A Couple Cooks

Garlic Naan Bread

March 11, 2020

This fast and easy homemade garlic naan is brushed with garlic butter and perfectly chewy! It’s such a treat, you’ll never go back to storebought.

Garlic naan

What’s better alongside a steaming bowl of curry than warm garlic naan? This Indian skillet flatbread is always a crowd pleaser: it’s soft, supple, warm and garlic-scented. There’s not much better to sop up savory broth! There are all sorts of creative ways to turn naan into dinner too: like naan pizza! It’s easy to find this famous bread at the store, but the very best way to eat it: homemade, right off the skillet. Here’s our very best naan recipe: it’s chewy, full of flavor, and quicker than most recipes. Here are all our secrets!

Why make this garlic naan?

With loads of naan bread recipes out there, why make this specific garlic naan? Here’s what makes it stand out from the rest:

  • It’s a fast naan recipe. Homemade bread takes time to rise, or proof. The proof time for most naan recipes is 1 to 2 hours. The proof time for this recipe? Just 30 minutes!
  • The flavor and texture are incredible. This naan bread is perfectly soft and fluffy, just the right amount of salt and has the very best garlicky flavor. Really! You’ll have to try it for yourself.
Easy naan recipe

Fastest way to make naan: with no yeast!

There are two basic ways to make a naan dough: with yeast and with baking powder. Most traditional Indian naan recipes use yeast as the leavener: it’s what makes the bread rise. Yeasted breads require longer proofing times. What’s proofing? Proofing is when you let bread dough rest after you’ve added yeast so that it rises. A yeasted naan recipe requires 1 to 2 hours of proofing time, depending on the recipe.

Some more modern takes on naan bread use baking powder as the leavener instead of yeast (for example, the naan recipe in Indian chef Vivek Singh’s book Curry). Baking powder cuts down the proofing time to just 30 minutes. The texture is slightly more biscuit-y than bread-y, but to us this trade-off was absolutely worth it!

Use a cast iron skillet (if you have it!)

The best way to cook garlic naan? Use a cast iron skillet if you have it! Why? A cast iron skillet gets blazing hot. Just like pizza, you want to use as high heat as possible when cooking naan. It’s what makes the classic blackened marks on the dough. If you don’t have cast iron skillet: never fear! You can use any large skillet or griddle: the blackened marks will just be more subtle.

Tip: Whatever skillet you use, heat it until it’s very hot before you add the first piece of dough. If you add the dough before its roaring hot, it won’t cook correctly.

Garlic naan

Making naan is easiest with a buddy!

Alex and I have honed our expertise in homemade bread recipes over the past few years. Our sourdough bread is the most popular and has been made by people around the world. (See below for more of our favorite breads.) Here are a few tips we recommend for making this easy homemade naan bread:

  • Make sure you have time. This garlic naan recipe takes about 1 hour from start to finish. The hands on portion is about 20 to 30 minutes. We’d recommend making this for entertaining or a dinner party, or an activity on a weekend afternoon or a day off.
  • Find a buddy! You can make this recipe by yourself. BUT, it’s even more fun with a spouse, partner or friend. It’s nice to have one person roll out the naan and one person cook it. Plus, cooking together is always better!
Vegetable curry

Recipes to eat with garlic naan

There are lots of ways to eat this garlic naan bread! It’s most natural with curry, but we have several naan pizza recipes as well. Here are our favorites in both categories:

This garlic naan recipe is…

Vegetarian. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, see the substitutions listed in the recipe.

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Garlic naan

Garlic Naan (Fast & Easy!)

1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6

Description

This fast and easy homemade garlic naan is brushed with garlic butter and perfectly chewy! It’s such a treat, you’ll never go back to storebought. (Vegan substitutions listed, or go to Vegan Naan.)

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups (312 grams) all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt (1 1/2 teaspoons, for vegan)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3/4 cup 2% milk (water, for vegan)
  • 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt (coconut cream, for vegan)
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter (coconut oil, for vegan)
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, stir together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt. Add the olive oil, milk, and Greek yogurt and stir until dough comes together. If it is dry, add a bit more milk; if it is very sticky, add a sprinkle more flour. Knead for about 30 seconds to a minute until all the flour is incorporated and a dough ball forms.
  2. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Rest for 30 minutes at room temperature covered with a towel.
  3. Once the dough has rested, flatten it into a disc. Then cut it into 6 equal pieces. On a clean, lightly floured countertop, roll each dough into a thin teardrop shape, about 1/8 inch thick.
  4. Meanwhile, grate the garlic. In a small saucepan, heat the butter and the garlic over medium low heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic fragrant is just starting to turn yellow (but not brown), then immediately remove from the heat.
  5. Heat a cast iron skillet*, griddle or large skillet over very high heat until it’s blazing hot (make sure it’s as hot as possible, or the first piece won’t cook correctly). Add one of the pieces of dough and cook until the top has bubbles and the bottom is golden and very dark brown in spots (about 1 minute), then turn and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute on the other side. Brush the naan with a bit of the garlic butter on both sides. Wrap it with a clean towel. Repeat with the remaining 5 naan, adding each to the towel afterwards (this will steam them and keep them warm and supple).
  6. Serve immediately with chopped cilantro. To store, place fully cooled naan in an airtight plastic bag and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat refrigerated or frozen naan by wrapping in aluminum foil and baking in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes.

Notes

*A cast iron skillet is the best option, since it gives the signature blackened spots. A skillet works too, but won’t get as blackened.

  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Indian

Keywords: Garlic naan, Naan recipe, Homemade naan, Naan bread

More homemade bread recipes

If you love to make bread, we’ve got lots of resources for you! Here are our favorite bread recipes:

  • Best Sourdough Bread Easy to follow instructions, a printable checklist, and a step-by-step video help you master that tangy flavor, chewy crust, and perfect texture. (Or try the Vegan Bread version.)
  • Easy Homemade Bread This homemade bread is easy to make and very versatile: it works for sandwiches, toast, and more.
  • Artisan Dutch Oven Bread Here’s an easy Dutch oven bread with a crispy crust and tender inside.

A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

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