This simple recipe for Naan Bread comes together with just 2 main ingredients! They’re buttery, garlicky, fluffy, super easy to make and go good with so many things!
Is it just me or is Naan Bread severely underrated?! I mean, the hot slathered butter, the subtle yet strong taste of garlic and the soft and pillowy insides. Looking at it – browned in certain spots (but not burnt), crisp around the outer edges and perfectly seasoned… you’d think that making it would take hourrrrs on a good day. And perhaps there are versions that do. But, when you’re all about quick and easy lately and Summer is slowly creepin’ on in, ain’t nobody got time for that. Am I right?! Well, fear not. You know I always have your back. Or should I say that this simple recipe for Naan Bread has got your back, baby.
WHAT IS NAAN BREAD?
Popular in Indian cuisine, naan bread is basically a form of flatbread that is traditionally oven baked (in a blazing hot Indian style oven) or cooked in a tawa (an Indian cast iron skillet). It’s normally leavened made with some combination of flour, water, yogurt and yeast. There are many variations of naan bread with one of the most popular being garlic butter.
Naan bread has soft, fluffy and pillowy insides. It’s kinnnda similar to pita bread in its own way and is usually served up with curries or dal (Indian lentils). But, these days, there’s no limits to what you can do with this popular Indian flatbread! Use it as a base for pizza, as taco shells, for sandwiches or wraps or as “crackers” for popular dips such as hummus or baba ganoush.
INGREDIENTS FOR SIMPLE NAAN BREAD WITHOUT YEAST
With just 2 main ingredients, this simple Naan Bread may not be the traditional way of making naan but it’s just as delicious. There is no yeast involved here and the toppings, while optional, are kinda sorta not… lol. Let’s discuss what you’re going to need to put this no yeast naan bread together in a little bit more detail down below:
- Self-Rising Flour: Self Rising Flour is basically just flour with baking powder (a leavening agent) and salt already added to it. Using this kind of flour for this naan bread recipe will make them turn out nice and fluffy. You can use store bought or you can always easily whip up your own in 30 seconds flat.
- Greek Yogurt: The second main ingredient to this simple recipe for naan bread. Gives it that soft and pillowy texture while making it pliable and easy to work with. Full fat and plain work best in this recipe.
- Butter: For brushing on at the end. Adds a smooth, rich and undeniably delicious flavour to the naan bread.
- Garlic: Adds freshness and flavour to the naan bread. Pairs perfectly well with the butter, parsley and softness of the bread. I love using fresh minced garlic for this recipe. However, if all you have on hand is garlic powder then just give the flatbreads a generous sprinkle at the end.
- Parsley: Adds a herby freshness and vibrant pop of colour to this homemade naan bread recipe. Fresh is best in this recipe.
HOW TO MAKE NAAN BREAD WITH 2 INGREDIENTS (KEY TIPS)
- The dough will be suppppper sticky at first and make you wonder why you ever make anything that involves water and flour on your hands. However, the more you mix, the tighter it will become and less sticky. Most of the dough will just magically fall off your hands once the ball comes together. EXTRA TIP: The flour mixture might appear a little “crumby” with small little crumb like pieces at the bottom of the bowl. You want to be sure to mix these into the dough getting as much of it as you can. I like to make a little indent in the ball of dough, collect the bottom crumbs with my hands, put them into the indent and fold/knead them in normally. EXTRA EXTRA TIP: To make things easier to work with, don’t forget to flour both the dough and your work surface.
- Cut the dough into as even size pieces as you can get them. Use your dough scraper to help you and don’t be afraid to even them out after the fact, if needed.
- Use your hands to stretch the dough pieces into naan like shapes being careful not to overstretch and tear the dough. The beauty of naan bread is that they don’t have to be these perfect or consistent shapes. The rugged look is what makes them stand out!
- Use a non-stick skillet and don’t add any oil to it. I tested this recipe using both a cast iron skillet and a non-stick skillet and found that the cast iron got too hot and burnt the naan after the first batch. Oil is not necessary or needed as the naan won’t stick to a non-stick skillet as it cooks.
- Work in batches and don’t overcrowd the pan. The naan bread won’t expand while cooking, however, you still want to give them enough room to properly cook on both sides. They shouldn’t be overlapping or touching. EXTRA TIP: Transfer the cooked naan bread to a plate or bowl lined with a clean cloth or tea towel so you can easily keep them warm while cooking the remaining pieces.
- Season the naan bread with butter, garlic, parsley and salt while they’re still hot for best results. The seasonings will stick to the naan better this way locking in more flavour. I find the best way to do this is to simply lay them out on a flat surface or cutting board once they’re all cooked and hit them with the seasonings all at the same time. EXTRA TIP: Make sure you FINELY mince the garlic so as not to overpower the naan.
- Sprinkle the naan bread with some salt after buttering them, especially if you’re using unsalted butter. This just adds that final layer of flavour and brings the dish together.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Although similar in their own ways, naan bread and pita bread are actually quite different. Naan bread is more popular in Indian and Pakistani cuisine. While pita bread is popular in the Mediterranean and Middle East. Naan bread is typically made with a yogurt base making them nice and pillowy while pita bread is made with basic ingredients such as flour and water without any yogurt.
You can simply store any leftover naan bread at room temperature on the counter. I like wrapping it up in a tea towel or clean cloth on a plate or in a bowl. They don’t last very long in our house but they’ll be good for a few days this way. If keeping them for longer, store them in an airtight container in the fridge where they should keep for up to a week.
To reheat, simply throw them in a hot skillet (without any oil) for a couple minutes per side until heated through. Alternatively, reheat naan in a hot oven or a microwave.
YES! This simple recipe for naan bread is great for the freezer! Simply wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and pop them in a freezer safe bag. They’ll be good for up to 3 months. Simply thaw at room temperature and then reheat in a cast iron skillet or oven when ready to eat again.
SIMPLE NAAN BREAD
This simple recipe for Naan Bread comes together with just 2 main ingredients! They're buttery, garlicky, fluffy, super easy to make and go good with so many things!
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup Self-Rising Flour
- 1 cup Full Fat Plain Greek Yogurt
OPTIONAL (but not really)
- 1/2 tsp Salt, plus more to taste
- 1-2 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp Butter, melted
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the flour, Greek yogurt and salt (if using). Using your hands, combine well and form a ball. The mixture will be sticky at first but should come off your hands pretty easily the more you mix it. Sprinkle a little extra flour on top of the dough ball.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Use your hands to flatten it out as much as possible into an even circle. Then, using a sharp knife or a dough scraper, cut it into 8 even pieces.
- Using your hands and your floured work surface, stretch or flatten each piece of dough into a rectangular or triangular shape (whatever you can manage - naan isn't a perfect shape!).
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add your naan bread, working in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 3 minutes, flip then cook an additional 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with a clean cloth to keep warm as you cook the remaining pieces.
- OPTIONAL (but not really): While the naan bread is still hot, brush each piece with the melted butter. Then sprinkle with salt, garlic and fresh chopped parsley, if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 31Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 167mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g
Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.
TRY THIS HOMEMADE NAAN BREAD WITH MY INDIAN BUTTER CHICKEN OR MY LOW FODMAP TIKKA MASALA!
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