About this Dish
Pillowy leavened flatbread, traditionally baked against the wall of a tandoor oven.
History & Origin
Naan's name comes from the Persian word for bread, brought to India via Mughal-era Persian influence and now a defining feature of Indian restaurant tables worldwide.
IngredientsServes 2
🌾Plain flour (all-purpose), 3 cups plus extra for dusting
🧂Salt, 1 teaspoon
🍬Sugar, 1 teaspoon
🫧Instant yeast, 1 teaspoon
🥛Warm milk, 1/2 cup
🫙Plain yoghurt, 1/2 cup
🧈Butter or ghee, 2 tablespoons melted, plus extra for brushing
🫒Neutral oil, 1 tablespoon
🧄Garlic cloves, 3 minced (optional, for garlic naan)
🌿Fresh coriander, small handful roughly chopped for topping
Method
1
In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, sugar and yeast. Stir gently and leave for 5 minutes until the mixture looks frothy, which tells you the yeast is active.2
Add the flour, salt, yoghurt, melted butter and oil to the yeast mixture. Mix together until a shaggy dough forms, then turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky.3
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel or cling film, and leave in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours until it has doubled in size.4
Once risen, punch the dough down gently and divide it into 6 equal balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a teardrop or oval shape roughly 3–4mm thick.5
Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy-based frying pan over the highest heat possible until it is very hot and almost smoking — this high heat is key to getting that characteristic charring and puff.6
Place a naan into the dry pan. Cook for 1–2 minutes until large bubbles form and the underside is charred in spots, then flip and cook for another 1 minute. If you have a gas hob, you can hold the naan directly over the flame for a few seconds using tongs to get extra char.7
Remove from the heat and immediately brush generously with melted butter or ghee. If making garlic naan, mix the minced garlic into your butter before brushing. Serve warm and stack the finished naans under a clean tea towel to keep them soft and pillowy.User Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first!
Sign in to leave a review
Members can create lists, save favourites and get recommendations.
Find the Best Naan Near Me
AI-powered — Google, TripAdvisor and food blogs
🌍 Food Vlogs
Food vloggers eating and cooking it at the source
🌍
No videos yet
What To Eat
The World's Food Guide
© 2025 What To Eat · hello@whattoeat.world