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This homemade naan is surprisingly easy and even better than what you can buy at the grocery store. And no you don't need a tandoor oven to make them.
There is just something about freshly made bread - from more labor intensive homemade bagels to flaky buttermilk biscuits to quick and easy butternut squash bread to Irish potato bread to black pepper focaccia.
And this homemade naan recipe is about as easy as it can get, but people will think you spent hours making it.
For anyone older than 25, who admits to even knowing what naan bread was 15 years ago? I honestly had never heard of it.
Then one day my mom brought home some from Costco. I specifically remember her telling me, I think you'll really like it - it's like Indian pita bread. To me that description is perfect for this handmade naan.
Ever since having it for the first time, I've been hooked. I'll be honest, I will always choose naan bread over pita bread if I had to pick between the two. I still usually have a packet of naan frozen in my freezer to use when needed. It's great for individual pizzas or a panini or just to dip in something!
It was something I never thought about making because #1 - I thought it wasn't possible to do at home without the right cookware and #2 - I thought it would be hard!
That's until Half Baked Harvest posted a naan recipe. I've been eyeing to for a while and finally decided to give my own version of homemade naan a try!
Let's just say it's going to be difficult for me to ever buy another packet at Costco. It really couldn't be easier! And to me it's always fun to make something like this naan from scratch.
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Ingredient Notes
- Yeast - creates that slight rise in the dough.
- Milk and Greek yogurt - important as it adds flavor but also creates a light and fluffy naan.
- Baking powder and baking soda - while not necessary, just a little big goes a long way in helping the dough rise for this homemade naan.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix and match the ingredients you use. Some varitions include:
- While I use active dry yeast, you can use instant yeast and skip the step of adding it to the water.
- I like using Greek yogurt in my recipes, but plain yogurt or even sour cream works too.
- Olive oil adds a little flavor and fat to the dough, but melted butter is a good substitute.
Step-by-Step Photos
Mix together the yeast, sugar and warm water in measure cup and let sit for 10 minutes before adding the milk, Greek yogurt and olive oil.
Mix the flour baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and then pour the wet ingredients into the middle of the dry ingredients.
Mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon until combined before forming into a ball. Cover with a damp dish towel until dough has covered in size.
Divide the dough into 4-6 balls and roll out on a lightly floured surface into an oval size about ⅙" thick. Then brush both sides of the naan with butter.
Heat cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the naan. Cover for 1 minute until bubbles form and then flip and cook for another minute or until browned.
FAQs
While both naan and pita bread are part of the "flat bread" family, they come from different parts of the word, use different ingredients and are cooked differently.
Naan is the traditional flat bread in India, while pita bread is eaten in the Middle East and Mediterranean. Pita dough uses just flour, salt, yeast and olive oil, while naan dough has additional ingredients like yogurt and sometimes egg and milk which makes it softer and fluffier.
Pita is known for its air pocket which comes from cooking in a very hot oven, while naan is cooked with less heat, which creates multiple small air bubbles.
If you want to make traditional homemade naan bread recipe, yes you need a tandoor oven. Sadly, most of us don't have access to one, so a hot cast iron skillet will do the trick.
No this recipe doesn't have eggs. It does use milk, yogurt and butter so it is not vegan-friendly.
Being a thinner bread, homemade naan cooks fairly quickly. You'll know it is time to flip when some bubbles form. Then it is done when you've got some toasted spots on the other side.
Variations
As with any recipe, you can adapt this homemade naan recipe to your liking. Some options include:
- Cheese - stirring in some cheddar cheese in the dough or topping with some Parmesan works great.
- Herbs - adding some cilantro or parsley is pretty traditional but thyme is also a good option.
- Garlic butter - bread and garlic butter is never a bad combination.
Ways to Serve Naan
Naan is super versatile. You can use in a variety of ways including:
- Dipping - it is great as a side dish to deep in saucy recipes like Indian butter chicken, creamy coconut curry chicken or chicken tikka masala.
- Pizza - it works great as a base for any pizza you like, from a spring pizza to BBQ chicken pizza.
- Sandwiches - it works great for sandwiches or even paninis like a chicken pesto panini.
- Wraps - can't ever go wrong with a wrap like this buffalo falafel.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Yogurt is important in making the homemade naan dense and soft, but if you don't have Greek yogurt, regular yogurt will work fine.
- Use baking powder that is less than a year old since it has been opened. If you use older baking powder, it won’t be powerful enough to help leaven the donuts. You can test it by stirring half a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup of hot water. It will immediately start to fizz and release carbon dioxide gas if it’s still fresh enough to use. Baking soda should be less than six months old and you can use the same test.
- The naan can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once it’s completely cooled, wrap each piece securely in plastic wrap and put in a ziploc bag prior to putting in the freezer. To reheat, wrap the naan in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F oven until hot.
Other Bread Recipes
If you’ve tried this homemade naan recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Homemade Naan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon hot tap water (not boiling)
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- ⅔ cup warm milk
- 3 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- Herbs for topping
Instructions
- In a 4 cup glass measuring cup, add sugar and dry yeast in warm water and stir until dissolved. Let it sit for 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to froth and rise. Once yeast is foamy, add warm milk, yogurt, olive oil and stir.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to large mixing bowl and mix together. Pour the wet ingredients in the middle of the dry ingredients and mix with wooden spoon. When the dough is coming together, use your hands to finish mixing until it just comes together. DO NOT knead! It should be sticky but should be soft and formed into a ball. Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel and place in a warm place for 1 hour.
- When ready to cook take the dough and divide into 4-6 equal balls, depending on the size of the naan you want. (6 balls will make naan about 6 inches, while 4 will make them about 8 inches) Dust some flour on a rolling pin and surface, roll each piece of dough into an oval shape. Roll to about ⅙ inch thick. (I have a roller pin that measures which makes it easier). Repeat with remaining dough.
- Warm a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the naan bread with butter. Place the naan in the skillet and cover for one minute, until you see bubbles form. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until large toasted spot appear on the bottom. Remove and sprinkle with a little kosher salt and herbs if desired. Repeat with remaining naan. They are best eaten fresh, but you can place in freezer as well and eat when you want.
Notes
- Yogurt is important in making the naan dense and soft, but if you don't have Greek yogurt, regular yogurt will work fine.
- Use baking powder that is less than a year old since it has been opened. If you use older baking powder, it won’t be powerful enough to help leaven the donuts. You can test it by stirring half a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup of hot water. It will immediately start to fizz and release carbon dioxide gas if it’s still fresh enough to use. Baking soda should be less than six months old and you can use the same test.
- Naan can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once it’s completely cooled, wrap each piece securely in plastic wrap and put in a ziploc bag prior to putting in the freezer. To reheat, wrap the naan in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F oven until hot.
Chris says
I love naan! Can't wait to try!
LaRena Fry says
Yum!
Tilly says
These look great! I'll definitely be trying these! 😀