Naan Flatbread Recipe (2024)

Homemade naan flatbread is so easy to make. It is so muchbetter tasting and fresher than store-bought. We used this naan recipe for our chicken gyros.

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Why You’ll Love This

Nothing beats homemade naan!

It’s so easy you’ll wonder why you never tried it before now.

It’s perfect for gyros and naan pizza!

Some of our other favorite bread recipes to make are Sourdough bread, Puff Pastry Cheese Straws, Soft and Fluffy One Hour Rolls, and Creole Cornbread. Any of these bread recipes is a perfect accompaniment to breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

What is Naan?

It’s an Indian leavened flatbread traditionally cooked in a tandoor oven (clay oven). Here we will be cooking it in the oven on a pizza stone.

It’s a staple at Indian restaurants.

Ingredients Needed

All-purpose flour – Bread flour also works but lends to a softer naan.
Active dry yeast – Or instant yeast.
Milk, egg, sugar, butter, and salt – We use warm milk instead of warm water to activate the yeast.

We don’t use yogurt in this recipe because it tends to weigh down the naan and gives it a gummy interior.

How to Make Naan Flatbread

Pour the milk into a microwave-safe measuring cup and heat in the microwave until warm to the touch (about 110 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer).

Mix the sugar and yeast into the milk and let it sit for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is foamy and the yeast has activated.

Once the yeast mixture is foamy, pour the mixture into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and add the salt and 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour.

(If using instant yeast, pour the warm milk into a large bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add the yeast, sugar, salt, and 2 1/2 cups of flour. Proceed as directed.)

Mix well to combine. Continue adding flour gradually in small amounts until a soft dough is formed that cleans the sides of the bowl.

Knead the dough by mixer or hand until it is smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes in the mixer or 10 minutes by hand.

How to Shape Naan Dough

After the dough has risen, turn it onto a lightly floured surfaceand divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, rounding each into a ball shape. Cover the pieces with a towel and let them rest for 30 minutes.

How to Cook Naan Flatbread

While the dough rests, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F and place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.

After the 30-minute rest, one by one, roll each piece into a circle about 6 to 8 inches wide with a rolling pin, depending on how thin or thick you want it. -Lay the dough circle on the hot pizza stone and spritz lightly with water.

Close the oven and bake for 2-4 minutes, until it is lightly puffed (some pieces will puff more than others) and brown spots begin to appear on the top.

Remove the naan bread from the baking stone and place it on a cooling rack. Brush lightly with melted butter. Stack the hot naan on top of each other as it comes out of the oven.

Cover with a clean towel and let the naan cool completely or serve warm.

Tips

You can also cook naan in a heavy pan or skillet. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brush one side of the dough with water.
Once the skillet is hot, add the dough wet side down. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 to 60 seconds until it starts to bubble. Flip it and cook for about 10 seconds, uncovered. Brush with melted butter.
Use this to make flatbread pizzas!

Pizza Toppings

Spread a thin layer of your favorite pizza sauce or pesto, then top with your favorite toppings!

Ground sausage
Pepperoni
Mushrooms
Bell Peppers
Tomatoes
Fresh mozzarella cheese

Variations

You can sprinkle toppings onto the dough before cooking, such as:

Chopped fresh cilantro
Minced garlic or onion
Sesame seeds
Cumin seeds
Brush with garlic butter
Brush with garlic oil – Combine 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic minced, and a pinch of salt.

FAQs

What do you serve with Naan Bread?

Butter chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, lentils, gyros, or with dips as an appetizer.

Can this be made ahead?

Yes, you can make the dough up to 24 hours ahead of cooking. Make the dough through step 5 (first rising). Place the covered dough in the refrigerator. Remove the dough from the fridge for at least a couple of hours before cooking. You need to take the chill off the dough for the second rise. Form the dough balls and continue with the recipe.

Can you freeze uncooked naan dough?

Yes. Make them through the dough ball step. Do not let the dough balls rise. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Flash freeze them for about 2 hours. Once frozen solidity, place them in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, place the desired amount of dough balls on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cover them with plastic wrap and let them thaw, and rise at room temperature for about 4-5 hours. Proceed with the recipe cooking process.

Storage

Cooked naan can be stored in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Reheat wrapped in a damp paper towel in the microwave.

Can you freeze Naan?

You can freeze naan layered between pieces of parchment paper in a freezer bag for up to two months.

More Delicious Bread Recipes

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Easy Homemade Crescent Rolls

Italian Bread Recipe

Naan Flatbread Recipe

Pillowy, soft, fresh homemade naan flatbread! Our favorite for gyros.

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Prep Time: 3 hours hours

Cook Time: 4 minutes minutes

Total Time: 3 hours hours 4 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 161kcal

Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients

3-4 cups All-purpose flour
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Active dry or instant yeast
1 1/2 cups Milk
1 tsp Sugar
3-4 Tbsp. Unsalted butter melted

Instructions

Pour the milk into a liquid measure and heat in the microwave until warm to the touch (about 110 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). If using active dry yeast, mix the sugar and yeast into the milk and let it sit for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is foamy and the yeast has activated.
1/2 tsp. Active dry or instant yeast, 1 1/2 cups Milk, 1 tsp Sugar
Once the yeast/milk mixture is foamy, pour the mixture into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and add the salt and 2 1/2 cups of the flour (proceed with step 3 of the recipe). If using instant yeast, pour the warm milk into a large bowl or the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add the sugar, instant yeast, salt and 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Proceed as directed below.
3-4 cups All-purpose flour, 1 tsp. Salt
Mix well to combine. Continue adding flour gradually in small amounts, until a soft dough is formed that cleans the sides of the bowl.
Knead the dough by mixer or hand until it is smooth and elastic, about 3-5 minutes in the mixer or 10 minutes by hand.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rise at room temperature, covered lightly with greased plastic wrap, for about 2 hours.
After the dough has risen, turn it onto a lightly floured surfaceand divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, rounding each into a ball shape. Cover the pieces with a towel and let them rise for 30 minutes.
While the dough rises, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F and place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.
Once the dough balls has risen for 30 minutes, one by one, roll each piece into a circle about 6-8 inches wide, depending on how thin or thick you want your naan. Lay the circle of dough on the hot pizza stone and spritz lightly with water.
Close the oven and bake the naan for 2-4 minutes, until it is lightly puffed (some pieces will puff more than others) and brown spots begin to appear on the top.
Remove the naan from the baking stone and place on a cooling rack. Brush lightly with melted butter. Stack the hot naan on top of each other as it comes out of the oven.
3-4 Tbsp. Unsalted butter
Cover with a towel and let the naan cool completely or serve warm.

Notes

To Cook in a Skillet – Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brush one side of the dough with water. Once the skillet is hot, add the dough wet side down. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, until it bubbles. Flip it and cook for about 10 seconds uncovered. Brush with melted butter.

Storage – Store in an airtight bag for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container stacked between pieces of parchment paper for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Recipe from chef-in-training