The Absolute Best Way To Reheat Leftover Naan - Tasting Table (2024)

The Absolute Best Way To Reheat Leftover Naan - Tasting Table (4)

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ByKat Lieu/

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Naan never lasts long enough in my household to become leftovers. Just ask my 10-year-old, who can easily down a few pieces in one sitting. But as I was developing a miso garlic naan recipe for my upcoming cookbook, "Modern Asian Kitchen," I had a mission: To research theabsolute best way to reheat leftover naan to recommend tomy readers. I sought out an expert, Mary Usha, my neighbor from Hyderabad. She told me to first brush the naan with some milk or water, then wrap it in a moist paper towel before microwaving it for about 10 seconds. Then she instructed, "Ghee-up a pan" and pan-fry the microwaved naan for a minute or two on each side.

Trusting her wisdom — after all, Mary makes some of the best homemade Indian food I've ever tasted — I tried her method. Sure enough, the naan tasted terrific — soft, chewy, and crispy around the edges — as if I had just made it. In a pinch, Mary recommended just wetting the naan, wrapping it in a moist paper towel, and microwaving it. But microwaving and then pan-frying it is theabsolute best way to reheat leftover naan.

As a recipe developer, however, I remained curious and just had to test out a few other ways to reheat leftover naan to fully vet the microwave and pan-fry method. Later, I visitedKathakali, my favorite Indian restaurant in the greater Seattle area, and I noticed something intriguing.

Oven, air fryer, skillet, or microwave? Unraveling the naan reheating conundrum

The Absolute Best Way To Reheat Leftover Naan - Tasting Table (5)

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The server at Kathakali wrapped my leftover naan in aluminum foil, so I asked: How do they suggest reheating it? Their answer? Bake it, wrapped in the foil, for up to 10 minutes at 300 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Eager, I tried this method the next day. The outcome was intriguing — a naan that had taken on a crispy texture but with a noticeable dryness, somewhat reminiscent of a cracker. This made me think it might mimic the result of toasting naan in a conventional toaster or air fryer.

Perhaps wetting the naan first or introducing some steam during the reheating process in the oven could have made a difference. Placing a tray of water beneath the naan while it's baking might infuse the necessary moisture to retain its softness, all while achieving that desired crisp exterior.

I concluded my testing of different ways to reheat leftover naan. Now, I can confidently say the absolute best way to reheat leftover naan is Mary Usha's way, to microwave and then pan-fry it. In a pinch, just microwaving the moistened naan would suffice.For those who wish to use the oven, air fryer, or toaster, introduce steam or a touch of moisture to prevent dryness.But inthe end, we cannot overlook Mary Usha's wisdom. With decades spent perfecting homemade Indian dishesfor her family and, fortuitously, her eager neighbors (especially me), trusting her culinary insights seems only natural.

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The Absolute Best Way To Reheat Leftover Naan - Tasting Table (2024)

FAQs

The Absolute Best Way To Reheat Leftover Naan - Tasting Table? ›

In a pinch, Mary recommended just wetting the naan, wrapping it in a moist paper towel, and microwaving it. But microwaving and then pan-frying it is the absolute best way to reheat leftover naan.

How to reheat leftover naan? ›

Sprinkle with water and reheat on a stovetop: Sprinkle a small amount of water over the naan, ensuring it's evenly distributed. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and place the naan on it. Cook for a minute or two on each side until it becomes softer.

How to keep naan warm for a party? ›

How do you keep naan warm for a party? Once you take the freshly made naan out of the skillet, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm dry place. Add the additional pieces of naan to the same kitchen towel so they can retain as much heat as possible.

How do you keep naan soft in the oven? ›

Placing a tray of water beneath the naan while it's baking might infuse the necessary moisture to retain its softness, all while achieving that desired crisp exterior.

How to heat stonefire naan? ›

You can warm naan over an open flame – you just need a gas burner (your stovetop or BBQ side burner). Turn the flame to medium and grab a pair of tongs to hold the naan. Carefully place the naan on the burner and turn constantly, it only takes about 90 seconds to warm the naan.

Can I keep naan overnight? ›

Either transfer your dough to a lidded container or cover your bowl with plastic wrap if you did not do so in step 3. Move the bowl or loosely lidded container to the fridge and store overnight, but no more than 48 hours—the gluten will begin to break down, and the flavor will become too ethanol-y.

Is naan bread healthy? ›

While it may contain more carbs and sugars, it earns its reputation as a healthy alternative with its relatively generous amounts of protein and fiber. Despite its high carb content, naan can be considered a more nutrient-dense alternative to white bread and pita.

How to reheat Trader Joe's naan? ›

Heat the garlic naan in the oven at 400 for 2 min or in the air fryer at 400 for 90 seconds.

How do you reheat Indian food for a party? ›

You can heat the curries to the max on a stove, cover the pot and let it sit on the turned off stove. Same for rotis, make fresh rotis and wrap it in aluminium foil, keep this in a hot pack. When you want to reheat everything, heat the curries in the pot over the stove.

Why do you sprinkle water on naan bread? ›

You sprinkle water to keep the naan bread soft. Naan bread will naturally stiffen when not eaten straight from the pan, so eat it as soon as you possibly can.

How long is Stonefire naan good for? ›

Our naan, mini naan, Naan Dippers®, pizza and flatbread can all be frozen for up to one year to preserve freshness. When you're ready to use, allow flatbreads to thaw to room temperature and use as you would normally.

What is the best way to reheat naan? ›

In a pinch, Mary recommended just wetting the naan, wrapping it in a moist paper towel, and microwaving it. But microwaving and then pan-frying it is the absolute best way to reheat leftover naan.

Why can't you reheat naan bread? ›

However, when reheating in the oven, you want to be careful so that the naan bread does not become overly crisp and dry out. Also, you want to make sure to not heat the naan bread for longer than required. That said, it is easy to reheat naan bread in the oven, as it restores the fluffy texture.

How to store leftover naan? ›

Naan bread typically lasts 2-3 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature. It can also last up to a week if refrigerated. Naan bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap each piece of naan in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag.

How do you reheat naan for gyros? ›

Conventional Oven: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove Naan from package and place on baking sheet. Sprinkle Naan lightly with water and place on middle oven rack. Heat 2–3 minutes, serve hot.

Should I put garlic naan in the fridge? ›

Refrigerate: Store the cooked naan in the fridge in a zip-top bag for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 400° F oven (directly on the oven rack) for about 3 to 5 minutes. Freeze: The cooked naan freeze and reheat beautifully. Simply freeze the cooked naan on a parchment-lined baking sheet and then put them in a zip-top bag.

How do you store naan bread after opening? ›

Naan is best stored sealed in a bread box or dark location to help preserve its aroma and flavor. What if you have extras that you want to freeze? Naan can be easily frozen and thawed to room temperature – no special treatment required.

How to reheat roti in the oven? ›

How to heat your Roti Pies at home
  1. Preheat the oven to 150º⁠
  2. Cook for 25 mins from chilled or 35 mins from frozen⁠
  3. It's that easy! ⁠
Aug 31, 2021

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