Simple, Yeasted Homemade Naan, A Step-by-Step Guide {Video}
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Naan is one of the simplest bread recipes you could make. There is no kneading, which allows the dough to come together very quickly, 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!
My friend Deb messaged me last week with a few questions about making naan. I hadn’t made it in ages, and having recently revisited and loved making homemade tortillas, I felt up for a little project.
As you might imagine, 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.
But what has always perplexed me about naan recipes is the variety of leavening agents. I’ve seen recipes that call for:
- baking soda alone
- a combination of baking soda and baking powder
- a combination of yeast, baking soda, and baking powder
- yeast and baking powder
- yeast alone
Though I knew in my heart I would likely go with a yeast-only naan, I felt the need to explore a little bit. Would there be any reason to include a chemical leaven (baking soda or powder) with yeast? Any reason to use all three leavening agents? Any reason to forgo yeast altogether?
Before I share my results, shall we quickly review the difference between baking soda and baking powder? This is something I will never ever commit to memory, but I enjoyed the recent refresher. This Bob’s Red Mill article was particularly helpful and interesting.
Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder
- Baking soda is a base and reacts with acid (vinegar, yogurt, buttermilk), which produces gaseous carbon dioxide bubbles, which causes baked goods to rise.
- Baking powder is made of baking soda (a base), cream of tartar (an acid), and sometimes cornstarch. Most baking powder is double-acting, meaning CO2 will be produced at two different phases: first when the batter is mixed (due to the liquid in the batter activating the base and acid), then when the dough is placed in the oven (due to the acid being both hot and wet).
- Baking soda is 4 times as strong as baking powder.
- Batters made with baking soda should be baked shortly after mixing because the gaseous bubbles dissipate quickly.
- Batters made with baking powder can be stored for longer (even in the fridge overnight).
Naan Experiments
- I started with the Bread Toast Crumbs dough ratio: 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon instant yeast, 1 cup liquid.
- After several experiments, I found a mix of 1/2 cup Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons water created a perfect dough: not too wet, not too stiff. Interestingly, the liquid (yogurt + water) and the flour here weigh the exact amount: 256 g.
- I omitted the sugar. This is something I’m doing more and more with my breads. So many recipes call for a small amount (2 to 3 teaspoons), and I suspect this is mostly to help activate the yeast, especially when using active-dry yeast. With instant yeast, sugar isn’t necessary, and I don’t think such a small amount imparts enough flavor in the dough to warrant including.
- I tried various combinations of baking soda, baking powder, and yeast, and I liked all of them, but, especially when baking soda was in the mix, I could detect a slight metallic taste in the dough. It wasn’t a bad taste, but it was noticeable. I also found the baking soda doughs burned more easily.
- The baking powder-yeast dough compared to the yeast-only dough were nearly identical — similar air bubbles in the pan, similar dough texture, similar flavor — so, in the end, I stuck with yeast alone as a leaven.
Friends, making naan is SO much fun. The dough takes no time to whisk together, rises relatively quickly (just over an hour), and each naan cooks for a minute and 30 seconds stovetop.
I would be happy eating naan and 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:
- One-Pot Thai Chicken Curry
- Curried Lentils with Kale and Coconut Milk
- Black Lentils with Spinach and Labneh
- Curried Chickpeas with Cauliflower
PS: Easy, Homemade Pita Bread Recipe
Here’s the play-by-play: 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)
Combine 1/2 cup Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons boiling water.
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.)
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.
Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface.
Divide the dough into 4 portions.
Ball each one up.
Roll each into an 8- or 9-inch round.
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.
Brush each round with melted butter once it is out of the pan.
Stack the cooked, buttered naan on a plate or platter and cover with a towel till ready to serve.
Friends, these are sooooo yummy ….
