I bake naan as often as I can. It’s one of those things that makes a weeknight dinner feel special without much drama. The dough is simple, the hands-on time is short, and the result is pillowy, slightly charred flatbreads flecked with garlic and cilantro — perfect for scooping up curries, mopping up sauces, or folding around grilled vegetables.
In this post I give you the exact recipe I use at home: a straightforward yeast-raised naan cooked in a cast-iron skillet, then brushed with melted salted butter. I’ll walk you through the steps, explain what matters most, and share fixes for the common problems that can derail a batch.
No precision baking degrees required. Read through the equipment notes, follow the stepwise directions, and you’ll have warm, garlicky naan in about 90 minutes from start to finish.
What You’ll Need
You’ll need basic pantry staples and a few small tools. The ingredient list below is exactly what the recipe uses. The most important equipment is a heavy skillet that can get hot and keep heat steady — that’s what gives naan its characteristic charred spots and quick puff.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon sugar — feeds the yeast and helps the dough rise.
- 1/2 cup water — used to activate the yeast; warm is best as noted in the steps.
- 1/4 oz (7 g) active dry yeast — the leavening agent that makes the naan soft and bubbly.
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour — the main structure of the dough; measures by cup volume here.
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plain — adds tenderness and a slight tang to the dough.
- ½-1 teaspoons salt — seasons the dough; adjust within the range to taste or dietary needs.
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil — brings richness and makes the dough easier to handle.
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced — the primary flavor on top of the naan; press into the dough so it adheres.
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped — fresh herb to bright-boost the garlic topping.
- oil — for greasing the skillet between batches.
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted — brushed on after cooking for gloss, flavor, and that comforting buttery finish.
Garlic Naan Made Stepwise
- In a small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1/4 oz (7 g) active dry yeast. Let sit about 10 minutes, until foamy.
- Put 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2–1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl or on a work surface and mix. Make a well in the center.
- Add the foamy yeast mixture, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil into the well. Stir or fold until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8–10 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a clean bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 8 equal portions. Using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into an 8-inch circle.
- Sprinkle the top of each circle with the 3 cloves garlic, finely minced, and the 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped. Press the garlic and cilantro gently into the dough so they adhere.
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly grease the skillet with a little oil.
- Cook one naan at a time: place a rolled dough in the skillet with the garlic-and-cilantro side facing up. Cook until bubbles form and the underside has browned or charred spots, about 1–2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until cooked through and lightly charred, about 30–60 seconds. Lightly grease the skillet as needed between naans.
- Transfer cooked naan to a plate and brush both sides with the melted salted butter. Repeat with remaining dough and serve warm.
What Makes This Recipe Special
This Garlic Naan balances speed with texture. Using active dry yeast and a short rise gives you a soft, airy interior while the cast-iron skillet develops quick, smoky char on the outside. The Greek yogurt in the dough is a small twist that keeps the crumb tender and a touch tangy without changing the traditional flavor profile.
The garlic is applied directly to the rolled dough and pressed in before cooking. That keeps the garlic from burning and ensures each bite has concentrated, toasted garlic flavor. Brushing with melted salted butter at the end adds shine and a buttery finish that brings everything together.
Quick Replacement Ideas
- Greek yogurt — plain regular yogurt can be used in the same volume if you don’t have Greek; it will be slightly looser but fine.
- All-purpose flour — you can try half bread flour for more chew, but the recipe is written for all-purpose.
- Salted butter — use unsalted butter plus a pinch of salt if you prefer to control salt precisely.
- Cilantro — replace with finely chopped parsley or omit if you dislike cilantro; the garlic alone still tastes fantastic.
Equipment Breakdown
Not everything in a professional kitchen is necessary here. The essentials are:
- Cast-iron skillet — ideal because it holds heat for fast charring. A heavy stainless pan can work, but the naan won’t char the same.
- Mixing bowl or work surface — you can mix in a bowl or on the counter; make a well for the wet ingredients as indicated.
- Rolling pin — helps shape even 8-inch circles. You can also stretch by hand if you prefer.
- Measuring cups and spoons — for the flour, water, and smaller ingredients.
Watch Outs & How to Fix
Dough won’t rise
If the yeast mixture doesn’t become foamy after 10 minutes, the yeast may be dead or the water too hot/cold. Use fresh yeast and make sure the water is warm, not hotter than your wrist feels. If it still fails, start over with new yeast.
