Fluffy naan bread recipe: 1 skillet trick

If you thought achieving that melt-in-your-mouth, chewy, restaurant-style flatbread required standing over a blazing hot tandoor oven, you can stop worrying right now! I’ve been where you are—standing in the kitchen on a busy weeknight, totally needing some amazing bread for curry, and thinking homemade naan was just too much hassle. Trust me, I’ve spent countless evenings testing doughs so you don’t have to! This is truly my ultimate soft & chewy naan bread recipe, and the best part? We cook it entirely on the stovetop skillet. It’s foolproof, fast enough for a weeknight, and always makes everyone happy!

Why This Is the Best Homemade Naan Bread Recipe for You

I promise, this isn’t just another recipe that promises much and delivers flat, rubbery bread. My goal here at Carla’s Cooking is to get real results without pulling an all-nighter in the kitchen. This version of my homemade naan bread recipe is based on what works best for busy weeknights.

When you make this at home, here’s what you are going to get:

• The best texture: It’s unbelievably soft and fluffy bread with just the right amount of chewiness.
• All the flavor, zero fuss: We use the skillet method—you absolutely do not need a fancy tandoor or wood-fired oven to get those beautiful charred spots!
• It’s fast: While the dough rests for a bit, your actual hands-on work is super low. We talk less than 20 minutes of active time!

If you’ve ever wanted that truly authentic, buttery naan recipe flavor without becoming a professional baker, this is the one to stick to. It’s reliable every single time.

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Ingredients for Your Soft and Fluffy Bread

When it comes to getting that perfect lift and tenderness in this soft and fluffy bread, the ingredients matter—but they are all super common pantry items! This whole naan bread recipe starts simply:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup warm water (make sure this is between 105-115°F—use a thermometer!)
• 1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt (it adds so much softness!)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing the bowl

And because we absolutely need the flavor boost, here’s what you need separate for the topping:

• For Garlic Butter: 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 clove garlic (I mince mine super fine!), and 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped up.

Simple Steps for Your naan bread recipe

Okay, now we get to the fun part! Turning these ingredients into amazing, pillowy flatbread is easier than you think. We are focusing on developing that gluten structure first, which is what gives us that perfect chewiness. Just follow my lead on these steps for your homemade naan bread recipe.

Mixing and Kneading the Simple Flatbread Dough

First, whisk those dry things together in a big bowl. Then pour in your wet mixture—the water, oil, and that all-important yogurt. Mix until it looks shaggy, like a messy child’s craft project. Now, turn it out onto the counter. You need to knead this dough for a solid 5 to 7 minutes, working it until it stops sticking and feels smooth and elastic. If your dough is super sticky, add flour *one tablespoon* at a time. Don’t go overboard; we want that softness! Making an easy dough recipe like this is all about feeling it out.

The Essential Rise Time for Your naan bread recipe

This is where patience pays off for that gorgeously soft and fluffy bread texture! Once kneaded, put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it up tight, and let it hang out somewhere warm for about 1 to 1.5 hours. It needs to double in size. Seriously, don’t rush this resting time—it lets the yeast wake up and creates all those air pockets we need for the puff!

Cooking the Chewy Flatbread Recipe on the Stovetop Flatbread

Get your cast-iron skillet screaming hot over medium-high heat. And listen close: do NOT put any oil in the pan when you heat it up! Place one rolled-out piece (about 1/8 inch thick) onto that dry, sizzling surface. Cook it for about 1 to 2 minutes per side. You are looking for big, beautiful bubbles to form, melting into those golden-brown spots. That means it’s puffing up perfectly! Once spotted, take it off the heat right away.

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Mastering the Buttery Naan Recipe Topping

Okay, you’ve pulled that golden, bubbly bread off the hot skillet—don’t let it sit for a second! This step is what separates good naan from amazing naan. This is where we nail that popular Garlic Naan Recipe variation. While the bread is still scorching hot, you need to brush it immediately with your garlic butter mixture. I mix 2 tablespoons of melted butter with one finely minced garlic clove and fresh cilantro.

