Naan Recipe – Learn to make delicious, soft & fluffy butter naans 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.
Paratha, poori, bhatura, roti, naan, parotta, tandoori roti, kulcha are some of the most commonly made flatbreads from Indian cuisine.
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!
2 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.
Step-by-step photos
Preparation for naan recipe
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).
How to make 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 korma
Dal makhani
Tips to make naan recipe
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 for naan recipe
- 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.
Recipe
Naan recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 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
Making 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.
Video
NUTRITION (estimation only)
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.
© Swasthi’s Recipes
xyz says
Question: Can I place wired rack (from oven) on coil burner?
swasthi says
Yes you can but your rack and naan should not touch the coil
Savita Dsouza says
Turned out really well. Thanks for Sharing.
swasthi says
Welcome Savita
Glad to know
thank you
Joan Moses says
Hello Swasthi,
Naans came out awesome. We enjoyed it. Thank you!
Also how would you recommend reheating the naans made the previous day ?
swasthi says
Welcome Joan,
Glad to know! To reheat on stovetop, place them on a hot griddle and cover. Heat on a medium flame. They can also be reheated in a microwave. Thanks for rating the recipe.
🙂
Shweta Laddha says
Hello! Thanks for this naan receipe. I am looking forward to try it out. You have mentioned a couple of times in your post that you do not like to roast the naan on open flame. Is this due to the texture/taste issues or some other reason? Can you please elaborate? Thank you!
swasthi says
Hello Shweta,
The texture and taste of naans cooked on direct flame is very good. But we don’t prefer to cook foods on direct gas flame for health reasons. There is not enough research done to prove it is safe. Not sure if the gas that is supplied to stovetops is okay to use this way. I feel any unburnt gases will be absorbed by the food. Doing it in oven or on a charcoal grill is what I prefer. Anyhow the gas flame will not impart the same tandoori flavor to the naans. All this is just my personal opinion. Hope you enjoy the naans!
🙂
Thriyambaki says
Hi swasthi ,
I really loved ur recipes.. I always wanted to cook varieties and this lockdown helped me to explore and I did it with ur methods , notes and recipes.. everything turned out to be really good..
I tried naan without yeast and it came out just awww…. it was not chewy , didn’t become hard .. jus perfect..
I have a query , if I’m trying with yeast the next time , wat is the exact quantity of yeast should I add ? It’s not mentioned in ur notes. I have never used yeast before and dunno how much to add . Please clarify..
Keep up ur good work !! All the best !!
Thriyambaki.
swasthi says
Hello Thriyambaki
Thank you! Glad to know naan turned out good. I have mentioned the quantity of yeast in the ingredient list. It is 3/4 tsp. You can check this pizza recipe to see the pictures of proofing yeast. Hope this helps.
🙂
Thriyambaki says
Thanks a lot swasthi ..
Rebecca says
I have a question. I am making my naan with yeast but wasn’t sure when to introduce the yogurt or extra milk? I saw that you reduce the yogurt and doubled the milk, but can’t find where to introduce them. Do I still add to the flour and oil? Or do I skip the curd all together?
swasthi says
Hi Rebecca,
Add the yogurt and oil to the flour along with the frothy yeast. Use milk to knead the dough instead of water. Don’t skip the curd. I updated it more clearly in the notes. Hope this helps.
Sanchita says
This is the first time I made naan without yeast. They tasted great with your dal makhani. I rested in my oven for 2 hours on yogurt mode. Thank you 😊
swasthi says
Glad to know Sanchita!
Thank you
Afsana Nizar says
Hi i wanted to make 12 naans , so will doubling all the ingredients do the job?i plan making the yeast naan. Ur recipes are all really great. Good job for the detailed photos and description
swasthi says
Hi Afsana
Thank you! Yes double the recipe. You can make 12 large naans if using yeast.
