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Cheesy Garlic Naan - homemade naan topped with garlic and cheddar cheese. Cheesy, buttery, garlicky naan that you can't stop eating!
Soft, cheesy, and loaded with garlicky flavor, this homemade cheesy garlic naan is easy to make in a skillet. Perfectly fluffy, buttery, and gooey with melted cheddar, it’s ideal as a side for curries or enjoyed on its own. No tandoor oven needed.
Homemade Garlic Cheese Naan
I love Naan, and and I often go to Indian buffets to enjoy as much as I can. However, I always wanted the cheesy garlic naan on the menu, which meant paying extra on top of the buffet. Well, that doesn’t always work out, so I decided to develop this garlic cheese naan recipe and make it myself.
Unlike regular naan, which is already delicious, this homemade garlic cheese naan takes it to the next level. Each piece is brushed with melted garlic butter, topped with shredded cheddar, and as it comes off the skillet, the cheese melts into a gooey, irresistible mess.
Making it at home is easier than you might think. A hot cast iron skillet or a heavy-bottom nonstick pan gives you the perfect puffs, bubbles, and light char. Serve it as an appetizer, alongside Chicken Curry, or Butter Chicken, or just enjoy it fresh from the skillet as a garlicky, cheesy snack.
Sidenote: I like adding the cheese on top of the naan rather than stuffing it inside. This way, the cheese melts perfectly into a gooey layer while keeping the dough soft and puffy. Stuffing can make the naan denser or harder to cook evenly, so this method gives you that indulgent cheesy flavor without compromising texture.
Key Tips For Perfect Cheesy Garlic Naan
- Yogurt: Yogurt is the key that keeps this naan soft, fluffy, and tender. It adds just the right amount of moisture and a subtle tang that balances the dough. Keep in mind that yogurt brands differ in thickness and water content, so if your dough feels too sticky, sprinkle in a little extra flour. Plain yogurt gives the best texture, while Greek yogurt makes a slightly denser bread.
- All-Purpose Flour: For the ideal chewiness, stick with all-purpose flour. Protein levels can vary by brand and region, which affects how your naan turns out. Higher-protein flour gives a chewier bite, while lower-protein flour makes it softer and more tender. Adjust slightly if your dough feels too slack or too stiff.
- Cheese: Cheddar works perfectly for melting and adds a rich, savory flavor. You can mix in mozzarella or use a combination of cheeses for extra gooey, stretchy goodness.
Pro Tip: Dough can behave differently depending on where you’re baking. From my experience in the US versus Malaysia, humidity and water content can affect how the dough comes together, so small adjustments to flour or liquid can help achieve the right consistency.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Yeast
- All-purpose flour
- Yogurt
- Garlic
- Cheddar cheese
Check out the recipe card at the bottom for all the ingredient details and exact measurements.
Pro Tip #1: Feeding The Yeast
A touch of sugar helps your yeast wake up and gives the dough a nice, airy lift. Yeast can work without sugar, but adding a little improves the flavor and helps the naan puff better.
Pro Tip #2: Dry Active Yeast Is Your Friend
Dry active yeast is dependable and perfect for making soft, chewy naan. It blooms predictably, giving the dough a consistent rise every time.
Pro Tip #3: Oil For Easier Handling
A little oil keeps the dough smooth and prevents sticking while you knead or roll. Use neutral oils like vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil for the best results.
Pro Tip #4: Cheese On Top For Gooey Goodness
Use shredded cheddar for a perfect melt and that irresistible cheesy layer. Avoid using processed or bottled cheese slices as they don’t melt the same way and can affect both texture and flavor.
How To Make Cheesy Garlic Naan
In a small bowl, mix the sugar, warm water, and yeast. Give it a good stir and let it sit for about 10 minutes until it gets nice and foamy. This shows the yeast is active and ready to work. Meanwhile, dump the flour onto a clean surface and make a little well in the center.
Pour in the yeast mixture, yogurt, salt, and oil. Knead everything together for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly shiny. Cover it with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm spot, like beside the stove or in a slightly warm oven, until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
While the dough is rising, melt the butter in the microwave for a few seconds and mix it with the minced garlic. Set it aside.
