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    Cooking Gorgeous » Recipes » World Cuisine

    Garlic Naan - Indian Flatbread

    Published: Jan 30, 2022 · Modified: Aug 27, 2022 by Ayla Clulee · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Do you enjoy a good Indian curry occasionally?

    Is the soft and buttery Garlic Tawa Naan (Indian Flatbread) one of your favorite side dishes to order in an Indian restaurant? Then look no further.

    This most delicious garlic naan bread recipe will be your new favorite companion to your homemade Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani, Spicy Tandoori Chicken Recipe in Oven, Creamy Chicken Korma, or Dal Palak (Spinach Dal).

    4 pieces of garlic naan - Indian flatbread brushed with garlic butter
    Jump to:
    • What is Naan?
    • Why This Recipe Works?
    • Difference Between Naan Bread and Pita Bread
    • Ingredients You'll Need
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • The Secret To a Perfectly Soft & Chewy Naan
    • Top Tips From the Chef
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Related Recipes
    • Garlic Naan - Indian Flatbread

    The naan bread puffs up and bubbles appear as it cooks on the tandoor.

    Luckily, you don’t need a tandoor or any other special equipment to make great homemade Naan Bread.

    A good quality cast iron skillet or frying pan will be enough for this Indian Flatbread to rise nicely.

    4 pieces of garlic naan brushed with ghee

    This soft, chewy, and extremely delicious Homemade Garlic Naan Bread is surprisingly easy to make and a great side to so many dishes.

    What is Naan?

    Naan is a leavened Indian flatbread, traditionally cooked in a tandoor oven or on a Tava.

    This soft and chewy bread is also popular in other Western Asian countries, including Central Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and the Caribbean.

    There are many variations of Naan Bread, and Garlic Naan, Keema Naan, and Pakistani Roghni Naan are my favorites among them.

    Although Naan Bread is traditionally served with Indian dishes, it can go with anything and you can use it as an edible scoop to pick up sauce or dip.

    naan bread is cooking and forming bubbles in a hot pan

    Why This Recipe Works?

    • These homemade Garlic Naan tastes just like the best Indian restaurants!
    • It is incredibly delicious, soft, chewy, and airy, with beautiful golden brown spots on the surface.
    • You can make this traditional Indian Flatbread at home with just 7 ingredients (including water and salt!) and a super simple process. 
    • Also, it is extremely versatile. You can add some coriander or nigella seeds after brushing it with butter or just serve it plain.
    • Naan bread is a great companion to curries, soups, and dips. Our delicious Ezogelin Corbasi (Ezogelin Soup) or Baked Prawns (Karides Guvec) are perfect for dipping this soft, fluffy, and garlicky Naan Bread.

    Difference Between Naan Bread and Pita Bread

    Naan bread is quite similar to pita bread. Both are flatbreads and are often served the same way but made with different ingredients and techniques causing the difference in texture.

    The main difference is that yogurt and butter are used for the naan bread which gives it a softer texture.

    When the naan dough is done, it is shaped into a ball, stretched through the hands, and thrown on the interior walls of a tandoor (a cylindrical clay oven used in Indian cuisine).

    Pita bread is a leaner dough that is thinner and usually consists of 4 basic ingredients: flour, water, yeast, and salt.

    To make pita bread, you also need a very hot oven or pan to cook it with a pocket.

    Ingredients You'll Need

    Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

    labeled pictures of ingredients for garlic naan - Indian flatbread

    Ghee or Butter?

    Ghee is clarified butter with milk solids and water removed, leaving behind pure butterfat.

    I prefer using ghee for garlic naan as it has a more intense butter flavor than normal butter and it doesn’t burn even on high heat.

    Ghee is available in most supermarkets or Asian shops.

    However, you can easily make your own ghee at home. Alternatively, you can use butter in a pinch!

    • Flour - The best type of flour for naan bread is plain white flour or all-purpose flour. Substituting it with other types of flour (such as whole wheat flour) will make the naan breads less soft and denser. You can also use strong white flour/bread flour if that's what you have in hand.
    • Yeast - I use fast-action dry yeast for this recipe. The recipe also works with standard active/dry yeast or fresh yeast. Although you don't normally need to dissolve the fast-action yeast in warm water and then leave it to become foamy, the naan becomes fluffier if dissolved in warm water first. 
    • Plain Yogurt - Yogurt is a great way to add a tangy & rich flavor while adding some softness to the dough.
    • Baking Powder - It gives the naan some extra rise and softness.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    You might find the idea of making your own naan bread at home daunting.

    The good thing is that this bread is straightforward to make when you follow a few simple steps:

    Prepare the Dough

    Pour the warm water into a large bowl. 

    Whisk in the yeast and half of the flour, mix, and cover the bowl.

    yeast and water mixed in a bowl for naan bread

    Leave the mixture in a warm place for 30 minutes. 

    The yeast and water mixture rested for 30 minutes

    Stir in the yogurt and then add the rest of the flour, salt, and baking powder.

    Mix with your hands to form a soft and sticky dough.

