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Easy Homemade Naan Bread is an easy Indian flatbread that is yeast-free and comes with flavor options. It has taken me way too long to post one of the easiest naan bread recipes that you can make. Delicious plain, but even better when you can add something as simple as sesame seeds or jazz-up the flavor up by adding chopped garlic and herbs.

2 pieces of naan bread on a serving platter

If you’re a curry fan (and you know I am) you absolutely have to serve a side of naan bread because you want to mop up all the delicious sauce. Chicken Tikka Masala, Chicken Madras and Butter Chicken are my favorites.

Don’t forget the vegetarian curry recipes I have like the Vegetable Indian Curry from last week and lentil Indian Dal (pic below).

As I mentioned, this is a yeast-free naan.  You may say that bread needs yeast to rise and be light and fluffy, but I don’t think this needs it and without the yeast, it’s faster to make. The baking soda helps the dough get the distinct bubbles, the yogurt and baking powder makes the bread tender.

Being yeast-free means this bread is ready in less than half the time because you don’t need to wait for the bread to proof. There is a 30-minute wait time which just gives the dough time to rest after kneading so the gluten in the flour doesn’t make the bread tough. 

Dipping a piece of naan in lentil dal

Serving suggestion

I like to have my naan warm. A quick way to do this is to put it in the toaster for a few minutes. You can also heat in a toaster oven.

Uses for naan bread

Not only is naan perfect dipping into curries, you can use it as the base of a pizza using your favorite toppings.

Vegan naan bread

This is a simple swap of the yogurt for vegan yogurt.

Can you freeze naan bread

Yes! I do it all of the time. It’s best after you have made it, wrap it well and freeze. To reheat from frozen warm in the oven on 350°F/175°C for 10 minutes.

Naan vs Pita

They have very similar ingredients, pita does not have yogurt like the naan.

A piece of naan bread broken half

Best pan to use for naan bread

Traditionally, naan is cooking in a tandoor oven. The best pan I have found is a cast iron skillet will achieve the char you are looking for. If you don’t have one, use the heaviest non-stick skillet you have an cook on high.

If you’ve made this Easy Homemade Naan Bread or any other recipe, please leave a question or comment below. I love to hear from my readers!

Yield: 4 pieces

Easy Homemade Naan Bread

Browned naan bread garnished with cilantro

A yeast-free Indian flatbread that you can added flavors like garlic herbs.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (128 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup (32 grams) plain yogurt, room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ¼ to ⅓ cup (59 to 78 ml) water

Instructions

  1. To mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking powder and salt, mix. Add the yogurt, sugar and oil. Start mixing with a fork and add a little water and mix until the dough forms a ball. Use as much water as you need to, you don't want it sticky.
    Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until the dough is soft and stretchy.
    Rub the inside of the mixing bowl with a little oil. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Place in the oven (without turning it on) or a warm space for 30 minutes until the dough has increased in size.
  2. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Divide the dough into 4 equal balls. Roll out the dough into an long oval, teardrop shape. The dough should be soft and not sticky so you may not need flour for this. Sprinkle lightly with flour if you need it.
  3. When the pan is hot, carefully place the dough into the pan. Allow to cook until you start to see bubbles, 2-3 minutes. Use a large spatula to lift up an edge to check the underside, the bubbles should be very browned on the bottom. Flip the bread over, cover with a lid or foil and cook until the other side is browned, about another 1-2 minutes.

Notes

Optional additions:
Cilantro, chopped garlic, sesame seeds, onion powder. Add these to the raw dough while rolling to press into the dough.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 167Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 1mgSodium 193mgCarbohydrates 25gNet Carbohydrates 0gFiber 1gSugar 1gSugar Alcohols 0gProtein 4g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

© Janette
Cuisine: Indian / Category: Side dishes