Naan is a traditional Indian flatbread that is pillowy soft and delicious. This easy naan bread recipe calls for plain yogurt, egg and is brushed with melted butter when the naan comes off the cast iron skillet. Homemade naan bread will outshine store-bought every time.
If you are feeling fancy, you can add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder to the melted butter before you brush it on the hot naan bread. Another delicious addition is to sprinkle on a bit of everything but the bagel seasoning. I put that seasoning on EVERYTHING!
What’s ingredients are needed for this recipe?
Naan is white flour, yeast, oil, salt and some times egg. After cooking a butter or oil can be brushed on the flat bread for added flavor. Sometimes that butter and oil can be infused with garlic or herbs.
Naan Bread Ingredients:
- active dry yeast
- sugar
- water lukewarm
- olive oil
- egg large
- yogurt, plain (learn how to make your own yogurt)
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- butter melted, for brushing once baked
- Everything but the bagel seasoning (optional)
How to make Naan bread:
- Combine the warm water and the sugar, sprinkle the yeast over the surface.
- Stir together the olive oil, egg and 1/2 cup plain yogurt.
- Add the egg/oil/yogurt mixture and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the yeast/egg mixture but do not stir.
- Sprinkle the salt over the flour.
- After 15 minutes, stir the dough to incorporate the flour and salt until a ball forms.
- Place in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with a towel, in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
- Punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Form the dough into a large ball, divide the dough into 8 equal sized pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough into a tight ball, Allow the dough balls to rest.
- Heat a cast iron skillet.
- Flatten each dough ball with your fingertips into an oval.
- Cook on a hot cast iron skillet for 45-60 seconds or until bubbles form on the naan dough.
- Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 30 seconds.
- If desired, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with everything but the bagel seasoning.
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Naan is an east Indian, white flour flat bread that is leavened by a natural yeast starter developed from airborne yeasts. I do not have air born yeast so I am using dry active yeast in this recipe. Naan is traditionally baked in a tandoor oven but I do not have a tandoor oven so I am using a super hot cast iron skillet.
The tandoor oven is so hot that it only takes less than a minute for the bread to puff and brown, taking on a delightfully smoky flavor. The naan is removed with a skewer from the tandoor wall and served hot.
This recipe for naan does call for egg but traditionally egg was not included in the recipe. A lot of the Indian culture will follow a vegetarian or vegan diet so having egg in a recipe would not be the norm. If you want to make a dairy free and vegan naan recipe be sure to leave the egg out. I am sure it will be just as delicious.
Naan bread is served warm, fresh from the skillet, and is wonderful with traditional Indian dishes. If I make a double batch of this naan recipe, I will be sure to serve it with my newest dip obsession, muhammara. I have also been known to cut naan into triangles or strips and add it to a cheese board when I put one together.
Naan should be enjoyed as fresh as possible. But sometimes there are leftovers or you make a particularly large batch. To store naan bread in the refrigerator in a closed plastic bag or an air tight container. Be sure the naan is completely cool before storing and only keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Keep your naan bread stored in a closed container or closed plastic bag on the counter for two to three days.
If you have a piece of naan that is the right size for the toaster, go ahead and pop it in the toaster on a low setting to warm it up. A toaster oven works well for warming naan as well.
Personally I am not a fan of microwaving bread because I feel that the bread looses the heat faster than toasting it in a toaster, oven or toaster oven but I know I may be in the minority on this argument. If you wanted to heat your naan in the microwave, I would place it on a microwave safe plate, cover it loosely with a damp paper towel and warm it in 15 second increments until the desired temperature is reached.
Printable Naan Bread Recipe:
Naan Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup water lukewarm
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 egg large
- 1/2 cup yogurt plain
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp butter melted for brushing once baked
- [Everything but the bagel seasoning]
Instructions
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the warm water and the sugar, sprinkle the yeast over the surface.
- Allow the yeast to activate and become bubbly, about 10 minutes.
- While the yeast is activating, stir together the olive oil, egg and 1/2 cup plain yogurt.
- After the yeast mixture is bubbly, add the egg/oil/yogurt mixture and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the yeast/egg mixture but do not stir.
- Sprinkle the salt over the flour.
- Allow the yeast to further develop with the flour sitting on top for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, stir the dough to incorporate the flour and salt until a ball forms.
- Add additional flour as needed until the dough is no longer sticky, but remains soft.
- Knead the dough until it is smooth until it is smooth on the surface.
- Place in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with a towel, in a warm place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
- After the naan dough has doubled in size, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Form the dough into a large ball.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal sized pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough into a tight ball.
- Allow the dough balls to rest for 30 minutes.
- As the 30 minutes is up, heat a cast iron skillet over high heat, almost to the point of smoking.
- After the dough balls have rested and the gluten has relaxed, flatten each dough ball with your fingertips into an oval, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Cook on a hot cast iron skillet for 45-60 seconds or until bubbles form on the naan dough.
- Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 30 seconds.
- If desired, brush with melted butter.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Published April 1, 2019
Sarah Mock
CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 12 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Sarah Mock says
Ed, THANK YOU for the catch! I have updated the recipe card to reflect the correct measurement of 1/2 cup.
Sarah
Ed O. says
Ok, in the ingredients it calls for a 1/4 cup plain yogurt. In the instructions it calls for 1/2 cup plain yogurt.
Which should I use….don’t want to mess this up. Thanks
Kathryn says
Such an easy recipe. I just may never buy store bought Naan again.
Illana says
These came our just as you said they would! I didn’t try the seasoning suggestion but I will next time. Great tip.