Description
This homemade naan recipe yields soft, fluffy, and slightly chewy Indian flatbreads perfect for accompanying curries or enjoying on their own. Using simple ingredients like milk, sour cream, and yeast, the dough is kneaded and cooked quickly on a hot cast iron skillet, then brushed with fragrant garlic butter for a delicious finish. Perfect for a quick flatbread with a rich, traditional flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1/3 cup sour cream OR plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 2 to 2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Topping Ingredients
- 1/4 cup salted butter, melted (for brushing)
- 1-2 cloves garlic, smashed and minced (optional, for topping)
- Chopped parsley (to garnish)
Instructions
- Warm the dairy mixture: In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, combine 1/3 cup milk and 1/3 cup sour cream or full-fat yogurt. Microwave gently in 20-second increments until warm but not hot to the touch, ensuring the mixture is comfortable to the finger, like a newborn baby’s bath, to protect the yeast.
- Activate the yeast: Stir in 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon active dry yeast into the warm dairy mixture. Let it sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes until bubbles and foam form, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix in egg and oil: Add 1 large egg and 3 tablespoons oil to the foamy yeast mixture. Break the yolk and mix thoroughly to combine.
- Make the dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the yeast mixture and stir to form a dough. Knead by hand on a floured surface or with a dough hook in the stand mixer for about 5 minutes, adding up to 1/2 cup additional flour as needed until the dough is smooth, stretchy, and elastic but slightly tacky.
- Prepare for rising: Lightly oil or spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Shape the dough into a ball, place it in the bowl, and turn to grease all sides of the dough ball.
- Let the dough rise: Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or at least 45 minutes until the dough doubles in size.
- Divide and rest dough: Punch down the dough and divide into 6 or 8 equal pieces. For thicker naan, use 6 pieces. Place the pieces on a lightly floured surface, cover with a tea towel, and let them rest for 10 minutes.
- Shape the naan: Flatten each dough ball by hand then roll out with a rolling pin into an oval or triangle roughly 9 by 5 inches. For thicker naan, let rolled dough rest an additional 3-5 minutes before cooking.
- Heat and oil skillet: Preheat a 12-inch cast iron skillet or griddle over medium to medium-low heat. Lightly oil or spray the skillet generously.
- Cook the naan: Place one rolled dough piece in the hot skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes on the first side until bubbles form on top. Flip with a spatula and cook the other side for about 1 minute. Adjust heat if naan is browning too quickly or burning.
- Prepare garlic butter: In a small bowl, melt 1/4 cup salted butter and stir in 1-2 cloves of smashed and minced garlic for an optional but flavorful topping.
- Brush and garnish: Remove naan from skillet, place on a plate, and brush with garlic butter while still hot. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top and serve immediately.
- Keep warm if needed: If not serving immediately, place cooked naan on a cooling rack in an oven set to ‘keep warm’ at 170°F until ready to serve.
- Store leftovers: Store any leftover naan in a sealed container or ziplock bag for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Ensure the milk mixture is warm but not hot to avoid killing the yeast.
- If yeast does not foam within 5 minutes, discard and start over with fresh yeast.
- Adjust the flour quantity as needed for workable dough consistency—dough should be soft and slightly sticky but manageable.
- Cooking temperature will vary by stove; adjust heat to prevent burning.
- Garlic butter topping is optional but recommended for enhanced flavor.
- Resting rolled dough helps achieve thicker, softer naan.
- Use a cast iron skillet or griddle for best results, mimicking traditional tandoor cooking.
