Homemade Naan Bread

Soft, puffed naan with charred blisters and a buttery, garlicky finish, cooked in a screaming-hot pan on your hob. A yoghurt-enriched dough keeps them tender and forgiving, so you get takeaway-style flatbreads without a tandoor.

Proper naan is soft, stretchy and freckled with char, and you really don’t need a clay oven to get there. The trick is a yoghurt-enriched dough and a dry pan cranked as hot as it will go. Brush the finished breads with garlic butter and coriander, and they’ll disappear faster than any shop-bought pack ever could.

Ingredients

• 300g strong white bread flour — plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• ½ tsp fine salt
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 120g natural yoghurt — full-fat, at room temperature
• 80ml warm water — plus a splash more if needed
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil — plus extra for the bowl
• 40g butter — melted, for brushing
• 2 cloves garlic — finely grated
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander — finely chopped
• 1 tsp nigella seeds — optional; sub black or white sesame seeds

Method

1. Tip the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking powder into a large bowl and mix. Add the yoghurt, oil and most of the warm water, then bring together into a shaggy dough, adding the last splash of water only if it feels dry.
2. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6-8 minutes until smooth, soft and slightly tacky. Pop it into a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave somewhere warm for about 1 hour, until roughly doubled.
3. Knock the dough back and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, then dust and roll out into a teardrop or oval about 3-4mm thick, keeping the rest covered so they don't dry out.
4. Melt the butter with the grated garlic and a pinch of salt, then stir in half the coriander. Set aside somewhere warm.
5. Put a large heavy frying pan or cast-iron pan over your highest heat and let it get properly hot, 3-4 minutes with no oil. Lay in one naan and cook for 1-1½ minutes, until big bubbles rise and the underside is charred in patches.
6. Flip and cook the second side for 45-60 seconds, pressing gently with a spatula so it puffs. If your pan is safe under the grill, you can instead flash the bubbled side under a hot grill for extra char.
7. Brush the hot naan generously with garlic butter, scatter with nigella seeds and cook the rest the same way, stacking them under a clean tea towel to stay soft.
8. Finish with the remaining coriander and serve warm, torn straight from the stack.

Serve it with

• Butter chicken or chicken tikka masala
• Chana masala or dal
• Saag paneer
• Mango chutney and lime pickle
• Cooling cucumber raita

Why this works

Yoghurt tenderises the crumb and adds a subtle tang, while the combination of yeast and baking powder gives you both a proper rise and the fast, dramatic bubbling that mimics a tandoor's blast of heat.

Common swaps

• No bread flour? Plain flour works, though the naan will be a touch less chewy.
• Dairy-free: use a thick coconut or soya yoghurt and vegan spread for brushing.
• No fresh yeast rise time? Skip the yeast, double the baking powder and cook straight away for a quick flatbread version.
• Swap garlic butter for melted butter with a little grated ginger and chilli for a spicier finish.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Pan not hot enough — a lukewarm pan dries the naan out instead of blistering it. Get it smoking-hot first.
• Rolling too thin, which stops the dough puffing; aim for 3-4mm so there's room for steam to lift it.
• Skimping on the rise — under-proved dough stays dense rather than light and airy.
• Cooking without covering the rolled pieces, so they form a skin and won't bubble properly.

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Keep cooled naan in an airtight container or wrapped in foil for up to 2 days.

Freezing: Freezes well for up to 3 months; cool completely, then freeze in a single layer before bagging so they don't stick together.

Reheating: Warm through in a hot dry pan for 30-60 seconds a side, or a few minutes in a hot oven wrapped in foil; a quick splash of water on the surface revives softness.

Allergen notes: contains Gluten, Milk. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.