This Indian Flatbread recipe creates the most incredibly soft, pillowy naan that rivals your favorite Indian restaurant. Perfect for scooping curry or enjoying on its own!
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🫓Whether you use a pizza stone, cast iron skillet, or grill, this recipe adapts to whatever equipment you have!
My 2 Best Tips For Making Indian Flatbread
Dough Memory: After kneading, poke the dough with your finger – if it springs back slowly, it’s perfectly developed. If it springs back quickly, knead a bit more; if it doesn’t spring back at all, you have over-kneaded.
Flip Indicator: Don’t flip the naan based on time – wait until you see the surface start to look matte instead of shiny. This visual cue means the starches have set and it’s ready to turn.
Mist the dough right before it hits the hot surface, not after. The initial steam burst is what creates the dramatic puffing effect I want. Trust me, this tiny step makes all the difference between flat bread and those pillowy bubbles I see at restaurants.
Always roll from the center outward in different directions rather than back-and-forth. This prevents the dough from shrinking back and creates more even thickness. I’ve noticed how much easier it becomes to achieve that perfect teardrop shape when I follow this technique.
Beyond curry accompaniment, I enjoy this versatile flatbread in so many ways! I try it warm with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of za’atar, or turn it into a quick pizza base with my favorite toppings for an easy weeknight meal. My family loves it for breakfast with cream cheese and everything bagel seasoning.
🩷 Melissa
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How to Make Indian Flat Bread (Quick Homemade Naan)
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoon 1 package Red Star Quick Rise Yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup water 120° to 130°
- ¼ cup oil
- ¼ cup full fat plain yogurt
- Melted butter
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups flour, yeast, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add warm water, oil, and yogurt to flour mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 1 minute at medium speed. Switch to the dough hook and gradually mix in remaining flour to make a smooth dough, add more or less flour as necessary. (I only used 2 ½ cups flour.) Knead for 5 minutes.
- Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Cover; let rise until dough doubles, about 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400° with a pizza stone on the center rack. (At least 30 minutes before baking naan so your stone gets really hot.)
- Punch the dough down, and divide dough in to 6 pieces. Let it rest five minutes covered. Roll out each piece of dough in to a tear drop shape about 8 inches long and ¼ inch thick.
- Cook naan two at a time, use a spray bottle to lightly mist each piece of dough with water and put it wet side down on the pizza stone. Cook for about 2 minutes until the bottom is lightly browned and starting to puff. Spray with additional water and flip the naan over and cook an additional 2 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and brush lightly with melted butter.
- Wrap naan in aluminum foil to keep them warm until ready to serve.
Notes
- Grill for smoky flavor or use a heavy skillet when you don’t have a pizza stone. If using a cast iron skillet, cover the skillet to help cook the dough.
- Stovetop Method: Heat skillet over medium heat, mist dough, place wet-side down, cover, and cook 2 minutes per side.
- Don’t rush the proofing – proper rising creates the light, airy texture that makes great naan.
- Use plant-based yogurt and vegan butter to make this recipe completely dairy-free.
- Wrap cooled naan in aluminum foil and store at room temperature for 2 days.
- For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
How To Make Indian Flatbread
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add water, oil, and yogurt to the flour mixture. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 1 minute at medium speed. Switch to the dough hook and gradually mix in the remaining flour to make a smooth dough, add more or less flour as necessary. (I only used 2 ½ cups flour.) Knead for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn to grease top. Cover; let rise until dough doubles, about 45 minutes.
Step 3: Preheat oven to 400° with a pizza stone on the center rack. (At least 30 minutes before baking naan so your stone gets really hot.)
Step 4: Punch the dough down, and divide dough into 6 pieces. Let it rest for five minutes covered. Roll out each piece of dough in to a teardrop shape about 8 inches long and ¼ inch thick.
Step 5: Cook naan two at a time, using a spray bottle to lightly mist each piece of dough with water and put it wet side down on the pizza stone. Cook for about 2 minutes until the bottom is lightly browned and starting to puff. Spray with additional water and flip the naan over and cook an additional 2 minutes.
Step 6: Remove from the oven and brush lightly with melted butter. Wrap naan in aluminum foil to keep them warm until ready to serve.
