The Butter Naan recipe I’ve been perfecting for the entire 19 years I’ve been with my Indian husband. So soft and stretchy. Drench it in melted butter if you know what’s good. I guarantee you this easy tandoori-style naan rivals your favorite Indian restaurant. Serve it with one of these tasty Indian recipes.
Butter Naan: why you’re going to fall in LOVE with this recipe
Let me just say that I’ve been in a relationship with an Indian man for almost 20 years and I’ve spent most of those years trying to make perfect naan. You can trust that this is an extensively-tested recipe that passes the authentic test.
- Butter naan is traditional Indian Naan bread brushed with melted butter after cooking. You can add some minced cilantro (coriander) leaves or minced garlic to make garlic butter naan.
- It is a yeasted dough rolled into flatbreads and cooked traditionally in tandoor clay. My workaround makes it super easy to create that tandoori flavor and look in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop.
- The combination of yeast and yogurt give this recipe a complex, delicious bread flavor similar to sourdough naan without needing a sourdough starter.
- It puffs up on the pan (or tawa, in India) and those charred spots are irresistible. For an even more dramatic puffing up, see my notes in the recipe for finishing the naan over a direct flame (only works if you have a gas stove).
- If you love Indian breads, you’ve gotta try my soft chapati recipe, too. This simple, healthy whole wheat flatbread is a staple in Indian homes (and a beloved recipe in our family).
What is Butter Naan made of?
- Plain white flour (a.k.a. maida in India)
- Instant dry yeast (a.k.a. quick rise yeast): You can swap in another kind of yeast, but traditional (active dry yeast) will have to be activated first in the warm water before adding it to the dry ingredients. I love how easy it is to use instant yeast because you add it right to the flour.
- Baking soda: this is not always found in traditional recipe but using baking soda helps ensure lots of bubbles in the naan. Adding it decreases the acidity of the dough, which helps the dough to brown in the pan. More browning makes for more flavor and more attractive color. Baking powder doesn’t do the same for browning and flavor, but a teaspoon and a half can be used as a substitute for the baking soda and you’ll still get the extra bubbles.
- Baking powder: baking soda starts to work as soon as it’s combined with acidic ingredients (yogurt) and loses its leavening power as the dough sits. Baking powder is double acting – meaning it has an initial reaction when it combines with liquid, and a second reaction when heat is added. Basically, it adds extra bubble insurance!
- Plain yogurt: (a.k.a curd in India) don’t useextra high-fat or greek yogurt. Regular whole milk (3.25%) or 2% yogurt is perfect. Extra fat and thickness will make the dough too rich and prevent it naan from puffing up. It will have a thicker, doughier texture. I regularly use buttermilk as a substitute because I don’t always stock plain yogurt. Both work perfectly.
- Melted butter: this puts the butter in butter naan. It’s simply brushed onto the warm naan breads after they’re done cooking and after they’ve been transferred to a plate. Salted butter is the tastiest option.
- Minced cilantro: totally optional but I love the pop of green color. You could add a couple of minced fresh garlic cloves to the melted butter, too, or instead, if you like.
PRO tips for amazing Butter Naan
- I boil a kettle and add a ½ cup hot water to a measuring cup then add cold water to it and check the temp to make sure I won’t kill the yeast. It’s not a great idea to use hot tap water.
- 120°–130°F is the ideal water temperature for quick (rapid rise) yeast according to Fleischmann’s yeast website.
- The 1 hour rise time is not only important for the dough to get bubbly, it is super important to making the naan soft. As you knead the dough (or have the mixer do it for you with a dough hook), you create a super tight, bouncy dough. If not rested, the dough will shrink up after rolling it out and you’ll have hard, small flatbreads instead of lovely tender ones.
- If you have a gas stove, you can make finish the naan over a direct flame to make it even more like authentic tandoori naan. When you flip the naan over, cook the underside for just long enough to seal the surface so it isn’t sticky. Carefully use tongs to move the naan over to a direct flame. The naan will puff dramatically and yummy charred spots will appear. Just watch closely.
What does butter naan taste like?
Butter naan is traditional tandoori-style Indian naan bread brushed with melted butter at the end. It tastes buttery and yeasty and delicious.
Is naan bread actually bread?
YES! Naan bread is bread made from flour and yeast and rolled flat before cooking.
What flour is naan bread made from?
Naan bread is mostly made from all-purpose white flour (known as maida in India), although it sometimes contains a bit of whole wheat flour (known as atta). Naan bread made entirely from whole wheat flour or atta would be very dry and dense. I don’t recommend switching the flour in this recipe, but you could use 1/2 cup to 1 cup of whole wheat flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
How are you supposed to eat naan?
Traditionally, you are supposed to eat naan with your hands. You rip off a piece of naan bread and use it to pinch up bites of curry (or whatever you are eating it with).
What is naan traditionally made in?
Naan is traditionally made in a tandoor, which is an Indian clay oven that reaches very high temperatures. A cast iron pan works as an excellent substitute and gives authentic tandoori naan results with this tested-till-perfect recipe.
Does naan have milk or egg?
Some naan recipes do have milk and/or egg, but after extensive testing, I found that this simpler recipe using just yogurt and water provides the perfect dough texture to make super soft naan that still puffs beautifully. The more rich ingredients you add (like oil, milk and egg), the denser the naan bread becomes. It is more like a grocery store bought naan bread (thick, dry, minimal bubbles) than a traditional, super soft and wonderful homemade naan like this.
