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Learn to make irresistibly soft and pillowy naan in your own kitchen with this simple recipe – it far outshines any store-bought version.
Naan is a soft, pillowy flatbread traditionally baked in a tandoor. This cylindrical clay or metal oven, prevalent in restaurant kitchens across the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and Central Asia, reaches scorching temperatures, imparting a distinct smoky flavor to foods. Naan dough, enriched with yogurt and olive oil and flavored with anise seeds, is rolled out and slapped against the tandoor’s inner walls, where it adheres and bakes swiftly over open flames. Once done, it’s brushed with melted butter.
In this recipe, I’ve replicated the tandoor’s high heat and charred flavor using a very hot cast iron skillet or nonstick pan. Making naan at home is so worth the effort—aside from the rising time, it’s quick to prepare, and the taste is leagues above store-bought versions! Paired with saucy dishes like chicken curry, butter chicken, or chicken tikka masala, homemade naan truly shines.
“The dough came together easily, was nice to work with and cooked up beautifully… My search for the perfect naan bread is over—this recipe is the best!”
What You’ll Need To Make Naan
As you can see, the ingredients are very basic. The yogurt and olive oil add a bit of tang and richness. The anise seeds add just a hint of licorice flavor; feel free to leave them out, or replace them with nigella seeds (which have a subtle onion flavor), poppy seeds, or sesame seeds.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the flour, yeast, sugar, anise seeds and salt in a large bowl, then whisk to combine.
Whisk together the yogurt, olive oil, and warm water.
Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients.
And stir with a fork until the dough comes together.
Dust your hands with flour and knead into a soft, sticky ball.
Cover with plastic wrap.
Let rise in a warm spot until about doubled in size, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Hint: the warmer the spot, the faster it will rise.
Fill a small bowl with flour. Dust some of the flour onto a work surface. Dump the dough on top and sprinkle the dough with more flour.
Shape the dough into a rectangle, adding more flour as necessary so it doesn’t stick.
Then, divide into six equal portions.
Heat a cast iron or heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. While it heats, roll one of the dough balls into an oval about 1/8-inch thick.
Place the dough in the hot, dry skillet and cook until the surface is full of air bubblesand the bottom is browned and blistered in spots.
Flip the naan and cook a few minutes more.
Brush the cooked naan with melted butter, and repeat with remaining dough balls.
Sprinkle with parsley, if using, then serve warm.
You may also like
- Chicken Curry
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Perfect Basmati Rice
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I need to make these ahead. Any tips to keep them fresh and reheat?
A: Depending on how far ahead you want to make the naan, you have a few options. If serving within one day, store the naan in resealable plastic bag at room temperature. For longer storage, wrap each piece of cooled naan securely in plastic wrap and put all the rounds in a sealable plastic bag, then freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, wrap the naan in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F oven until hot.
Q: What is the different between instant/rapid-rise yeast and active dry yeast?
A: Instant yeast and active dry yeast are both types of yeast used in baking, but they have distinct differences. Active dry yeast has larger granules surrounded by a protective shell, which often requires it to be dissolved in warm water (a process known as proofing) before mixing with other ingredients. In contrast, instant yeast features finer granules without this protective layer, allowing it to dissolve and activate more rapidly. This means that instant yeast can typically be mixed directly into dry ingredients without the need for proofing.
Q: Can I use active dry yeast in this recipe?
A: Active dry yeast may be used instead of instant/rapid-rise yeast in this recipe, however, the dough will take longer to rise. To give active dry yeast a “head start” and speed things up, you can dissolve it in the lukewarm water and let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. After that, add it to the flour, sugar, salt, and anise seeds, and proceed with the recipe.
Q: We love garlic naan. Is there a way to incorporate garlic here?
A: Sure! I’d add some minced garlic to some melted butter and brush it on the bread after it’s cooked.
Video Tutorial
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Homemade Naan
Metric Cup Measures
By Jenn Segal
Learn to make irresistibly soft and pillowy naan in your own kitchen with this simple recipe – it far outshines any store-bought version.
