Butter Naan Recipe
By Swasthi on September 14, 2023, Comments, Jump to Recipe
Naan Recipe – Learn how to make delicious, soft & fluffy butter naan at home with the help of this detailed step by step photo & video post. Naan is a leavened flatbread mostly cooked in a tandoor (clay oven). It is one of the most ordered flatbreads in Indian restaurants & is eaten with a curry or dal (lentils). Restaurants typically serve many kinds of naans with varying thickness, textures & flavors.

About Naan
Originally Naan dough was leavened using a bread starter that was left from the previous batches. This is very much similar to the way we make yogurt using a starter.
In the modern days, yeast & other leavening agents have replaced the bread starter. So most restaurants either use yeast or another leavening agent like baking powder & baking soda.
If you order naan in Indian restaurants you may not find the texture & flavor to be the same in every place. Each place may have their own recipe to make these. So they taste and smell so different.
Here I have shared 2 different ways to make the dough & 2 different ways to toast them. So this post will help you make the kind of naans you love!
Two ways to make Dough
Each one of us have a different acquired taste for naans and would love them with a particular texture and flavor. Choose the one that suits your taste:
1. Without Yeast – Most often I make naans following this method for 2 reasons. First one – no wait time. Make the dough, then straight away roll and toast them. They are done under 30 mins.
Second reason is to avoid yeast. This method uses baking powder and baking soda (optional) as a substitute to yeast.
2. With yeast – If you love yeast breads, their flavor & the fluffy chewy texture then this will be the one you will love. But it does take time to make naan with yeast as the dough needs to rise.
I have a little kid who loves the soft & chewy texture of the yeast naan so sometimes I make this way. This dough is great to make naanizza with some curry & cheese toppings.
Chapati, Paratha, Poori, Bhatura, roti, naan, parotta, tandoori roti, kulcha are some of the most commonly made flatbreads from Indian cuisine.
How To Make Butter Naan (Stepwise Photos)
Make Dough
1. Add 2 cups flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons sugar & 1 to 1½ teaspoons grated garlic (optional) to a large mixing bowl. If you prefer to use yeast please check the instructions in the recipe card.

2. Give the dry ingredients a good stir. Then pour 2 tablespoons oil or melted butter, ½ cup yogurt and ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons luke warm milk.

3. Begin to knead the dough adding more warm milk as needed. You may need more water or milk than mentioned in the recipe.

4. Knead the dough very well until soft & pliable. It must be soft & not sticky. (check video). Do not over knead as it will make tough naans.

5. Cover and rest for 30 mins to 1 hour. This is optional. I make them instantly after 10 mins. Divide the dough to 6 parts and make round balls tucking the edges inside.

6. Meanwhile chop 5 to 6 garlic cloves and ¼ cup coriander leaves. Melt 3 tablespoons butter and set aside all of these along with kalonji seeds (optional).

Rolling Naan
7. Flour the rolling area very lightly. Too much flour will toughen the naans. Place a dough ball and flatten it.

8. Roll or stretch the dough to a oval or a elongated shape. Sprinkle the toppings and then lightly roll it again. You can make all the naans. They will shrink and become smaller, just roll again while you cook them.

Toasting
9. Heat a griddle or tawa. If the pan is not hot enough then the naan will not rise well. So ensure it is hot but not extremely hot. Gently remove the naan from the counter and place it on the hot griddle. Soon you will see bubbles on the naan. You can also cook them covered.

10. Hold the naan with a tong and filp it to the other side. After flipping you can cook them on the griddle or on direct gas flame as per your preference. Cook on the other side as well until completely cooked & slightly charred. Do not press down the naan with a spatula as it will make them dense.
For ease you may place a wired rack on your stove to toast them on the other side. Here I placed a wired rack over the electric stove and flipped it to cook on the other side. I used a electric stove (hotplate) which has a cast iron plate over it.

11. Remove to a serving plate and then brush some butter.

Butter Naans are best served hot, straight out of the griddle. Serve them with any curry or dal.

Serve naan with
Paneer Butter Masala
Palak Paneer
Butter Chicken
Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Korma
Dal Makhani
Pro Tips
Flour: Naan is always made with all-purpose flour (or maida). For health reasons please choose organic or atleast unbleached flour. You can substitute all-purpose flour with wheat flour but you will surely not get the kind of fluffy, soft and chewy texture in your naan.
I have made them with wheat flour several times and can just say they will no where be near to the real naan. However if you are health conscious and eat them often then you can use wheat flour.
Rolling Vs stretching dough: Naan is always hand stretched and not rolled with a rolling pin. Sometimes rolling toughens the dough and suppresses the bubbles making dense flatbreads.
Hand stretched naan have a lovely fluffy & light texture. So I usually make all the naans at one go and then toast them so they get time to rise on the counter.
Size & thickness: Naans are pretty much made in different shapes and thickness. For fluffy naan breads make them slightly thicker. Do not make them too thick unless you are going to use a good heat source otherwise they remain uncooked.
Trouble Shooting Tips
- Naan doesn’t get bubbles – Pan not hot enough, dough not moist enough or improper leavening.
- Naan turns hard – Toasting for too long, not enough moisture in the dough, toasting on low heat or not kneading the dough enough.
Related Recipes
Recipe Card

