Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Urmi

You will get better results using Desi/Indian yogurt, also the dough won't be as dry, it should be loose and pliable. Triple the yogurt, lose the baking powder, milk and halve the yeast while letting it rest for longer.

indisk

That's because of yeast. Naan is leavened only with yogurt, not yeast in India.

Matt

NB: Editorial staff may want to update the time on this recipe to 2.5 - 3 hours. I'm a novice cook and didn't realize dough rising time wasn't included!

BGE

Have tried this twice, tweaking to try to improve the second time (1tsp yeast, 1T sugar, 2T milk, 3T yogurt).

Both efforts were too puffy and too sweet for us to consider them naan.

That said, this is a VERY simple recipe that delivers tasty flatbread in a hurry. No need to roll them out, either -- just stretch to your desired shape.

seeskitty

Oh dear, this was WAY too sweet! 2 Tablespoons of sugar makes this not as savory with a curry. I would omit or go to teaspoons. Thanks though!

PDX Maus

Roll out 1/16" = crisper, or 1/8" = chewier. Add minced garlic & cilantro on one side; use rolling pin to press ingredients into dough then brush with oil. Watch time on the grill starting at 1 min., easily burns. The side that is first placed down on the grill is the side that will have grill marks because naan puffs up. The second side will have nicely browned, puffed areas. If grilled too long, will get too dark/burn and become hard - similar to pita chips, save for hummus.

CB

I've made this dough twice now and love it. I dusted each piece with a little flour to roll it out fairly thin -- very lightly flouring the surface made them less sticky and easier to get into the oven without folding over on themselves. I used a large cast iron skillet in a very hot oven to bake them. I also omitted most of the sugar -- just a bit to help the yeast prove.

Leigh

"just make a completely different recipe!"

Jenny

Just took my first bite and it is great! I cooked it on a hot cast iron skillet on the stovetop with a thin coating of coconut oil. Then brushed melted butter on top after it was cooked. It was done in a minute. Shared this recipe immediately! Thank you

Zoe

The recipe time doesn't include rising time, which is 2-3 hours

Bronx4Life

Forget the 2 tablespoons sugar, Put in 1 tablespoon instead.

Mike Friedman

This was SO easy to do. It just required a little bit of time to proof the dough. Once that was done, the dough was easy as pie to roll out and shape. They cooked in about 5 minutes. If I was doing a lot, I could see having two or even three pans going at once. I cooked mine in a very hot cast iron skillet and they puffed up beautifully. Very delicious.

AMAZING RECIPE!

I used to the the letter but did cut the sugar in half. I brushed a mixture of ghee, minced garlic, and minced cilantro on top after they were done baking! AMAZING! RAVE REVIEWS from our guests!!!

PJ

I've been making this, gluten free, and they're amazing (if not authentic, I'd guess). I use 1/2 and 1/2 gluten free flour/oat flour, a little more liquid because of the GF flour. You don't have to let it rise, as the GF rises faster. I spoon onto parchment on a cooksheet, and convection bake at 450 for about 20 minutes, until they're golden.

Sandra

A keeper recipe.
Used the pizza stone baking technique. Fabulous.
Naan baked with dimples and golden brown spots.
Delicious.

and cay

I, too, thought I had stumbled on a magical quick naan recipe that only took an hour, but that is not including the rise time. One of these days I’ll remember to always read the whole recipe before starting. Anyway, I think the other naan recipe on NYTCooking is better and simpler. This one seems to over complicate it and the other doesn’t require a bench rest.

nikki s

Beautiful dough, I used half the sugar with tasty results. Added 1 TB more milk to soften dough. Used maximum suggested proofing times. Cooked om a pizza stone on gas grill with lovely charred, puffy results.

Branden

With rising time (not sure why that isn’t accounted for) this takes closer to 2.5 - 3.5 hours depending on the temperature in your kitchen or house.

Hannah

Used 1/3 of recommended sugar, baked in the oven on a preheated cast iron. Great!

Gamin

Naan without kaloonji seeds (onion seeds or nigella seeds) is like apple pie without cheese, my Mum would say. Kaloonji adds that earthy extra taste that makes all the difference in the naan I've made for years.

Fix the time!

Three hours of rising time will require more than the one hour estimates to make this. @NYT please fix this!

Flour

4.5 cups = 540 grams

Steve M

I'm not a fan of the general community thinking they need to fix a professional's recipe, but I must admit I cut back substantially on the sugar as well, and this recipe generated amazing naan. I'm especially grateful for the instructions on how to bake in an oven... the broiler method worked to perfection and I will now use it for other breads. Thanks!

C T

Do you mean 1 hour plus rising time of 2.5 - 3 hours ?

adam

Adjust time on this- it’s not one hour if it has to rise for three :-/

Theresa

Can you keep the dough in the refrigerator overnight and bake the next day?

Erin

Based on others’ feedback, I reduced the sugar to 1 tablespoon. For dietary reasons, I also use dairy-free yogurt and oat milk. The result is more like pita than naan. It’s very fluffy and bready. It’s good bread, but this doesn’t read as naan at all.