- You can prepare the dough ahead and refrigerate it after forming the individual dough balls. Arrange the dough balls on a plate, drizzle with a bit of oil and turn the dough around to coat them thinly (this prevent the surface from drying out). Then cover with plastic wrap or pack into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- I prefer to chill the dough at this point rather than as one giant bowl of dough in the bowl of a stand mixer because then you have to work the dough less just before cooking (working the dough less results in softer naan).
- Before rolling the dough into large ovals, let it warm back up to room temperature.
- To freeze cooked naan, let it cool and then pack into an airtight container separated with layers of parchment or wax paper. Freeze up to 3 months. Rewarm the naan wrapped in aluminum foil in an oven at 325ºF until warmed through.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container or zipper bag at room temperature. Refrigerating cooked naan will make it hard.
What to serve with naan bread
Naan and curry: the perfect combination. Choose from any of these tested-till-perfect, fan-favorite authentic Indian curry recipes:
Win your friends and family over by serving up some crispy, golden homemade chicken samosas on the side.
If you have leftover naan, whip up a batch of this 5-minute Indian Chickpea Salad for lunch, you’ll love it.
Make-ahead instructions
Butter Naan Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour 18 oz by weight
- 1 tbsp instant dry yeast
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
- 1 cup warm water see note
- 4 tbsp butter melted
- 1 tbsp minced cilantro
Instructions
- Combine flour, yeast, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on low speed to combine.
- Add yogurt and water to the mixer bowl. Starting on low speed, beat until the mixture forms a shaggy dough, then switch to the hook attachment and knead for 4 minutes on medium-low speed. It may look very sticky at first but will come together as it kneads (don't add more flour).
- Flour a work surface. Dump out the dough and sprinkle it lightly with flour, too. Knead once or twice to form a large ball. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces and form each piece into a ball by rolling the dough between your hands. The dough is still quite sticky at this point, but you can work with it.Cover and let rise 1 hour.
- Use a rolling pin to roll each dough ball flat to about ¼” thick, if not slightly thinner. Lightly flour the work surface and dough as needed. Lift the dough off the counter and use your hands to gently pull it into a thinner, slightly oblong shape. Let it rest 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat a cast iron pan for 5 minutes on medium-high heat. You’ll know it’s hot enough when you sprinkle it with water and it beads and evaporates immediately.
- Add one naan to the pan. Cover the pan and cook until bubbles start to grow on the top of the naan (about 30-60 seconds).
- Flip and cook on the other side until the dough loses its shiny, raw look and starts charring in spots (about 30 seconds more). For more dramatic puffing up and charring (like authentic tandoori-style naan), see notes below for instructions on finishing the naan over a direct flame.
- As naan breads are cooked, transfer them to a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm.
- Melt the butter and stir in cilantro, if using. Immediately brush the butter over warm naan (this seals the moisture into the hot bread and ensures softness).
Video
Notes
Note on measuring flour: if you own a kitchen scale, please use it and weigh your flour. It’s always more accurate than using volume-based measuring cups, where flour can compact down and give you too much.
Hand-mixing option: If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can easily make butter naan by hand. Stir together the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the yogurt and water and stir with a wooden spoon to form a shaggy dough, then turn it out onto a clean, floured work surface and knead by hand until a smooth dough forms (about 10 minutes).
Direct flame variation: If you have a gas stove, you can make the naan even more like tandoori naan. This is my preferred method (but not everyone has a gas stove so I simplified the recipe for you).
To cook over the flame, after you flip the naan over, cook the underside for only 5-10 seconds to seal the surface so it is no longer sticky. Then use tongs to carefully move the naan over to a lit burner.
Place the naan (still second side facing down) directly on the grate with the flame beneath it on high heat. The naan will often puff dramatically. Cook until charred spots appear on the underside (it only takes seconds), then transfer it to a plate and cover with a towel to keep warm. Never walk away or multi-task during this part as the naan can burn quickly.
How hot should the water be? The ideal range is 120°–130°F. Warmer and it will kill the yeast. Colder and the dough will be slower to rise.
As you’re cooking, the pan may get too hot. If naan starts to char on the bottom before bubbles form, turn the heat down for a minute before proceeding with the next one.
NO oil or butter should be used in the pan. As long as the pan is properly preheated, the dough will never stick.
Let the dough rest for 10 minutes after rolling to ensure bubbles. If you don’t, the gluten will be tight again from just working it. The dough will shrink in the pan and won’t have the soft texture need to stretch upwards as the moisture turns to steam.
Nutrition
Calories: 262kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 7gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 702mgPotassium: 26mgFiber: 6gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 194IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 2mg
Last Updated on March 6, 2023 by Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD
Hello – I thought I’d message you to say how successful your naan recipe was. It’s definitely the best naan I have made. I’m delighted. Thank you for sharing.
Perfect! Dough was gorgeous, I used buttermilk. No problems at all and delicious. First time making naan.
I was really happy to find this recipe. They were super easy and made with ingredients I almost always have on hand. They cooked up really quickly in a cast iron skillet and I finished them off over the open flame on my gas stove. Very impressive to do for guests. With the few pieces of dough I had left, I mixed up some coconut, chopped almonds and sultanas and stuffed the dough balls made my own peshawari naan for dessert. So delicious!
this is great, thanks for sharing but please for the love of all the gods, please don’t call it “naan bread,” which is up there with “chai tea” ufff. I know you know but please help the gora masses.
This might be a silly question, but in lieu of a stand mixer could you do the dough mixing in a bread maker for ease? I’m so excited to try this!