe. Some love this Guinness beer bread for a different rich flavor profile, and my simple soft potato bread is always a hit at dinner time. Of course, the kids will adore this garlic parmesan pull-apart bread for a tasty addition to pizza night.

Chef's Tip

There is nothing better than a cast-iron skillet for making naan. If you haven't purchased one yet, I stand behind any Lodge cast iron product. The quality cannot be beaten and the customer service is superb.

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📖 Recipe

Yield: 8

The Best Homemade Naan Bread Recipe

Print

Warm, soft, and rich, nothing beats a piece of this homemade naan bread recipe alongside your favorite rich curry.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoon dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt then make a well in the center of the mixture. 
2. Add the water to well in the center of the flour then add the sugar, then the yeast into the water and stir to combine with the water then allow it to sit for 5 minutes or until bubbles begin to form. 
3. To the bowl, add the yogurt and the mix the flour, water, and yogurt together until a dough forms.  The dough will be a bit sticky but should form easily. 
4. Turn out onto a clean lightly flour surface and knead folding the dough over itself for 2-3 minutes. 
5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap then place in a warm place to double in size. This takes approximately one hour. 
6. When doubled in size, divide into 8 pieces.  Roll each piece into a ball and place it on a clean surface then cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for another 30 minutes. 
7. Roll each dough ball into a round or oval that is ¼" thick. 
8. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, garlic, parsley, and red pepper flakes and set aside. 
9. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. 
10. When the skillet is hot, add a dough piece and cook until the top begins to bubble then flip and cook for 1 additional minute or until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through. 
11. Once cooked, brush lightly with the butter mixture and set aside. 

Notes

For a plain naan, simply brush with melted butter and leave out the garlic, parsley, and red pepper flakes.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 235Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 595mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 6g