Homemade Naan: Tips for Soft, Bubbly Flatbreads

Fresh, warm naan is one of the great pleasures of Indian cooking. Restaurant naan is baked in a blazing hot tandoor, a clay oven that can reach temperatures most home ovens can only dream of, but you can get remarkably close at home with a simple dough and a hot pan. The first time I made naan in London, I was nervous, but when the first bubbles puffed up on my cast-iron pan, I felt like a proud child again. These tips will help you make soft, bubbly flatbreads that taste like they came from a restaurant kitchen.

What makes naan different from other Indian breads?

Roti and chapati are unleavened, made from whole wheat flour and water. Naan is a leavened bread, made with refined flour, a raising agent and usually yogurt or milk. That’s what gives it a soft, chewy texture, a slightly tangy flavour and those signature puffy bubbles with charred spots.

Start with a soft, slightly sticky dough

A typical naan dough combines plain flour, yeast or baking powder, a pinch of sugar, salt, yogurt and a little oil or milk. Yogurt is the secret to tenderness and gentle tang. Knead until smooth and elastic, but do not add too much extra flour. A slightly sticky dough produces a softer naan, so lightly oil your hands instead of adding more flour.

If you’re a beginner, I suggest using a mix of yeast and a pinch of baking powder. The yeast gives flavour, and the baking powder gives insurance if your kitchen is cold and the dough rises slowly.

Let the dough rest

Cover the dough and leave it somewhere warm for one to two hours until it has puffed up. A good rest relaxes the gluten, so the naan rolls out easily and stays soft. In London’s colder months, I place the bowl in a switched-off oven with the light on, or near a warm radiator. The dough should roughly double and feel airy and soft.

Roll it out thin, but not too thin

Divide the dough into balls, about the size of a small orange, and roll each into an oval or teardrop about 5 mm thick. Too thin and the naan will turn crisp like a cracker. Too thick and it won’t cook through. Brush lightly with water on one side, as this helps the naan stick to the hot pan. Dust off any extra flour first, since it can burn.

Use very high heat

Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy tawa until it is smoking hot. Place the naan water-side down and cook until bubbles form, about a minute. Flip it and cook the other side until it is spotted with brown. For extra char, you can hold the naan over an open gas flame with tongs for a few seconds, which mimics the tandoor. Do this carefully, and only if your hob and pan setup are safe for it.

Alternatively, bake the naan on a preheated baking stone or inverted tray in a very hot oven at 250 degrees Celsius, and finish under the grill for charred spots.

Finish with butter or ghee

Brush the hot naan with melted butter or ghee straight away. For garlic naan, mix chopped garlic and fresh coriander into the butter. A sprinkle of nigella seeds or sesame seeds before cooking adds a lovely flavour and look.

Fun variations

• Garlic naan: brush with garlic butter and fresh coriander.
• Butter naan: generous melted butter on top, the simplest and most loved version.
• Cheese naan: stuff the dough with grated cheese before rolling.
• Peshwari naan: a sweet stuffing of coconut, almonds and raisins.
• Keema naan: stuffed with spiced minced meat for a hearty meal.

Keep them soft

• Wrap cooked naan in a clean kitchen towel as you go, so the steam keeps them soft.
• Serve immediately with a hot curry or dal.
• Reheat leftovers on a dry pan for a minute per side, or wrap them in foil and warm in the oven.
• Freeze extra naan between sheets of baking paper, and reheat straight from the freezer.

Troubleshooting

• Naan is hard: the pan wasn’t hot enough, or it was cooked too long. Cook quickly on very high heat.
• No bubbles: the dough didn’t rise enough, or was rolled too thin.
• Doughy centre: the naan was too thick, or the heat was too low.
• Burnt bottom: too much flour on the surface, or the pan was too hot for too long.

What should you serve with naan? Almost any curry, but it’s especially lovely with creamy, rich dishes. Pair your naan with a rich curry from our North Indian recipes or try our Air Fryer Paneer Tikka. If you build a whole Indian dinner, my guide to the Indian thali will help you plan the other dishes.