Easy Naan Bread Recipe with Yogurt
Last Updated On: Aug 20, 2024 by Preeti · Leave a Comment
Learn to make delicious homemade garlic naan bread recipe with yogurt. It's a simple, no-yeast recipe made using flour, greek yogurt, and a few other pantry staples, you'll be enjoying restaurant-quality buttery garlic naan in no time. This fluffy Indian flatbread is perfect for any occasion and can be easily cooked on your tawa or stovetop.
I've experimented with countless naan bread recipes, but this one is a true winner. After perfecting the measurements and technique through trial and error, I'm excited to share my secrets to nailing perfect no-yeast naan bread every single time. Bonus! I am sharing two different Naan recipes - Butter Naan and Garlic Naan (my favorite) in this recipe post.
Here in this naan bread recipe with yogurt, I'll share common mistakes that I encountered while making Naan bread without yeast and their solutions. It will help you to get a soft and fluffy Naan with beautiful brown, bubbly blisters on the surface, just like tandoori Naan (without tandoor!). Serve it with Butter Chicken, Paneer Masala, or Chicken Pathia.
What is naan bread?
Naan is a kind of leavened flatbread, from South Asian and Central Asian origin, particularly popular in Indian cuisine. It is made with a combination of flour, yeast, salt, and water. It has a light and fluffy texture.
Naan bread has numerous tiny air bubbles throughout, giving it a soft and somewhat chewy bite, unlike pita bread, which has a single, big air pocket.
About This No Yeast Naan Bread Recipe
Traditionally, naan dough uses yeast to rise. In this easy Naan bread recipe, yogurt replaces yeast for a speedy rise along with baking powder and baking soda, giving you soft, pillowy flatbreads.
In addition to this, yogurt adds a slight tangy flavor to the Naan dough that complements curries like Chicken Korma or Bhuna Chicken Masala beautifully, while keeping the naan moist and tender, even after reheating.
Naan gets its signature golden brown spots from the intense heat of a tandoor oven. We usually don’t have a tandoori oven at home so similar golden spots can achieved by using a cast-iron skillet or griddle.
This recipe will guide you on how to make Naan on Tawa (griddle). No tandoori oven is needed, we will make it on the stovetop. Let’s see how to make this recipe.
Ingredient Notes
Yogurt is one such ingredient that's always in my pantry. Unlike yeast, which isn't always on hand, yogurt offers a fantastic alternative for making Naan bread without yeast. Yogurt along with baking powder and baking soda results in the Best restaurant-worthy Naan bread recipe at home.
- Flour - I have used all-purpose flour (Maida) to make the dough. You can use a combination of all-purpose flour and wheat flour in a ratio of 1:1 for more nutritious Naan.
- Yogurt: The star ingredient in this Naan bread recipe. Greek yogurt or any full-fat yogurt can be used for this recipe. Yogurt's natural acidity helps leaven the dough, creating a soft and fluffy texture similar to what we get from yeast.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents work together with the yogurt to create air pockets in the Naan bread dough, resulting in a light and fluffy naan. You cannot skip them they are a must while making Naan bread with yogurt.
- Milk: I have used lukewarm milk. It helps activate the baking powder and baking soda, further contributing to the dough's rise. It also results in soft melt in the mouth Naan bread. You can substitute it with water.
For a detailed list of ingredients and their measurements, check out the recipe card below.
How to Make Naan Bread Recipe with Yogurt with step by step photos
Here I am sharing the recipe for Garlic Naan.
1) Prepare your naan dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine ½ cup yogurt, ¼ cup lukewarm milk, 1 tablespoon oil, and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Add 2 cups flour, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon baking soda to this mixture.
2) Combine all the ingredients. Initially, it will not bind together. Now gradually add 1-2 teaspoons of lukewarm milk to the dough and knead until it comes together like a big ball. Avoid adding too much milk at once to prevent a sticky mess. Once the dough ball is formed, add 1 teaspoon of oil all over the dough.
3) Knead the dough for 10 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Initially, the dough will be sticky and will not stretch. However, as you continue kneading, it will gradually become smoother, less sticky, and stretchier.
4) At this point, stop kneading (don’t overdo it otherwise the dough will be hard). It's only a 10-minute workout, and believe me, the result is fabulous. Not kneading the dough will result in dense and heavy Naan bread.
5) Apply 1 teaspoon of oil over it. Cover and let it rest for at least 45 minutes to a maximum of 2 hours.
6) Roll the naan dough. After two hours, knead the dough once and divide it into six equal-sized balls. Smooth the top surface of the ball by tucking the edges of the dough into the center. Watch the video for more clarity.
