I was quite excited to see how many people were interested in this naan bread! I was going to hold off posting, but I thought I better share 😀 This naan may not exactly be authentic, as naan is a yeasted bread. Maybe this is more like roti or chapati, I’m not entirely sure, but either way, it’s an incredibly fast bread to make that would be awesome dipped in hummus, served along some kind of curry or even used just like a tortilla.
We like these on the thinner side, but you could make them slightly thicker and nicer for dipping by not rolling them out quite as much. Just don’t make them too thick or they wont cook in the center as these are cooked very fast.
These have a very slight tangy flavor from the yogurt which I love. You could use a non-dairy yogurt for a vegan/dairy-free alternative or you could use water like the original recipe but you may need a little more whole wheat flour to absorb all the water. That being said the dough is still tacky when it’s finished being kneaded. It’s shouldn’t be too sticky that pieces rip off and stick to your fingers, but it should still be a soft dough. Resist the urge to add too much flour. Just sprinkle with flour frequently when rolling it to prevent it from sticking. Be sure to dust any extra flour off before throwing it in the pan though because the loose flour will burn and wont smell too pleasant.
Makes 4 naan
Inspired by and adapted from (Never Home)Maker’s 5 minute naan
- 1 1/4C whole wheat flour(from hard wheat) flour, plus more for kneading + rolling
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 2/3C plain yogurt
- Butter for brushing(~1 tsp each naan)
In a small bowl mix the flour with baking powder and salt. Add the yogurt and stir until combined. Using your hands add a small amount of flour to prevent sticking and knead quickly for 1-2 minutes until completely smooth(don’t be afraid of overworking!). Only add as much flour to keep it from sticking to the surface or your hands. Dough should be tacky. Cut the dough into 4, roll into balls and let rest for a minute.
On the stove, heat a heavy skillet over medium high heat. I use a cast iron skillet as it’s naturally non-stick and retains it’s heat very well but any pan should work. Do not put anything in the pan – no oil, etc. While the pan is heating, flour your surface and your dough and roll out to about 1/4″ thick and about 8-9″ in diameter.
Once the pan is hot, turn down the heat to just above medium and place the rolled out dough in the pan as flatly as possible(don’t worry if it falls into the pan wrinkled a little folded, the bread will move easily once it’s cooked for a few seconds and you can straighten it out). It should start to bubble almost immediately. Cook about half a minute before checking the bottom(it should have golden or dark spots before flipping) and cook longer if needed. Flip over and press down on the naan with a flipper and cook just until the other side has golden or dark spots. Remove from the pan and place on a towel. Brush lightly with butter and cover with another towel to keep the bread soft while cooking the rest.
Repeat until finished cooking and serve immediately. Watch the heat of the pan, it may take some experimentation to get the temperature just right. Small, almost/barely burnt spots are good and add to the flavor, but a pan that’s too hot will ruin the naan very quickly. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed bag on the counter overnight.
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey I made these today they were awesome.
Even though I’m british Indian myself and a pro at making chappatis these went well with my meat curry – makes a change from regular chappatis
Thank you xx
I’ve made these a couple times since I found this recipe on Pinterest. They’re great! I love how quick and healthy they are. Our oven is currently broken, so I’m grateful for any bread recipe that doesn’t have to be baked!
I’m so glad! Thanks for stopping in and leaving a comment 🙂
Do these freeze well?
I’d never made naan, but we eat a lot of curries. My husband suggested having naan sometime in addition to our usual rice. Since I have two little ones and I’m pregnant, I’m pretty tired. Only a fast recipe it going to work for me right now. I am so happy I found this! The recipe was just the right size for our family, too. The boys shared one piece, and my husband and I each had one and a half. I had some garlic-olive oil leftover from a few days ago and brushed that on some of it. YUM! Thank you so much for this recipe. Also, I used freshly ground soft wheat (not hard) because that’s what I had on hand. Worked great!
I’ve never had good luck with naan. I’ll have to try your recipe! Thanks!
Hi Heidi!
I made this the other night to go with a quick curry and Oh my word- so good and easy! I made a few adjustments: used spelt vs whole wheat, soy yogurt vs dairy and used coconut oil for the pan- I have made naan before and the method was to cover the naan for a minute or 2 to help cook/steam the naan which works really well – I loved your recipe, THANK YOU so much for sharing, this will become my go to Naan Recipe moving forward 🙂
Perfect! Thanks so much for sharing!! 🙂
I’ve never tried making naan bread before as the thought has always been quite daunting, but this recipe seems simple and also really quite healthy so I’m going to brave it and have a go!
SERIOUSLY??? OMG! I’m dying to try these like RIGHT THIS INSTANT!
Looks so easy and so delicious too. Plus, it’s got yogurt in it. Oh, I’m in love.
Another one for my must try list! 🙂
Bless your heart, Heidi, for this recipe. Can’t tell you how timely it is. Love the look of this flat bread. I’ll be testing it with the great chickpea curry. Hope you and the family are all great. Are you excited about the summer that’s approaching. Is your garden already the paradise that it always is in summer?
I have never made naan before but sure I love some Indian food to go with it. Now that you have this 5 minute version maybe I will venture and make it one day 🙂
Wow, I had no idea naan could be so easy! Love this recipe, Heidi!
A 5 minutes flat bread?! Love that!
YES I am so excited you posted this sooner rather than later – I will definitely be trying out a vegan version of your recipe 🙂
I love naan! I’ve never made it, but this sounds easy enough! Thanks for sharing!
This is awesome! I’ve been wanting to try out a skillet/pan bread for awhile now. Naan sounds like a good place to start. And it sure looks authentic even if it’s really not 😉
We love Indian food so I’m really excited to try this! It looks so easy but so delicious and I love that it uses yoghurt.
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