Naan is one of the simplest bread recipes you could make. There is no kneading, and after a short rise, you simply divide, roll, and griddle. The dough is so soft and tender thanks to yogurt, and a brush of melted butter out of the skillet makes them completely irresistible!

Just baked naan in a bowl.

If you search the internet for “naan”, you will find all sorts of recipes, nearly all of which include yogurt, some of which include oil, and others that include eggs. Confusingly, some recipes call for chemical leaveners, such as baking powder and baking soda, while others use yeast, and still others use a combination of both.

After experimenting with many recipes, I discovered that I loved the simplest one, made with only five ingredients: flour, salt, instant yeast, yogurt, and water. The inclusion of yogurt is imperative not only for imparting a subtle tang, but also for lending a tender texture. This no-knead dough comes together quickly, rises in just over an hour, and rolls out easily after being portioned.

Originating from the Indian subcontinent, naan traditionally is cooked in a tandoor (clay oven), but for this small batch, you can use your stovetop and a hot skillet. Each naan cooks in under 2 minutes.

I would be happy eating naan alone — sprinkled with sea salt it is irresistible — but it is an especially nice accompaniment to many a stewy dish, namely lentils and curries. Here are a few ideas:

PS: Easy, Homemade Pita Bread Recipe

How to Make Naan, Step by Step

Combine 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon instant yeast, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl. As always, a digital scale is best for measuring. (Weight measurements included in the recipe)

A bow of flour aside yeast and salt.

Combine 1/2 cup Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons boiling water.

A liquid measure filled with equal parts hot water and yogurt.

Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients, and stir with a spatula to form a ball. You’ll likely need to knead with your hands for about a minute to get the dough to come together (see video for guidance.)

A ball of naan dough all mixed up.

Cover the bowl and let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour and 15 minutes, or until the dough looks slightly puffed.

A bowl of naan dough, risen.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface.

Risen naan dough turned out onto a work surface.

Divide the dough into 4 portions.

Four portions of naan dough on a floured work surface.

Ball each one up.

Four balls of naan dough balled up.

Roll each into an 8- or 9-inch round.

Two rounds of naan rolled out onto a floured work surface.

Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat till it’s very, very hot. Place one round in, cover, and cook for 1 minute. Uncover, flip, and cook for 30 seconds.

Naan in skillet.
A skillet of naan being cooked aside a freshly cooked naan in a bowl.

Brush each round with melted butter once it is out of the pan.

A skillet of naan aside freshly cooked naan.

Stack the cooked, buttered naan on a plate or platter and cover with a towel till ready to serve.

Fresh naan on a plate.

Friends, these are sooooo yummy ….

A freshly griddled round of naan.
Homemade naan in a platter.
Fresh naan on a board.
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Just baked naan in a bowl.

Simple Homemade Naan (5 Ingredients)

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Description

Naan is one of the simplest bread recipes you could make. There is no kneading, and after a short rise, you simply divide, roll, and griddle. The dough is so soft and tender thanks to yogurt, and a brush of melted butter out of the skillet makes them completely irresistible!

Notes:

  • As always, for best results, use a digital scale. 
  • To create a warm spot for your dough to rise: Preheat your oven for 1 minute, then shut it off. Note: Any temperature is fine, but the oven is only on for 1 minute total. You don’t, for example, want to get your oven up to 350ºF and let it heat there for a minute. The oven will likely not rise about 100ºF. You just want a cozy, draft-free spot for your bread to rise. 
  • Notes for making dough ahead of time: Once the dough is mixed, pour a thin layer of oil over top and turn the dough to coat. Cover bowl, stick in the fridge, and keep it there till about an hour before you are ready to bake the following day. Divide the dough, ball it up, and let it rest for about an hour before rolling out. 
  • Interestingly, the weight of the flour and the weight of the liquid (water + yogurt), are identical here: 256 g each. I suspect, if you use buttermilk or regular yogurt as long as you keep the total weight of the liquid close to 256 g, the naan will turn out just fine. 

Ingredients

For the naan:

  • 2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon (4 g) instant yeast
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (136 g) boiling water
  • ½ cup (120 g) Greek yogurt 

For Finishing:

  •  2 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing (I use salted)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. In a medium bowl or a liquid measure, stir or whisk together the water and yogurt. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine with a spatula. When the mixture becomes too stiff, knead with your hands for about a minute or until the flour is incorporated and you have a sticky, wet ball. Cover with a towel or cloth bowl cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1.25 hours. (See notes above for creating warm spot. See notes above for making dough ahead of time.)
  2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide into 4 equal portions, then shape each into a ball. Let rest for 5 minutes.
  3. Heat a large skillet (something like cast iron is great) over high heat. You want it very, very hot. Using a rolling pin dusted in flour, roll one ball into a thin large round or oval (8- to 9-inches in diameter, roughly), using flour as needed to prevent sticking. Repeat with another round. (I like to start with 2 rounds rolled out; then I roll the remaining 2 while the first 2 are cooking.)
  4. When the skillet is very hot, transfer rolled out round, dusting off excess flour if possible, to the skillet. Cover. Cook for 1 minute. Close to the end of the minute, you’ll hear the pan hissing a bit … this is a good sign. Flip, and cook for another 30 seconds uncovered. Transfer to a plate and brush the top lightly with melted butter. 
  5. Repeat this process with the remaining dough balls. You may have to adjust the heat as you go. If too much flour is burning in the skillet, turn it off, carefully wipe it out with a dish cloth, then crank the heat back up. As the naan emerge from the skillet, stack them on top of one other in a shallow bowl or plate. Cover with a tea towel to keep warm.

 

  • Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Yeast
  • Cuisine: Indian