Naan Bread
Naan is an Indian recipe; it’s a type of flat bread.
Traditionally they are baked inside a very hot clay tandoor oven, with charcoal or wood fire.
The naan bread are stuck to the inside of the oven just like the picture below.
The tandoor oven retains very high heat, up to 900°F and hence fills the inside of the flat bread with air pockets and bakes them to perfection.
Image Credit: Best of India Restaurant.
In a modern day kitchen, we do not have a tandoor oven, but you can make naan at home with a hot cast-iron skillet on the stove stop, or bake in the oven.
My naan recipe is made on a stove top, using a very hot cast-iron skillet.
The naan turn out extremely delicious, soft, puffy, airy, with the beautiful golden brown spots on the surface.
They taste just like the best Indian buffet restaurants!
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Frequently Asked Questions about Naan:
Is Naan Bread Healthy?
Yes, it is super healthy. My recipe is quick and easy, fail-proof and cooked on a skillet. You do not need a tandoor oven!
Does it Have Eggs?
There is no eggs in the recipe. Vegan can’t eat them as this recipe calls for yogurt, which is not vegan-friendly.
The Origin of Naan
It originated from Iranian. However, different countries have its own version of the bread.
It’s a staple in Iran, many middle eastern countries, the Indian subcontinent countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc.
The Difference Between Naan and Roti
They are both flat breads but different because of the ingredients used. Roti, for example, chapati is made with whole wheat flour and there is no yeast.
Naan is made with all purpose flour and you will need yeast to make the dough.
Tips on How to Make Naan
- First, you want to make the dough by combining the yeast and flour together. Knead the dough with hand or using a stand mixer and then rest to double the dough in size.
- Divide the dough into 8 balls. Heat up a cast-iron skillet on high heat to make naan.
- The high heat makes the dough rises and fills the middle part of the bread with an air pocket. It’s done when burnt brown “blisters” or spots appear, just like my pictures.
- Brush the fresh-off-the-skillet naan with some melted salted butter and top them with cilantro leaves.
How Many Calories Per Serving?
This recipe is only 295 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with Naan?
They are great with Indian curries with sauce, for example: chicken tikka masala or butter chicken.
For a wholesome Indian dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
Pairs well with:
How to Make Naan Bread?
Please refer to the recipe card below for detailed step-by-step method on how to make naan at home.
Naan Bread (The Best Recipe)
Naan - easy naan bread recipe using a cast-iron skillet. Soft, puffy with brown blisters just like Indian restaurants. This is the best recipe online!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/4 oz active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
- some oil, for greasing the skillet
- 3 tablespoons melted salted butter
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the sugar, warm water, and yeast together. Stir to combine well. The yeast should be activated when it becomes foamy, about 10 minutes. Transfer the flour to a flat surface and make a well in the middle. Add the yeast mixture, yoghurt, and oil, knead the dough until the surface becomes smooth and shiny, about 10 minutes. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place (for example: beside the stovetop or warm oven). The dough should double in size, about 1 hour.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll the dough to a 8” circle using a rolling spin.
- Heat up a skillet (cast-iron preferred) over high heat and lightly grease the surface with some oil to avoid the dough from sticking to the skillet. Place the dough on the skillet. When it puffs up and bubbles and burnt spots appear, flip it over and cook the other side. Repeat the same until all dough are done.
- Brush the naan with the melted butter, serve warm.
Notes
Watch the cooking video on this page for step-by-step guide.
If the dough is sticky, add extra 2 more tablespoons of flour to bind the dough.
There is no salt in the recipe, other than using salted butter to brush the naan before serving. If you like, you may add 1/2 teaspoon salt to the dough.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 295Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 12mgSodium 46mgCarbohydrates 48gFiber 2gSugar 2gProtein 8g
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Danaja
Hello, I’m sorry but I find these measures a bit confusing: “2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour”. Does this mean 2 cups + 1/4 of a cup (and not between 1/4 and 2/4 of a cup)? tnx!
Rasa Malaysia
Yes 2 1/4 cups.
Chris
Hi there, I made the naan this evening. It was great. First time I’ve ever made naan … or, any sort of Indian dish outside of daal quite frankly. That said, COVID-19 lock down in San Francisco has give me a good excuse to try some new recipes. The recipe was easy to follow, the video was very helpful. My naan tasted fantastic. Way better than any to-go naan. When I put the naan on the skillet to heat, I crushed and added a sprinkle of good finishing flake salt. Allowed it to infuse with the dough as the other side was browning on the skillet. I then flipped it to cook the side I just salted and brushed really good butter on the just cooked side. Wow, it was phenomenal. The other thing I experimented with is how thin to roll the dough vs. how long to keep it on the skillet. I made one naan rolled pretty thin that got cooked/browned spots that turned out almost cracker like but thicker on the edges. Others I made thicker and cooked less that turned out to be more like the spongy stuff I get for take-out (but way better). Thanks for the recipe. It was so easy I think that even if I order out in the future (i.e., after restaurants re-open), I will still skip ordering the naan and make it at home. Now I just have to check your site and see if you have a killer roti prata recipe.
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Chris, thanks for trying my recipe. You can find roti canai or roti prata recipe here: https://rasamalaysia.com/roti-canai-roti-paratha-recipe/
Lexi
Can you use sour cream instead of yogurt?
Catherine Chase
Yes you can use sour cream, its how slavic Roma people make their naan and it tastes so freaking amazing.
Gerda
Must the naan be served immediately, and if not, how long can it stand?
Rasa Malaysia
You want to serve warm because it’s best when warm. You can serve at room temperature and keep in the refrigerator. Heat up before serving.
Julie
I’m excited to try this! Can I kneed it in a mixer or does it need to be my hand? Thanks.
Rasa Malaysia
You can use a mixer.
Kyra
Can I make and freeze them? If yes, should I freeze it before or after it’s cooked?
Rasa Malaysia
Freeze after cooking.
nenita
Hi, just noticed no salt in the ingredients? thanks.