Homemade Naan Bread

Soft, chewy naan is easier to make at home than most people think. You don’t need a tandoor oven or any special equipment. The dough comes together with simple pantry ingredients and cooks in about a minute per side in a hot skillet.

I’ve included directions for the stovetop, oven, and pizza oven, so you can use whatever works best in your kitchen.

We especially love to serve naan bread with tabbouleh, garlicky hummus, and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Here’s Why This Homemade Naan Bread Recipe Works

Yogurt and milk make a softer dough: I like the combination because it gives the naan a little tang and keeps the bread tender instead of dry or stiff.

Egg gives the dough structure: The egg helps the naan puff while keeping the crumb flexible enough to fold, tear, and scoop through curry like my chicken panang.

High heat creates the blisters: A hot cast iron skillet is my preferred method because it gives the dough direct heat and quick browning. The naan should start blistering soon after it hits the pan.

Resting makes rolling easier: The second rest matters. It relaxes the gluten so the dough rolls out without snapping back, and that helps the naan cook evenly.

Ingredient Notes

Flour: All-purpose flour works well here and keeps the naan soft. If you use bread flour, the dough may be chewier and need a little more liquid.

Yeast: Yeast gives the naan lift and flavor. Make sure the milk is warm, not hot, so it wakes up the yeast without damaging it.

Yogurt: Plain yogurt adds tenderness and a slight tang. Greek yogurt is thicker, so loosen it with a splash of milk if the dough feels dry.

Milk: Warm milk helps hydrate the dough and gives the finished naan a softer bite than water alone.

Egg: The egg enriches the dough and helps the naan stay flexible after cooking.

Butter or ghee: Brush the naan while it is still warm so the fat melts into the surface instead of sitting on top.

How to Cook Naan Without a Tandoor

A tandoor works well for naan because it is extremely hot, but you can still make good naan at home without one. For this recipe, the skillet is the primary method. Use a dry cast iron pan and let it get hot enough that the dough blisters quickly after it touches the surface.

If you want to bake naan in the oven, that works as well. Heat a pizza stone or baking steel until it is very hot, then bake the naan directly on the surface. This is useful when you want to cook more than one piece at a time, but the skillet still gives the most reliable browning.

A pizza oven is another alternate method because it gets closer to tandoor-style heat. Watch it closely, because naan can go from puffed and golden to overdone fast.

Questions and Answers

Homemade Naan Bread

Homemade naan bread is one of those recipes that rewards a hot pan and a little patience. Give the dough time to rest, cook it in a hot skillet, and brush it with butter while it is still warm.

It is soft enough for scooping curry, sturdy enough our beef shawarma sandwiches, and much better than anything sealed in a plastic bag.

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 3 minutes mins

Additional Time: 2 hours hrs

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 13 minutes mins

4.93 from 13 votes

Naan Bread

By Pat Nyswonger

Soft and chewy homemade naan made with yogurt, milk, and yeast. This versatile flatbread can be cooked in a skillet, on a pizza stone, or in a pizza oven.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 8 servings

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 4 cups all-purpose flour, or bread flour, 480 grams
• ▢ 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
• ▢ 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¾ cup milk, warm, 170 grams
• ▢ ½ cup plain yogurt, 113 grams
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter, melted

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Instructions 

• Place the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk to distribute the ingredients.
• Add the milk, yogurt, egg, and butter. Stir until the dough forms a lumpy ball. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough sit for 10-15 minutes. Remove the cover and knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and satiny. You can use a stand mixer or knead it by hand.
• Place the dough in a greased bowl. Oil the top of the dough ball and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough sit in a warm draft-free area for 1 -2 hours until doubled in size.
• Divide the dough into 8 to 10 pieces. Cover and let rest 20 to 30 minutes. Roll each piece of dough into an oval about ⅛ inch thick.

To cook on the stove-top:

• Heat some oil in a skillet over high heat (do not use a non-stick skillet or the high heat will ruin the non-stick coating).
• Wait until the skillet is hot and the oil just barely starts to smoke then place the naan dough in the skillet.
• Cook for 60 to 90 seconds or until the bottom turns golden brown and the top has bubbles on the surface. Flip the naan and cook for 60 to 90 seconds on the other side.
• Set the naan on a wire rack and brush with melted butter while still warm. Repeat with the remaining pieces of naan dough.

To cook naan in the oven

• Place a pizza stone in the oven and pre-heat the oven to 500°F. Let the oven heat up for at least 30 minutes to ensure the stone has time to get hot.
• Place two pieces of naan dough on the hot pizza stone and bake for 60 to 90 seconds then turn and bake for another 60 to 90 seconds on the other side.
• Cool on a wire rack and brush with melted butter while still warm. Repeat with the remaining pieces of naan dough.

To cook naan in a pizza oven

• Preheat the pizza oven. Get the baking stone to a temperature between 700°F and 720°F.
• Place the naan bread directly on the hot stone in the oven.
• Bake for 70 to 90 seconds, turning the naan every 15 to 20 seconds to get an even cook all around.
• If excessively large bubbles pop up, push them down with your pizza peel or turner.
• Place on a cooling rack and brush with melted butter while still warm.

Notes

Flour Options: Bread flour gives the naan a slightly chewier texture, but all-purpose flour works very well.

Best Skillet: Use a heavy-bottomed skillet that holds heat well, such as cast iron or stainless steel. Avoid nonstick pans since the high heat needed for naan can damage the coating.

Choose the Right Oil: For stovetop cooking, use a high smoke point oil such as avocado oil or canola oil.

Watch the Heat: The naan should take 60 to 90 seconds per side to develop golden brown spots. If it browns much faster, reduce the heat slightly.

For Oven-Baked Naan: A preheated pizza stone or baking steel gives the best results and lets you bake multiple pieces at once. If you don’t have either, preheat a cast-iron skillet and bake the naan on the hot surface.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 279kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 38mg, Fiber: 1.7g, Sugar: 1.5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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