Go Back
+ servings
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Homemade Naan (and Garlic Naan too!)

Soft and tender homemade naan. With just a handful of simple ingredients, you can learn to make some of the best naans at home. You can even top them with garlic butter if you’d like! And you can freeze them too!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Additional Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Breads
Cuisine: Indian
Servings: 8 naans
Author: Marzia

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
  • 1 tablespoon EACH: sugar AND chopped cilantro optional
  • 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
  • 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ cup warm water 105ºF
  • ½ cup plain yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons melted ghee or butter
  • 3 tablespoons cold butter + 2 cloves garlic minced, optional

Instructions

  • DOUGH: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast; whisk. In a 2 cup measuring cup (or larger) whisk together the water, yogurt, and melted ghee. Add the yogurt mixture to the whisked dry ingredients and mix using a dough whisk or with a fork. When the dough is shaggy but somewhat together, flour your hands and knead the dough into a loose ball. It will be soft and sticky but once the dough comes together, STOP. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth (or plastic wrap) and allow the dough to rise and double in size, about 1 - 1 ½ hour.
  • SHAPE: Once the dough has risen, sprinkle a clean work surface with a bit of flour, flatten the dough into a disc shape and sprinkle with a bit of flour and pat it around. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape each of the pieces into a small round ball. And let the dough sit for 5-7 minutes and rest, covered. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle a small dusting of flour on a clean work surface and roll the dough out into a ¼ inch thick circle. Pick up the dough with one hand and pass it off to the other hand back and forth quickly to help dust off any excess flour. To make that traditional tear-drop shape, grab two sides of the circle and *gently* wiggle it back and forth so that the third side droops a bit. Don’t overdo it as you run the whisk of tearing the dough. Shaping it this way is optional.
  • BUTTER: Add the butter and garlic to a cold saucepan and allow for it to heat through on the lowest heat setting. Keep the butter on the stove and brush the naan with the butter while still hot. If the butter starts to deepen in color. You can turn off the burner but leave the saucepan on the stove for easy brushing.
  • COOK: Gently place the rolled out dough onto the hot skillet and allow for it to cook and bubble up on one side (about 1½-2 mins) before flipping, then flip and allow the dough to finish cooking on the other side (30-40 seconds.) Brush with melted butter then remove the naan from the skillet to a plate with a kitchen towel to keep them warm. You can sprinkle with a pinch of cilantro or parsley if you like. Serve warm.

Notes

    • You can also use active dry yeast for this recipe, just be sure to allow at least 2-3 hours for the dough to double in size.
QR Code linking back to recipe