Garlic Naan Bread Recipe (2024)

For the dough:

• ▢ 2 tsp (7g) instant yeast
• ▢ 120 ml (½ cup) warm water
• ▢ 300 g (2 ½ cups) strong white bread flour - plus extra for dusting
• ▢ 1 tsp (5g) sugar (caster or superfine)
• ▢ ½ tsp baking powder
• ▢ 1 tsp (5g) salt
• ▢ 150 ml (½ cup + 2 tbsp) natural yogurt
• ▢ 30 g (2 tbsp) melted unsalted butter

For rolling/shaping:

• ▢ 3-4 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour

Garlic butter:

• ▢ 75 g (5 tbsp) melted unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 2 cloves minced garlic
• ▢ 2 tsp dried parsley - or 4 tsp finely chopped fresh parsley

• Place the yeast in a bowl and add the warm water. Stir together and leave for 5 minutes, until foam appears on top of the water.

  2 tsp (7g) instant yeast, 120 ml (½ cup) warm water

• Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, yeast and water mixture, yogurt, and melted butter to the bowl of a stand mixer.

  300 g (2 ½ cups) strong white bread flour, 1 tsp (5g) sugar (caster or superfine), ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp (5g) salt, 150 ml (½ cup + 2 tbsp) natural yogurt, 30 g (2 tbsp) melted unsalted butter

• Mix the dough together using the dough hook until combined. The mixture will look dry at first but will come together.

• Once combined, continue to knead the dough with the dough hook for 10 minutes. By this point, the dough will be quite sticky.

• Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth or clingfilm and allow to prove for 60-90 minutes, until doubled in size.

• Dust the work surface with a good sprinkling of flour. Divide the dough into 6 balls, dust each one with flour and roll each one out into a teardrop shape approx 18cm (7 inches) long and about 12cm (4.7 inches) wide at the widest point.

  See Also

  Refrigerator Bread and Butter Pickles Recipe

  3-4 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour

• Preheat the oven to its lowest setting (to keep the naan breads warm).

• Heat a large frying pan (either a non-stick or a seasoned cast iron pan) over a high heat. When very hot, place a naan bread in the pan and fry for approx. 3 minutes, until it puffs up.

• Turn the naan bread over a cook for another 3 minutes until golden patches appear on the bread. You can cook it for longer if you prefer darker patches (the pan may smoke a little if cooking for longer, so you may need to carefully wipe it out after cooking each naan).

• Meanwhile make the garlic butter by mixing the melted unsalted butter, salt, garlic, and dried parsley together in a small bowl.

  75 g (5 tbsp) melted unsalted butter, 1 tsp salt, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp dried parsley

• When the naan bread is cooked, place it on a baking tray and brush the top generously with the garlic butter mixture.

• Cover the tray with foil and place in the oven.

• Repeat, cooking each naan bread, brushing the top with garlic butter and placing on top of the previously cooked naan bread (keeping them in a stack will keep them nice and soft). Each time you add a naan bread to the pile, re-cover the pile with the piece of foil and place back in the oven to keep warm until all the naan breads are cooked.

• Serve with your favourite curry.

Can I make them ahead?

Yes, make the naan breads, then cool them and place in an airtight container or wrapped in foil. They should be fine at room temperature for 2 days.

Reheat them by placing on a baking tray in a single layer, covered in foil. Place in a pre-heated oven at 200C/400F for about 5-6 minutes until hot throughout.

You can make them ahead, including brushing on the garlic butter, or you can make them without the garlic butter and brush the garlic butter on after reheating. It's up to you.
They will be more buttery if you brush the garlic butter on right before serving, but they taste great either way.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, make the naan breads, then cool them and place in an airtight container or wrapped in foil and place in the freezer.

Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as per the make-ahead instructions above.

Can I use regular active dry yeast or fresh yeast instead of instant yeast?

Yes:

Replace the 2 tsp (7g) instant yeast with 2.5 tsp (9g)active dry yeast.
OR
Replace the 2 tsp (7g) instant yeast with 2tbsp (18g) of fresh yeast.

Ingredient swaps

For plain or cumin naans:
Instead of brushing with garlic butter, brush with melted salted butter and sprinkle on nigella seeds or cumin seeds.

For chilli and/or coriander (cilantro) garlic naans:
Swap out the parsley for chilli flakes and/or freshly chopped coriander (cilantro)

Scale down the recipe

You can halve the recipe to make 3 naans or 4 small naans by halving all of the ingredients (same kneading and proving time needed).

Nutritional information is per naan bread.