Easy homemade naan is a simple bread to make and comes out deliciously soft and slightly chewy.
The dough is quick to prepare and once it has risen, it’s quickly panfried until golden. It can be used as a dipper, a wrap, or even as a pizza base!
This recipe makes 8 servings or 16 mini servings for naan bread that can be used as a side with butter chicken or other favorite saucy entrees for dipping.
Because it is so easy to make, it’s great for sandwiches, wraps, or dippers for soups and stews all week long! Naan is served perfectly on its own as an appetizer with hummus or tzatziki!
What is Naan Bread?
Naan is an Indian bread characterized by its crispy exterior but chewy interior. It is great for holding (or soaking up) ingredients
Don’t confuse naan with pita bread, although similar, naan is richer because it contains egg and buttermilk.
Ingredients
Naan is a fairly basic bread and like most breads, there is room for experimenting!
DRY
Yeast, sugar, flour & salt are the dry ingredients for this recipe.
WET
Water, egg, vegetable oil & buttermilk are mixed with the dry ingredients to make the dough.
VARIATIONS
Add garlic or onion powder and cilantro to the dough or try chopped herbs like oregano and basil to make your own signature naan. Create a variation to go with whatever you’re serving it with! Coconut or garlic garlic butter are common additions to a naan bread recipe.
How to Make Naan Bread
- Mix dough (per recipe below) and let rise. Divide into 8 equal parts.
- Roll each part out about 5 inches (it doesn’t need to be round).
- Fry in a lightly oiled skillet until golden brown on both sides.
Use naan bread as a wrap for gyros or shawarma or as a dipper bread for a homemade dip. It is so versatile!
Tips
- It’s okay if the dough is a little bit sticky on the mixer beaters, too much flour makes it heavy.
- Drop naan bread onto a hot skillet so it immediately cooks from the outside but the inside remains tender and chewy.
- Once it bubbles in the pan, it is ready to flip.
- Place cooked naan in foil to keep warm while you cook the remaining pieces.
Keep cooled pieces of naan in an airtight zippered bag at room temperature. Naan bread should keep for up to a week.
More Homemade Bread
- Jalapeno Cheddar Bread – easy & cheesy
- Homemade Braided Bread – slightly sweet
- The Best Cheesy Breadsticks – perfect for dipping
- Homemade French Bread – great with pasta
- Bubble Pizza Bread – only 3 ingredients
Did your family love this homemade Naan Bread? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Naan Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup warm water
- 1 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 package
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixture*, mix together warm water, yeast, and sugar. Rest for 3-5 minutes until the yeast is foamy.
- Add in flour, oil, buttermilk, egg & salt and mix with dough hook on low speed to combine, then on the second speed for 5 minutes. Dough will be pillowy soft and not sticky but may be slightly tacky.
- Remove dough hook and cover with a towel for 1-1 ½ hours, until dough has doubled in size.
- Divide dough into 8 pieces. Thinly roll each piece into a rough circle shape about 4-5”.
- Heat a drizzle of oil in a skillet on medium high. Add one naan and cook until golden brown on one side and then flip and cook until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes on each side).
- Add oil for each naan.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Indian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
I would like to try different flavors, like make it with onion powder one time and maybe garlic powder another. How much of the powder do I need to add? I know its a matter of taste, just an ideal from someone who actually makes it would help.
I would use 1/2 teaspoon of each to start and then you can add to taste. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out Chuck!
Soft, perfect…delicious!!!
Can you use self rising flour in place of the yeast, salt, etc.?
Hi Gwendolyn, we have only tested this recipe as listed but would love to hear how it turns out for you if you attempt it.
This is my favorite Indian bread during weekend lunch menu; I often eat with curry or gravy & melted butter on it. Thanks for sharing its ingredients and instructions. Your pics of naan reminded me of eating this delicious Indian bread at one of the best lunch restaurant in Chandigarh. Keep sharing like this.
Can you use cashew milk instead of butter milk
Hi Dianne, I haven’t tried this recipe with cashew milk but I would love to hear how it turns out.
Is this gluten free?
Hi Lynn, this recipe is not gluten-free. I have not tried this recipe with gluten-free flour but I would love to hear how it turns out.
I Don’t have any buttermilk. Can I make buttermilk from milk and vinegar for this recipe? Have you tried making it this way?
Hi Carol, you can use a buttermilk substitute. Enjoy!
What if I only have Rapid Rise Instant Yeast? What do I do differently?
Mix the instant yeast with the water and sugar. It will foam more quickly than the active dry yeast. Proceed per instructions. It may rise a little more quickly as well. Enjoy Loren!
Recipe is a clear winner! Crispy on the outside, tender and chewy on the inside. Dough was great to work with! Made 16 thin naans. Rolled dough in circles, let them rest, then rolled again. Brushed with garlic butter.
Recipe is very easy to follow and works perfectly. Naan was delicious with soft texture. My first time attempting homemade naan and this will now be my go to naan recipe
That is awesome Heather! So happy this recipe worked so well for you!
I don’t have a stand mixer but have a food processor. Can I use that instead?
I’ve only tried with a stand mixer and by hand. As mentioned on the recipe card, to make by hand, mix ingredients as directed and knead by hand for about 15 minutes. Let us know if you try it using your food processor Sandi!
I would love to try this!
Can I use another kind of oil? Say, canola oil?
Yes, a mild flavored oil like canola should work just fine.
I used to get a pashwari nann from a lovely Indian takeaway which had a traditional oven to slap and stick them to the sides. It was delicious as it was a blend of raisins and ground almonds within the Nann perfect with a chicken tikka Marsala.
Good ..I want to learn
I love Naan Bread. I am going to try tomorrow. I am extensively travelled and I love Naan Bread with batter chicken. Yummy Yummyc
do not have a fancy stand mixer. I am just a plain Jane. can’t afford one
To make by hand, mix ingredients as directed and knead by hand for about 15 minutes.