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Buttery Garlic Naan Bread is so soft and perfect for mopping up curries, like our Creamy Butter Chicken. I guarantee you’ll find it hard to stop at one!
This Garlic Naan Bread recipe is better than the naan you’ll find at the some of the BEST Indian restaurants! These pillowy soft naan breads are so easy, you’ll be making them every weekend. Safe to say, it’s our favourite yeast bread recipe yet!
GARLIC NAAN BREAD
This garlic naan bread recipe is our favourite spin on a traditional flat bread from India. Normally baked inside hot Tandoor ovens with charcoal or wood fire, our naan bread recipe has been altered to cook right on the stove in a hot, cast-iron skillet.
We use a combination of yogurt and oil to give them an addictive, soft and fluffy texture and add minced garlic right into the dough to create that unmistakable garlicky flavour. It could just be us but we love the way the garlic pairs with the flavours of traditional Indian curries like Chicken Tikka Masala, Coconut Shrimp Curry and of course, our infamous Butter Chicken.
You’ll be amazed as you watch your dough puff up into glorious, bubbly naan right before your eyes!
NAAN BREAD VS PITA BREAD
Both flatbreads are made with a yeast raised dough, however pita bread has a harder texture when compared to Naan. While pita bread only contains flour, water, yeast, salt and some olive oil; naan is made with a fattier, more enriched dough including ghee (clarified butter), oil, yogurt and sometimes eggs. This gives naan its different texture. While pita is slightly thicker making it perfect to fill with greek meats like our Greek lamb souvlaki.
HOW TO MAKE GARLIC NAAN BREAD
We start off with a basic naan dough, like our super soft naan bread recipe.
- First, you’re going to activate your yeast.
- Mix all of those ingredients together until the dough comes together with your hands.
- Knead until smooth, then transfer to a lightly greased bowl. You can use the same bowl you mixed the dough in to save dishes.
- Cover with plastic wrap and let double in size.
- Divide dough into 10 balls and roll each piece into large ovals about 6-inches long and 1/8 inch thick. The thinner you roll them, the more air pockets form inside them while cooking.
- Get a lightly greased skillet nice and HOT. The high heat makes the dough rise fast and fills the bread with air.
- Cook garlic naan bread until bubbles form, then flip and cook until large golden spots appear on the underside. Flatten the breads with a spatula while cooking to ensure they cook through.
- Wrap cooked garlic naan bread in a clean kitchen towel and keep them wrapped while cooking remaining bread.
- Optional: brush your warm cooked naan with a little melted garlic butter; top with coarse salt and fresh chopped cilantro.
Serve with one of your favourite curries or use them to make wraps. Substitute garlic naan bread for tortillas for quesadillas, or make simple naan pizzas!
HOW TO STORE GARLIC NAAN BREAD
If you plan on storing your garlic naan bread, do not brush them with the garlic butter. When cooked, let cool completely to room temperature to prevent condensation. Transfer to ziplock bags and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
When ready to eat, heat them up on a pan over low-medium heat, or in the microwave for 10 seconds. Brush with garlic butter and enjoy!
FREEZE NAAN
Follow the same steps above (store plain – no garlic butter) and store in the freezer for up to two months. Frozen naan bread thaws quickly at room temperature. Reheat in the microwave or on a skillet over low-medium heat, then brush with garlic butter.
MORE BREAD RECIPES
Easy Flatbread Recipe (No Yeast)
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Garlic Naan Bread
Ingredients
NAAN BREADS
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast or instant, rapid rise
- 3/4 cup milk warm
- 3/4 cup Greek yogurt or natural plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil plus 2 tablespoons extra for cooking
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups plain flour plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
GARLIC BUTTER TOPPING
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
Instructions
FOR NAAN BREAD
- Combine together the water, sugar and yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until the mixture begins to bubble on top
- Add in the milk, yogurt, oil, minced garlic, flour baking powder and salt. Mix until the dough comes together with your hands.
- Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. Use floured hands to knead the dough until smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Lightly grease the same mixing bowl with a small spray of cooking oil. Transfer dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for about an hour until doubled in size.
- When ready to cook, divide the dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll into balls, then use a rolling pin to roll each piece of dough into a large oval, about 6-inches long and 1/8-inch thick. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Grease skillet all over with 1/2 teaspoon of the extra oil.
- Place one piece of the naan on the oiled hot skillet and cook until bubbles form on top, about 1-2 minutes. While cooking, brush the top with a little oil.
- Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until large golden spots appear on the bottom.
- Remove from the skillet and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining naan (keep them wrapped in a towel while you work).
FOR GARLIC BUTTER TOPPING
- Combine melted butter and minced garlic together in a bowl. Brush each naan with the garlic butter and top with the fresh herb of your choosing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is spot on. I wouldn’t change a thing except to make 2 or 3 times the amount!
Ahahahaha thank you so much Christina! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe.
I made this recipe tonight to pair with my butter chicken. It did not disappoint. Awesome recipe!
I’m very happy to hear you liked it Michi!
Is it possible to use olive oil instead of canola oil? The Naan looks fabulous!
Hi Tammy. Yes, you can! It gives it a good flavor too.
I made this for a recipe assignment at school. Perfect everything about it perfect.
That’s fantastic feedback, Logan. Thank you for sharing your success—keep up the great work in the kitchen!
This was a simple, easy, quick to put together recipe that was a hit!!!! The only thing that I had to do was melt extra butter for the topping but everything else was great, thank you for the recipe. Definitely a new staple in my home.
Hi Suela! I’m so glad to hear that the recipe was a hit and has become a new staple in your home! Thank you for sharing your experience and kind words. Enjoy every bite!
I absolutely love this recipe! Turns out great every time! Was curious if I could substitute almond flour? We’re trying to eat less carbs so was curious if that is a possible substitute for the all purpose flour?
I have already made this multiple times and will definitely be making it many more times in the future. This has become a staple recipe in my recipe book. Every time I make it, someone comments on how soft (and delicious) it is.
CAN YOU USE BREAD FLOUR INSTEAD OF APF?
Hi Cindi,
Yes, you can use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour (APF) in your garlic naan bread recipe. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, which can result in a chewier texture due to enhanced gluten development. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Texture: The naan may turn out slightly chewier than if you used all-purpose flour, which tends to yield a softer bread.
Hydration: If you notice the dough is too stiff when using bread flour, you may need to adjust the liquid slightly since bread flour can absorb more moisture.
Flavor: The flavor will remain similar, so there won’t be a significant change in taste.
Overall, using bread flour should work well for your naan, and you can definitely achieve delicious results! Enjoy your cooking!
Thank you so much for such an easy to follow recipe that yielded some of the BEST naan I’ve ever had. I mixed mine using the dough hook on my kitchenAide and cooked them on my Blackstone. They were perfection.
Absolutely delicious and easy to make. Thank you for sharing this recipe!