    The rest of the flour, salt and yoghurt are added to form a dough

    Proof the Dough

    This naan bread takes a bit of time and some patience.

    It doesn't need much kneading but requires a few " knead and let it rise " sessions for a smooth dough.

    Spoon 2 teaspoon of the melted ghee or butter and then rub it over the dough.

    rub some ghee on the dough and let it for second rise

    Roughly squeeze the dough a few times, cover the bowl with cling film or a clean damp kitchen cloth, and leave it to rise for another 15 minutes.

    Pour another 1 teaspoon melted ghee or butter onto the dough and then rub it lightly all over.

    some more ghee is rubbed in after 15 minutes of resting

    Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and knead the dough for 30 seconds.

    Return it to the bowl, cover it, and leave it for 15 minutes to rise in a warm place.

    last stage of the rising, the dough is ready for making naan

    Shape and Cook

    By this time, the dough becomes much smoother.

    Knead lightly on the oiled surface for a minute and divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, roll them into balls, lightly dust with flour, and leave for 5 minutes before shaping.

    The dough is divided into 4 pieces

    Heat a large heavy-based non-stick pan or a large skillet on medium to high heat.

    Lightly flour the balls and turn them into a teardrop or oval shape (about 3 mm or ⅛“ ) using your fingers or a rolling pin.

    a dough ball is shaped into a oval / tear drop shape

    When the pan is really hot, place the dough and cook until golden brown, and flip the dough using a tong. Cook for another couple of minutes.

    naan dough circle is cooking on a hot pan

    Put the cooked naan on a plate and brush it with the garlic and butter mixture.

    Sprinkle some chopped coriander or parsley on naan bread.

    Keep wrapped in a clean cloth while you roll out and cook the remaining naan bread.

    Naan is cooked until golden brown and brushed with garlic butter

    The Secret To a Perfectly Soft & Chewy Naan

    Getting the consistency of the dough right is the key factor for achieving perfectly soft naan bread.

    The amount of flour in this recipe should be taken as a guide.

    When it comes to pastries, implementing the exact measurements in a recipe doesn't always guarantee perfect results due to external factors such as humidity at your location, and the type of flour and yogurt that you use.

    Therefore, you should have a basic understanding of what the consistency of the dough should look like.

    If necessary, you can adjust the amount of flour in the recipe.

    The naan bread dough should be soft and sticky in order to achieve soft and fluffy naan bread.

    Top Tips From the Chef

    • The best type of flour for naan bread is all-purpose flour. Substituting it with other types of flour (such as whole wheat flour) will make the naan breads less soft and denser.
    • For your naan bread to get bubbles on top, your skillet should be VERY hot. Tandoor ovens get exceptionally hot, resulting in naan bread that is soft and bubbly inside, and charred outside. To replicate this method, make sure you put your naan bread in the skillet when it is completely hot.
    • This naan bread takes a bit of time and some patience. It doesn't need much kneading but requires a few " knead and let it rise " sessions for a smooth dough.
    • The shape and size of naan bread differ substantially in every restaurant you go to. Naan bread needs to be soft and fluffy. So do not make them too thin. But making it too thick will result in an uncooked doughy center.
    • After cooking the naan bread, brush with some garlic butter/ghee for extra flavor and serve them straight from the pan.
    • Once you made the dough, you must use it promptly. If you want to make the dough in the morning to cook later in the evening, reduce the amount of the yeast to ¼ teaspoon and keep the dough in the fridge covered until required.

    Serving Suggestions

    You can enjoy this Indian flatbread as a side to serve alongside Indian dishes:

    Tandoori Chicken, Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani, Onion Raita, and Dal Palak (Spinach Dal).

    Garlic Naan is also perfect to dip into soups, dips, and stews:

    Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Celeriac, Easy Lamb Goulash (Hungarian Stew), Tirokafteri (Spicy Whipped Feta Dip), Autumn Squash Soup, and Kuru Fasulye.

    Naan bread can also be used as a pizza base or for making wraps and sandwiches.

    Recipe FAQs

    How to store the leftovers?

    The leftovers would make delicious wraps for your packed lunch. If you don't plan to eat the whole batch the day you cook them and if you want to keep them a bit longer, you can store the cooked naan bread in the freezer for up to 3 months.

    How many calories are in one piece of Tawa Naan bread with Garlic Butter?

    1 portion of this buttery and fluffy bread has only 272 kcal.

    What is the origin of Naan Bread?

    Naan which means oven-baked flatbread was invented by Persians around 1300 AD.

