Homemade Naan Bread Recipe with Yeast and Yogurt (Soft & Fluffy)
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This homemade naan bread recipe with yeast and yogurt creates the softest, fluffiest naan with incredible flavor and texture. Made with Greek yogurt, yeast, milk, and simple pantry ingredients, this easy naan bread cooks in a skillet and is brushed with garlic herb
If you’ve ever wondered how to make soft naan bread at home without a tandoor oven, this foolproof recipe delivers perfectly chewy, golden naan every time.
Naan is great with Chicken Souvlaki
Homemade Naan Bread Recipe with Yeast and Yogurt
What is naan?
Naan is an Indian flatbread. It’s different from other yeast bread because it contains yogurt and is cooked on the stovetop. Therefore, it’s flat and pillowy soft with lots of air bubbles. Naan cooks very quickly on a griddle or saucepan and can be used in various ways, such as pizza crust and wraps.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Naan Bread
- Soft and fluffy texture thanks to Greek yogurt and yeast.
- Better than store-bought naan with fresh homemade flavor.
- Easy skillet method—no special oven or equipment needed.
- Garlic herb
butter adds restaurant-quality flavor. - Perfect for serving with curries, soups, stews, and grilled meats.
- Freezer-friendly for meal prep.
- Made with simple pantry ingredients.
- Great for beginners learning to make homemade bread.
I have wanted to perfect naan for the longest time. I took the last few weeks to work on them, and I’m thrilled with the results. Homemade naan is a game-changer. I’ve been making a big batch and keeping them refrigerated for gyros and flatbread pizzas. They make it really easy for the boys to make meals for themselves, and I don’t have to stop work each time one of them gets hungry (which is all too often).
Naan is more nutrient-dense than pita or white bread. While it may contain more carbs and sugars, it earns its reputation as a healthy alternative with its relatively generous amounts of protein and fiber. (source)
Making bread, rolls, pizza dough, and flatbread homemade is much cheaper than buying ready-made products. It’s also healthier without the preservatives. I don’t always have time to make naan; that’s when I turn to convenience products. If you find yourself with extra time on the weekend, etc, give this recipe a try. You’ll be hooked on homemade naan just like I was.
Ingredients for Naan Bread Recipe with Yeast and Yogurt
This is a straightforward, easy recipe. The full recipe is at the bottom of the post where you can save it to your recipe box. As well, you can easily double or half this recipe.
- Water. It needs to be warm water. Check the package for the temperature range. For the yeast I used, the water needed to be between 120°F and 130°F.
- Honey. You can also use granulated sugar or agave syrup.
- Active dry yeast. Like Fleischmann’s. Check the expiration if you’ve had it a while. It should bubble and foam after 5 to 10 minutes. If you haven’t worked with yeast very much, I recommend you read Tips for Baking with Yeast.
- Whole milk. Warm
- Greek yogurt. Use full-fat plain Greek yogurt.
- All-purpose flour.
- Baking powder. Helps the bread stay tender and rise.
- Baking soda.
- Kosher salt. Unlike other types of salt, kosher salt is made solely of sodium chloride. It contains no trace minerals, iodine, or anti-clumping agents.
- Butter. Salted, melted, and divided in half
- Garlic. Grated or minced
- Herbs. Try parsley, chives, dill, sage, cilantro, and/or rosemary
Once you mix the dough ingredients together, it needs to sit and proof for about an hour. After that, you divide the dough into 8 equal balls and roll them into a large circle.
Typically, naan is cooked on the stovetop. However, during hot weather, I cook it on the grill. You can either cook it directly on the grill or in a pan on the grill.
FAQ
Here are a few common questions that I have answered for you.
Yogurt adds moisture and richness while helping create naan’s signature soft, chewy texture.
Yes. A hot skillet or cast-iron pan produces excellent naan with beautiful bubbles and golden brown spots.
Absolutely. Allow naan to cool completely then place it in a ziptop bag and squeeze as much air as you can out of it. You’ll want to date and label it for future reference. The naan will be good for a couple of months in the freezer. It thaws quickly on the countertop once removed from the freezer.
Warm naan in a skillet, oven, or air fryer until heated through.
Yes, but Greek yogurt produces a thicker dough and softer texture.
Allow naan to cool completely then place it in an airtight container or ziptop bag. It will last 2 to 3 days on the countertop or 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
How to serve naan bread recipe
Serve this homemade naan bread alongside my Butter Chicken, grilled chicken recipes, and slow-cooker soups for the ultimate comfort-food meal.
IF YOU LIKE NAAN BREAD RECIPE, CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES!
- Soft Fluffy Yeast Rolls
- Cream Cheese Buttermilk Biscuits
- Whole Wheat Flour Pizza Dough
- Sweet Onion Corn Bread
- Cr*zy Bread: Master Dough for Everything
- Cr*zy Bread Dough Focaccia
- Easy Pizza Dough
Homemade Naan Bread Recipe with Yeast and Yogurt
Items in blue & underlined below can be clicked for more detail or to purchase.
Ingredients
- ½ cup water warm
- 2 tablespoons honey agave or granulated sugar
- 1 and ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 and ½ cups whole milk warm
- 2 cups Greek yogurt full-fat, plain
- 8 cups all-purpose flour sifted then measured
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter salted, melted and divided in half
- 6 cloves garlic clove minced or grated
- ¾ cup herbs (I used chives and dill) chopped
- olive oil for pan
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the water, honey, and yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until the mixture begins to bubble.
- Add the milk, yogurt, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 2-4 minutes.
- The dough will be sticky. Dust your cleaned countertop lightly with flour and pour the dough onto the counter. Knead the dough into a ball using your hands. Oil the bowl (that you mixed the dough in), then add the ball of dough back into the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place (like your microwave or oven) for 1 hour, or until doubled in size. (If you don't want to use it right away after it has been proofed place it in the fridge. When you're ready to use it, sit it out to come to room temperature then proceed with the recipe.)
- Divide the dough into 16 equal balls when you're ready to cook it. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece of dough into a large circle or oval until it's about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.
- To cook, heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. (It needs to be really hot.) Brush both sides of the naan with half of the melted butter. Drizzle the skillet with a teaspoon of olive oil and smear it evenly over the pan. Place the naan on the hot skillet, immediately cover with a lid and cook for 1 minute. Bubbles will pop up on the top side, that's a good thing! Flip it and cook it uncovered this time for another 1-2 minutes until toasted spots appear on the underside. Remove from the skillet and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with the rest of the naan dough. Keep them wrapped in a towel or cover them and place them in the oven while you work. You definitely want to keep them warm.
- To make the garlic herb butter. (This step is optional if you're making naan for gyros you may want to skip this step.) Melt the remaining half of the butter with the garlic over low heat. Once melted remove the pan from the heat and add the herbs. Brush the garlic herb butter over the warm naan and serve.
- These are best served hot off the skillet. If you have leftovers store them in an airtight container or ziptop bag for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in a skillet or oven. (They can be frozen for 2 months.)
Nutrition
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