Servings: 6 naans
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 50 Minutes, plus 1 to 1.5 hours rising time
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with a knife, plus more for rolling (see note)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast/rapid-rise yeast (see note)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Heaping ½ teaspoon anise seeds (optional)
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup warm water (about 100°F)
- 2 tablespoons melted salted butter, for brushing on finished naans
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley (optional), for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and anise seeds (if using). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together, the yogurt, olive oil, and ¾ cup warm water (about 100°F). Add the yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork. When the dough is about to come together, dust your hands with flour and knead gently into a soft, slightly sticky dough (sprinkle more flour, little by little, if the dough is too wet to work with). As soon as it comes together, stop kneading.
- Lightly oil or spray a clean bowl with nonstick cooking spray (the bowl should be large enough to allow the dough to double in size). Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let sit in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, or until about doubled in size (hint: the warmer the spot, the faster the dough will rise).
- Fill a small bowl with about ½ cup flour. Dust a work surface with some of the flour and dump the dough on top. Sprinkle some of the flour on top of the dough and on your hands. Shape the dough into a long rectangle and cut into 6 equal portions, dusting with more flour as necessary so the dough doesn't stick. Roll each portion of dough in the bowl of flour to keep them from sticking.
- Warm a large cast iron or heavy nonstick pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Using a rolling pin, roll one of the dough balls into an oval shape about ⅛-inch thick (it should be about 9 x 4 inches). Pick up the dough and flip-flop it back and forth between your hands to release any excess flour; then gently lay the dough in the dry skillet and cook until the top is bursting with air bubbles and the bottom is golden and blackened in spots, a few minutes. Flip the naan and cook about 1-2 minutes more until the the bottom is lightly browned and blistered in spots. Remove the naan from the skillet and brush with melted butter. Place the naan in a tea towel-lined dish to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining naans, adjusting the heat lower if necessary as you go (I usually find it necessary to lower the heat to medium after the first naan). Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve warm.
- To keep the cooked naan warm, place them in a 200°F oven. Store leftovers in a Ziplock bag and reheat in a 350°F oven wrapped in foil.
- Note: I use King Arthur flour, which is higher in protein than some other all-purpose flours. If using a flour with a lower protein content, such as Gold Medal, you will likely need to add a few more tablespoons of flour.
- Note: Active dry yeast may be used instead of instant/rapid-rise yeast, however, the dough will take longer to rise. To give active dry yeast a boost, you can dissolve it in the lukewarm water and let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. After that, add it to the flour, sugar, salt, and anise seeds, and proceed with the recipe.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The naan can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once it’s completely cooled, wrap each piece securely in plastic wrap and put all the rounds in a sealable plastic bag prior to putting in the freezer. To reheat, wrap the naan in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F oven until hot.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 naan
- Calories: 241
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Sugar: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 323 mg
- Cholesterol: 11 mg
Nutritional Data Disclaimer
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
- Breads
- Freezer-Friendly
- Make-Ahead
- Vegetarian
- Indian
Comments
Made this for the 2nd time and used them for your Greek lamb burger which we then made gyro sliders. Delicious and best of all easy to follow and cook.Going to make again to go with your Souvlaki recipe,so much better than store bought.Thanks again for a another keeper!
- — lowandslow on May 23, 2024
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Can I make it with Spelt flour ?
- — Idan Salomon on May 21, 2024
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I’ve never worked with spelt flour so I’m not sure how it would translate here. For the best results, I’d stick with all-purpose flour.
- — Jenn on May 21, 2024
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This naan recipe is by far the best I’ve tried and the instructions are easy to follow. Turned out great the first time. Thank you!!!
- — Meg on May 10, 2024
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Hi Jenn
Oh My,I always buy naan from restaurant and now I’m proud to say to myself “I can make perfect Naan “.So delicious to eat with my dhal.Whenever I want a good recipe I know where to search.Thank you- — Mary on April 29, 2024
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Can you use gluten free flour?
- — Kathleen Arnold Chapman on April 21, 2024
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Hi Kathleen, I haven’t made these with gluten-free flour, but a few readers have commented that they have with good results. Hope you enjoy if you make them!
- — Jenn on April 22, 2024
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I doubled this and used them for my hummus platter. These were delicious! I just didn’t butter them up. So tender, and so tasty! Thank you for the recipe!
- — Lizzie on April 12, 2024
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couuld I let rise for longer? If i left in the fridge in the morning and then came back from work do you think it would be ok to then take out and make??