7) On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball into a thin oval or circle, about ¼ inch thick.
8) Sprinkle with kalonji or nigella seeds (optional), coriander leaves, and garlic. Roll the dough lightly once more to stick the toppings.
9) Apply water. Brush or lightly sprinkle just the underside of the naan dough with water. It will help to stick the Naan on Tawa (griddle).
10) Heat your tawa (cast iron griddle). Preheat your tawa over medium heat. A quick way to check the temperature is to sprinkle a few drops of water onto the surface. It should sizzle and evaporate quickly.
11) Cook the naan. Carefully place the rolled naan dough on the tawa (cast-iron griddle), wet side down. Once it begins to brown and puff up with air pockets (image 18), flip it over.
12) For traditional tandoori char marks, cook it directly over a low, open gas flame. See this process in the images 19 & 20. Hold the cast iron tawa with its handle, at some distance, over the low open gas flame, while constantly moving it to cook all sides evenly. If you are using a non-stick pan, do not flip it over an open flame instead cook the other side as mentioned below.
13) Alternatively, flip the naan over on the tawa and cook the other side on the tawa for a few more seconds until char marks appear. Remove it to a plate. Immediately brush it with melted butter. It keeps the naan soft even after hours of cooking.
14) Enjoy your freshly cooked garlic naan immediately. Pair it with curries, dips, or simply savor it on its own.
Naan Bread Variations
I have shared my favorite Garlic Naan recipe above in this post. You can make butter naan with the same recipe. Skip the addition of garlic and your Butter Naan or Plain Naan is ready.
Tips to make the best naan bread from scratch
- Addition of milk - Add lukewarm milk to activate the baking powder and baking soda, resulting in softer naan bread. Incorporate the milk gradually (1-2 teaspoons at a time) into the combined dough ingredients, kneading until a cohesive dough forms.
- Avoid adding excessive milk - I made this mistake many times, as this can create a sticky mess. If the dough becomes too sticky, incorporate additional flour, one tablespoon at a time. Don’t add too much flour it will result in tough Naan.
- Kneading the dough - It helps to develop the gluten in the flour resulting in smooth, pliable dough that is easy to shape and gives the naan its elastic texture. It incorporates air into the dough which leads to a lighter and fluffier naan. I've tried making naan without kneading, and the difference in texture and rise is quite noticeable.
- Resting the Dough - While yogurt offers a faster rise than yeast, a 1-2 hour rest can still be beneficial for optimal results in naan bread recipe. Resting allows the gluten to relax after kneading, making it easier to handle and shape. The resting period gives time to meld the flavors in the dough.
- Cooking on high heat - Cooking Naan bread requires high heat for desirable crunch on the outside while the inside remains soft and airy due to the bread's structure and the short cooking time.
- For the toppings, if you don’t have kalonji or nigella seeds simply skip it. But coriander leaves are a must. You can skip garlic to make butter Naan or plain Naan bread.
- Don't overcook the naan. Once the naan begins to puff up (usually within 60 seconds on a heated tawa), it's time to flip it over. Cook the other side for about 60 seconds more. Look for golden brown spots or char marks as a sign of doneness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Naan is the ultimate companion to Indian curries. Its soft, pliable texture makes it ideal for enjoying dishes like Butter Chicken, Tikka Masala, Dal Makhani, Balti Chicken, and Chicken Pathia.
Or you can try any of these delicious curry recipes.
Let me tell you, the aroma of freshly baked naan is irresistible. Its perfect blend of flavors is so captivating that you'll find yourself craving it even without a curry. Trust me, it's an experience you won't want to miss.
Yogurt adds moisture, a slightly tangy flavor, and fat to the dough, resulting in soft Naan bread.
No, if you are following this naan bread recipe, do not substitute yogurt with milk. The closest substitute will be sour cream.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. We'd love to hear your feedback.
For any questions or concerns while making this recipe, please get in touch with me directly at [email protected]. I'll try my best to respond promptly.
And, consider following me on social media so we can stay connected. I’m on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Naan Bread Recipe with Yogurt
Equipment
-
1 large mixing bowl
-
1 cast iron skillet or non-stick pan
Ingredients
For the Naan dough
- ½ cup full fat yogurt or greek yogurt (do not used flavored yogurt)
- ¼ cup milk luke warm
- 1 tablespoon oil any cooking oil with neutral flavor
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (Maida)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Other ingredients
- (Kalonji) Nigella seeds (optional)
- coriander leaves
- 4-6 finely chopped garlic cloves
Instructions
-
Prepare your naan dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine yogurt, lukewarm milk, oil, and sugar. To this mixture, add flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
-
Combine all the ingredients. Initially it will not bind together. Now gradually add 1-2 teaspoons of lukewarm milk to the dough and knead until it comes together like a big ball. Avoid adding too much milk at once to prevent a sticky mess. Once the dough ball is formed, add 1 teaspoon of oil all over the dough.