Annabel

The first time I prepared this recipe I was out of yogurt, so I used heavy cream instead, the result was AMAZING, seriously, I almost opened an naan restaurant.The second time I used yogurt and it was OK, but not even close to my first delicious result. I just tried a third time with heavy cream, omg, I got it right again!!! <3

Sommer

The dough came out really flaky and I almost had to double the water, yet still couldn’t knead it to the consistency that I would say is ideal. Flavor wise this was also too sweet.

Sophia

Is there a nutrition list?

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Naan (Indian Flatbread) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What flour is naan made of? ›

So in short, use bread flour if you have it. But if you don't, I wouldn't make a special trip to the supermarket because this naan is excellent made with all-purpose/plain flour too; Yeast – Instant / rapid-rise yeast is called for here.

What is the most popular Indian flatbread? ›

Chapati / Roti

Whether you call it chapati or roti, this bread goes by many different names and is perhaps the most popular flatbread in India. Made of a simple recipe of wheat flour and water, every household in India has its own signature take on this Indian flatbread.

Why is my naan bread not fluffy? ›

Naan doesn't get bubbles – Pan not hot enough, dough not moist enough or improper leavening. Naan turns hard – Toasting for too long, not enough moisture in the dough, toasting on low heat or not kneading the dough enough.

What's the difference between flatbread and naan bread? ›

Naan is another flatbread traditionally served in Indian restaurants but the difference is that there will already be a filling inside these flatbread pockets. Naan may be stuffed with curd, fresh desiccated coconut, butter, nigella seeds, and raisins.

What is traditional naan made from? ›

Naan traditionally is plain flat bread made using bread flour, Yeast, salt and water. Its cooked in tandoor. Salt could be optional if you are having naan with a curry. (Cause curry usually has salt and the bread might not need it).

What is the difference between naan and roti naan? ›

Naan is a leavened bread (meaning it uses yeast), while roti is an unleavened bread (meaning it doesn't). The different ingredients give a far different texture: naan is soft and chewy, while roti is dense and thin.

What is the healthiest Indian bread? ›

From health perspective, flat breads made of whole wheat flour (roti/paratha/chapati/phulka) are better than the ones made with all-purpose flour (naan & kulcha).

What Indian flatbread is similar to naan? ›

Kulcha is a mildly leavened bread prepared with all-purpose flour without any yeast, but rather leavened with yogurt and/or baking powder. Though it's similar to naan, you don't need a tandoor oven to make kulcha; you can easily prepare it on a griddle.

Is Indian naan bread healthy? ›

While it may contain more carbs and sugars, it earns its reputation as a healthy alternative with its relatively generous amounts of protein and fiber. Despite its high carb content, naan can be considered a more nutrient-dense alternative to white bread and pita.

Why do you sprinkle water on naan bread? ›

you put it on naans to keep them soft.

Why does naan need yoghurt? ›

The extra protein from the yogurt eliminates the importance of advanced gluten development. The yogurt also adds some fat. The fat keeps the dough nice and soft and prevents the naan from hardening too much during the cooking process.

What makes naan bread so good? ›

Naan bread is soft, fluffy, and chewy, whereas pita bread is denser with a slightly crispy texture on the outside. Naan bread also has a buttery flavor due to the ghee and buttermilk in the dough, which adds an extra dimension of flavor compared to pita bread's more neutral taste.

What do you eat with naan bread? ›

Traditionally with Indian food, naan (or other various Indian breads) is served as an accompaniment to curry, chutney, saag paneers, etc. to scoop the contents of your meal up. In Italy, bread is served with your meal, and used to scoop the remaining pasta sauce from the bowl ('fare la scarpetta').

Is tandoori flatbread the same as naan? ›

Texture: Naan boasts a softer and chewier texture compared to Tandoori Roti. It is more substantial and has a slight sweetness, thanks to the dairy ingredients in the dough. Taste: Naan's flavor is more affluent and slightly sweet due to the yogurt and milk.

Can you eat naan with hummus? ›

Both naan and hummus are popular, tasty, and nutritious food options that can be enjoyed as part of a healthy diet. Eating naan with hummus can be a convenient and satisfying meal or snack option.

Is naan bread made from wheat flour? ›

It is roti or chapati (unleavened flatbread made from whole wheat flour) that is made on a regular basis. For the leavening of naan dough, yeast is used or a mixture of curd+baking powder is used. This recipe includes baking powder and curd for the leavening.

Does naan bread contain flour? ›

Naan is traditionally made with all-purpose (wheat) flour, which is not gluten-free. But the gluten provides a stretchy element that can be tricky to replicate with gluten-free alternatives. But friends, we've done the trial and error so you don't have to!

Is naan made from white flour? ›

Ingredients in Naan Bread

Flour: All-purpose white flour, bread flour , whole wheat flour , einkorn, or spelt flour – or a blend. Instant yeast: Using Instant yeast cuts the prep time in half while eliminating one whole step. (See recipe notes for regular active yeast.)

Is naan made from chickpea flour? ›

Chickpea flour is the main ingredients in these Naans. Chickpea flour is a flour of white chickpeas, while besan is a flour of skinned brown chickpeas. Besan is also more finely grounnd than chickpea flour.

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