Baking Great Bread at HomeSoft, Puffy, and Blistered Indian Flatbread
BeginnerNaanBread
by Henry Hunter Jr.
Restaurant-style naan from your cast iron skillet, no tandoor required.
Fermentation
1–1.5 hours
Bake Time
20 min
Yield
8 naan (about 6–7 inches each)
Perfection is not required
"This is the naan recipe that finally made me stop ordering takeout flatbread."— Henry Hunter Jr.
By Henry Hunter Jr., founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and Baking Great Bread at Home.
Authentic Bread Flavor
Soft, chewy, and covered in those gorgeous charred bubbles, it comes together with pantry ingredients and a hot cast iron skillet. The yogurt and egg in the dough give it that signature pillowy texture you get at your favorite Indian restaurant. Make the garlic butter version and you'll never go back.
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
Naan Dough
Garlic Butter Finish
Pro Tip
Use full-fat regular yogurt, not Greek. Greek yogurt has less moisture and more protein, which can make the dough tighter than you want. If Greek is all you have, reduce the flour by about 25g.
Step 1
Activate Yeast
Getting the yeast going and building the dough. This takes less time than you think.
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Bloom the Yeast
Combine warm water (105–110°F / 40–43°C), , and sugar in a large bowl. Stir gently and let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy and bubbly on top. If nothing happens after 10 minutes, your yeast is dead — toss it and start fresh.
Combine Wet Ingredients
Whisk the yogurt, egg, and olive oil into the yeast mixture until smooth.
Pro Tip
Even though can go straight into dough, it in warm water first gives you a fluffier naan. I've tested both ways. The bloomed version wins every time.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Bloom Yeast
Step 2
Mix and Knead the Dough
Building the dough structure. You want soft and slightly sticky, not stiff.
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Add Dry Ingredients
Add the flour and salt to the wet mixture. Stir with a fork or your hand until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5–6 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky. The dough should spring back when you poke it. If it's too sticky to handle, dust your hands with flour rather than adding more flour to the dough. You want to keep this on the softer side.
Form a Ball
Shape into a smooth ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
Pro Tip
Resist the urge to add extra flour. A slightly sticky dough makes softer, puffier naan. Think "tacky like a Post-it note," not "glue on your fingers."
Step 3
First Rise
Let the yeast do its thing. The dough should roughly double in size.
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Rise
Place the covered bowl in a warm spot (75–80°F / 24–27°C is ideal). Let the dough rise until doubled, about 1 to 1.5 hours. If your kitchen is cool, turn your oven light on and place the bowl inside with the door cracked — that's a free box.
⏱ Wait Time
1–1.5 hours
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
First Rise
Step 4
Divide and Shape
Portioning and rolling the naan. Don't overthink the shape — rustic and uneven is traditional.
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Punch Down
Gently deflate the dough by pressing it with your fingertips.
Divide
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and use a to cut into 8 equal pieces (about 75–80g each).
Shape into Balls
Roll each piece into a smooth ball, tucking the edges under. Cover with a towel and let rest for 5 minutes. This brief rest relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.
Roll Out
Using a floured rolling pin, roll each ball into an oval or teardrop shape about 6–7 inches long and roughly ¼ inch thick (5–6mm). Don't stress about perfection — irregular shapes are how naan looks when it's handmade.
Pro Tip
Roll them to about ¼ inch thick. Too thin and they'll crisp up instead of staying soft. Too thick and you won't get those signature bubbles.
Step 5
Cook on the Skillet
High heat is what makes naan puff up with those gorgeous blistered spots. Get the pan screaming hot.
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Preheat the Skillet
Place your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for at least 3–4 minutes. It needs to be seriously hot. You should see a slight shimmer or wisps of smoke.
Cook First Side
Place one rolled naan onto the dry skillet (no oil needed). Cook for 1–2 minutes until the bottom has golden-brown spots and you see large bubbles forming on the surface.
Flip
Flip the naan and cook for another 1–2 minutes until the second side has charred spots. Press down gently with a spatula if any large air pockets form to help even cooking.
Brush and Stack
Immediately brush the hot naan with garlic butter and sprinkle with cilantro and flaky salt. Stack cooked naan on a plate and cover with a clean towel to keep them warm and pliable while you cook the rest.
Pro Tip
Cook them one at a time. I know it's tempting to rush, but each naan needs full contact with that hot surface. While one cooks, roll the next one out. You'll get into a rhythm fast.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Preheat Skillet
Cook Per Naan
Shaping
Shape the Naan
Don't overthink the shape — rustic and uneven is traditional.
Classic Teardrop
The traditional naan shape, wider at one end.
RecommendedClick each step to mark complete
Roll
Roll each ball into a rough oval or teardrop, about 6–7 inches long.
Orient
The wider end goes down on the skillet first.
Round (for Wraps or Pizza)
Versatile flat rounds for wraps and flatbread pizza.
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Roll
Roll into a circle about 7–8 inches across.
Use
These work great as flatbread pizza bases or sandwich wraps.
Stuffed Naan
Cheese or potato-filled naan for a complete meal.
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Fill
Roll to about 4 inches, place 2 tbsp filling in center.
Seal
Pinch edges closed, flip seam-side down, roll gently to 6 inches.
Cook
Cook seam-side down first.
The Final Step
Cook the Naan
High heat on a dry skillet creates the signature bubbles and char.
Baking Methods
The best method for home naan. A screaming-hot dry skillet mimics a tandoor.
Equipment: 12-inch cast iron skillet
Preheat
Heat dry cast iron skillet over medium-high for 3–4 minutes until you see a slight shimmer or wisps of smoke.
Cook First Side
Place naan on dry skillet. Cook 1–2 minutes until golden-brown spots on bottom and large bubbles on top.
Flip
Cook second side 1–2 minutes until charred spots develop. Press gently with a spatula if large air pockets form.
Finish
Immediately brush with garlic butter, sprinkle with cilantro and flaky salt. Stack under a towel.
Nutrition Facts
Per 1 naan (about 85g) • 8 servings per recipe
* Values are estimates based on standard ingredients
Storage
Room Temperature
1–2 days in a zip-top bag or airtight container (best eaten same day)
Frozen
Up to 3 months. Cool completely, stack with parchment between each naan. Reheat on a hot skillet for 30–60 seconds per side or in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 5 minutes.
💡 Naan is best eaten fresh and warm. If reheating, a hot skillet brings back the softness better than a microwave.
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Troubleshooting
Baker's Notes
Common questions and solutions for perfect results
Temperature is the invisible ingredient. I use the Goldie and DoughBed from SourHouse to keep my starter and dough at the perfect temperature, every time.
SourHouse Temperature Control Products
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