Naan recipe

Butter Naan Recipe

By Swasthi on March 1, 2024, 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.

Butter naan served with curry

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 (250 grams) all-purpose 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.

adding dry ingredients to make naan

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.

pour wet ingredients for naan dough

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

kneading naan dough

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.

soft, moist & pliable dough

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.

making dough balls for naan

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).

melted butter garlic and kalonji

Rolling Naan

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

flour the rolling area to make naan

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.

rolling the dough

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.

toasting garlic butter naan on cast iron skillet

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.

toasting on flame or heat

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

smear some butter

Butter Naans are best served hot, straight out of the griddle. Serve them with any curry or dal. Here are some suggestions
Paneer Butter Masala
Palak Paneer
Goat Curry
Butter Chicken
Chicken Tikka Masala
Chicken Korma
Dal Makhani

Butter Naan Recipe made with flour, baking powder, baking soda and yogurt

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

Butter Naan Recipe

Make the best soft, fluffy & delicious garlic butter naan at home with this easy recipe. Instructions included for with & without yeast.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings6
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour (or 1 cup wheat flour + 1 cup all-purpose flour)
  • ½ cup (120 ml) 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

  1. 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)

Nutrition Facts
Butter Naan Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 303 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 19mg6%
Sodium 328mg14%
Potassium 580mg17%
Carbohydrates 41g14%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 796IU16%
Vitamin C 57mg69%
Calcium 191mg19%
Iron 6mg33%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

© Swasthi’s Recipes

Butter Naan Recipe first published in December 2019. Updated and republished in March 2024.

Butter Naan Recipe

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

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Comments

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5 stars
I read this, and then later in the day, I went to my kitchen and made it, without referring back to the recipe. It turned out perfectly. I paired it with some curry lentil soup I made at the same time. Thanks for the unforgettable recipe!

5 stars
Omg ! I can’t believe it but this is the BEST naan bread I’ve ever made !
It’s soft and yummy . I made it with butter chicken.
Thank you so much!

5 stars
I think this is the softest and best naan recipe! So fast and easy to make! I make these every time I make a curry from your website. This time it was butter chicken, naan and cucumber salad. Thank you for sharing.

5 stars
Thank you so much for this recipe. Easy and the result was incredible!

5 stars
Love your recipes.
The butter chicken recipe is absolutely amazing.
I need help with the Naan. I have an induction and hence cannot cook it on a wore rack, is there any other way out?
Thanks in advance and regards,
D

5 stars
I made this recipe as well as another one that had yeast. This recipe yielded a more fluffy and faster cooking bread than the recipe with yeast.
I did let the dough rest about an hour before cooking. Delicious.

5 stars
Wonderful!

Hello! I made your samosas recipe and it was delicious. For the naan, is it possible to substitute yogurt? Thank you!

5 stars
Never knew this easy naan recipe even exits. It yields great results if you don’t want to put in a lot of time working with yeast. They are so soft and delicious like they came from a restaurant/bakery.

5 stars
Thanks for creating this website. This naan recipe worked like a charm. They came out delicious and fluffy. Going to use the same dough to make aloo naan with your aloo paratha stuffing.

5 stars
I think this is the best recipe to make softest naan. Made without yeast and it comes out so good. Thank you

5 stars
It came out so well. Everyone loved it . Thank you.

First time I saw this recipe and I’m like naan and no yeast? I gave it a go and soon it became our favorite. No yeast, no egg and still these are wonderful, pillowy and great to mop up any curry.

5 stars
I so much love this naan recipe. My naan always turns out great with a mild sweet flavor that yeast naan recipes don’t produce. They are super soft and great even after storing and reheating them. Thank you

5 stars
I have been making garlic butter naan for 25 years but this recipe turns out to be the best. No Yeast so comes out exactly like the Indian restaurants. Thank you for sharing amazing recipes.

5 stars
I love how easy this recipe is. I’ve made it before but tonight made it for homemade pizzas. Worked like a charm! I’ll definitely double the recipe next time.

5 stars
These are the best naans and everyone should make these.

5 stars
These are the best naan I have ever made. Tried so many recipes but your’s is the fastest and makes the softest naan. Thank you

Hello! I was wondering what kind of yogurt you recommend using. Regular yogurt or greek? Do you think full-fat is better? Thank you 🙂

5 stars
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.

5 stars
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!!

So do I, dear Swashti. Greetings from Switzerland. (Today it was Chicken Curry and Butter Naan)