Ria says
Thank you very much for this recipe. Much needed in times of the current crisis. I ran out of yeast so made the butter naan without it. They turned out very well. Can you please share the cheese naan recipe for my overexcited kids? TIA
swasthi says
Hi Ria
Glad to know! Yes sure I will update it in the post by tomorrow. Thank you
Rajnish Roy says
Thanks a lot for the detailed and easy instructions. I made naan today using yeast. My kids loved it. They enjoyed it with Butter Chicken. Your recipes are a saving grace in this lockdown. Thanks once again.
swasthi says
You are welcome! Glad to know your kids loved the meal.Thank you
Ria Pereira says
Thank you for the recipe. My naan came out great. I cooked on the griddle later charred on the fire. Turned out yummy with your vindaloo. Would appreciate if you could separate the steps for using yeast.
swasthi says
Hello Ria
You are welcome. Thanks for trying. Glad to know. Yes I can rewrite to separate.
Tanya says
Hey!
I made butter naan tonight. What a fantastic recipe! Followed it exactly without yeast. I rested the dough for 2 hours in my instapot with yogurt setting turned on. The dough developed a nice flavor. Thank you for the amazing photos and video.
swasthi says
Hi Tanya
You are welcome. Happy to know the recipe helped. Thanks for sharing your tip on resting the dough in instapot. This is totally new to me.
Reena says
These naans were an instant hit with my family. Your video helped me a lot. Suggest me a good side dish for the next time. Thank you.
swasthi says
Hey Reena,
Sorry for the delay! I guess I am too late. Glad your family enjoyed them. You can try with paneer butter masala, dum aloo or malai kofta. Please use the search button to check the recipes. Alternately you can also use the Recipes tab in the menu and find all the recipe index. Thank you!
Regina says
I was looking for a naan recipe without yeast & found this.I have no access to yeast in the current situation. My family loves these naan with your broccoli chutney and dal curry. Will be using these recipes again. Thank you for the amazing recipes.
swasthi says
Hi Regina,
You are welcome! Glad to know you all loved them. Thank you!
Valerie says
Glad to have found this recipe. My kids are allergic to yeast and this one looks to be great. Can sesame be used instead of kalonji? Excited to try this soon!
swasthi says
Hi Valerie,
Thank you! You can skip the kalonji seeds. Not sure if the sesame seeds work out here as they burn too quickly. Hope your kids enjoy them!
Chavvi says
Hello,
We sisters got to make your achari chicken naan and paneer tikka for our weekend dinner. Believe me these naans were a breeze to make & tasted fabulous with the chicken. So were the tikkas. How can I share the pictures?
swasthi says
Hi Chavvi
Glad your food turned out good. Thanks much for the comment. I am excited to see the pictures. Please email them. You can find my email id in the about page on the menu bar.
🙂
Shahida says
Looks nice. The only problem is calories. Can we try to make it free of carbs?
swasthi says
Hi Shahida,
Thank you! Coconut flour or blanched almond flour with egg should work. But will taste different. I haven’t tried though to give you the exact quantities.
Charu says
Thank you for this recipe. First time I made naan using your recipe. Came out very good. I also made your chicken curry
swasthi says
Hi Charu,
You are welcome. Glad they turned out good! Thank you so much for sharing the pics.
Parsa says
Hi swasthi,
I have tried a lot of your recipe and everyone just love them. In India these are cold months. My dough has become hard. Should I add a little water or milk to give it smooth finish?
swasthi says
Hi Parsa,
Thank you! Yes add more water or milk as needed. I have updated the recipe with more details and put a note as well.
Lekha says
Dear Swasthi,
My family loves my pizza and the credit goes to you. It turns out fantastic each time. I am sure your naans will turn out good too. Will be making them soon. Thanks for the recipes.
swasthi says
Hi Lekha,
So glad to see your comment after a long time. You are most welcome. Thanks much for trying the recipes. Yes sure give them a try.
🙂
Eva says
Hi Swasthi,
Thanks for sharing how a cast iron skillet & pizza stone can mimic a tandoor oven. I make naan pretty much the same way as you mentioned with yeast but on the griddle. This was the first time I up my yogurt to 4 tablespoons for the regular 2 tablespoons. I slide them on to my bare cast iron skillet in the oven. The naans turned out extremely good. More softer than ever. My family loves them with your butter chicken. Cheers..
swasthi says
Hi Eva,
You are welcome. Glad you all liked them. Thank you so much for the comment.