Naan
Naan belongs in your rotation. It takes less time than you think, tastes nothing like store-bought, and once you've made it once, you'll make it again. The dough is forgiving. The cooking is quick. What matters is heat.
You need heat — serious heat.
Naan requires a very hot surface to puff and char properly. A home oven at 500°F works, but a cast-iron skillet on high heat or a gas burner grate gives you more control and better charring. Have your oven fully preheated or your skillet smoking before you start cooking.
- mixing bowl
- kitchen scale (optional but recommended)
- cast-iron skillet or baking steel (preferred) OR standard oven rack
- bench scraper or dough knife
- instant-read thermometer (optional)
What goes in.
- 500 gall-purpose flour
- 7 gsalt
- 5 ginstant yeast
- 250 mlplain yogurt (full-fat, room temperature)
- 30 mlneutral oil
- 2 tbspnigella seeds, sesame seeds, or flaky salt (optional, for topping)
High heat and the blister
Naan puffs because the dough is thick enough to trap steam, but only if the heat is high enough. Your cooking surface needs to be 475°F minimum; 500°F is better. You'll know it's working when the bread hits the pan and immediately begins to blister and char. This happens fast — 90 seconds per side, sometimes less.
The method.
Mix the dough.
Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add yeast. Pour in the yogurt and oil, then mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. The dough will be slightly sticky. This is correct.
Knead briefly.
Work the dough for 5 minutes by hand or with a stand mixer on low speed until it comes together. The goal is not a perfectly smooth dough — naan doesn't need it. You're just distributing the ingredients evenly.
Let it rise.
Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Leave it at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. The dough should roughly double. You're not looking for a dramatic rise, just visible growth.
Heat your cooking surface.
If using an oven: place a baking steel or cast-iron skillet on the middle rack and preheat to 500°F for at least 15 minutes. If using a stovetop skillet: heat it on high for 5 to 10 minutes until it's smoking slightly.
Divide the dough.
Turn the dough onto a lightly oiled surface. Divide it into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, dust lightly with flour, and set aside for 10 minutes — this resting time makes them easier to shape.
Shape into ovals.
Take one ball and gently stretch it into an oval roughly 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. Work gently; you don't need to deflate it completely. The dough should be about 1/4 inch thick.
Top if using.
Brush the shaped dough lightly with oil and sprinkle nigella seeds, sesame, or salt on top. Press them in gently so they stick.
Cook the first naan.
Carefully place one shaped dough onto the hot skillet or baking steel. If using a stovetop, do this one at a time. If using the oven, you can fit 2 to 3 on a steel. Leave it untouched for 60 to 90 seconds. It should blister and brown.
Flip and finish.
Use a metal spatula or tongs to flip the naan. Cook the other side for 45 to 60 seconds until it's also spotted brown. The bread may puff slightly — this is what you want. Remove to a plate.
Brush and stack.
While still warm, brush each naan lightly with melted butter or oil. Stack them on a plate and cover loosely with a kitchen towel to keep them soft while you finish the rest.
Other turns to take.
Garlic naan
Mix minced fresh garlic with melted butter and brush onto the shaped dough before cooking, or brush it on immediately after flipping. Some cooks add finely chopped fresh cilantro to the butter as well.
Whole wheat naan
Replace 150 g of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. The dough will be slightly less elastic, so knead it gently. The rise time may extend to 3 to 4 hours. The cooked bread will be nuttier and denser.
Keema naan (stuffed)
Divide the dough into 12 pieces instead of 6. Roll out two thin ovals, place a spoonful of cooked spiced ground meat between them, seal the edges, and cook as usual. The stuffed version takes slightly longer to cook — watch for puffing.
Peshwari naan (sweet)
Make the dough as directed, but divide into 12 pieces. Divide cooked shredded coconut mixed with a little sugar into 6 portions. Wrap each portion between two thin dough ovals, seal, and cook. These naan are slightly thicker and take a minute longer on each side.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Room-temperature yogurt mixes into the dough more easily than cold yogurt. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking.
Don't skip the preheat. A skillet or steel that isn't fully hot will cook the bottom slowly while the top doesn't blister — you'll get a chewy, pale bread instead of a charred one.
If the dough is sticking badly when you shape it, your kitchen is warm. Chill it for 15 minutes and try again.
Naan is best eaten warm, straight off the pan. If making ahead, reheat it in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30 to 45 seconds per side.
If using a gas range, you can place naan directly over the flame on a grate for a quick char — hold it with long tongs and rotate it every 15 to 20 seconds. This method is fast but requires attention.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why isn't my naan puffing?
Your cooking surface isn't hot enough. Naan needs at least 475°F to puff. If using a skillet on the stovetop, make sure it's smoking slightly before you place the dough on it. If using an oven, give it a full 15 minutes to preheat after reaching 500°F.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. After the first rise, divide and shape the naan, place them on a parchment-lined tray, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Cook straight from the fridge — add 15 to 20 seconds to the cooking time on each side since they'll be colder.
My naan came out tough and dense. What went wrong?
Either the dough was overworked during kneading or the cooking temperature was too low. Knead gently for just 5 minutes. And make sure your pan or oven is truly hot — a moderate oven will cook the dough through before it has a chance to blister and puff.
Do I have to use yogurt?
Yogurt is traditional and creates a tender crumb, but you can substitute it with sour cream in the same amount, or use milk mixed with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes before adding to the flour.
Can I cook multiple naan at once in the oven?
Yes, if you have a large enough baking steel or multiple racks. You can fit 2 to 3 naan on a standard 14-inch steel. Just watch them — the ones closest to the back or sides may cook slightly faster due to uneven oven heat.