Naan Bread – Pan-Cooked Flatbread, Also with Garlic

Indian cooks bake naan in a tandoor, a clay oven with very high heat. At home a heavy pan gets you close. The dough contains yeast and yogurt, which keeps the bread soft and makes big blisters as it cooks.

By Laura Chen · October 27, 2026

1 Std 50 Mintotal

8servings

295kcal

IndianCuisine ›

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The pan has to be very hot before the first flatbread goes in. A lid holds the heat on top and lets the dough rise. For garlic naan, scatter garlic and cilantro over the dough before you cook it.

Naan goes with curries with plenty of sauce, such as butter chicken, palak paneer or dal tadka. You find a layered flatbread from Malaysia in roti canai.

Naan Bread – Pan-Cooked Flatbread, Also with Garlic

Name: Naan Bread – Pan-Cooked Flatbread, Also with Garlic
Prep time: 1 h 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 500 g all-purpose flour (type 550 or 405); 7 g dry yeast (1 packet); 1 tsp sugar; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 150 g plain yogurt (3.5% fat); 160 ml lukewarm milk; 2 tbsp vegetable oil or melted ghee; 40 g butter or ghee, melted; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 tbsp chopped cilantro; 1 tsp black cumin (nigella), optional

Laura Chen

Servings

Prep time

90 minutes

Cook time

20 minutes

Calories

295

Cuisine

Indian

Ingredients

For the dough:

500 g all-purpose flour (type 550 or 405)
7 g dry yeast (1 packet)
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
150 g plain yogurt (3.5% fat)
160 ml lukewarm milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil or melted ghee

For brushing:

40 g butter or ghee, melted

For garlic naan:

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp black cumin (nigella), optional

Instructions

Stir together the milk, sugar and yeast and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes, until foamy.
Put the flour, salt, yogurt, oil and the yeast milk in a bowl and knead for 8 minutes into a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 60 minutes, until doubled.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces, shape balls and let them rest covered for 10 minutes. Roll each ball into an oblong flatbread 5 mm thick. For garlic naan, press the garlic, cilantro and black cumin into the top.
Heat a cast iron or heavy pan without fat over high heat for 3 minutes. Lay a flatbread in it, topped side up, and cover the pan.
Cook the flatbread for 1 to 2 minutes, until it blisters and the underside has brown spots. Turn it and cook for another minute.
Brush the naan with butter right away and wrap it in a kitchen towel so it stays soft. Cook the remaining flatbreads the same way.

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Naan Bread – Pan-Cooked Flatbread, Also with Garlic

Ingredients

For the dough:

For brushing:

For garlic naan:

Instructions

Reviews

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Naan Bread – Pan-Cooked Flatbread, Also with Garlic

Ingredients

For the dough:

For brushing:

For garlic naan:

Instructions

Reviews

Rate this recipe

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