Dough too sticky or too dry
If the dough is sticky after kneading, dust the surface lightly and continue kneading until it’s tacky but manageable. If the dough is dry and tears, add a teaspoon of water at a time and knead until smooth.
Naan doesn’t puff or char
Make sure the skillet is hot before cooking. A medium-high setting that produces a quick sizzle is ideal. If the pan is too cool the naan will cook through without those desirable brown spots. Conversely, if it’s too hot and the outside browns before the inside cooks, lower to medium.
Garlic burns
If the garlic edges are blackening too much, press it gently into the dough so it’s protected by the bread and keeps from direct contact with the hottest surface. You can also add the garlic partway through cooking on the second side, but pressing it in beforehand is the simplest fix.
Fit It to Your Goals
Looking for lower sodium? Use unsalted butter and reduce the salt in the dough toward the lower end of the range. Want bigger, pillowy naans? Let the dough rise a bit longer until visibly more than doubled — longer fermentation will add flavor but require more time. Need naan faster? Split the dough into fewer, larger pieces and roll more thinly to reduce cook time per bread, though texture will differ.
If you’re feeding a crowd, the formula scales cleanly by multiplying ingredients. For best results with larger batches, proof the dough in a warm, draft-free area and cook in succession, keeping finished pieces warm under a clean towel.
Chef’s Rationale
I intentionally keep the ingredient list short and technique-focused. The combination of a brief yeast activation, yogurt for tenderness, and a high-temperature skillet mimics traditional tandoor results without specialized equipment. I prefer pressing minced garlic into the surface rather than topping with raw minced garlic after cooking; pressing helps the garlic meld with the bread and avoids a raw bite or burned pieces.
The 8-inch size is manageable for weeknights and produces a good ratio of charred exterior to soft interior. Eight portions from this dough make timing in the skillet predictable so you don’t overcook or undercook during the batch.
Save It for Later
Store cooled naan in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, wrap individual pieces tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in a hot skillet or wrap in foil and warm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes. If you want the buttery gloss back after reheating, brush with a little melted butter or olive oil.
Quick Q&A
Can I make the dough ahead? Yes. After the first knead, refrigerate the dough in an oiled bowl, covered, for up to 24 hours. Bring it to room temperature before dividing and rolling.
Can I finish naan under a broiler? You can for a quick char, but be careful: broilers vary and garlic can burn. The skillet method gives more dependable results for this recipe.
Can I grill them? Absolutely. A very hot grill will give great puff and char. Watch closely and flip once during cooking.
Let’s Eat
Serve these Garlic Naan warm and butter-glossed. Tear them, fold them, or use them as soft scoops for curries, dals, grilled meats, or a simple yogurt dip. They’re best eaten the day they’re made, but the quick reheat methods make them convenient for leftovers. Enjoy the crisp char, soft crumb, and that immediate hit of garlic and butter — simple, fast, and deeply satisfying.
Garlic Naan
Equipment
- Small Bowl
- Large Bowl
- work surface
- Rolling Pin
- Cast-Iron Skillet
- Plate
- damp cloth
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoonsugar
- 1/2 cupwater
- 1/4 oz 7 gactive dry yeast
- 2 1/4 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1/2 cupGreek yogurt plain
- 1/2-1 teaspoonsalt
- 1 tablespoonvegetable oil
- 3 clovesgarlic finely minced
- 2 tablespoonscilantro leaves chopped
- oil for greasing the skillet
- 4 tablespoonssalted butter melted
Instructions
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1/4 oz (7 g) active dry yeast. Let sit about 10 minutes, until foamy.
- Put 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2–1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl or on a work surface and mix. Make a well in the center.
- Add the foamy yeast mixture, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil into the well. Stir or fold until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8–10 minutes.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a clean bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 8 equal portions. Using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into an 8-inch circle.
- Sprinkle the top of each circle with the 3 cloves garlic, finely minced, and the 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, chopped. Press the garlic and cilantro gently into the dough so they adhere.
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly grease the skillet with a little oil.
- Cook one naan at a time: place a rolled dough in the skillet with the garlic-and-cilantro side facing up. Cook until bubbles form and the underside has browned or charred spots, about 1–2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until cooked through and lightly charred, about 30–60 seconds. Lightly grease the skillet as needed between naans.
- Transfer cooked naan to a plate and brush both sides with the melted salted butter. Repeat with remaining dough and serve warm.