Once the dough has risen, divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 6-inch (15 cm) circle.
Heat a cast iron or heavy-bottom nonstick skillet over high heat and lightly grease it with a bit of oil so nothing sticks. Place a rolled-out dough circle in the skillet. When it starts puffing, bubbles appear, and you see a few golden spots, flip it over and cook the other side. Lower the heat, brush the cooked naan generously with garlic butter, top with shredded cheese, and cover the skillet for about a minute so the cheese melts. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Pro Tip: Don’t spread the garlic butter at the start. Wait until the naan is mostly cooked, then brush it on before adding the cheese to keep the garlic flavorful and prevent burning.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro if you like, and enjoy warm. Perfect for dipping, scooping, or eating straight from the skillet.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is only 533 calories per serving.
What To Serve With Cheesy Garlic Naan
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
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Other Recipes You Might Like
Cheesy Garlic Naan
Ingredients
- 5 g sugar
- 120 ml warm water
- 7 g active dry yeast, 2 1/4 teaspoons
- 300-350 g all-purpose flour, 2 1/4-2 1/3 cups
- 120 g plain yogurt
- 5 g salt
- 15 ml oil
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- some oil, for greasing the skillet
- 113 g cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar, warm water, and yeast. Stir well and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Transfer the flour to a flat surface and make a well in the center.
- Add the yeast mixture, yogurt, salt, and oil, and knead the dough until smooth and shiny, about 10 minutes. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place (beside the stovetop or in a warm oven) until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.
- Mix the melted butter (warmed in the microwave briefly) with the garlic and set aside.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each into a 6-inch (15 cm) circle using a rolling pin.
- Heat a skillet (cast iron preferred) over high heat and lightly grease with oil. Place a dough circle in the skillet. When it puffs up and bubbles appear with some browned spots, flip to cook the other side. Lower the heat, brush the cooked naan generously with garlic butter, top with cheese, and cover the skillet for 1 minute, or until the cheese melts. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.
Notes
- Start with 300 g (about 10.5 oz or 2 1/4 cups) of flour. If the dough feels too sticky, add a little more flour, up to 350 g (around 12 oz or 2 1/3 cups), until it comes together nicely.
- Before adding the salt and oil, give the flour, yeast mixture, and yogurt a gentle stir. This makes the dough easier to handle and knead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How big is a cup…???? I have small medium and big cups
American measuring cup.
Thank you very much for the recipe i ran out of my store bought naan this is a great help be safe out there. :)
I’d give this more points but not fitting your whole recipe to one page, or at least an option to exclude the fluff to save paper for the X times your viewers makes me deduct 2 stars. Recipe is great.
Thanks.
I’ve tried making this last week. They were good but a little bland to be eaten on their own, the cheese and butter should be there otherwise it lacks flavor. My 4 year old who loves naan breads was a bit disappointed..i guess this isn’t the recipe for her then but thank you for sharing!
Thanks.
I used wheat flour in this recipe .We had this with beef curry and my family really enjoyed it.I will definitely be doing it again. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks!
Thanks for this, I’ve made it several times. Quick question — above, it says to add the cheese after you cook. But when I downloaded the recipe card it says to add cheese before you cook it. Which is correct? Also can you recommend a good time to freeze? After cooking or after rising the dough?
I love NAAN bread – and love eating garlic infused NAAN – if you haven’t add finely minced garlic to the dough when mixing and you will love it..
Thanks!
I’ve made this twice, to accompany a butter chicken recipe. This is simple, and good. The dough isn’t super easy to knead (very sticky), but it cooks well. I will be making this again.
Awesome!
It’s so good! Thin and crispy! Fragrant and tasty!!
This is the thin version.
If I want to make a bit thicker n more fluffy, do I Need to proof another round after dividing into 8 balls?
I tried to make it thicker. It’s nice but the texture is diff from what I eat in restaurant.
Thank you!
Just make the dough bigger and roll out the same way, it will be thicker.
It’s so good! Thin and crispy! Fragrant and tasty!!
This is the thin version.
If I want to make a bit thicker n more fluffy, do I Need to proof another round after dividing into 8 balls?
I tried to make it thicker. It’s nice but the texture is diff from what I eat in restaurant.
Thank you!