Simple, Yeasted Homemade Naan
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 4
Description
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
- 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
- 2 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing (I use salted)
Instructions
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
226 Comments on “Simple, Yeasted Homemade Naan, A Step-by-Step Guide {Video}”
Hi
Nice recipe. Thanks for sharing and taking the time to make the video.
If I may, I think you should adjust the flour measurement because I used a digital scale and my dough was soo sticky I had to add more. 256g makes a dough way to sticky to knead.
After all the recalcultaion, my naan came out right. Thanks 🙏🏽
Hi Angy! Out of curiosity, what type of flour are you using? Do you know the protein content?
Hi
Nice recipe. Thanks for sharing and taking the time to make the video.
If I may, I think you should adjust the flour measurement because I used a digital scale and my dough was soo sticky I had to add more flour. 256g makes a dough way too sticky to knead.
After all the re-calculation, my naan came out right. Thanks 🙏🏽
Best naan bread I’ve ever had
So nice to hear this, Carol!
Great recipe. Thanks
Great to hear, Pheme! Thanks for writing 🙂
Hello!
I have a question about making the dough ahead of time – should i let it rise for an hour before putting it in the fridge? Or put it in the fridge directly after mixing?
I’m hoping to be able to mix the dough in the morning and then cook the naan in the evening for dinner, so it would be in the fridge about 10-12hrs total. Or would it be better to mix the previous night (total fridge time about 24 hours)?
I love this naan but I get home from work at 8pm so making the whole recipe then leaves me eating very late!
Hi Tessa! I would mix the dough and stick it in the fridge immediately. Should work great! And either the night before or morning of is just fine — whatever is better for your schedule.
Hi Ali!
I make tortillas with sourdough but would love to make Naan bread with sourdough as well. Think it would work the same way? Have you tried?
Thanks,
Laurel 🙂
Hi Laurel! I have not tried with naan yet, but I imagine it would work great! I would start with 50 grams of starter here.
If I use 50 grams of sourdough starter, would I reduce the water in the recipe? Thanks!
I would! Yes, cut the water back by 25 grams (assuming your starter is 100% hydration), and cut the flour back by 25 grams as well. If the mixture seems dry, you can always add a little bit of water back a tablespoon at a time.
Hello! I’ve been meaning to comment on this recipe for awhile. It’s the best! I always try to have a batch in my freezer. Lately, I’ve been using 00 flour in it…not sure if you’ve ever tried it in this recipe. If you haven’t, then I highly suggest it! Thanks again for this recipe and so many others 😊
So nice to hear this, Erin! I have a ton of 00 flour on hand, and I will absolutely use that the next time I make these. Thanks so much for writing and sharing this.
Absolutely love this recipe. So easy to make. The flavor and texture of the nann is so much better than store bought. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Great to hear, Kristie! Thanks for writing 🙂
If I don’t have Greek yogurt, could I substitute regular plain yogurt and reduce the water by maybe a tablespoon?
This recipe looks great! I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks!
Yes! But if you are using a scale, and I think you are, just use the weight measurements and you shouldn’t have to adjust the water. Let me know if this makes sense.
Yes! That makes perfect sense. I’m trying these today and I’ll let you know how they come out, (Based on reviews, I’m sure I’m going to love them!). Thank you!
Hi Ali. This recipe seems so easy to prepare and I was inspired to make it for dinner tonight along with masoor dal however I only have active yeast on hand. Is it possible to use that instead of instant yeast?
Hi, and yes! Instead of using boiling water, use lukewarm water, and sprinkle the 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast over top. Let it sit for 15 minutes or until it gets foamy; then proceed with the recipe.
These are the best flatbreads I have made to date. I have made lots during the various lockdowns but these tasted so amazing and had the fluffiest and yet chewy consistency…so good I am making them again today!!
So nice to hear this, Yvonne! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
I did last weekend this recipe! I changed I little bit, but definitively you inspired me! The Naans were awesome! I used fresh yeast, so it took a little bit more time. Thank you!
Great to hear!
