Add Preferred SourceHave you ever tried making your own naan bread at home? It's surprisingly easy with my no-knead recipe! You can make soft and pillowy naan bread that's perfectly elastic and chewy without the need for a stand mixer.
Naan needs no introduction and is probably one of the most ordered items in Indian restaurants. This recipe for no-knead naan is made without eggs, and the enriched dough has yogurt, melted butter, and milk.
I am using an
The BEST Naan Recipe
This is my tried and tested recipe to make the BEST no-knead naan bread in the comfort of your own home. Now, you may think I am biased, but allow me to elaborate on why my naan recipe is the best. So what makes a naan the BEST? I love good naan bread, and for me, these are some of the top features to call it the best:
- A great naan recipe will produce a flatbread that is soft and pillowy, with just the right amount of chewiness.
- AA hallmark of great naan is the presence of airy pockets, which are created during the cooking process and help to give the bread its distinctive texture.
- Typically, traditional naan is prepared in a tandoor oven or clay oven, resulting in a slightly charred texture from the high heat. I will show you how to recreate that lovely char with a mild smoky flavor without using a tandoor.
- The best naan recipe will produce bread with a delicious flavor that is not too bland or too overpowering.
I truly believe that when followed correctly, my simple recipe checks all these boxes to give you the most incredible tasting naan.
Ingredients
Flour: Bread flour works best for this recipe. However, if it is not available, use all-purpose flour.
Yeast: I have used instant dry yeast, which does not need dissolving or blooming. If you use active dry yeast, bloom it first in sugar and lukewarm milk.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: In the inner pot of the
Step 2: Mix well until the sugar dissolves. Add salt and mix.
Step 3: Add flour to the yogurt mixture in batches and mix using a wooden spoon.
Step 4: Combine the flour and bring it together, making sure there are no dry bits.
Step 5: Form a slightly sticky, soft dough that will come together like a ball.
Step 6: Place the inner pot in the
Step 7: The dough is ready when it is almost double in size.
Step 8: Transfer it to a lightly floured surface or board. Divide it into 8 equal portions.
Step 9: Bring each part into a ball and place it on a tray. Cover with a clean and damp tea towel (or plastic wrap) and let it sit for 15 minutes.
Step 10: The dough rises after the second proofing.
Step 11: After 15 minutes, take one ball of dough and gently spread it into oval discs using your fingers. Alternatively, roll it using a rolling pin into a teardrop shape or oval shape.
Step 12: Optionally, you can top it with nigella seeds, garlic, or cilantro.
Step 13: Heat a large cast-iron skillet. Place the rolled dough on the hot skillet. Bubbles begin to appear as it cook. Let it cook for about 2 minutes on medium-high heat or until the underside is charred and golden brown.
Step 14: Flip and cook on the other side for one more minute. The naan is done when bubbles will turn golden brown.
Expert Tips
In this recipe, I use dried instant yeast that does not require blooming. If you use active dry yeast, take yeast in a small bowl along with lukewarm milk (or warm water) and sugar, mix, and let it bloom before using the yeast mixture.
Bread flour works better in this recipe. However, if it is not available, use all-purpose flour.
The dough has to be soft yet not very sticky. If the dough is too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk, and if it is too sticky, add enough flour (not more than ¼ cup).
Hand stretching the dough ball where possible is great to get those beautiful crumbs. If you want to use a rolling pin, then roll by applying a little pressure. Rolling the naan dough with too much pressure may toughen the dough.
When rolling one part of the dough, keep the rest of the dough balls covered in the kitchen towel. This will help in preventing the dough from getting dry.
Make sure the cast iron pan is very hot. To check, add a few drops of water to it. If it evaporates immediately, it is ready. While we need the pan to be very hot, do not cook the naan on very high heat. Reduce it to medium heat before placing the dough.
Use this soft and fluffy naan bread to make the most delicious chicken tikka naanwich.
Variations
There are so many variations you can make to this basic naan recipe. Here are some ideas for your inspiration to use the dough in different ways.
Topped with seeds: You can top the rolled dough with nigella seeds, poppy seeds, or sesame seeds. Add the seeds and gently press them using the rolling pin before cooking.
Garlic naan: Add finely chopped or minced garlic on top of the dough and gently press them using the rolling pin before cooking. Top the cooked naan with garlic butter to make garlic butter naan.