- — holly on April 7, 2024
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Hi Holly, Yep, can refrigerate the dough. You can find more guidance on King Arthur’s website. Just type “refrigerate bread dough” in the search field on the home page and when you get to the results page, scroll down a bit and you’ll see a link to a post about it.
- — Jenn on April 8, 2024
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1st of all,, im a home trained cook,, I cook better than most chefs do,, that’s why im married 3 times,, with that being said,, im familiar cooking with dough, I owned a few pizzerias,, I need to make a large size Naan Bread,, is it possible to cook it on a pizza screen,, and bake it the oven?
Any suggestions would be most helpful. I’m making an 18 inch circular naan bread.
By the way,, I have tried a few of your recipes,, All A+++++++ , Your an Excellent Chef!!!
And I will be ordering your book soon.- — Johnny Hollywood on April 6, 2024
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Sure, Johnny – I think that would work well as long as the oven is as hot as possible. Please LMK how it turns out!
- — Jenn on April 9, 2024
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This recipe is perfect I make it all the time and the entire family loves it , we never have any left over 🙂
I was wondering if I could use Greek Yogurt instead of plain since I have some I need to use up.
thank you- — Angela on April 3, 2024
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So glad you like the naan! And yes, this will also work with Greek yogurt.
- — Jenn on April 3, 2024
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Wow, simple and excellent recipe! Our entire family loved it. All six gone at dinner. 😍Cast iron works great for this! Thank you. It’s our new go to recipe!
- — Jeff H on April 14, 2024
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These turned out very good! I did use cooking spray while cooking each one and then brushed with garlic butter. So good!
- — MK on April 29, 2024
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This recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but underneath the recipe you note that you use King Arthur flour and that will affect the consistency of the dough. If the recipe calls for all-purpose flour, the measurements should be for all-purpose flour with appropriate measurements for all purpose flour. If you want the recipe to use King Arthur flour, the recipe should call for King Arthur flour with appropriate measurements for King Arthur flour.
- — Anna on March 18, 2024
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King Arthur is a brand… It’s still all-purpose flour. Recipes aren’t usually written with specific brands for each ingredient. Jenn was thoughtful enough to explain that there is as slight difference between brands of flours and included the adjustment in the notes.
- — Kara on April 18, 2024
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Love! I’ll admit this is the only naan recipe I’ve ever tried to make, but I have made it dozens of times! Very easy now and so delicious. My family is always happy, especially fresh off the pan. The kids may call them tortillas, but they’re probably their favorite bread. I always make a double batch now and we have maybe two or so left, so I freeze extras (without buttering) to reheat in the toaster. I use up to half whole wheat flour to accompany certain recipes and some of my family prefers that. It’s always been a breadier, fluffier recipe than restaurant naan even as I’ve seen my skill improve, but still a family favorite! (Not a good replacement for pita in my experience btw, as it was too fluffy and got soggy…so I learned how to make pita too). Thanks Jenn!
- — Lydia Hood on March 1, 2024
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Beautiful naans, much nicer than any bought one – thank you!
- — Sheelagh on February 18, 2024
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I’ve commented before on this recipe, but just made this again and still can’t believe how quick, easy and amazing it is!!! I made it for a dinner with guests (who are EXTREMELY discerning and a bit of food snobs 😉 and they couldn’t stop talking about it! And don’t bypass the anise! It is a total game changer!
Seriously Jenn, is your husband like 600 pounds??
- — Heather on February 10, 2024
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LOL – my husband is pretty slender (I think he’s ridiculously luck with his metabolism)! 😊
- — Jenn on February 12, 2024
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Hi Jenn, I too have made this several times without anise and always pleased with the end result…then today with anise. It’s a game changer !!! I only had anise because I made your almond biscotti for Christmas. (they were amazing! btw) We were surprised how much the anise adds to the naan! It’s not an “optional” ingredient for me now 🙂
- — Sharon T on February 3, 2024
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Can you taste the anise? I don’t care for that licorice flavor. Thanks!
- — Joan on April 21, 2024
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It’s very subtle, but if you don’t like that flavor, feel free to omit the anise seeds.
- — Jenn on April 22, 2024
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Out of the 5 nann bread recipes I’ve attempted this was the most successful by far. I substituted veg oil because I ran out of olive, and I ended up having to dust the counter with bread flour for the same reason. They turned out absolutely perfect, thank you
- — Beth on January 31, 2024
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Ive made this recipe (without anise) several times and its come out great every time! It comes together super quick and is always a crowd pleaser.