Any chance you will be making a Sourdough Naan bread? Plzzz…🤗
I will get on this, soon 🙂 🙂 🙂 I don’t think it will be that hard. Stay tuned 💕💕💕💕
Hi
I saw your recipe on bakingsteel.com, and came here to read the reviews. I noticed the recipes are different. Is there a reason for the changes? Did you prefer one recipe/method over another?
Thanks!
Michelle
Hi Michelle! This is the one I make most often and the one I feel most confident about. There was a period I was contributing to Baking Steel a lot, and I honestly had forgotten I had created that recipe when I started working on this one … I blame my children for my recent decline in memory retention 🙂
Hi Ali,
We made these yesterday and they were SO good. My spouse thinks the “cover” for the first side is not necessary. I think it is because you said so. Can you help me with a more specific explanation of the benefit of doing it that way? Thanks!
Great to hear this, Nicole! Covering the first side might not be necessary, but I think it helps promote a steamy environment, which encourages those bubbles to form and potentially helps with reducing the amount of burning that takes place. That said, I am all about experimenting. Next time: try some without covering and see how they compare to the ones you do cover 🙂 Thanks for writing!
Brilliant. Every time! I brush with garlic butter and then sprinkle each Naan with coriander.
Great to hear this, Karen! Thanks for writing 🙂
SUCH a good recipe! I made this tonight for the second time, using whole wheat flour instead of white this time. The flavor was even better than my first batch. Thank you so much for providing weights in addition to cup measurements. I think it makes all the difference. Thank you for making recipes like this so accessible.
Wonderful to hear this, Carole! Thanks so much for writing. I can’t wait to try adding some whole wheat flour into the mix here. Thanks for the inspo!
Best naan recipe I’ve tried, the dough is so supple and makes incredible soft naan
Wonderful to hear this, Becca! Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Made these delicious naan again this morning. A few poached eggs, asparagus salad and a boozy cocktail. Happy Monday to me!
Love your inspiring approach! Happy Mother’s day!
Awww, I love this 🙂 🙂 🙂 Happy Monday to you indeed!! This all sounds so delicious. Thanks for writing and thank you for the Mother’s Day wishes. Same to you, Hillary!
I made this recipe a few times now in the last month. It is a very easy and forgiving recipe. Results have been delightful each time. The naan is soft and chewy with a subtle tang from the yogurt. Using the cast-iron skillet is key. The heat from the cast iron makes a difference in the final product, producing a better looking and tasting naan. I have even heated my skillet on a gas grill and cooked the naan this way, when it has been too hot to turn on the stove. This is permanently on the rotation.
So nice to hear all of this, Annie! Thanks so much for taking the time to write!
this sounds fantastic! I don’t have a working oven so this is right up my alley. Any suggestions for making it non-dairy? maybe non-dairy milk with a bit of vinegar? Or non-dairy tofutti sour cream, diluted? Is the fat of greek yogurt necessary? Greek yogurt is quite dry, isn’t it? Love your blog, thank you so much!
Hi Laura! I am pretty sure a few people have made these with vegan “buttermilk” doing just as you describe — vinegar + nondairy milk. You also could probably use coconut “yogurt” or other vegan yogurt — I know lots of vegans swear by Kite Hill brand. Yes, Greek yogurt is dry and thick compared to regular yogurt, but it still lends a moistness to breads and baked goods. I don’t know how essential the fat is, but I have no doubt you can make a great vegan naan.
Good Morning. When I click on the title of the sheet pan cauliflower, all I get is reams of information about making Naan bread. Somehting wrong here.
Raymond
Oh man, so sorry about that! Here is the link to the sheet pan chicken and cauliflower: https://alexandracooks.com/2017/02/02/sheet-pan-chicken-cauliflower-shawarma/
Hi Ali,
This looks terrific! One dopey question, though: if I want to make these in advance for my in-office lunches, how well do they keep? And would I reheat in a toaster or a microwave? Or just make pitas instead?
