This Garlic Naan Recipe has it all. Naan, a popular Indian flatbread, is a staple in Indian cuisine and is enjoyed around the world. Our recipe includes plain naan, garlic naan, and the ultimate cheesy garlic naan. Perfect to go with all your Indian creations and more.
Try this recipe with our very popular Healthy Slow Cooker Butter Chicken or our Coconut Chickpea Curry.
Adding a thick yogurt, like Greek yogurt, will give your naan bread the texture and chew that you need and make it extra soft.
Helpful Items For This Recipe
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small portion from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you.
26×16 Inch Extra Thick Silicone Baking Mat with Measurements
What Ingredients Make Garlic Naan?
Ingredients
Instant yeast – This type of yeast acts quicker, so less time waiting for it to activate and be useable.
Water and Sugar – This is added to the yeast so that it comes alive.
Bread flour – You can also use all-purpose flour in this recipe.
Greek yogurt – This lets the dough extra soft and gives it a nice chew also.
Eggs – The eggs are used as a binder for the other ingredients.
Olive oil – There are many different naan breads depending on the region. Ours uses olive oil to get the right texture.
Salt – Is needed to add flavor to the bread.
Ghee – This is clarified butter, where you use only the butterfat from butter but not the milk solids. Ghee is used in many Asian countries, especially India. It is easily found in any Indian or Asian market, but you can also make your own with this recipe. It has a much higher smoking point than butter.
Butter – This is used on the outside of the bread before serving.
Garlic – Garlic is added to the butter to make a delicious Garlic Naan.
Parsley – This is for garnish only and is optional.
For Cheesy Garlic Naan
Mozzarella – Sometimes paneer is used, but it is not a melting cheese like mozzarella is.
How is Garlic Naan Made
In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast and let sit for 3 minutes until it bubbles.
Stir the yogurt, egg, and olive oil together and add to the yeast.
Add the salt to the flour and stir into the wet ingredients until smooth.
Use your hands and form a ball with the dough, then place it in the bowl.
Cover the bowl with a towel and place in a warm place. Let the dough rise until it is doubled, about an hour.
Lightly dust a surface with flour and pour the dough out. Roll the dough into a ball and cut into 6 equal pieces.
Roll each dough ball in some flour and place it on a plate. Cover with a clean tea towel and place in a warm spot to rise for 20 minutes.
Heat a pan over medium-high heat and lightly grease with an oil-coated paper towel.
Roll each dough ball out to ¼ inch thick.
When the pan (you can use cast iron also) is hot and has a few whiffs of smoke, add a piece of the naan and cook for a minute or 1 ½ minutes. The dough should bubble, and the bottom should get browned and lightly crisped. Flip and cook the other side for a minute. Remove and keep warm.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Brush the dough with the ghee.
For a garlic butter version, heat the butter in a small pan and add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute, remove and cool and brush over the warm naan, sprinkle with parsley.
How to Make Stuffed Naan At Home
For a cheese version: Roll the naan out thin, then add a tablespoon or so of cheese. Pull the sides together and pinch in the middle. Roll the dough out again. Cook as directed above. You may wish to brush with ghee when it has cooked through.
Recipe Pro Tips!
Pro Tips
- Naan does not require kneading, which makes for an easier bread.
- Make sure the pan is very hot before adding the naan to cook.
- There are many ways to serve naan. Brushed with butter, make a garlic butter or fill with cheese.
- Serve with all your favorite curries, butter chicken, or other ethnic dishes.
How to Store Naan Bread
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can I Freeze Naan Bread?
Yes, you can freeze naan bread for up to 3 months. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and then tin foil or a freezer-safe zipped bag. Thaw in the bag and reheat in a pan, griddle, or oven.
KNEAD (NEED) MORE FUN BREAD RECIPES
We love making homemade bread; here are some of our favorite recipes.
Garlic Naan Recipe
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast 1 packet
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp beaten egg about 1/2 beaten egg
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cups bread flour or all purpose
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp ghee
Garlic Butter
- 5 tbsp salted butter
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tsp dried parsley or 4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Cheese:
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar and yeast and let sit for 3 minutes until it bubbles.
- Stir the yogurt, egg, and olive oil together and add to the yeast.
- Add the salt to the flour and stir into the wet ingredients until smooth.
- Use your hands and form a ball with the dough, then place in the bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and place in a warm place. Let the dough rise until doubled, about an hour.
- Lightly dust a surface with flour and pour the dough out. Roll the dough into a ball and cut into 6 equal pieces.
- Roll each dough ball in some flour and place on a plate. Cover with a clean tea towel and place in a warm spot to rise for 20 minutes.
- Heat a pan over medium-high heat and lightly grease with an oil-coated paper towel.
- Roll each dough ball out to ¼ inch thick.
- When the pan is hot (you can use cast iron also) and has a few whiffs of smoke, add a piece of the naan and cook for a minute or 1 ½ minutes. The dough should bubble, and the bottom should get browned and lightly crisped. Flip and cook the other side for a minute. Remove and keep warm.
- Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Brush the dough with the ghee.
Comments & Reviews
Carl says
Hello Nolands. I’m making this right now and have discovered what I think to be a misprint. There appears not to be enough wet ingredients to hydrate the 3 cups of flour. What do you think? Thank you.
Tara Noland says
Just got in and saw your comment, I hope you added more water to get the consistency you needed.
Tara Noland says
And I just went over my written notes and noted that it was 2/3 cup of warm water, but also noted that it could use more water than that so I increase it to 1 cup. So sorry for the typo and I have changed it now. Thank you for telling us!!!!
Carl says
Yes, I did, and thank you. It tasted great. Love the garlic butter on it and so did the family.
Tara Noland says
Thank you so much for following up and telling me that you enjoyed it!! Cheers!!