Naan Bread
These naan bread are soft, fluffy and totally delicious on their own or filled with grilled meats or vegetables. Perfect for soaking up sauces and only need a handful of simple ingredients.
I have included not one but two recipes for these naan bread and there are also vegan options. The first recipe includes yeast, which gives the naan a softer, fluffier texture. The second recipe is more like a traditional naan, using baking powder instead of yeast, which means it can be made much faster but still tastes great.
Naan originated in north India, specifically the Punjab region. It is made by slapping the dough onto the side of super-hot vertical clay tandoor ovens.
If you decide to give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment below and rate it – it’s really helpful to me and the other readers. And don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #thegourmetlarder on Instagram. I love seeing what you come up with! 🙂
RECIPE HIGHLIGHTS
- EASE: Easy.
- GREAT FOR: Side dish or snack.
- TASTE: Garlic and coriander with toasted charred notes.
- TEXTURE: Fluffy, pillow soft and chewy.
- QUANTITY: 12 naans
- TIME: 1 hour 43 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For this naan bread recipe all you need are these ingredients:
- Yeast – ferments the natural sugars in the flour and releases carbon dioxide, but because the dough is elastic and stretchable the carbon dioxide cannot escape, causing the dough to rise.
Using fresh or dried yeast, click here for further guidance!
- White bread flour – is made from hard, high-protein varieties of wheat, which have a higher gluten content than other flours. Gluten is the substance that makes the dough more elastic and stretchable, giving the final baked bread its fluffiness and lightness.
- Fine sea salt – you only need a pinch, which enhances the flavour.
- Caster or granulated white sugar – adds sweetness and structure.
- Natural yoghurt or unsweetened non-dairy yoghurt – adds flavour and moisture.
- Olive oil – enhances the texture, flavour, and moisture of bread. Also free fatty acids in the oil, make the dough softer and easier to handle.
- Butter – adds structure and flavour. I use salted butter for most of my baking as it intensifies the flavours, but feel free to use unsalted if you prefer.
- Garlic – adds a warm spicy-sweet or pungent flavour.
- Fresh coriander leaves – adds citrus notes and a delicious pungent aroma.
TIP: I highly recommend adding salt to your doughs and pastry. Salt helps balance out the sweetness and richness. It also elevates the other ingredients, bring out the best characteristics of any recipe. I recommend Maldon Sea salt flakes or Cornish sea salt.
WHAT VARIATIONS CAN I MAKE?
I love trying different toppings and fillings with this naan.
Try adding 2 tbsp of poppy seeds, sesame seeds or almonds to the dough before adding the wet ingredients.
Onion seeds are another great topping.
Sometimes, I also like to add sliced red and green chillis (or chilli flakes) to the butter for a bit of extra spicy kick.
If you experiment, I would love to know how you get on and share it with the other readers.
NUTRITION
Serving: one naan bread
Nutrition information can vary for a recipe based on factors such as precision of measurements, brands, ingredient freshness, or the source of nutrition data.
I strive to keep the information as accurate as possible but make no warranties regarding its accuracy.
I encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
STORAGE AND FREEZING
They are best eaten freshly cooked but will keep in an airtight container for two days.
Freezing: They can be frozen for up to 2 months. I usually stack them with a small piece of parchment paper between, to stop them from sticking to each other and then place them in a zip lock bag.
© THE GOURMET LARDER. All images and content are copyright protected. If you want to share this recipe, please do so using the share buttons provided. Please do not republish the recipe or its content in full instead, include a link to this post for the recipe. Further information can be found in my FAQ’s.
EQUIPMENT SUGGESTIONS
Here is a list of some kitchen equipment that I use and recommend for this recipe.
I love this rolling pin, its variable guide rings make rolling out biscuit doughs, pizzas, or flat breads so much easier!
These frying pans are quick and easy to clean, excellent quality and good value for money.
I find this cooling rack really useful and I actually have a couple for when I cool down cakes and biscuits.
The Gourmet Larder is an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
TIP: I highly recommend using metric measurements and a digital kitchen scale, rather than cup measurements. If you have ever ended up with dry, dense or crumbly baked goods, it might be because of inaccurate volume measurements, not all measuring cups are made equally. All my recipes on this blog are carefully developed so that you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success, using metric measurements. It is also a lot easier, less messy and you will get far better, consistent results. 🙂
If you are interested in understanding conversions, here you will find the best conversion chart.
(scroll down for second recipe)
Naan Bread (with yeast)
INGREDIENTS LIST
- 260 ml water (lukewarm)
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 15 g fresh yeast (5g dried yeast)
- 500 g white bread flour
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 100 g natural yoghurt or unsweetened non-dairy yoghurt (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for kneading)
Garlic butter
- 50 g butter (vegan butter)
- 2-3 cloves garlic (crushed )
- 1 tbsp coriander (chopped)
- 1 tbsp flaky or rock salt
Preparation
- In a medium bowl, whisk the lukewarm water with the sugar and yeast until dissolved. Leave it to react while we prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour and salt.