Recipe FAQs
This usually happens when the cooking surface isn’t hot enough or you skip the water misting step. The steam is crucial for creating that signature puff.
Yes, after the first rise, you can refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours. Let it come to room temperature before shaping and cooking.
Yes, but thin it out slightly with a tablespoon of milk or water since Greek yogurt is thicker and can make the dough too dense.
More Delicious Yeast Bread Recipes to Consider
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram.
Kelly
This sounds really good! If I were to make this with whole wheat flour, would it turn out as well and would I use the same amount of flour and water? Would other flours work as well, such as almond flour, or could you suggest others to use? I’m trying to stay away from regular white flour as much as possible. Thank you.
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Kelly! I’ve had good luck substituting half whole wheat flour for the white flour in similar recipes. All whole wheat flour tends to be too heavy. I haven’t done much bread baking with other flours.
Yvonne(Bread Fun)
Naan Indian Flat Bread, “Great Recipe” I learned something new today about Red Star Quick Rise Yeast. I have never heard of it. I guess you never get too old to learn something new. Awesome!!!!!
Kim Beaulieu
This Naan looks so good. I love this stuff, make pizza with it way too much.
SusanM
Wow, great idea for personal pizza crusts–I will try that for my son’s next Friday night teen invasion.
Mercedes
Yum, I have never made naan at home, but always enjoy eating it at restaurants so I will need to give this a try!
Kate@Diethood
I love Naan! I try to make it as often as possible. It’s SO GOOD! 🙂
Foodiewife
I have always wanted to make Naan bread, and I’m excited to know I can use my pizza stone– which I totally adore. I’m pinning this one for the next Indian style dinner that I make, which is long overdue.
2 Sisters Recipes
Interesting post and a good recipe! You are lucky to have a fabulous Indian restaurant near by. Thanks Barbara.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
I love naan bread! It’s so good for soaking up those delicious curry sauces mum! 😀 xxx
Laura @ Lauras Baking Talent
I love naan bread when I get the chance to get it. We don’t have a local Indian restaurant, so that is not very often. I am definitely going to try this recipe 🙂
capturing joy with kristen duke
This looks so delicious! Pinning!
Christine @ Mama Papa Barn
We cannot have yogurt…what else can we use for the moisture ingredient?? Thanks.
Barbara Schieving
Sour cream is usually a good substitute for yogurt.
Christine @ Mama Papa Barn
Okay, I wasn’t clear. No dairy. Allergies.
Sour cream is pretty much the same as yogurt.
We can’t have that either.
Barbara Schieving
I don’t have any experience cooking without dairy, but you could just increase the amount of oil used. I probably wouldn’t double it, maybe 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons.
My Inner Chick
—Mmmmmyummm.
Indian food is my “ALL Time Fave.”
I was introduced to it in London.
I wish we had a good restaurant in Duluth!! xx
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme
I’ve made all kinds of yeast breads in my life, but never Naan. Hope to try this recipe very soon!
daisy
This looks great! I wanted to try this in my cast iron pan–it has a lid that goes with it. So I was wondering if you make it in a cast iron pan…would you heat up the pan and the cover first, and if so, about how long would you heat it? Do you use any cooking spray on the pan to keep the dough from sticking? And how long did you keep it in there, and at what point did you flip it over? Thanks!!
Barbara Schieving
Hi Daisy – thanks for the question. I’ve updated the recipe with the directions for cooking it in the cast iron skillet. No need to heat up the cover, just the pan, probably about five minutes. If your cast iron skillet is properly seasoned, it won’t stick, but if you have problems with sticking, spread a little oil in the pan with a paper towel as needed.
Angie (@angiesrecipess)
They look so beautifully done, Barbara.
Rosa
They look very tempting! Beautiful naans.
Cheers,
Rosa
Letty Flatt
Ooohh. I like this recipe. I like to add some spices to the dough too.
JG
Naan is delicious! The aroma of bread baking in my oven is always great & I’ve never baked Naan.
~Judy
Angie | Big Bear's Wife
I’m SO GLAD that you posted this! We love naan but it’s kinda of expensive here! Can’t wait to make it!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Naan is so good, but I’ve never even thought of making my own!! Love this!