Ever considered making naan bread at home but been put off by long and complicated sounding recipes? Then my Easy Homemade Naan Bread is for you! I’ve simplified the recipe without compromising on flavour or texture, plus they are oven baked to make them even easier.
I love naan bread (sometimes known as nan bread). It’s one of those things I just have to have with a curry. I love dipping them into the curry, but also into the pickles and chutneys and raitas too! I must confess I often eat way too much naan bread – it’s just so yummy!! But one thing I have noticed is the ingredients list on most shop bought naans is quite frightening, to say the least. Full of extra random ingredients and unpronounceable gubbins. (and you know how much I don’t like unpronounceable gubbins in my food!!)
Creating an easy peasy homemade version of an authentic naan bread has therefore been on my to do list for quite a while. Like I usually do, I carefully researched the essential components of a naan bread and read a wide selection of recipes (and like so often, the idea of ‘authentic’ is an interesting one as there are so many variations on an authentic naan bread) and then worked out how I could simplify it so that it looked and tasted like a naan bread, but without too many ingredients, processes or faff.
And I am really pleased with the result. It really is a naan bread – way nicer than the shop bought ones (because home cooking always is, am I right?) and nearly as nice as a naan bread from a really decent Indian restaurant (which I suspect has more ingredients and processes than mine, not to mention equipment I just don’t have).
My homemade naan bread recipe has been made easier in two ways. Firstly, I have simplified the ingredients back to only what I really consider to be the essentials: flour, yeast, salt, sugar, yogurt, butter, nigella seeds and water. And secondly, rather than frying or grilling/broiling my naan breads, I have opted to bake them in the oven. This means less faff, less mess, less washing up and crucially it means they take less time too. And the result is honestly no less delicious!
The great thing about these oven baked naan breads is you can make a big batch when you have the time, cook them all up and then freeze them. When defrosted they can simply be reheated by popping them in the toaster until warmed through (or under the grill/broiler if you prefer). You can also do this with any naans which have gone cold (or indeed with the shop bought ones – not that you will ever buy shop bought ones again once you’ve made these, of course…!).
These Easy Homemade Naan Breads would go brilliantly with any of my curry recipes, but I would especially recommend them with my Easy Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala, my Easy Lamb Rogan Josh or my Easy Vegetable Korma. They are also delicious dunked into a cooling cucumber and mint raita or served with an Indian style salad.
Easy Homemade Naan Bread
Ingredients
- 50 g butter
- 350 g white bread flour
- 7 g easy action/ fast action/ instant yeast (see note)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon nigella seeds (optional)
- 100 ml plain yogurt
- 150 ml warm water
- Extra melted butter for brushing on top (optional)
- Sufficient baking trays / oven trays for 8 naan breads
Instructions
- Start by melting the butter, either in the microwave or in a saucepan on the hob.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, yeast, salt, sugar and nigella seeds.
- Make a well in the centre and add the yogurt, warm water and melted butter. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients thoroughly until it forms a ball.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
- Return the dough to the bowl and leave to rise for 1 hour
- Preheat your oven to 230C/210C fan/gas mark 8/450F. Place your baking sheets in the oven.
- After it has risen, knock back the dough (i.e. punch out all the air) and divide into 8 pieces. Roll the 8 pieces into balls and then roll out or stretch out into naan bread shapes (kind of tear drop shaped).
- Place the naan breads directly on the pre heated oven trays and cook for 5-10 minutes, until cooked to your liking.
- Remove the naan breads from the oven and brush with melted butter. Serve with your favourite curries, chutneys, pickles etc.
