Naan

Soft, fluffy, chewy naan with beautiful golden-brown bubbles and slightly charred spots, just like restaurant-style naan! Yogurt, milk, and a combination of yeast and baking powder create a tender texture, while butter adds richness.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Resting Time: 4 hours

Cook Time: 15–20 minutes

Yield: 6 medium naans

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

• 1 tsp active dry yeast

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 2 tsp sugar

• 3/4 tsp salt

• 3 tbsp plain yogurt, preferably full-fat

• 2 tbsp oil

• 1/2 cup warm milk

• 2–4 tbsp warm water, as needed

• Melted butter or ghee, for brushing

Instructions

Add flour, yeast, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt to a food processor. Pulse briefly to combine. Add yogurt and oil. Run the processor for approximately 20–30 seconds. Gradually add warm milk, followed by warm water a tablespoon at a time. Knead until a smooth, soft, slightly sticky dough forms. The dough should be softer and stickier than regular bread dough. Avoid adding too much flour, as this can make the naan dense.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Turn the dough once to coat it lightly with oil. Cover with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it rest in a warm place for approximately 3–4 hours, or until noticeably puffy and nearly doubled in size. If your kitchen is cool, place the covered bowl in an oven with just the oven light on.

Lightly flour your work surface. Gently deflate the dough and divide into 6 equal portions. Shape each portion into a smooth ball. Lightly dust each ball with flour. Cover and let rest for another 10–15 minutes to relax the gluten.

Take one dough ball and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll into an oval or teardrop shape, approximately 7–9 inches long. Keep the thickness around 1/8–1/4 inch. Avoid rolling too thin, as naan should remain soft and fluffy. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.

Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot. Lightly brush or sprinkle water on one side of the rolled naan.

Place the wet side directly onto the hot skillet. Immediately cover with a lid. Cook for approximately 45–60 seconds until bubbles form and the surface begins to puff. Remove the lid and flip the naan. Cook the other side for another 30–60 seconds until golden with characteristic dark brown spots. Remove from the skillet and immediately brush generously with melted butter or ghee. If your cast-iron skillet is oven-safe, you can briefly invert it over a gas flame (with appropriate care) to char the naan, but the covered-skillet method works beautifully on its own.

Stack cooked naans on a plate. Brush each with melted butter. Wrap loosely in aluminum foil or place in an insulated container. Serve warm.

Delicious Naan Variations

Garlic Butter Naan

• 4 garlic cloves, finely minced

• 2 tbsp melted butter

• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Mix garlic and cilantro into melted butter. Brush generously over hot naan.

Honey Ginger Naan

• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 tbsp melted butter

Mix together and brush over warm naan for a sweet, aromatic finish.

Paneer Naan

• 1/2 cup grated paneer

• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• Pinch of salt

• Pinch of cumin powder

Mix the filling. Place a spoonful in the center of the dough ball, seal, and gently roll into an oval. Cook as directed.

Cheese Naan

• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro

• Pinch of chili flakes

Stuff the dough with cheese, seal well, and gently roll. Cook over medium-high heat until puffed and cooked through.

Naan pairs beautifully with butter chicken, paneer butter masala, dal makhani, and channa masala.