We’ve been on a Greek and Indian food kick lately and this Perfect Homemade Naan recipe has been on repeat. We love Chicken Schawarma. Tandoori Chicken. The Greek Steak Pitas in our 400 Calories or Less Cookbook. Except that it’s hard to find good pitas where I live, and while naan is definitely Indian, I’ve been making the Greek Steak Pitas into more of a cucumber, onion, and tomato salad with a piece of this homemade naan on the side and it’s the perfect, refreshing summer dinner! You can cook it on the stovetop or on the grill (and probably on a pizza stone in the oven, too, although I haven’t tried). No matter how you make them, I promise you’ll love them!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Warm water – This is used to activate the yeast. I always say hot enough to take a hot shower in but not so hot you wouldn’t want to wash your face or hair in it. If you want to pull out your thermometer, aim for about 105-110°F.
- Granulated sugar
- Active dry yeast – Or rapid rise/bread machine yeast. The directions remain the same for either but you may find bread machine yeast rises a little faster.
- Egg
- Greek yogurt
- Kosher salt
- Minced garlic – Optional, but makes a delicious add-in!
- Bread flour
- Butter – Always use real butter if you can!
How to Make Homemade Naan
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine some warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir well and allow it to proof until bubbled and foamy.
- Add a beaten egg, some Greek yogurt, kosher salt, garlic (if using), and combine. Add bread flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and barely sticks to your finger when you touch it.
- Cover bowl and allow to rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled.
- Using a sharp knife or just your hands, cut/tear off handfuls of dough and shape them into golf ball-sized balls. Place on a greased cookie sheet or a piece of parchment. Repeat until all the dough is used.
- Cover and rise again for 30 minutes.
- When ready to cook, roll the dough balls into ovals about 1/4″ thick. Heat a cast iron skillet with a lid to medium heat (use medium-high if your stovetop seems to cook a little low–mine cooks HOT, so medium was plenty). Fill a small bowl with water and set it next to the stove. Have some melted butter and a basting brush ready.
- Dip both hands in the water and pick up a piece of dough, so the dough is slightly wet on both sides. You may be able to fit a few pieces into the pan at a time. Cover with lid and cook for about 30 seconds or until the dough starts to bubble. Flip the dough, brush the cooked side with butter and, if desired, a little kosher salt. There will be some dark marks on the bread, but it shouldn’t be scorched.
- When done, transfer the naan to a serving dish and repeat with remaining dough. Serve warm.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store finished naan in an airtight container and room temperature and enjoy within 1-2 days for best results.
- For freezer storage, stack naan between sheets of parchment in a freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible, seal, label, and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
- These can also be made on a grill heated to medium, same instructions as for the stovetop (except close the lid instead of covering the pan).
Frequently Asked Questions
Large amounts of garlic in yeast doughs can prevent rise in yeast doughs. Because we activate the yeast before adding garlic here, and we are not adding a lot, the dough will still rise!
Yes. After the first rise, gently punch the dough down, and form into balls. Spray lightly with cooking spray and cover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, allow dough balls to rise for 50-60 minutes before rolling flat and cooking.
Yes. Portion the dough into balls after the first rise. Lightly oil and freeze in a Freezer bag. To use, thaw dough in the bag in the refrigerator, then let rise at room temp for 50-60 minutes before rolling and cooking.
Perfect Homemade Naan
Ingredients
- 1 cup very warm water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 packet 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (I always use bread machine/ rapid rise yeast)
- 1 egg beaten
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 cloves minced garlic optional
- 3-4 ½ cups bread flour
- ¼ cup butter melted
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl or bowl of your stand mixer, combine the water, sugar, and yeast. Allow it to proof for 10 minutes or until bubbled and foamy.
- Add beaten egg, Greek yogurt, kosher salt, garlic (if using), and combine. Add bread flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and barely sticks to your finger when you touch it. Cover bowl and allow to rise in a warm spot for 1 hour.
- Using a sharp knife or just your hands, cut/tear off handfuls of dough and shape them into golfball-sized balls. Place on a greased cookie sheet or a piece of parchment. Repeat until all the dough is used. Cover and rise again for 30 minutes.
- When ready to cook, roll the dough balls into ovals about 1/4" thick. Heat a cast iron skillet with a lid to medium heat (use medium-high if your stovetop seems to cook a little low–mine cooks HOT, so medium was plenty). Fill a small bowl with water and set it next to the stove. Have the melted butter and a basting brush ready.
- Dip both hands in the water and pick up a piece of dough, so the dough is slightly wet on both sides. You may be able to fit a few pieces into the pan at a time. Cover with lid and cook for about 30 seconds or until the dough starts to bubble. Flip the dough, brush the cooked side with butter and, if desired, a little kosher salt. There will be some dark marks on the bread, but it shouldn't be scorched. When done, transfer the naan to a serving dish and repeat with remaining dough. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- These can also be made on a grill heated to medium, same instructions as for the stovetop (except close the lid instead of covering the pan).
- Store finished naan in an airtight container and room temperature and enjoy within 1-2 days for best results.
- For freezer storage, stack naan between sheets of parchment in a freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible, seal, label, and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
- Nutrition information was calculated for 8 servings (8 6-inch naan). You can make them larger or smaller if you’d like.
Questions & Reviews
Have you ever tried to make this with GF flour? Does it work?
I haven’t–I’ve never used gluten free flour. ????
Just wanted to thank you for always posting recipes that expand our repertoire at home. I’m really thankful for you two ladies and all you do on here!
Thank you!!! ????❤️
I make this all the time from your cookbook. It is a family favorite! I use the grill most of the time, and it is just the best bread to serve with chicken and fresh vegetables.
When you say a cast iron skillet, do you mean true cast iron, or one of the enamel coated dutch ovens?
Thanks for posting this! We love naan!!
True cast iron—it will give your breas awesome flavor! 🙂
Could I get a little more detail on how to cook in the oven?
I don’t know for SURE because I’ve never done it, haha! But I’ve heard of people cranking their ovens up as high as is safe with a pizza stone, cooking them on the pizza stone until they bubble, flipping it, and cooking for another couple of minutes. Just don’t put a cold pizza stone in a hot oven…put it in when you start to preheat the oven or it will crack.
Does it matter if the Greek Yogurt is full fat or fat free, or somewhere in between?
Nope! Whatever you prefer! 🙂
YUM! And I even have leftover Greek yogurt in the fridge no one wants to eat!