Notes
Pin Easy Peasy Naan Bread for later
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Jenny Paulin says
your naan bread looks so lovely Eb. I had a go at making my own a few weeks ago, and it was not as hard as I had imagined and they tasted so superior to bought ones. I did not add nigella seeds – think my fussy lot wouldn’t enjoy them. However,they really look great inside your breads. yummy x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Jenny! Oh that’s a shame…the nigella seeds really do make these naan breads! Maybe you could do some with and some without next time you make them? Eb x
Corina Blum says
These sound delicious – I love Nigella seeds and used to add them to all sorts of homemade bread just because they add such a great flavour. The homemade naans would definitely be great with one of your curries. Thanks so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice x
Eb Gargano says
They do have a really fab flavour, don’t they? I haven’t had them in other breads but they are always amazing in naans. Eb x
Jessica Cantoni says
Wow Eb, these naan breads look so authentic! The nigella seeds are a nice touch too 🙂 Fabio’s making a curry this week, so could definitely do with some! Thanks for linking to the world food linky 🙂 x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Jess! They are surprisingly easy to make and I was very pleased with the result. They really do look and taste like naan breads, despite me simplifying the recipes I found (A LOT!!) Eb x
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder says
These look fantastic Eb, real deal naan bread and a must with any curry! I have been making my own for a while now as well and although they might be slightly different than those from a good curry house (no tandoor oven lol), they still beat shop bought ones by a mile. It’s great to see another recipe especially as you are using yeast in yours. They do look perfect and don’t you just love Nigella seeds here. I completely agree they definitely make naan! Thank you for sharing your delicious naan bread with #BakingCrumbs 🙂 x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Jo! I so agree – homemade is so much better than shop bought! I’m not sure I can think of a single food where that is not true. (though I did use to think shop bought hummus was better than homemade until I finally cracked the recipe!!) And yes, so agree about the nigella seeds – so good. Eb x
Helen - cooking with my kids says
I’ve not made naan bread for years but these look delicious and easy enough for me to do with the kids! Yum #cookblogshare
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Helen – this is a great recipe to make with kids! Eb x
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
I must try these. I know homemade is always better than shop bought but I have never quite understood how they have got shop bought naan bread so wrong it just doesn’t taste good at all. Thanks for linking to #CookBlogShare
Eb Gargano says
Haha – I know exactly what you mean. My persona gripe is with shop bought guacamole – what is that stuff and has it ever seen an avocado??? Bleurgh. Eb x
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says
You’ve described me exactly! I LOVE naan and have wanted to make it at home for the LONGEST time, but the recipes are all so complicated. Instead, the hubster and I buy (and eat) it in bulk from our local wholesale club. But your recipe is the one I’ve been waiting for, so LOOK OUT! Do you think there’s any issue with using fat-free Greek yogurt? That’s all I buy anymore, but I’d do full fat if that’s what it would take to be able to make this naan. BRILLIANT!!
Eb Gargano says
Yay! So pleased you like the recipe – it really is super simple to do and tastes so good. I haven’t tried it with fat-free Greek yogurt, but I can’t see that being a problem in this recipe. If you try it do let me know if it works out OK with the fat-free yogurt. It would be great to let other people know if it turns out OK. Eb x
Karen, the next best thing to mummy says
I love naan bread, but have never made it myself, will have a go now#brillblogs@_karendennis
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Karen – do let me know how it goes! Eb x
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
I really need to try making naan bread myself!
Eb Gargano says
You should! Homemade naan bread is soooo good!! Eb x
Cat says
I haven’t even thought about making naan bread before because I’ve always just assumed it was too much effort. Yours look so tasty I’ll definitely have to give these a go x
Eb Gargano says
Haha – then this recipe will be perfect for you! It’s about as easy as making a simple loaf of bread, except actually easier because there’s less kneading and proving involved. And the results are well worth it!! Eb x
Monika Dabrowski says
Naan bread is great and yours looks so nice, I have to admit I hardly ever make anything requiring yeast as I am too impatient to wait but if a recipe is this easy even the wait doesn’t seem so bad! Pinned!
Eb Gargano says
Haha – yes, I too am quite impatient. And it’s why I don’t make a lot of bread. But this recipe is honestly so easy and there’s a lot less waiting around than a normal bread recipe – plus the result is well worth it!! Eb x
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
I’m definitely going to have to give these a try Eb, they look so yummy and inviting. Dare I say I’ve always bought my naan breads from the supermarket (I say ‘my’ cos as you know hubby aint a fan of curries and the likes so it’s my treat when I’m cooking for myself!). Great idea to do them in the oven too – so much easier. Thankyou so much for sharing with #BakingCrumbs,
Angela x
Eb Gargano says
Aw, thanks Angela – I’d love to know what you think! The oven trick is fab. I do flatbreads on a griddle, but it’s always a bit time-consuming and labour intensive at the last minute. Being able to chuck these in the oven and let them do their stuff, while I get on with something else is brilliant! Eb x
Helen says
Hi, Can I make this with an alternative to bread flour? (ie white spelt plus baking powder?)
Eb Gargano says
Hi Helen, I must confess, I have not tried this with spelt flour, but I can’t see any reason why it would not work. However, don’t add any baking powder in this recipe – it’s nott needed. You only need to add baking powder if you are substituting for self raising flour. Let me know how you get on! Eb 🙂
Hayley says
The whole family loves these naan breads – they are much preferred to shop bought ones! The kids can be a bit whingey about the nigella seeds, so sometimes we make them without, and brush with butter and chopped coriander instead.
This weekend we were feeding a crowd and needed to get ahead! On Eb’s suggestion we put the dough in the fridge to rise overnight. This worked perfectly. The naans were slightly denser, but still absolutely delicious.
Eb Gargano says
Yay – I am so happy to hear that you and your family enjoy this recipe so much! And I am delighted to hear that the fridge rising method worked so well… and enabled you to get ahead 😀
Belinda says
Love this recipe! I chuck it together without too much fussing or accuracy and it always works 👌 I have baked them in the oven, and also brushed with butter and cooked in my George Foreman grill
Eb Gargano says
Aw yay – that’s so great to hear! Thank you for this lovely review 😀