Soft and Fluffy Homemade Naan
Made with just 9 ingredients, this soft and fluffy naan is infinitely better than anything you'll get in the store. With a light brush of garlic ghee, it's the perfect vessel to serve with curries, stews, and spreads!
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Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 (¼-ounce) packet instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup warm water
- ¼ cup olive oil or ghee
- ¾ cup plain yogurt (NOT Greek yogurt)
If making garlic naan
- ½ cup good-quality ghee or melted butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until evenly combined. Make a well in the center and add the water, olive oil, and plain yogurt. Mix the ingredients until a dough forms, then turn it out onto a clean work surface.
- Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes until extremely soft and supple. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer on low fitted with the dough hook attachment (keep in mind that the kneading time may be shorter). If the dough is too sticky while kneading, add more all-purpose flour as needed. The dough is finished kneading if it is tacky* and springs back when poked.
- Lightly oil a bowl and place the dough inside, then cover with a damp towel and let the bread proof for 1-2 hours, until doubled in size (this may happen slower or faster, depending on how warm your kitchen is). Test if it is ready by poking it; if the dough springs back and leaves a slight indentation, it's ready to be shaped. If it springs back with no indentation, it needs longer. If it doesn't spring back at all, it's overproofed.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down, turn it onto a work surface, and divide it into 10-14 pieces, depending on how large you want each naan. Form each piece into a ball and cover with a damp cloth. Let rest 15 minutes.
- Roll out each dough portion into a thin circle around ¼ inch thick. Pick up the disk and use your hands to gently stretch the dough. It should stretch easily without tearing, but if not, let the dough rest for longer.
- Once rolled out, let the dough rest for 10 minutes. In the meantime, preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat (do not add any oil).
- Once hot, place a piece of rolled-out dough into the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden brown and slightly charred. Flip the naan with a pair of tongs and cook the other side. Repeat with the remaining dough pieces. If the naan cooks too quickly, reduce the heat.
- If not serving immediately, wrap the naan in aluminum foil to keep warm. The bread will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature, or it can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
- For garlic naan. Mix the melted butter, garlic powder, and chopped cilantro in a bowl until evenly combined, then brush the mixture over the warm naan.
Notes
*meaning, the dough may stick to your fingers but leave no residue.