Homemade Naan Bread (Restaurant-Style!) - Full of Plants (2024)

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⭐️ Why You Should Try It

• Flaky and light. Say goodbye to thick and bready naan. This one is based on authentic Indian recipes. It is thin, slightly stretchy, and light!
• It doesn’t require yeast. Unlike most Westernized versions of naan bread, this recipe doesn’t require any yeast. It makes use of yogurt and baking powder as the leavening agents.
• Restaurant-quality. After dozens of tests, I can proudly say that this naan tastes even better than the ones from the restaurant. It has the same charred flavor, a subtle tanginess, and is perfectly seasoned!

🫓 What Is Naan

Naan is a type of Indian flatbread that is traditionally cooked in a Tandoor, which is a cylindrical coal oven. Naan has been around for centuries, the first mentions of this bread dating to 1300s AD.

This flatbread is typically brushed with melted butter and enjoyed with curries, dal (pulse dishes), or stews.

🌾 Ingredient Notes

There are no fancy or hard-to-find ingredients required to make naan at home. It’s simple and pretty straightforward. Here is what you will need:

• Flour – Use all-purpose flour. There is no need to go with a specific flour for this recipe.
• Yogurt – Yogurt acts as a flavoring, bringing a tangy and buttery flavor to the dough, as well as improving the texture. You can use Vegan Almond Milk Yogurt or any store-bought yogurt. Personally, I went with unsweetened soy yogurt.
• Baking powder – It helps the naan rise during the cooking step, giving it a more airy texture.
• Sugar – For flavor. I recommend using granulated white sugar so it doesn’t alter the taste of the dough.
• Oil – Optional. Adding oil to the dough prevents it from sticking too much and makes the naan more tender. Use a neutral oil like canola or grapeseed oil.
• Salt
• Water – To hydrate the dough. You will need a very small amount as the yogurt already brings a lot of moisture.

Prepare the dough

1. Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and knead for 5-10 minutes. You can knead by hand or use a stand mixer. Shape the dough into a ball.
2. Lightly grease a bowl and place the ball of dough into it. Cover with plastic wrap.
3. Let the dough rest at room temperature for at least 3 hours, preferably 6 hours.

Note: I recommend preparing the dough in the morning to cook the naan in the evening.

Shape and Cook

1. Divide it into 6 balls. This will make medium-sized naans. You can divide it into 4 balls if you prefer larger naans.
2. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and cover it with a lid.
3. Flatten a ball of dough on a lightly greased surface into a round or oval shape. Authentic naan usually has a more triangular shape, but I personally prefer to make them round. That is totally up to you. The naan should be 3-4mm thick.
4. Transfer the naan to the pan, cover it with the lid, and let it cook for 1-2 minutes. The naan will puff up and bubble.
5. Once the first side is slightly golden brown, flip the naan and cook for another 2 minutes on the other side.
6. Finally, place the naan on an open flame for a few seconds, rotating it constantly to char it slightly. Transfer to a serving plate.
7. When the naan is still warm, brush it with melted butter and top with chopped parsley.

Flavor Ideas

If you want to flavor your naan, here are a couple of ideas:

• Garlic Naan: Mince 2 cloves of garlic and add them to the melted butter. Brush the naan with the garlic butter after cooking.
• Cheese Naan: You can fill this naan with your favorite vegan cheese (like Vegan Camembert or this Smoked Vegan Cheese)! Flatten one dough ball, place a thin layer of vegan cheese in the middle of the naan, and cover with another flattened piece of dough. Press the edges to seal and cook!

🍛 What to Serve It With

This homemade naan bread makes the perfect accompaniment to:

• Indian curries like Instant Pot Cauliflower Tikka Masala or even other types of curries like White Bean Curry, Vietnamese Curry, or Red Curry.
• Dals (lentil dishes) like Dal Makhani, Chana Masala, Easy Dal Palak, or Roasted Eggplant Dal. Use a piece of naan in lieu of a spoon/fork to grab some of the dal.
• Stews, for example, Vegan Beef Stew.
• Dips like Caramelized Shallots Hummus or even Vegan Cream Cheese!

📔 Tips

• Make sure your dough is well hydrated. A dough with high hydration is the secret to getting the naan to bubble. It’s the water trapped inside the dough that will produce bubbles. Your dough should be very soft and slightly sticky.
• Adjust the amount of water. Depending on the type and brand of yogurt used, you might have to adjust the amount of water.
• Knead enough. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes to develop the gluten. It will give your naan a stretchier texture.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of Nigella seeds. For a more authentic flavor, you can add some Nigella seeds to the dough. It will bring some smokiness and a subtle onion aroma.
• Do not make the naan too thin or too thick. If your naan is flattened too thin, it won’t bubble. On the other hand, if it’s too thick, it will be doughy. Try to flatten it into a 3-4mm thickness.
• Work with oiled hands. Since the dough is quite sticky, ensure your hands are slightly oiled to prevent sticking.
• Cook over high heat. To reproduce the heat you would get from a tandoor, you want to cook the naan over high heat.
• Do not omit the charring step. There are two secrets to reproducing restaurant-style naan at home: your naan must be charred (it brings a lot of flavor!), and it must be brushed with butter while still hot.

💬 FAQ

I hope you are going to love this homemade naan bread recipe! It’s easy and affordable to make and tastes even better than the ones you get at the restaurant!

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