- Add the yoghurt and 1 tablespoon of oil to the yeast mixture and mix well.Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture, stir with a fork. When the dough has come together and you can no longer stir it with the fork, leave it to rest for 15 minutes. This will allow a little time for the gluten to start working and make it a little easier to knead as it is very sticky.
- After the time has passed, turn out the dough onto a lightly oiled worktop. Start kneading the dough with your hands, oiling your hands several times as you go. The dough will be very sticky during the first few minutes, but as you continue kneading, it will stop sticking and become smooth, soft and pliable. The kneading process should take 5 to 6 minutes.
- Proving: Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm, draft-free place for 30-45 minutes, until the dough at least doubles in size.
- After the dough has proved, divide the dough into 12 equal portions. I usually weigh mine to around 74g each but you can also do it visually.Shape 1 piece into a ball on a lightly floured work surface. Then using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into an oval shape about 3-5mm thick.Once formed, leave on the side under a tea towel while you repeat for the remaining dough pieces.
- Garlic butter: Make the garlic butter by melting the butter and adding the crushed garlic and coriander together in a bowl or small saucepan.
- Cooking: Place a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium-high heat. (You may want to turn on your extractor fan or open a window, as it may get smoky.)
- Lay a naan into the hot skillet without any oil. Leave for approximately a minute until it starts to form bubbles on the surface and dries out around the edges. Flip the naan over and leave for another 30-60 seconds. You can check, every now and then to see if the base is charred. If your skillet is large enough, you can add more than one naan bread at a time, as long as they are not overlapping.
- Transfer the naan to a plate and brush with the garlic butter and sprinkle with a small pinch of flaky salt. Repeat the process with the remaining naan, adjusting the heat as necessary.
- Serve and eat while still fresh and hot! They can be kept warm in a low oven if needed.
www.thegourmetlarder.com
RECIPE TIPS
- When adding the yeast to the lukewarm water, the water must be around 37°C/98°F. You should be able to comfortably put your finger in it and hold it there. If it’s too hot it will kill the yeast.
- When rolling out the naan, try to roll in an outward movement and not back and forth. It will be easier and the dough won’t shrink back so quickly.
Traditional Naan Bread
INGREDIENTS LIST
- 500 g white bread flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 260 ml water or milk
- 100 g natural yoghurt or unsweetened non-dairy yoghurt (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Garlic butter
- 50 g butter (vegan butter)
- 2-3 cloves garlic (crushed )
- 1 tbsp coriander (chopped)
- 1 tbsp flaky or rock salt
Preparation
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder.
- In a measuring jug, whisk the water, sugar, yoghurt and 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Make a well in the centre of the flour mix and pour in the wet ingredients, stirring with a fork until the dough comes together.Turn out the dough onto a lightly oiled worktop. Start kneading the dough with your hands, oiling your hands several times as you go. The dough will be very sticky during the first few minutes, but as you continue kneading, it will stop sticking and become smooth, soft and pliable. The kneading process should take 4 to 5 minutes.
- Resting: Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to rest in a warm, draft-free place for 15 minutes, so the gluten in the flour can start developing.
- After the dough has rested, divide the dough into 12 equal portions. I usually weigh mine to around 74g each but you can also do it visually.
- Shape 1 piece into a ball on a lightly floured work surface. Then using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into an oval shape about 3-5mm thick.
- Once formed, leave it on the side under a tea towel while you repeat the process for the remaining dough pieces.
- Garlic butter: Make the garlic butter by melting the butter and adding the crushed garlic and coriander together in a bowl or small saucepan.
- Cooking: Place a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium-high heat. (You may want to turn on your extractor fan or open a window, as it may get smoky.)
- Lay a naan into the hot skillet without any oil. Leave for approximately a minute until it starts to dry out around the edges. Flip the naan over and leave for another 30-60 seconds. You can check, every now and then to see if the base is charred.
- If your skillet is large enough, you can add more than one naan bread at a time, as long as they are not overlapping.
- Transfer the naan to a plate and brush with the garlic butter and sprinkle with a small pinch of flaky salt.
- Repeat the process with the remaining naan, adjusting the heat as necessary.
- Serve and eat while still fresh and hot!
- They can be kept warm in a low oven if needed.
www.thegourmetlarder.com
PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW IT TURNED OUT FOR YOU!
If you tried these Naan Bread or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you. Also, please leave a star rating whilst you’re there!
Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter, so that you don’t miss out on more delicious recipes and follow me on social media below.
Wow, I have made a few of naan recipes and this was by far the best. The whole family loved them, even the little ones. I don’t think I have ever had a naan this fluffy and light. This will be my staple from now on. Thank you 😊