This Simple Garlic Naan is so quick to make and this Indian bread takes no baking. You can make this in a skillet or griddle on the stove top. Whilst the dough does have yeast in it I promise this is super easy to make and even if you have never made a yeast dough before you can learn how to make delicious Indian style bread at home. What is better than serving your curries with a homemade bread recipe.
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Naan Bread using a yeast dough recipe.
This simple garlic naan bread uses a really easy yeast dough. Please don’t worry if you haven’t cooked with yeast before. It is fun stuff and really isn’t as scary as people think.
The recipe uses just a handful of ingredients.
- AP flour
- Dried instant yeast or Dried active yeast
- Salt
- Sugar
- Oil
- Warm water
Once you have the ingredients measured out, the mixer creates the dough and then you let the yeast do its magic.
It really is fabulous to watch.
Unlike most yeast dough recipes, this one doesn’t need to prove for hours. Just 20 minutes is enough to let the yeast start to work.
Once the dough is ready to use, you can use your hands or a rolling pin to shape it into naan breads. I like to create the traditional teardrop shape, but as long as your bread fits in your skillet or griddle then the shape doesn’t matter.
What is the difference between Dry instant yeast and dry active yeast
Dried instant yeast and dried active yeast can be used interchangeably in recipes, but if you have dry active yeast then it needs to be dissolved in the water, before you add the other ingredients.
I always use dry instant yeast as it is a little faster and gives me great results. The recipe in the card is written for instant yeast, but in the notes section there are directions for if you have dry active yeast.
Can you freeze yeast dough?
You sure can.
You can either freeze it as soon as you have mixed it or freeze a portion after it has risen.
The yeast will lay dormant in the freezer and as you defrost the dough it will start to come back to life and make you naan bread puff again.
How to cook naan bread in a skillet/griddle
Once the dough has been rolled out, you want to get the skillet/griddle super hot, so the dough cooks instantly.
Place the dough on the skillet and let it cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Remove the bread to a plate and drizzles with the garlic butter (or eat plain). Cover with foil whilst you cook the next naan bread.
What to serve with these Garlic Naan breads?
These simple garlic naan breads are perfect with curry, but don’t just stop there, they are also great with stews and soups!
- Lamb Dopiaza
- Chicken Jalfrazi
- Spiced Coconut Potato Soup
- Chicken Sausage, White Bean and Kale Soup
- Quick and Easy Thai Fish
Enjoy x
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Simple Garlic Naan Recipe (Traditional Indian Bread)
Ingredients
For the naan breads
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour) (see note 1)
- 1 tsp dried instant yeast (see note 2)
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- pinch sugar
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 3 tbsp oil (see note 3)
For the Garlic Butter
- ½ cup salted butter
- 2 tsp dried garlic flakes
- 2 tsp dried cilantro
Instructions
To make the dough (STAND MIXER METHOD)
- Set your stand mixer up with a dough hook.
- Place the flour, yeast, salt and sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer and mix on low to combine.
- Pour in the water and oil and mix on low for 10 minutes until you have an elastic dough.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and leave it to rise for 20 minutes.
To make dough (BY HAND METHOD)
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt.
- Add the water and oil, then use a fork or butter knife to combine all the ingredients, once you have a raggy looking dough, start using your hands to bring the dough together, until the sides of the bowl are clean.
- Empty the dough on a floured board and knead the dough for 15 minutes.
- Place in a bowl, cover with cling wrap and leave for 20 minutes.
To form and cook the dough
- Once the dough has sat for 20 minutes, punch it back down and then divide the dough into three roughly equal balls.
- Place one ball on a floured board and use your hands or a rolling pin to form the naan breads into oval/teardrop shapes (ensure they will fit in your skillet/griddle).
- Put a heavy skillet/griddle over a high heat and allow it to get searingly hot.
- Place the dough onto the skillet and cook for 2 minutes, it should start to puff up and charr lightly.
- Flip the bread and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Remove to a plate and drizzle with the garlic butter.
- Cover with foil and keep in a low oven whilst you prepare the other breads.
To make the Garlic Butter
- Place the butter in a small microwavable bowl and microwave for 45-60 seconds or until just melted.
- Stir in the garlic flakes and dried cilantro.
Notes
- Depending on how you fill your cup, the quantity of flour will vary quite significantly. I lightly pack my cups and then level them off. Better to have too little flour and need to add more than have too much and have a dry dough. By weight you need 10.5oz/300g. If you find the dough is too wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If you have scales in the house, then this is the perfect time to use them.
- The recipe calls for dry instant yeast, I use either, Red Star Quick-Rise, Fleischmann’s RapidRise or Lowan Instant Dried Yeast.
If you have dry active yeast, then you can use that but you will need to adapt the recipe as follows:
Measure the water into the mixing bowl first and dissolve the yeast. To do this just sprinkle the yeast over the surface of the water and leave for 5 minutes. You can then add the remaining ingredients and proceed with the recipe. - 3 tbsp of oil = 45ml of oil. (The recipe uses US/UK 15ml tablespoons rather than the AU/NZ 20ml tablespoons)
Nutrition
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Denise says
I am disappointed in this recipe. I followed your exact recipe. The yeast was still in its it original form once it was proofed.