Butter Naan Recipe, How to make Naan
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (organic maida or 1 cup wheat flour + 1 cup all-purpose flour)
- ½ cup plain yogurt (curd)
- 6 to 8 tablespoons luke warm milk (¼ cup + 2 tbsps) (may need more)
- 2 tablespoons oil or melted butter
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 to 1½ teaspoon grated garlic (optional)
For Leavening (or Use ¾ Tsp Instant Yeast)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
For Toppings
- 5 to 6 garlic cloves sliced or chopped
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- ¼ cup coriander leaves chopped finely
- 1 tsp kalonji seeds (optional)
Instructions
Make Dough
- To a mixing bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar and grated garlic . (If using instant yeast in place of baking powder and baking soda add it now. To use dry active yeast, refer notes.)
- Pour yogurt, oil and 4 tbsps luke warm milk. Begin to mix to form a smooth dough adding more warm milk as needed. You may need up to half cup milk.
- Knead well until the dough turns soft, elastic & pliable. When you press down the dough with your finger, it should dent easily.
- Optionally you can cover and rest the dough for 1 to 2 hours in a warm place. You can also make them instantly like I made here. (For yeast dough, rest in a warm place for 2 hours or until the dough rises & doubles, Then punch the dough one to 2 times to deflate slightly).
- Grease your fingers and divide the dough to 6 to 8 parts depending on the size you prefer.
- Make smooth balls and keep them covered until you finish rolling the naans.
How to make Naan
- Sprinkle little flour on the rolling area and place a dough ball.
- Roll the ball to 8 to 9 inches long and 5 to 6 inches wide depending on the size of the dough ball.
- Sprinkle kalonji seeds, sliced garlic and coriander leaves. Press down or roll them gently.
- When you are done with 5 to 6 naans, begin to heat a griddle or pan.
- Ensure the pan is hot enough, then transfer the naan to it. Within a minute or so bubbles will be visible on top.
- With the help of a tong, flip it and cook either on the pan or directly over the gas fire or stove. Or place a wired rack on the stove and toast it. (check video or step by step photos).
- When you see brown spots on the naan, remove them to a plate and brush with some butter. Ensure it is cooked through on both the sides well.
- Smear some butter on top and serve naan right away with paneer butter masala, dal makhani, butter chicken or any other curry.
Notes
- If using dry active yeast, pour 1/4 cup of luke warm milk to a large mixing bowl along with sugar. Stir in the yeast and rest for 10 to 15 mins until it activates & turns frothy. Then add flour, garlic,salt, oil and yogurt. Knead the dough very well until soft & elastic, add more milk as required. Cover and rest in a warm place for about 2 to 3 hours or until the dough doubles. When the dough doubles, punch it one to two times to deflate a bit. Grease your hands and divide the dough to 6 to 8 parts. Follow the rest of the recipe from – how to make naan.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
Video
Watch Naan Video
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes

