Easy Garlic Naan Bread (Printable)

Soft Indian flatbread with garlic butter. Perfect for curries, wraps, or enjoying on its own. Ready in 35 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 package (0.25 oz) active dry yeast
03 - 1 teaspoon sugar
04 - 1 cup warm water
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 4 tablespoons plain yogurt
07 - 2 tablespoons oil or ghee

→ Garlic Butter Topping

08 - 3 tablespoons minced garlic
09 - 2 tablespoons melted butter

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir and let sit for 5–10 minutes until frothy.
02 - Add flour, salt, yogurt, and oil or ghee to the bowl. Mix until a dough forms.
03 - Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm area for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
05 - Punch down the dough and divide into 8 equal portions. Roll each piece into an oval or tear-drop shape, about 0.25 inch thick.
06 - Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat.
07 - Place one naan in the hot skillet. Cook for 2–3 minutes until bubbles form on the surface. Flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes until golden brown spots appear.
08 - Remove from the skillet and immediately brush with melted butter mixed with minced garlic.
09 - Repeat with remaining dough portions. Serve warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It takes half the time of most bread recipes and tastes better than anything from the freezer aisle.
  • You don't need a tandoor or any special equipment, just a regular skillet and a little courage to flip it at the right moment.
  • The dough is forgiving enough that even if you forget about it for an extra twenty minutes, it still puffs up beautifully.
  • Garlic butter on warm bread is a love language, and this delivers it in under forty minutes.
02 -
  • If your skillet isn't hot enough, the naan will turn out pale and tough instead of blistered and soft, so don't be shy with the heat.
  • Brushing the garlic butter on immediately after cooking is non-negotiable, because that's when the bread absorbs all the flavor.
  • Rolling the dough too thin will give you crackers instead of pillowy naan, so aim for about a quarter inch and trust the process.
03 -
  • Keep a damp towel over the rolled-out naan while you cook the others so they don't dry out and crack.
  • If your dough feels too sticky to handle, resist the urge to add a ton of flour, just oil your hands lightly and keep kneading.
  • Press the naan gently with a spatula while it cooks to encourage those big, beautiful air pockets to form.
  • Make a double batch and freeze half, because once people taste this, they'll be asking for it again before the week is out.
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