Easy Homemade Naan Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (2024)

Naan that is light and fluffy, brushed with melted butter and garnished with freshly chopped cilantro with the perfect amount of flavor so you just can’t stop eating it!

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Easy Homemade Naan Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (1)

There’s a restaurant in Utah called, Bombay House and I love their naan bread. I mean, it’s bread so of course I do. #carbsforever But until I discovered this Easy Homemade Naan Recipe I’d never tried it at home.

It can’t be denied, I’m a dipper and a sopper. I love dipping my bread in oils and vinegars, sopping up excess sauce on my plate and just eating it to stuff my face. I love bread.

Easy Homemade Naan Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (2)

There are so many recipes out there and I started testing them all…like everything I could find online and trying all my own creations and I just could not settle on any. There were plain yeast recipes, recipes with baking powder and baking soda, overnight recipes, 30 minute recipes and recipes that use milk and I hated them all.

And then I found one on America’s Test Kitchen and once again they nailed it. Now listen, after saying that I shouldn’t admit this, but I still changed the recipe because this method just worked better for me.

Easy Homemade Naan Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (3)

How is Naan Made?

Making naan at home is easy and just as simple as making your traditional dinner roll. Here are the steps:

  1. Activate yeast: combine water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl and let it sit for about 5 minutes until it gets foamy
  2. Wet ingredients: whisk together the yogurt, oil and egg yolk and combine with the yeast mixture
  3. Dry ingredients: add the flour to a food processor and start it on low, slowly add the wet ingredients and process until it the dough comes together. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
  4. Salt: salt is a snob and gets it’s own step, but oh how I love salt! Add salt to the dough and process it until the dough comes all together again and then place it in a glass bowl covered to rise for at least an hour or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
  5. Divide the dough: pull the dough out and place it on a floured surface. Divide the dough into 4-8 pieces depending on how big you want the pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and let them rest for 30 minutes.
  6. Cook the naan: after setting the oven to warm and placing an oven safe dish inside, roll one dough ball out into a thin circle and place into a hot cast iron skillet that has been drizzled with olive oil. Cover the skilled and cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip it to the other side and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro.
  7. Keep warm: place the cooked naan on to the warming plate in the oven and cover with foil. Repeat this same process with the remaining dough ball.

Easy Homemade Naan Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (4)

What to Eat with Naan Bread?

I could eat naan on its own with nothing else for a meal, but I’m weird like that! Carbs are life!

We love it with our easy coconut chicken curry and our Instant Pot honey chicken. Our kids love to take any naan leftovers we might have and make naan pizzas! We have a copycat Bombay House vegetarian tikka masala recipe too that pairs perfectly with naan.

Is Naan Bread Good For Weight Loss?

Short answer…no, not really. It is made with refined white flour that the body treats like sugar. There are worse things out there for weight loss, but I wouldn’t make this a regular part of your diet if you are trying to lose weight.

Easy Homemade Naan Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (5)

Is Naan Bread Unleavened?

No, this naan recipe contains yeast which is a leavening agent.

How Long Will Naan Bread Keep?

If you store naan in an airtight container at room temperature, it will last up to 3 days. Store it in the refrigerator and it will last up to a week. It can also be frozen and it will be good for up to 2 months. When you are ready to eat it, let it come to room temperature and then re-crisp it in broiler or wrap them up in foil and warm them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10ish minutes.

Does Naan Bread Need to Be Refrigerated?

No, it does not need to be refrigerated, but if you want it to last a little longer, refrigerating can help with that as mentioned above.

Easy Homemade Naan Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (6)

If you have never tried naan, then smack yo’self and make this recipe! It is so irresistible! I seriously can’t stop myself!

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Easy Homemade Naan Recipe

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4.39 from 13 votes

Servings: 8 rounds

Prep Time: 2 hours hrs

Cook Time: 4 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 4 minutes mins

Description

It's light and fluffy, with the perfect amount of flavor so you just can't stop eating this easy homemade naan recipe brushed with melted butter and garnished with freshly chopped cilantro

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup Water, Warm
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon Instant Yeast
  • 1/3 Cup Yogurt, Plain Whole Milk
  • 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Egg Yolk, Large
  • 2 Cups Flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons Salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Butter, unsalted
  • 1 Tablespoon Cilantro, Chopped

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, add the water, sugar and yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

    1/2 Cup Water, 1 1/2 teaspoons Sugar, 1/2 teaspoon Instant Yeast

  • Whisk in the yogurt, oil and egg yolk.

    1/3 Cup Yogurt, 3 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil, 1 Egg Yolk

  • In a food processor, add the flour and then turn it on to low. While the processor is running, slowly pour in the wet ingredients and process until the dough just comes together.

    2 Cups Flour

  • Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.

  • Add salt to the dough and process again until the dough comes together in a smooth ball. Transfer the dough to a glass bowl with a drizzle of oil and roll the dough to coat all sides. Cover tightly in plastic wrap and allow to rest on the counter for up to 1 hour, or in the fridge up to 24 hours.

    1 1/4 teaspoons Salt

  • Remove the bowl from the fridge and sprinkle flour on the counter. Divide the dough into 4-8 pieces depending on how big you want it and roll each piece into a ball. Cover with plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

  • Turn the oven to warm, or 200 degrees and plate an oven safe dish in it. Get out a piece of foil so that each finished naan bread can be placed on the plate in the oven and covered with foil to keep everything warm while you're cooking.