Nice little balls of yeast.
I would like to know what type of yeast you are using it, to have it blend in without blooming it first.
I have made different naan recipes and have never experienced this before.
Claire McEwen says
Hi Denise,
Sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you.
The recipe calls for dry instant yeast, I am wondering if perhaps you used dry active yeast instead. That would need dissolving in the water first.
I will add a note to the recipe to make sure people realise there is a difference and how to treat both of them for the recipe. 🙂
Cx
Kaitlyn williams says
Hello how long should I let the dough sit out to defrost until it is done rising ?
I am making it ahead of time and freezing it . So when I take it out how long will it take for it to rise to the appropriate size ?
Also any other notes of freezing and defrostingjt ?
Claire McEwen says
Hi Kaitlyn,
If you are making the dough and freezing all of it straight away, I would make it to the end of step 3 (both the stand mixer or by hand method) and then place it in an oiled ziplock bag or container and freeze immediately. I prefer a bag as once it is in the bag I will flatten it down so it stores flat in the freezer and also so it defrosts quicker.
When defrosting, if you can remove it from the bag straight away then do this and place in a bowl. Sometimes the bag will get stuck inside folds of dough, so if the bag doesn’t pull away easily, don’t force it (I have ended up with a bit of torn bag in my dough before now) If it is stuck in the bag, let it defrost for an hour to make it easier to remove. Then transfer it to a bowl.
In total it will need 3 hours at room temperature. By this time it should have softened and risen. It should look puffier and collapse slightly when you push it. It doesn’t need to double in size, just be at room temperature and have increased in size a little.
Make sure to cover the bowl whilst it is defrosting so that it doesn’t dry out. (we remove it from the bag/container as it will start to rise as the yeast warms up and it can burst the bag)
When you come to roll out the naan breads I find that the frozen dough will need more flour on the board as it tends to be a bit stickier.
Hope that all helps.
Cx
Brenda Maurer says
Can the cooked naan be stored on the shelf? If so, in what and for how long?
Claire McEwen says
Hi Brenda,
Unfortunately because there are no preservatives in the naan, they don’t keep well.
I have kept leftovers, wrapped in glad wrap, overnight and reheated them for lunch and they are okay, but not as good as when first made.
Sorry about that
Cx
Brenda Maurer says
I did make the 3, wrapped them in aluminum foil and put in a ziplock bag. They kept well 3 days. Took one out, warmed up slowly on the stove and they tasted fresh. Thank you.
Claire McEwen says
Oh that is fabulous to know Brenda! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and comment!
I have never stored them for that long, so it is great that they still tasted fresh!
Thank you 🙂
Cx
Merinda Crothers says
Hi, just wondering, does this recipe only make 3?
Are they really big? I’m cooking for 7 people and would usually serve 2 naan per person. If I multiply out the recipe will the method and times be accurate?
Claire McEwen says
Hi Merinda,
The naan breads are quite large, larger than the packet ones you can buy in woollies/coles, around 30cm long. The 3 breads in the recipe serves 4 people easily, and really should serve 6, but my boys love naan (probably more than curry!).
I would say if you usually serve a lot of bread then for 7 people you would probably want to double the recipe – and more bread is always better than not enough 😉
The mixture can still be made in a stand mixer (if you have a kitchen aid – I wouldn’t make more than a double batch in there as it will start to fill the bowl) I make a double batch quite a lot as I often freeze the extra dough. So I am confident in the recipe working just as well.
The cook time won’t change as each naan is cooked separately. Just wrap them up in foil and place in a low oven while the others cook.
So to double:
For the naan breads
3 cups/600g plain flour
2 tsp dried yeast
1 tsp table salt
pinch sugar
1 1/2 cups/375ml warm water
6 tbsp oil
For the Garlic Butter
1 cup salted butter
4 tsp dried garlic flakes
4 tsp dried cilantro
Hope that helps 🙂
Cx
Ana H says
Great recipe – really simple and worked well but my dough was v wet – maybe flour in NZ is different ?
Claire McEwen says
Hi Ana,
I am not sure about NZ flour, but I think the issue could be the oil. How big are NZ tablespoons? Are they 20ml like Australia or 15ml like America? I will update the notes on the recipe, as a largest percentage of my readership is US based I tested the recipe with US tablespoons, so you need 3 x 15ml (so 45ml) of oil.
Hope that helps 🙂
So pleased the recipe still worked well for you.
Cx
Emily says
I had the same issue. I doubled the recipe and ended up needing to add an extra cup and a half of flour to get a consistency that was dough-like.
Claire McEwen says
I think the issue is how we all measure flour using cups.
You want 10.5oz/300g of flour, for me this is 1 1/2 cups of flour (although I do always weigh flour), but as per note 1, I think this will vary for many people.
If you have scales baking is a great time to use them 🙂
Cx
Tammi says
This was my first time making naan. This was so easy and tasted so great!! This is a keeper.
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am pleased you found it easy and that you enjoyed it! And I agree definitely a keeper, these make an almost weekly occurrence in our house.
Thank you for coming back and commenting
Cx
Imelda Jackson says
Recipe is delicious and very easy to follow.
Thank You for Sharing.
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased you enjoyed it!
We love home-made Naan Bread 😀
Cx