    Related Recipes

    For more delicious Indian recipes why not try:

    • onion bhaji (kanda bhaji) served with raita
      Crispy Onion Bhaji (Pakora) Recipe
    • rice pilaf with mushrooms
      Mushroom Rice (Mushroom Pilau)
    • keema stuffed flatbread
      Keema Naan Bread
    • Indian chickpea salad
      Indian Chickpea Salad (Chana Salad)

    Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

    I hope you enjoy the process of making this soft, chewy, and garlicky Indian Flatbread as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

    Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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    Homemade tawa naan bread with garlic butter

    Garlic Naan - Indian Flatbread

    Ayla Clulee
    This most delicious garlicky naan bread is the perfect companion to your homemade lamb biryani or red lentil dal with spinach.
    5 from 5 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Rising time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine Asian, Indian
    Servings 4 Naan Bread
    Calories 272 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 kitchen scale
    • 1 measuring spoons
    • 1 Measuring cups
    • 1 Rolling Pin

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the Dough

    • 150 ml water (lukewarm)
    • 3 g fast-action dried yeast (or 5 g fresh yeast)
    • 250 g plain white flour / all purpose flour
    • 50 g plain yogurt
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¾ teaspoon baking powder (2 grams)
    • 3 teaspoon melted ghee or butter (2 teaspoon and 1 teaspoon separately) (15 grams) (10 grams and 5 grams separately) (plus extra for kneading)

    For the Garlic Butter Paste

    • 20 g butter (room temperature)
    • 1 clove garlic (pressed)
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 2 tbsp fresh coriander or parsley to garnish (roughly chopped)

    Instructions
     

    Preparing the Dough

    • Pour the warm water into a large bowl.
    • Whisk in the yeast and half of the flour, mix, cover the bowl and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes.
    • Stir in the yogurt and add the rest of the flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix with your hands to form a soft and sticky dough.
    • Spoon 2 teaspoon of the melted ghee or butter and rub it over the dough. Roughly squeeze the dough a few times, cover the bowl with cling film or a clean damp kitchen cloth and leave it to rise for another 15 minutes.
    • Pour another 1 teaspoon melted ghee or butter onto the dough and rub lightly all over. Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface and knead the dough for 30 seconds. Return it to the bowl, cover, and leave for 15 minutes to rise in a warm place.
    • By this time, the dough becomes much smoother. Knead lightly on the oiled surface for a minute and divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, roll them into balls, lightly dust with flour, and leave for 5 minutes before shaping.

    Cooking the Naan Bread

    • Heat a large heavy-based non-stick pan or a large skillet on medium to high heat.
    • Lightly flour the balls and turn them into a teardrop or oval shape (about 3 mm or ⅛“ ) using your fingers or a rolling pin.
    • When the pan is really hot, place the dough and cook until golden brown and flip the dough using a tong. Cook for another couple of minutes.
    • Put on a plate and brush with garlic and butter mixture. Sprinkle some chopped coriander or parsley on naan bread.
    • Keep wrapped in a clean cloth while you roll out and cook the remaining naan bread.

    Notes

    • The best type of flour for naan bread is all-purpose flour. Substituting it with other types of flour (such as whole wheat flour) will make the naan breads less soft and denser.
    • Getting the consistency of the dough right is the key factor for achieving perfectly soft naan bread. The amount of flour in this recipe should be taken as a guide.
    • For your naan bread to get bubbles on top, your skillet should be VERY hot. 
    • This naan bread doesn't need much kneading but requires a few " knead and let it rise " sessions for a smooth dough.
    • Do not make the naan dough too thin. But making it too thick will result in an uncooked doughy center.
    • After cooking the naan bread, brush with some garlic butter/ghee for extra flavor and serve them straight from the pan.
    • Once you made the dough, you must use it promptly.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 272kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 8gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 530mgPotassium: 99mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 22IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 77mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cookingorgeous or tag #cookingorgeous!

    This post uses affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ayla

      August 03, 2021 at 3:32 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve been making this every week for the past month. Delicious.

      Reply
    2. Faiza

      April 28, 2022 at 5:11 pm

      5 stars
      Even though it was my first time making it, It was easy to make and delicious!
      I minced several cloves of garlic and cooked it in a generous amount of butter (microwave) added a little parsley for colour and brushed that off the bread. The little bits of garlic were perfect on the bread. My husband absolutely loved it!

      Reply
    3. Tracy

      May 04, 2022 at 6:44 am

      5 stars
      Instructions were easy to follow. First-timer here! Recipe turned out great! Will make again! Soon!

      Reply
    4. lena riihelä oredsson

      January 16, 2025 at 6:07 pm

      Hej!
      Tack för underbara recept, jag skall testa dem!
      Måste berätta om en finsk/karelsk soppa, lagad av surdeg, torkade, blötlagda ärter, potatisklyftor och ev. smör för smakens skull. Soppan är min barndomsfavorit, men hittade receptet på nätet för bara någon dag sedan!
      Jag återkommer med kommentar om naan brödet!

      Reply
      • Ayla Clulee

        January 16, 2025 at 6:19 pm

        Hi Lena, hope you enjoy it, I just had some garlic naan for dinner and it was so delicious! Let me know how it goes with you.
        Best wishes
        Ayla

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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    Welcome to Cooking Gorgeous, where delicious easy-to-follow recipes and culinary inspiration await you! My name is Ayla Clulee, a passionate and professional Cordon Bleu-trained chef, recipe developer, and food content creator with decades of experience. I am based in the UK, and I'm thrilled to have you here.

    The kitchen is my happy place and cooking is my therapy.

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