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Superb homemade naan bread in 8 glorious steps

homemade naan bread
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Learn how to make incredibly soft, fluffy, and chewy homemade naan bread using a simple skillet method. This recipe delivers authentic, restaurant-quality results without needing a tandoor oven. We often finish ours with garlic butter for extra flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups warm water (about 105°F to 115°F)
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons plain yogurt or milk
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for coating
  • For Garlic Butter (Optional): 4 tablespoons melted butter, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Let this mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes foamy. This shows the yeast is active.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  3. Add the yogurt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir well.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
  5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  6. Lightly oil a clean bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
  7. Gently punch down the risen dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
  8. Cover the dough balls and let them rest for 10 minutes.
  9. While the dough rests, prepare your skillet. Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until it is very hot. Do not add oil to the pan yet.
  10. Working with one ball at a time, roll it out on a lightly floured surface into an oval or teardrop shape, about 1/8 inch thick.
  11. Place one rolled naan directly onto the hot, dry skillet. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes until large bubbles form on the surface and the underside has browned spots.
  12. Flip the naan and cook the second side for about 1 minute until lightly browned. For extra puffiness, you can briefly hold the naan directly over a gas flame using tongs until it puffs up (if you have a gas stove).
  13. Remove the cooked naan from the skillet and place it on a plate. Brush immediately with melted butter if making plain naan.
  14. For Garlic Naan, mix the melted butter and minced garlic. Brush this mixture generously over the hot naan immediately after cooking. Sprinkle with cilantro.
  15. Repeat the process with the remaining dough pieces, heating the pan well before cooking each piece. Serve warm.

Notes

  • For a softer texture, ensure your water is warm but not hot enough to kill the yeast.
  • Do not skip the resting time after kneading; this develops the gluten for chewiness.
  • The skillet must be very hot to achieve those characteristic charred spots and puffing.
  • If the dough seems too sticky during kneading, add flour one tablespoon at a time.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tasteportfolio.com/easy-homemade-naan-bread-skillet-recipe/