Thanks again for all your lovely work.
You are too funny, Carole 🙂 🙂 🙂 Not a dopey question at all. I think you could make them 1 day in advance and store in a Ziplock. Definitely reheat before serving, and yes, a toaster is perfect. Good luck!
Made these tonight! So delicious. FYI for Vegan folks- I used Kite Hill plain unsweetened Greek style yogurt and it worked perfectly!
Great to hear, Mia! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes. Great to hear that the vegan yogurt worked. I love Kite Hill.
hi ali –
i’ve been searching for naan recipes, you’ve done so much experimentation with all the various leaveners – thanks!! (that’s what’s been tripping me up with other recipes)
i have a bunch of Qs:
1. why hot water? does that help make a softer, more extensible dough? (i’ve seen that is asian noodle and bing bread recipes) – and won’t hot water kill the yeast?
2. i’ve found a few recipes that use a whole egg vs just a yolk at similar scales and other ingredients as yours – is there a purpose for this? color? texture?
3. i’ve found other recipes that use whole milk instead of water – i’m assuming that will make a softer naan, right?
4. i have an outdoor pizza oven (ooni) – i want to try baking naan in that at a high temp, like 800-900F – would you cut back the hydration if i use your basic recipe?
5. do you think a preferment like a poolish would help with the end result?
thanks in advance! i think you’re awesome, following you on insta now!
Hi Subbu! Questions answered below:
1. why hot water? does that help make a softer, more extensible dough? (i’ve seen that is asian noodle and bing bread recipes) – and won’t hot water kill the yeast?
Because the yogurt is cold, the boiling water mixed with the cold yogurt will make the perfect lukewarm temperature to activate the yeast.
2. i’ve found a few recipes that use a whole egg vs just a yolk at similar scales and other ingredients as yours – is there a purpose for this? color? texture?
Not sure! But I definitely don’t think eggs are necessary in this recipe.
3. i’ve found other recipes that use whole milk instead of water – i’m assuming that will make a softer naan, right?
Possibly! Again, I think the combination of yogurt + milk makes the dough rich/soft enough. You could definitely try milk, but I don’t think it’s necessary.
4. i have an outdoor pizza oven (ooni) – i want to try baking naan in that at a high temp, like 800-900F – would you cut back the hydration if i use your basic recipe?
Fun! I have an Ooni, too, but haven’t tried these in it. I wouldn’t cut the hydration.
5. do you think a preferment like a poolish would help with the end result?
Nope! Not necessary here.
I love the taste of this naan recipe, however, my dough is so sticky I have to use lots of flour to roll out dough and then the flour burns in the skillet making a huge mess. I am using a scale and I use AP flour. I live in an extremely dry climate too.
I love all your recipes so far and thank you for the detailed description and photos, It really helps.
Hi Ann! Try holding back some of the water next time. Hold back 50 grams or so and see if that allows you to use less flour when you are rolling out the naan.
Thanks so for your kind words 🙂 🙂 🙂
So excited to try these! What is the best way to reheat from frozen?
I would thaw at room temperature. Heat in the oven at 350ºF for 10-15 minutes or so.
Definitely the best Naan recipe i’ve ever used! Simple and incredibley tasty. I used Kefir instead of yogourt and decreased the water (cause its way runnier). Worked perfectly! Thank you so much
Great to hear Sarah! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes 🙂 🙂 🙂 Love that you used kefir here.
Hihi, I love your sourdough recipes. I just wanted to know if you can use a sourdough starter or discard for the Naan bread in the place of instant yeast, thank u
Hi! I’m sure it would work. I haven’t tried so I can’t advise on timing or quantities.
Best naan recipe I have ever tried. Super easy. Tastier than naan in restaurants. Makes you want to skip the other food and just eat the naan. Spectacular!!
Great to hear, Tio! Thanks so much for writing!