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Loading...Soft, pillowy Pakistani naan is traditionally slapped onto the searing walls of a clay tandoor, where it blisters and chars in under a minute. This home version replicates that signature char and chew using a screaming-hot pizza stone or cast iron skillet and a yogurt-enriched dough. Serve it warm alongside curries, kebabs, or simply with a smear of salted butter.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time35 mins
Servings4
Yield8 naan breads
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 320 kcalCalories
- 9 gFat
- 4 gSaturated Fat
- 49 gCarbs
- 2 gFiber
- 4 gSugar
- 10 gProtein
- 520 mgSodium
- 180 mgPotassium
- 110 mgCalcium
- 3 mgIron
- 0 mgVitamin C
- 85 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 3 1/2 cups (440 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm whole milk (about 110°F / 43°C)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, room temperature
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons melted ghee or unsalted butter, plus more for brushing
For Topping (optional)
- 1 tablespoon nigella seeds (kalonji) or white sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, mixed with 1 tablespoon melted butter for garlic naan
- Coarse sea salt, for finishing
Directions
- In a small bowl, stir the yeast and sugar into the warm milk and let stand for 8 to 10 minutes until foamy and fragrant.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the bloomed yeast mixture, yogurt, beaten egg, and 2 tablespoons of the melted ghee. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. Place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until nearly doubled in size.
- Place a pizza stone or heavy cast iron skillet on the middle rack of your oven and preheat to its highest setting (500–550°F / 260–290°C) for at least 45 minutes. If using a skillet, preheat it directly on the burner over high heat.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal balls (about 95 g each). On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a teardrop or oval about 8 inches long and 1/4 inch thick, pulling one end slightly to form the classic naan shape. Sprinkle with nigella or sesame seeds if using and press them in gently.
- Lightly flour a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet. Lay one naan on it and quickly slide onto the hot stone. Bake for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, until the top bubbles and the bottom is blistered with dark char spots. (For skillet naan, cook 1 to 2 minutes per side over high heat, watching for char.)
- Transfer the naan to a clean kitchen towel, brush immediately with melted ghee or butter, and sprinkle with coarse salt. Stack and cover to keep warm while you shape and bake the remaining dough.
- Serve hot, tearing rather than cutting, alongside kebabs, curries, daal, or simply with extra butter and a sprinkle of flaky salt.
Cook’s Notes
- For authentic tandoor-style char, preheat your pizza stone for at least 45 minutes — the longer, the better. A screaming-hot surface is the secret to the signature leopard-spotted blistering.
- If you don't have a pizza stone, heat a heavy cast iron skillet until smoking hot and cook the naan directly on the dry surface, flipping once. You can also finish under the broiler for 30 seconds for extra char.
- Whole-milk yogurt is essential here; its fat and acidity give the naan its tender crumb and subtle tang. Greek yogurt works but thin it with a splash of milk first.
- For a traditional restaurant-style naan, stretch the dough by hand over the back of your fist rather than rolling — this creates those characteristic uneven bubbles across the surface.
- Leftover naan keeps well in an airtight bag at room temperature for 1 day or frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat in a hot dry skillet for 30 seconds per side to restore the chew.
