This Easy Naan Recipe (No Yeast) will allow you to have soft, fluffy, buttery naan on your dinner table anytime the craving hits. With an active cooking time of just 30 minutes, this is an easy way to enjoy homemade flatbread with your favorite curry.
Naan is a popular flatbread of Persian origin that was once enjoyed only by the rich and noble during the Mughal era. Today, it is a popular street food in India and Pakistan, just like parathas. Unlike a paratha, which is cooked on a flat griddle, naan is cooked at extremely high heat (900 degrees Fahrenheit) in a clay oven called a tandoor.
In the USA, authentic naan usually requires a trip to a South Asian restaurant. This recipe is a shortcut version that may not be as good as authentic naan straight out of the tandoor but is a huge improvement on store-bought flatbreads.
My favorite way to enjoy this easy naan recipe is with my dum ka keema, chicken tikka masala, tandoori fish, beef pasanda recipe, and chicken korma recipe.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Pantry ingredients - You'll likely have all the ingredients for this easy naan recipe. The nigella seeds are easy to source and can easily be replaced with black sesame seeds.
- Easy recipe - By not using yeast and batch cooking the naan in the oven, this recipe comes together in half the time of an authentic recipe.
- Great for batching - Doubling or even tripling the easy naan recipe takes just a little bit of extra time, making it perfect for entertaining or making it for your family over the holidays.
- Egg-free - Many naan recipes have eggs added. This is not an authentic ingredient in traditional naan recipes; by omitting it, people with dietary restrictions can also enjoy the recipe.
- Adaptable recipe - Use gluten-free flour or substitute the milk, yogurt, and butter for a vegan option.
Ingredient notes
- All-purpose flour - After testing this easy naan recipe multiple times with bread and all-purpose flour, I find that all-purpose flour is a more foolproof option, especially for beginners.
- Yogurt - Plain full-fat yogurt helps activate the baking soda for a better rise, and the fat makes the naan softer.
- Leavening agents - Baking powder and soda replace the yeast in the dough, helping it rise and making the naan fluffy and soft.
- Nigella seeds - These taste like a combination of onions and oregano and add lots of flavor to this easy naan recipe. Feel free to omit or substitute these if you have trouble sourcing them, but use them for best results.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Use bread flour - Bread flour has more gluten and, as such, gives the naan a chewy texture. I've tested this easy naan recipe with both types of flour and found only a marginal difference in the final results. My kids prefer the texture of the naan when I use all-purpose flour, but feel free to switch it up and see which one is their favorite.
- Cook the naan in a skillet - While it's easier to batch cook the naan in the oven, cooking them in a hot cast iron skillet creates the perfect bubbles and char.
- Knead the dough using a different method - A Kitchen Aid isn't necessary for this easy naan recipe. A food processor with a dough blade works great, and traditional hand kneading works just as well. In fact, I teach this recipe often in my cooking classes and knead my dough by hand.
- Try ghee - Use ghee instead of oil and butter for this recipe. It will result in a more authentic flavor.
- Change up the toppings - For your naan, use garlic, cilantro, cumin seeds, ajwain (caraway seeds), or even plain black sesame seeds.
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Step-by-step instructions
First step - Add all the dry ingredients except the nigella and sesame seeds to the bowl of your Kitchen Aid. Stir to mix, and then add the olive oil, yogurt, and milk.
Second step - Add half a cup of milk at a time and mix using a dough hook until the dough forms a round ball.
Third step - Place the dough in a small bowl and cover it with a damp dishcloth or plastic wrap. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 1 hour.
Fourth step - Break up the dough into eight even parts after the resting period. Roll each portion into a round ball, using a small amount of flour as necessary.
Fifth step - Roll the dough into the desired shape (I do oval, but round is always an option).
Sixth step - Poke holes in each naan. I used the tip of a chopstick here, but a straw or even a fork will do in a pinch.
Final step - Bake the easy naan in a preheated oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-5 minutes (or less). Cook just until brown blisters form, and then remove from the oven. Immediately brush with butter, sprinkle with the sesame and nigella seeds, and serve.
Expert Tips
- Cook on high heat - Traditionally, naan is cooked in a tandoor at approximately 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Whether you cook this easy naan recipe in the oven or a cast-iron skillet, ensure they are pre-heated well. Cooking the flatbread at high heat for a short period will produce soft and fluffy naan.
- Don't overcook the naan - Overcooking the naan will make it dense and tough. Watch it closely and remove it from the oven when you see the first signs of blisters forming on the surface.
- Roll the naan to ¼ inch thickness - This is the ideal measurement and will result in perfect naan. If you roll the flatbread too thin, it will become dense and tough. Feel free to use a ruler to measure if you'd like.
- The dough should be slightly sticky - The ideal texture is slightly sticky when mixing the dough. Once it rests, it will be perfect to roll into the naan. You can use a little bit of flour at this point for assistance.
Recipe FAQS
Naan has a texture that is fluffy and chewy, while pita bread is more dense and crisp. Pita bread is lower in calories and fat and opens up to create a pocket that's perfect for stuffing with your favorite fillings.
The dough for this easy naan recipe can be made up to two days ahead of time. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until needed. Shape into dough balls and bake as per instructions in the recipe.
Store the baked naan in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat in a toaster oven for best results. Freeze the naan for up to 3 months, defrost overnight, and reheat in a toaster oven.
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
Easy Naan Recipe (No Yeast)
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Ingredients
- 3.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp baking soda
- 1.5 tsp sugar
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 tbsp full fat plain yogurt
- 1.5 cups full-fat milk
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp nigella seeds (see notes)
- 3 tbsp white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt into your kitchen aid mixing bowl and stir to mix. (see notes)
- Add the olive oil and yogurt to this mixture and start mixing on a low speed, using a dough hook.
- Add in the milk, ½ a cup at a time, until it's fully incorporated. Mix until the dough comes together into a ball. (see notes)
- Place the dough in a bowl, cover it with a damp dishcloth or plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes. (see notes)
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface and place the dough on it.
- Use a Chef's knife or dough scraper to cut it into 8 equal parts and shape these into round balls.
- Roll each dough ball into a round or oval shape, ¼ inch thick, and place each on a baking sheet. (see notes)
- Poke holes in each naan using a chopstick, straw or a fork (see notes)
- Bake the naan in batches for 3-5 minutes. (see notes)
- Remove the naan, immediately baste with the butter, sprinkle with the sesame and nigella seeds and serve.
Sue
How much salt?
Nosheen Babar
Hi Sue,
My apologies, I just updated the recipe card. It's 1/2 a tsp.
Nosheen