About Swasthi
I’m Swasthi Shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthi’s Recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills. More about me
Follow Swasthi’s Recipes
Comments
Hello! I was wondering what kind of yogurt you recommend using. Regular yogurt or greek? Do you think full-fat is better? Thank you 🙂
Hello,
Use full fat regular yogurt. If you want to use Greek yogurt cut down to 1/3 cup and use more milk
Thank you for the recipe! I did exactly as you said and it came out perfectly. Because I cooked both sides in the cast iron skillet, I wiped down the butter between naans which worked well.
No matter what recipe I am looking to make when I do my search I always add Swasthi to the end! Your recipes are the best and they work out perfectly every time! Thank you!!
Thank you so much Tammy. So happy to hear that!
So do I, dear Swashti. Greetings from Switzerland. (Today it was Chicken Curry and Butter Naan)
Hi Swasthi, I’ve made your paneer butter masala before and my MIL just loves it. Planning to make it for her birthday together with naan this time. If I make the dough with yeast at abt 5am, is it ok just to leave it out and cook it at abt 7pm?
Hi Yamuna,
Glad to know! 5 am to 5 pm is really too long unless you live in a cold region. I would suggest you make the dough and wait until it rises and doubles. Then put it in the fridge. The time taken to rise depends on your local temperature. The dough can develop a sour flavor if you leave it too long. If you are busy on the day, you can make it a day ahead and refrigerate. Leave it on the counter for a few hours before you make the naan. Hope this helps. Have a great day!
Thanks for the quick reply. If I’m doubling the recipe do I need to double the amount of yeast as well?
Yes if you live in a cold country you should double it. If the weather is too hot, I don’t double. 1.5 times is okay.
Thank you so much for the quick reply. I made it yesterday without yeast as the weather was too cold. The entire family just gobbled it up! My MIL even said it was better than from a restaurant. Your recipes are so easy to follow and simply failproof dear.
Print recipe link doesn’t seem to be working for this page, it works for the Chicken Tikka Masala one though not sure why
Swasti,
It could be a plugin glitch. It works for me. Try using a different browser or use the print option in the browser.
This was my first time making naan and this recipe was amazing. My kids and husband loved it. This recipe is now part of our weekly menu! Thank you so much.
Happy to know you all love it. Thank you Emily.
I don’t understand this statement: “ You can substitute all-purpose flour with wheat flour but you will surely not get the kind of fluffy, soft and chewy texture in your naan.”
All-purpose flour IS wheat flour…is it supposed to say whole wheat flour?
Yes Dan, wheat flour is whole wheat flour. We don’t say wheat flour to refer all-purpose flour (though it comes from wheat) because it is refined and the bran is removed
Omg, this naan recipe was so easy and so delicious! Thank you for sharing it!
Thank you so much Sarah. So glad you like it.
I have tried many recipes to make yeast-free naan. By far this is the best recipe and makes the most tender and fluffy naan. Thank you.
Maddy, thank you so much for trying and sharing back. Glad you like it.
Great Naan recipe first time I made wii definitely keep and make again and again.
Adelaide Australia.
Thank you so much Eddie
For the first time, these turned out great! Restaurant quality naan, soft and delicious. Baking them in the griddle was not a succes, but putting them in a preheated oven on a pizza stone (few minutes 250c/480f) did the trick for me. Many thanks for the recipe! Made it with your vindaloo and pilow rice, tasted all amazing. Greetings from The Netherlands!
Thank you so much Guido. So glad the recipe worked for you. Love the spread vindaloo, butter naan and pilaf!
Hi! I am having a party and wondered if I could make these ahead and if they would reheat well? I was thinking I could reheat on the open flame🤷♀️ thank you!
Hi Val,
Yes you can cook these ahead and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days. Reheat on the stove on a pan or in the oven. I don’t have experience with open flame for reheating. I guess it works.
Tha k you so much!
Hi Swathi
Love the recipe
What do I do with thr leftover dough? Can it be kept raw?
Hi Shahzia,
Thank you! I think I am late. You can keep it in a air tight container and refrigerate for 2 days.
Hi Swasthi, I was making your aloo gobi and saw the recipe for the naan and said what the heck, I’ll try that too! It was so easy, and better than restaurant naan, I think because it was more tender…and fresh! I used sour cream as I didn’t have yogurt, and ended up having to add in a bit more flour to get a ball that wasn’t sticky. It sat on the counter for 3 hours and was fine – not sour. I used a cast iron skillet and got lovely bubbles and browning. Thank you so much for this recipe, I will be wowing people with your naan for the rest of my life!!
Hello Maj,
Love the way you made these with sour cream. So glad you like them! Thank you so much for sharing with us how they turned out.
Hi. These look delectable, can’t wait to try it! Your recipe calls for plain yogurt (curd), do you think I can get away w/ plain Greek yogurt, or will it be too thick? I have an unopened container sitting in my fridge about to expire. Thanks!
Hi Carrie,
Thank you! Yes you can use if it is not too sour.
Your recipes are fantastic. I made your tikka masala, cumin rice, cucumber raita and the yeasted version of naan and all were wonderful. I will absolutely make again. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us.
Wow! Lovely spread!
Thank you Jeunesse.
That makes me happy!
Hi Swasthi, can this be made with Gluten free flour?
Thanks
Hi John,
I haven’t tried.
Excellent!! Came out perfect! I used 50/50 whole meal and plain with yeast. Thank you Swasthi.
Glad to know! Thank you!
Hello! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I have recently transitioned to a vegan diet, and I was wondering if you had any recommendations on how to make this recipe vegan. Thanks in advance!
Hello,
It should work with vegan milk and vinegar.
How can I print your recipes?
There is a print button in the recipe card.
Hi! I’ve read through the recipe, and I’m really looking forward to making it next week… However I’m making for a large number of people, and am quite busy… Would it be possible to leave the dough to rest in the fridge over night, and then roll it out right before serving?
Hi,
Yes Overnight is fine.