Cheese naan: Use grated cheese as a stuffing to make cheese naan. Add some finely chopped chili peppers to make chili cheese naan.
Keema naan: Cook minced meat with spices and cool it completely. Use it as a stuffing to make keema naan.
Sourdough naan: Love baking sourdough bread? Make sourdough naan using this easy, tried, and tested recipe.
Gluten-free naan: If you are on a gluten-free diet, check out this recipe to make perfect gluten-free naan.
What to serve with naan bread?
When it comes to curries and kebabs, naan is an ideal partner. Pairing naan bread with your favorite chana masala or chicken tikka masala is the ultimate comfort food experience. It pairs well will almost all paneer dishes like paneer butter masala and kadai paneer.
You can also roll up chicken tikka or paneer tikka in naan, creating a scrumptious kebab roll, perfect for on-the-go enjoyment. Never run out of ideas on what to serve with naan with this detailed guide. If you have leftover naan, don't worry. Check out these resources to learn how to freeze naan properly and the ultimate guide to reheating naan.
Recipe FAQs
This happens if the skillet is not hot enough when cooking or if the dough is too dry. Heat the skillet before you place the dough on it.
While both are leavened flatbread and are made using flour and leavened using yeast, they are quite different in taste and texture. Naan dough is enriched with milk, butter, and yogurt. It is large, soft, and lighter, whereas the pita is small, dry, and used as a pocket for fillings.
If you tried this Easy No-Knead Naan Bread Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ? star rating and let me know how it went in the ? comments below.
Recipe card
Naan Recipe (Easy No-knead)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2½ cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon instant dried yeast see notes
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup milk (plus 1-2 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make and proof the dough:
- In the inner pot of the Instant Pot, add milk, sugar, yeast, yogurt, and melted butter. Mix well until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the salt and give it a good mix.
- Add the flour in batches. Mix using a wooden spoon.
- Combine the flour and bring it together making sure there are no dry bits.
- The moisture from the liquids is sufficient to make the dough.
- Form a soft and slightly sticky dough that will come together like a ball.
- If the dough is too sticky, add ½ cup of flour. If it is too dry, add one tablespoon of water.
- Cover the Instant Pot and set it to 'Yogurt' mode for one hour.
- The dough is ready when it is almost double in size.
Making the naan:
- Once the dough is ready, transfer it to a lightly dusted surface. Divide it into 8 equal parts.
- Bring each part into a ball and place it on a tray. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, start heating a cast iron pan or skillet.
- After 15 minutes, take one ball of dough and gently spread it into oval discs using your fingers. Alternatively, roll it using a rolling pin.
- Sprinkle nigella seeds, finely chopped garlic, and cilantro.
- Place it on the hot skillet. Bubbles begin to appear as it cooks. Let it cook for about 2 minutes or until the underside is charred.
- Flip and cook on the other side for one more minute. The naan is done when bubbles will turn brown.
- Remove from the skillet and set it aside.
- Repeat with the rest of the dough balls.
- Serve hot with curry of your choice.
James Strange says
I can not wait to try this recipe.
Shilpa says
Awesome! Please let me know how you like it 🙂
Naan lover says
I've made this recipe several times and love it dearly. I do tweak it a little every time to accommodate the dry or wet weather. I've also used almond milk and brown sugar as replacements. Love it, thank you for sharing such a simple recipe! ❤️
Shilpa Kerur says
Thank you so much for your feedback. And I am so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
- Shilpa
Ruth Osborn says
Don’t have an instant pot, how long do I let it rise and where?
Shilpa Kerur says
Hi Ruth, you can place the dough in a warm spot on your kitchen counter for about 1-1.5 hours. The dough should almost double for it to be ready. On a warmer day, it will ferment sooner! Hope this helps.
- Shilpa
Renee Johnson says
What kind of yogurt: Greek or Regular? Is non-fat alright to use?
Shilpa Kerur says
Hi Renee, I use regular yogurt in this recipe. Non-fat yogurt may work, although, it may alter the final texture of the naan. I hope this helps. I'd love to hear your feedback on how it goes.
Melissa Robinson says
This is lovely!
Mandy Applegate says
Thank you Melissa, we hope you enjoy it!