Soft, Puffy Homemade Naan—No Tandoor Required
Homemade Naan is one of the most comforting and iconic Indian flatbreads. Known for its pillowy softness, blistered edges, and buttery aroma, Homemade Naan Bread truly shines when it is cooked fresh and eaten warm. While naan is traditionally baked in a blazing-hot clay oven known as a tandoor, you can achieve restaurant-style results on a simple stovetop with this Homemade Naan Recipe.
This recipe comes straight from my cookbook SEASON (Chronicle Books, 2018), and it is one I return to again and again. With just a little planning ahead to let the dough rise, you will get naan that is tender in the center, chewy at the edges, and bursting with butter or ghee flavor. Serve it with curry, dal, grilled vegetables, or tear into it while it is still warm. Once you make Homemade Naan from scratch, it is hard to go back to store-bought.
The Flavor Science Behind the Best Homemade Naan Bread
Making Homemade Naan Bread is all about a balance of texture, moisture, and heat:
Yogurt + Milk Create Softness
Yogurt adds acidity that weakens gluten just enough to keep the bread soft. Milk enriches the dough for a creamy, tender crumb.
Yeast Adds Lift and Flavor
Yeast fermentation creates air pockets that puff dramatically when heat hits the dough, giving naan its signature bubbles and chewy texture.
Fat Gives Naan Its Signature Flexibility
Butter, oil, or ghee helps keep the bread pliable, glossy, and aromatic.
High Heat Creates Blisters
Cooking naan in a very hot skillet traps steam inside the dough. That rapid expansion forms charred bubbles, just like in a tandoor.
These elements combined make a perfect Homemade Naan Recipe rooted in delicious food science.
A Brief History of Naan
Naan’s history traces back centuries to ancient Persia. Over time, Mughal influence brought this enriched flatbread to the Indian subcontinent. In India today, naan is still considered a special occasion bread. Most families eat rotis daily, and naan appears for celebrations or restaurant outings — which might explain why making Homemade Naan Bread at home feels instantly festive.
Now that we have accessible tools like a cast-iron skillet or pizza oven, that special experience can happen anytime in your kitchen.
Skillet or Pizza Oven — Both Work Beautifully
The stovetop skillet technique is the most accessible way to make Homemade Naan at home:
- Preheat the pan well
- Cover while cooking to mimic tandoor heat
- Brush with melted butter before serving
A pizza oven is another fantastic option:
I tested this naan in my Breville Pizzaiolo at 700°F [371°C] for 3 to 4 minutes without flipping. The intense, even heat gives naan beautiful blistering and a lightly smoky aroma.
Why Make This Homemade Naan Recipe?
Because the difference is enormous:
- Softer, lighter texture
- Warm steam pockets melt butter instantly
- Better chew and aroma than packaged naan
- Fresh flavor with a subtle tang
- A true restaurant-style experience
Once you try Homemade Naan Bread, you may never look at the store-bought version again.
Get the Homemade Naan Recipe
Scroll to the recipe card below for both plain naan and garlic naan variations. This Homemade Naan Recipe makes enough for a small dinner, and it scales easily for larger gatherings.
How to Serve Homemade Naan Bread
- With butter chicken, chana masala, saag paneer, or dal
- As a wrap for kebabs or roasted vegetables
- As a flatbread pizza base
- Dunked into raita or chutney
- Or simply warm with butter and flaky salt
There is no wrong way to enjoy Homemade Naan.
Customize Your Homemade Naan Recipe
After you master the basics, try:
- Sprinkling nigella or sesame seeds on top
- Swirling garlic butter or chili crisp
- Adding herbs like cilantro or mint
- Using half whole-wheat pastry flour for nuttiness
Make it yours!
Homemade Naan and Garlic Naan
Skip the store-bought stuff—homemade naan is softer, lighter, and far more flavorful than the dense, pre-packaged versions. This easy naan recipe comes straight from my cookbook SEASON (Chronicle Books, 2018), and it’s one I return to again and again. All you need is a bit of planning time for the dough to rise, and the rest comes together quickly. Whether you’re serving it with curry, using it to scoop up dal, or just enjoying it warm with a swipe of butter, this Indian flatbread delivers the kind of pillowy texture and subtle tang that only homemade bread can. Once you try it, you may never go back to store-bought again.
- Yield: 4
Ingredients
½ cup [120 ml] whole milk, heated to 105 to 115°F [41 to 46°C]
1 large egg
2 Tbsp plain full-fat Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 Tbsp active dry yeast
2 cups [280 g] all-purpose flour or whole-wheat pastry flour
For Garlic Naan
¼ cup [60 ml] melted unsalted butter
1 tsp minced cilantro
1 garlic clove, grated or thinly sliced
flaky sea salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, yogurt, butter, sugar, and salt. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for 5 minutes, until the surface turns bubbly.
- Place the flour in a large bowl or mound it on a clean work surface and make a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well. Using clean hands or a large wooden spoon, gradually mix the flour from the inside walls into the liquid to form a sticky dough. Knead well for 4 to 5 minutes. (You can also use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment; knead on low speed for about 4 minutes.)
- To build strength, fold the dough by grabbing it from underneath, stretching it up, and folding it back over itself. Rotate the dough a quarter turn and repeat 3 to 4 times. Lightly brush a large bowl with oil, place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, dark place until doubled in size, about 4 hours.
- Divide the dough into four equal parts and shape each into a ball. On a clean, lightly floured work surface, roll out each ball into a circle about ⅛ inch [4 mm] thick and 6 inches [15 cm] in diameter.
- To cook, heat a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Slap a circle of dough onto the hot skillet and cover to trap the steam. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then flip the dough and reduce the heat to low. Cover again and cook until the naan blisters with a few large bubbles, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining dough.
For Garlic Naan
- Before cooking the naan, in a small bowl, mix the melted unsalted butter with cilantro and garlic.
- Cook the naan as above, then brush the hot bread with the garlic butter. Return it to the skillet for an additional 30 seconds. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve hot.
Notes
A pizza oven is another option that can provide the same degree of heat. With a few tweaks, it’s a worthy contender. I cooked the naan in my Breville Pizzaiolo at 700°F [371°C] for 3 to 4 minutes without rotating or flipping it. Because of its design, the oven will give the naan a more even browning, but where the bread bubbles up, the naan will blister.
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Vegetarian
One Response
Great Naan recipe! Glad I can make this easily at home.