Homemade Garlic Naan Bread oozes with garlic butter and is deliciously soft with just the right amount of chew. Easy to make & so much better than shop bought !
When we lived in rural Brittany in France, Friday nights became our homemade takeaway nights. We prefer homemade food whenever possible plus we were the best part of an hour away from our nearest takeaway outlet so homemade was a win-win for us.
For the most part, we switched between Homemade Pizza, Chicken Kebabs with Homemade Pitta Breads and curry nights.
A curry night was our top favourite, especially when we had visitors staying, and everyone agreed you can’t have a curry without Naan bread.
Needless to say Naan bread wasn’t available to buy out in the sticks of Brittany and needs must … Ever since I’ve made our own Naan and I’m sure once you’ve made your own and tasted how much better it is, you won’t go back to shop bought.
Even when we came back to the UK we had a homemade takeaway night once a month but lately with more time at home we’ve returned to having more homemade takeaway nights. Is it a comfort/reassurance/familiarity thing ? Not sure but we definitely enjoy the food.
Homemade Garlic Naan Bread is easy to make and it doesn’t take as long as regular bread. All you need to do is make a dough from bread flour, yeast and yoghurt and leave to prove for an hour. Divide into equal pieces and shape into balls and leave for ten minutes.
Then it’s time to shape the dough balls, I don’t roll out my Naan bread as you don’t want to lose all that air you’ve spent time getting into the dough while it was proving. It’s much gentler on the dough if you shape with your hands like you would a pizza dough.
Naan breads need a very hot surface to cook on and my not having a Tandoor oven means I use a large heavy based frying pan or cast iron griddle as a good home alternative. You can also get good results on a hot BBQ.
It’s best to preheat your pan or griddle for at least five minutes on a medium to high heat. Then it’s time to stretch your dough pieces into tear shapes and place your Naan breads on the hot pan/griddle and wait for the bubbles to appear.
If you Naan doesn’t bubble the surface isn’t hot enough so just turn up the heat a little (the Naan will still taste great). My pan is big enough to take two Naans so I cook them in pairs.
Turn over after three or four minutes. Brush the browned side with garlic butter and wait for another three or four minutes.
Transfer to a basket lined with a clean tea towel. Brush with more garlic butter and sprinkle with freshly chopped coriander or parsley if using.
Cover with another tea towel to keep warm until you’ve finished cooking.
Naan bread can be reheated later either in a microwave for thirty seconds or under a hot grill for a minute or two. Homemade Garlic Naan Bread freezes well so you can make a big batch and store in the freezer until you need them.
Fancy making some Easy Bombay Potatoes to complete your homemade takeaway ?
Let’s keep in touch! You can find me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!
Pin Homemade Garlic Naan Bread for later:
Homemade Garlic Naan Bread
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- large mixing bowl
- cast iron griddle pan or heavy based frying pan
- Pastry brush
Ingredients
Naan Bread
- 500 g bread flour
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast I use Doves Farm
- 3 tablespoons of natural yoghurt
- 5 tablespoons rapeseed or vegetable oil
- 250 to 275 ml water
Garlic Butter Topping
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 50 g butter
- 2 tbsp Optional: freshly chopped coriander or parsley.
Instructions
- Add the bread flour, sugar, salt, instant yeast, yoghurt, oil and water to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Knead on a low setting for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Alternatively, mix by hand and knead for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Transfer dough to an oiled mixing bowl and cover. Leave to prove for an hour or until doubled in size.
- Place your dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into 6 equally sized balls (approx 150g each)
- Cover with a damp tea towel and leave for ten minutes while you preheat your cast iron griddle pan to a medium to high heat.
- Preheat a heavy based frying pan or cast iron griddle on a medium to high heat for at least 5 minutes.
- Shape your dough balls by hand into thin pizza shapes and cover.
- Melt the butter in a small pan on a low heat and add the crushed garlic. Continuing warming for one minute and remove from the heat.
- Stretch a couple of Naan into tear shapes and place onto the hot griddle or pan for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Turn over and brush with garlic butter. Cook for another 3 minutes before brushing with more garlic butter and chopped coriander or parsley and wrapping in a tea towel.
Notes
- Homemade Garlic Naan Bread freeze well and will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Hi, can I cook these and then warm them up the next day to use? I am cooking for a large group so won’t have time to make them fresh.
Hi Kim, you can cook them the day before and rewarm. I tend to freeze them first to keep them extra fresh. I hope you enjoy the garlic naan bread as much as we do.
Thank you so much. Really looking forward to making them.
You’re most welcome Kim 🙂
These are simple and fast to prepare and everyone enjoyed them!Thank you so much for the recipe!
Just like you said, “so much better than store bought”. we love d it.
This was so easy to make and my family loved it!
I have been craving naan! this looks so delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks Amanda, I hope you enjoy my Homemade Garlic Naan as much as we do 🙂
Very delicious naan – a tasty treat that’s not that tough to make with your detailed instructions
Thanks Michele, it’s a pleasure to share my recipe.
Great food photos. It looks so good.
Fresh naan is the best. I’ll need to make this next time I make my Butter Chicken. YUM
Thanks Kerri, Garlic Naan Bread will go so well with Butter Chicken, perfect for mopping up the sauce.
I agree with you homemade Naan bread is always best. I make it more often yours is perfect recipe.
Oh I love my own Homemade Garlic Naan Bread ! Perfect for breakfast.
Delicious! I could eat this all day long.
The naan looks so fluffy! I’ve never attempted it ut I think I will this weekend!
Those looks really delicious! Nothing better than freshly made warm naan
Does the pan need oil before you put the dough on?
I don’t oil my pan as it’s non stick but if you’re not sure about your pan, you could wipe it with oil.
Another fantastic bread recipe! Keep them coming x
I’m such a sucker for warm garlic naan, and now I can make some myself! Thanks for sharing!
Garlic Naan is my favorite! Pinning this to make later!
This garlic naan recipe looks so good I can almost taste them in your photos! I can’t wait to make these this weekend!
Thanks Emily, it’s a pleasure to share the recipe. Do let me know how you get on.