My pro tip? Brush it right away while the surface is still moist from the cooking steam. The butter melts right into all those little char pockets, adding incredible depth and moisture. If you wait even a minute, the topping just sits on top instead of soaking in. Trust me on this technique; it makes all the difference for a fantastic, savory finish!

Tips for Perfect Restaurant Style Naan at Home

We’ve covered the main steps for this naan bread recipe, but achieving that truly restaurant style naan at home comes down to a few small, but powerful, habits. These are the things I learned after burning my first few batches—let my experience here save you some time!

First up: consistency in rolling. When you shape your dough pieces, try really hard to keep them about 1/8 inch thick all the way across. If one spot is too thin, it will cook too fast and turn brittle before the rest of the dough has a chance to puff up. You want even thickness so you get that combined soft and chewy flatbread recipe feel, not just a cracker.

Second, heat management is everything for your skillet naan bread! If your pan isn’t hot enough, the dough will just sit there, dry out slowly, and turn tough instead of bubbling up dramatically. Medium-high heat is usually the sweet spot, but you need to test it by flicking a tiny drop of water onto the surface—if it evaporates instantly with a sharp sizzle, you’re ready to go. If it just sits there, crank the heat!

Finally, and this is crucial for serving a batch: keep the cooked naan warm! As soon as a piece comes off the skillet, put it directly into a clean, folded kitchen towel, almost like wrapping a tortilla. Cover the whole stack. The residual steam trapped by the towel keeps the bread supple and soft while you finish the rest of your dough. Otherwise, the first pieces you made will stiffen up way too fast.

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Adaptations for Your naan bread recipe (No Yeast, No Yogurt)

When I first started sharing this naan bread recipe, I got tons of questions about substitutions, because we all have weird pantry days, right? I want you to be able to make this amazing bread even if you are out of certain essentials. This recipe is flexible, even though the yogurt and yeast give it that perfect lift!

If you need a true No Yeast Bread Recipe, skip the instant yeast completely. Instead, mix 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda right in with your dry ingredients. When you do this, you cut out that long rise time! Seriously, just mix your dough and let it rest for only 15 minutes before rolling. That’s how we get that quick fix!

For those who can’t do dairy or just ran out of yogurt—here’s how to make a Naan Bread without Yogurt. Just swap out the 1/4 cup of yogurt for an equal amount of regular whole milk or plain water. You might notice a tiny difference in the final softness, but they will still be fantastic, especially once you brush on the garlic butter. You can check out another great way to tackle leftovers in my guides, like this easy homemade naan bread recipe adaptation guide I found!

Serving Suggestions: What to Serve with Your Quick Indian Bread

This quick Indian bread is just begging to be dipped! Honestly, a sizzling bowl of Butter Chicken is my absolute favorite pairing for this naan bread recipe. The fluffy bread soaks up that rich sauce perfectly.

But don’t feel stuck! These are excellent for dipping into any creamy curry, whether it’s lentil dal or vegetable korma. If you’re keeping it light, a simple bowl of hummus or a cooling raita is wonderful. Nothing beats ripping off a warm piece of garlic naan and using it like a utensil!

Storage and Reheating Instructions for Leftover naan bread recipe

I always have leftovers because my family dives in so hard when it’s fresh, but if you manage to save any of this delicious homemade naan bread recipe, you need to store it right so it stays soft for next time. The goal is to keep that chewiness we worked so hard to create!

If you are going to eat the leftover naan within a day or so, just keep it simple. Stack the cooled pieces and wrap them up tightly in an airtight container, or just wrap them really well in foil or plastic wrap and keep them on the counter. They should stay nice at room temperature for about 24 hours.

If you need them to last longer, definitely pop them into the fridge—again, make sure they’re well-sealed so they don’t absorb fridge smells. Refrigerated naan will last about 3 to 4 days.

Now for reheating! I find the microwave sometimes makes bread a little chewy in a bad way, but it’s the fastest option if you’re in a real hurry. Just zap it for 10-15 seconds.