- — Tori on January 31, 2024
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Could you use a bread machine to do the kneading and rising? What setting would you use?
- — Jean on January 21, 2024
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Hi Jean, I’ve never used a bread machine so I can’t say confidently whether or not any of my recipes would be appropriate for one. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
- — Jenn on January 22, 2024
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SO. GOOD. Really impressive to serve guests and it’s so simple. I like to save a plain one and put cinnamon/sugar on it for dessert, lol. Can’t get enough naan.
- — Kathryn on January 7, 2024
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Wow! Much easier to make and more forgiving than I expected. I printed the short-form recipe card to a PDF to avoid ads/scrolling, and my interpretation of the written directions was a little different than pictured when portioning/rolling the bread after rising, but the end product turned out identically! Great work on the instructions. The cast iron was finicky, and I had to adjust the temperature several times as I went along, so that warning was appreciated.
So glad I found this recipe instead of being lazy and serving my curry with rice per usual. This changed the game.
- — Daniel Lovell on December 23, 2023
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Best naan recipe ever! They came out perfectly chewy and fluffy at the same time. I made two batches, one plain and one with dried chopped onion, cumin seeds, and garlic powder.
Delicious both ways! We will freeze the leftovers for next time. Awesome with a nice Chicken Korma. Mahalo Nui Loa!!- — Kelly T on December 11, 2023
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This is soooo good. I’ve just eaten two and the curry isn’t even ready!! Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
- — Kathryn on December 8, 2023
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🤣🤣 Glad you like it!
- — Jenn on December 8, 2023
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Loved the recipie. Been looking at alot of them and some recomend leaving the yogurt out. Just made the plain version so far. Used it for flatbread Buffalo chicken pizzas after my wife and I had some at a Rec club when we were out with our friends. Mine were better 😃
- — Mike Freeman on January 1, 2024
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What quantity you haven’t mention in this recipe, please let me know how much of each ingredient? Thanks in advance!!
- — Farzana Raza on January 9, 2024
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Hi Farzana, It sounds like you are just looking at the portion of the page that has the pictures with some instructions above. If you scroll down a bit to under the pictures, you’ll find the full recipe. Alternatively, at the very top of the page, to the right of the recipe name, you’ll see an orange/red button that says Jump to Recipe – if you click on that, it will take you directly to the recipe. Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy the naan!
- — Jenn on January 9, 2024
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Last night I tried your naan recipe to accompany the Indian meal I’d made. I don’t know why I was always intimidated by the thought of making naan. They turned out perfect. So happy I spotted it on your site and made them. I always have anise seeds around for my Italian baking (LOL).
- — Gabriella Sacchetti on November 30, 2023
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I made naan bread, your naan bread for the first time. As I sit here my husband is commenting how amazing this meal was. He feels like he has been to an East Indian restaurant. I am also thrilled with the naan bread taking this meal to the next level. I am sure to share it with family and friends. Thanks!
- — Yvonne on November 18, 2023
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My husband is from India and loved this recipe! We have been making chapatis for years and avoided naan because we thought it would be difficult. This was so easy and turned out amazing!
- — Mary on November 13, 2023
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My husband and I are obsessed with this Naan bread! I use active dry yeast, so I always mix it with warm water to let it activate before adding it to the rest of the recipe. It works for me every time! Sometimes, depending on my flour, I need to add a bit more to be able to work with the dough. As stated in the recipe you want it a little bit sticky!
I always finish my Naan off with melted garlic butter, a sprinkle of coarse salt, and a sprinkle of parsley. I serve it along side Shakshuka and we absolutely devour it.
- — Natasha on November 8, 2023
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We love to cook, but baking isn’t our forte. I made tikka masala tonight and made this naan bread to go with it. It was easy for me, and came out delicious! Every recipe we’ve made of yours has ended up being a keeper.
- — Joy on November 6, 2023
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Review from the UK. As a person of Asian Heritage I’m use to naans/flatbread/roti etc, but my mom cooked by instinct- no scales or measuring cups or measuring spoons, which I cannot do. I used your recipe for the amounts to use which I converted to metric & used a scale( always more accurate). Excellent results. This is what I did for the dough & it makes 10 or 12- only 1 leftover- daughter will eat these all day- now have to make more! Will have to try more of your recipes- thank you.