  • Sprinkle flour on the counter again and roll each ball out into thin circles.

  • Meanwhile, heat a cast iron pan over medium high heat and drizzle with oil. Using a napkin, wipe out excess oil. Throw one circle of dough in the pan and cover with a lid. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes or until the bottom is lightly brown and bubbles are appearing on top. The bottom will be flat and golden while the top will have those perfect browned bubble spots. This is normal.

  • Remove the lid, using a spatula flip the naan and cook for another 1-2 minutes uncovered. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cilantro. Place on the warming plate and repeat until all dough is used.

    2 Tablespoons Butter, 1 Tablespoon Cilantro

Notes

This naan is great served with Coconut Curry or Easy Instant Pot Honey Chicken if you need ideas!

Stored in plastic bag, at room temperature, naan will keep for 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pieceCalories: 203kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 4gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 396mgPotassium: 56mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 130IUCalcium: 20mgIron: 2mg

Author: Sweet Basil

Course: Yeast Bread Recipes and Quick Bread Recipes

Cuisine: Indian

Easy Homemade Naan Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (7)

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Easy Homemade Naan Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (2024)

FAQs

Why add egg to naan? ›

Egg – Helps bind your dough. Garlic – Mince it to give your garlic naan recipe a yummy and savory taste. Salted butter – Adds more flavor and richness.

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 is sweet naan made of? ›

The sweet filling is a mixture of sultanas, almonds, coconut, and butter. This makes this naan a delicious sweet Indian bread great with an extra spicy curry! The bread is fluffy and soft and cooks in a skillet or frying pan in under 5 minutes!

What is naan traditionally made in? ›

Naan is historically cooked in a hot tandoor oven in the ground or on hot wood charcoal. These cooking methods often result in temperatures of about 900°F (480°C).

Does naan always have egg? ›

Most naan recipes start with all-purpose flour, salt, active dry yeast, and water. Yogurt or milk is often (though not always) added, and occasionally egg is added to the dough. The dough is kneaded by hand and then set aside to rise.

Why does naan need yogurt? ›

My favorite homemade naan recipe is made with basic bread ingredients (flour, water and yeast) plus a generous dollop of yogurt, egg and baking powder to make the bread extra soft and chewy. I also prefer to use touch of honey as a natural sweetener for the bread.

What ingredient makes bread more fluffy? ›

Add Sugar

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

Is yeast or baking powder better for naan? ›

I also found the baking soda doughs burned more easily. The baking powder-yeast dough compared to the yeast-only dough were nearly identical — similar air bubbles in the pan, similar dough texture, similar flavor — so, in the end, I stuck with yeast alone as a leaven.

What is the trick to fluffy bread? ›

Potato Flakes or Potato Water

Starch helps the dough by trapping the gas from the yeast in the dough and makes the bubbles stronger. This helps the bread to rise and be lighter and fluffier.

Why is naan unhealthy? ›

Skip: Naan

And like those fluffy spuds, this soft flatbread has little nutritional value. Most naan recipes call for Greek yogurt to give it that airy texture. But that's more than offset by less healthy ingredients like white flour, sugar, and oil.

What are the disadvantages of naan? ›

As such, you should avoid filling up on naan if you're watching your saturated fat intake. Moreover, store-bought plain naan has a relatively high sodium content, accounting for around 18% of the DV. Eating too much sodium may increase blood pressure and your risk for heart disease and stroke ( 7 ).

What are the black bits in naan? ›

Its just the heat that creats the black spots after been cooked. Yeah, if its stale and you find those spots its a big no no. otherwise its only the heat that makes roti naan paratha etc indian bread look like black or brown or red spots on these edibles. Completely edible …

What does naan mean in English? ›

: a round flat leavened bread especially of the Indian subcontinent.

Does all naan have yogurt? ›

Can you make naan without yogurt? Yes! You can easily make naan without yogurt by using water or non-dairy milk in place of the yogurt. The only thing to keep in mind is that the ratio of flour to liquid will change.

What is the effect of egg in bread making? ›

Eggs function as natural emulsifiers, combining liquids and fats to achieve a smoother dough texture. Additionally, eggs also play a role in strengthening the gluten network to enable the bread to maintain a good shape and volume. Eggs contribute to prolonging the shelf life of bread by reducing water activity.

Is butter naan made of egg? ›

Some naan recipes do have milk and/or egg, but after extensive testing, I found that this simpler recipe using just yogurt and water provides the perfect dough texture to make super soft naan that still puffs beautifully. The more rich ingredients you add (like oil, milk and egg), the denser the naan bread becomes.

Why is it important to add eggs in the pastry dough? ›

Texture: Eggs contribute to the tenderness and richness of pastry dough. They can make the dough more delicate and crumbly, creating a softer texture in the final baked product. Structure: Eggs act as a binding agent, helping to hold the pastry dough together.

How do you keep naan crispy? ›

Perhaps wetting the naan first or introducing some steam during the reheating process in the oven could have made a difference. Placing a tray of water beneath the naan while it's baking might infuse the necessary moisture to retain its softness, all while achieving that desired crisp exterior.

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