For the *best* result, though, take your leftover naan and toss it back into that scorching hot, dry cast-iron skillet for just 30 seconds per side. That blast of dry heat wakes up the dough, brings back that fresh-off-the-griddle puff, and makes it tender again. It’s my favorite trick for making it taste homemade all over again!

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Frequently Asked Questions About Making Naan

I know questions pop up when you are trying something new, especially when you are stepping into beginner bread baking! I’ve gathered the most common things folks ask me about this recipe. I hope these help you get that perfect, soft bread on your table tonight!

Can I make this naan bread recipe without yeast?

Yes, you totally can! We covered this in the adaptations section, but I’ll say it again because I love giving options for a 30 Minute Bread Recipe fix. If you skip the yeast, you use baking powder and baking soda instead—about 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda mixed with your dry ingredients. This skips that long rise time, making it super quick, but just remember to let that dough rest for only 15 minutes before rolling it out.

Why is my homemade naan bread tough instead of soft and fluffy?

Oh, that’s the pits! Tough naan usually comes down to two things we talked about. First, did you over-knead? If you work that dough too long past the smooth and elastic stage, you develop too much gluten, and it turns chewy in a tough way, not a good, desirable way. Second, did you let it rest long enough? That resting time is crucial for letting the gluten relax. If it hasn’t doubled, it physically can’t stretch and puff properly on the skillet.

How hot should the skillet be for the best naan bread recipe results?

This is absolutely key for getting those beautiful puffy bubbles that scream “restaurant style naan.” You want the skillet—cast iron is best—to be hot, hot, hot! Place it over medium-high heat and let it preheat until it’s smoking slightly. When you put the raw dough on that dry, screaming hot surface, the moisture inside the dough turns to steam almost instantly. That explosion of steam is what pushes the dough up into a puff! If the pan is lukewarm, the dough just dries out slowly instead of puffing.

Ultimate Soft & Chewy Homemade Naan Bread (Skillet Recipe)

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Welcome to My Kitchen! I am sharing my reliable, easy naan bread recipe that delivers soft, fluffy, and chewy restaurant-style flatbread cooked right on your stovetop skillet. No tandoor needed for this quick Indian bread perfect for serving with curry.

• Author: Carla Davis
• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 15 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 35 min
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Indian
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast (Note: This recipe uses yeast for best rise, but can be adapted for no yeast versions)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup warm water (about 105-115°F)
• 1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt (Note: This recipe uses yogurt for softness, but can be substituted with milk or water for a no yogurt option)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
• For Garlic Butter Topping: 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 clove garlic minced, 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped

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Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the warm water, yogurt, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time.
5. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let it rest in a warm spot for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
6. Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an oval or teardrop shape, about 1/8 inch thick.
7. Heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Do not add oil to the pan.
8. Place one piece of rolled dough onto the hot, dry skillet. Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes per side. You will see large bubbles form. Flip when the bottom has golden brown spots.
9. Cook the second side until it has similar spotting. The bread should puff up slightly, creating a soft and chewy texture.
10. Remove the cooked naan from the skillet and immediately brush the top with the garlic butter mixture (melted butter, minced garlic, and cilantro).
11. Keep the cooked naan warm in a clean kitchen towel while you cook the remaining pieces. Serve your homemade naan bread recipe immediately with your favorite curry.

Notes

• For a quick Garlic Naan Recipe, mix the melted butter, minced garlic, and cilantro, and brush generously over the hot naan right after it comes off the skillet.
• If you need a no yeast bread recipe, you can use 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda mixed with the dry ingredients, reducing the rise time to 15 minutes.
• To make this a buttery naan recipe without yogurt, substitute the yogurt with 1/4 cup of whole milk or water.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 piece
• Calories: 205
• Sugar: 1
• Sodium: 350
• Fat: 5
• Saturated Fat: 2
• Unsaturated Fat: 3
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 35
• Fiber: 1
• Protein: 6
• Cholesterol: 5