- — A_BakingNurse UK on October 23, 2023
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I’ve made a multitude of your recipes, all of them have been scrumptious. But this Naan, let me tell you, … I almost cried, it was so divine! Took one bite and didn’t save the rest my piece for dinner😂
- — Rene Klein on October 15, 2023
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Do you have a Youtube channel?
- — Long Nguyen Thanh on October 8, 2023
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No, sorry!
- — Jenn on October 9, 2023
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Italian parsley for naan bread?
What was wrong with leaving it plain or add cilantro.
Good recipe otherwise.- — Jm on October 5, 2023
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Hi, how big should the rectangle of dough be please as you did not say?
Thank you,
Gerard.
- — Gerard on October 9, 2023
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Hi Gerard, the dimensions of the rectangle really don’t matter. As long as you cut it into 6 even pieces after shaping it, you’d good to go! 🙂
- — Jenn on October 10, 2023
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I’ve made this several times now. I used King Arthur whole wheat flour the last two times and added garlic powder to my mix. With my food processor it is literally ten minutes of mixing from start to finish. Oh my, we can’t keep our hands off of it. Soft and pillowy and chewy. We love the yeastiness of it also. My figures show it’s about $.72 a batch. While its about $4.00 for four medium loaves at the grocery store. This is a keeper for sure.
- — Vicki T on September 16, 2023
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I don’t understand how this recipe has five stars. I had to add at least a cup of extra flour to this liquid. At first, I thought I read the recipe wrong, that maybe it stated 1/4 cup instead of 3/4. But I read it correctly, and my cup of flour is 140 grams, on the higher side. I can’t imagine what happened to the folks that used a standard 120 grams in a cup. They most likely had soup, not dough.
- — ana on September 3, 2023
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The type of flour you use is a contributing factor to how much you will need. When I use the Great Value Brand Organic White Flour I almost always need to use more flour than the recipe calls for. But when I use Rogers Brand All Purpose Flour I almost always have to add more water because 2 cups of flour is too much.
Dough can be a finicky thing. I’m curious, how did your Naan Breads turn out after you baked them?- — Natasha on November 8, 2023
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After making many batches of naan with this recipe – using bread flour – yesterday I used 1/4 LESS water and had great results. There are so many factors to consider when working with dough – but certainly this recipe is fantastic and more than well deserving of the 5-star rating.
- — erika on January 27, 2024
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Yum!
- — Andrija on August 10, 2023
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I followed the recipe to a T but the dough was so wet that i had to add more flour until i got it where it needed to be… but in doing so, i think i messed something up. I’ll try again and see if i can correct that.
They were ugly but delicious lol
- — Lily on August 7, 2023
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Served these with your Gyro meat recipe and they were a hit! Easy and fairly quick to make. And soooo much better than store bought. They were fresh, soft and pillowing! I went light on the anise seed since I don’t care for licorice flavor but it was actually a great addition so will probably add full amount next time.
- — Kim on July 31, 2023
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I’ve made this recipe at least 20 times. Keep coming back to it because it is the best. Thank you.
- — Sarah on July 30, 2023
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I have made this naan several times. The last few times, I made with 1/2 all purpose flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour. This mixture require a full cup of warm water. It comes out beautifully! Thanks for this great recipe!
- — Carol Bentley on July 20, 2023
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Thank you. Came out perfect.
Only change, instead of chopped parsley, I used chopped coriander.
- — Krish on June 30, 2023
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These were very good and fun to make. I didn’t change anything.
- — Christina Gibson on June 20, 2023
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Oh wow! Is this naan good!! I made it ahead of time to go with a chickpea curry and find myself eating it with butter. It is heavenly!!! The anise seed REALLY makes it over the top – I was skeptical, but as always, trusted Jenn and it did not disappoint! Now how do I stop eating this all day? Can’t wait to try it with other herbs and with whole wheat.
- — Heather on May 15, 2023
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Super easy!! This is a go-to weekend recipe. Perfect for leftovers whether it be steak or soup. It’s the perfect match
- — KellyV on April 23, 2023
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This is an amazing recipe. The only thing I’d change next time is to use less yogurt, as the naan was a bit tangy for my liking. Other than that, the texture of the naan was perfect!
- — Sadfeen on April 16, 2023
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