-
Knead the dough: Knead for 10 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Initially, the dough will be sticky and will not stretch. However, as you continue kneading, it will gradually become smoother, less sticky, and stretchier. At this point, stop kneading (don’t ovedo it otherwise the dough will be hard). It's only a 10-minute workout, and believe me, the result is fabulous. Cover and let it rest for at least 45 minutes to maximum 2 hours. Not kneading the dough will result in dense and heavy Naan bread.
-
Roll the naan dough. After two hours, knead the dough once and divide it into six equal-sized balls. Smooth the top surface of the ball by tucking the edges of the dough into the center. Watch the video for more clarity. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball into a thin oval or circle, about ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle with kalonji or nigella seeds (optional), coriander leaves, and garlic. Roll the dough lightly once more to stick the toppings.
-
Apply water. Brush or lightly sprinkle just the underside of the naan dough with water. It will help to stick the Naan on Tawa (griddle).
-
Heat your tawa (cast iron griddle). Preheat your tawa over medium heat. A quick way to check the temperature is to sprinkle a few drops of water onto the surface. It should sizzle and evaporate quickly.
-
Cook the naan. Carefully place the rolled naan dough on the tawa (cast-iron griddle), wet side down. Once it begins to brown and puff up with air pockets, flip it over. For a traditional tandoori char marks, cook it directly over a low, open gas flame. See this process in the images or watch the recipe video. Hold the cast iron tawa with its handle, at some distance, over the low open gas flame, while constantly moving it to cook all sides evenly. If you are using non-stick pan, do not flip it over open flame instead cook the other side as mentioned below.
-
Alternatively, flip the naan over on the tawa and cook the other side on the tawa for a few more seconds until char marks appear. Remove it to a plate. Immediately brush it with melted butter. It keeps the naan soft even after hours of cooking.
-
Enjoy your freshly cooked garlic naan immediately. Pair it with curries, dips, or simply savor it on its own.
Video
Notes
- You can easily double or triple the recipe.
- Addition of milk - Add lukewarm milk to activate the baking powder and baking soda, resulting in softer naan bread. Incorporate the milk gradually (1-2 teaspoons at a time) into the combined dough ingredients, kneading until a cohesive dough forms.
- Avoid adding excessive milk (I made this mistake many times), as this can create a sticky mess. If the dough becomes too sticky, incorporate additional flour, one tablespoon at a time. Don’t add too much flour it will result in tough Naan.
- Kneading the dough - It helps to develop the gluten in the flour resulting in smooth, pliable dough that is easy to shape and gives the naan its elastic texture. It incorporates air into the dough which leads to a lighter and fluffier naan. I've tried making naan without kneading, and the difference in texture and rise is quite noticeable.
- Resting the Dough - While yogurt offers a faster rise than yeast, a 1-2 hour rest can still be beneficial for optimal results in naan dough. Resting allows the gluten to relax after kneading, making it easier to handle and shape. The resting period gives time to meld the flavors in the dough. A longer rest of 2 hours can lead to a slightly chewier naan compared to a shorter rest of 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Cooking on high heat - Cooking Naan bread requires high heat for desirable crunch on the outside while the inside remains soft and airy due to the bread's structure and the short cooking time.
- For the toppings, if you don’t have kalonji or nigella seeds simply skip it. But coriander leaves are a must. You can skip garlic to make butter Naan or plain Naan bread.
- Don't overcook the naan. Once the naan begins to puff up (usually within 60 seconds on a heated tawa), it's time to flip it over. Cook the other side for about 60 seconds more. Look for golden brown spots or char marks as a sign of doneness.
- Flour choice - I have made Naan with all-purpose flour, wheat flour, and a combination of both. I found that all-purpose flour produced the best Naan bread. When wheat flour is added, the Naan becomes slightly harder compared to using only all-purpose flour. However, for a more nutritious option, a combination of both flours in a ratio of 1:1 works well. I wouldn't recommend making Naan solely with wheat flour.
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I’m Preeti Nayak, the author, photographer & editor here at theyummydelights.com. Here at this website, we share easy family-friendly recipes that you will love.
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