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Stovetop Homemade Naan – Indian Bread

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Stovetop Homemade Naan Recipe- Indian Naan Bread

The homemade naan is an absolute treat, which when made properly just melts in the mouth. This simple, easy and effortless recipe will make the most deliciously soft and supple bread that can be used to scoop any Indian curry, wrapped around meats. This recipe works perfectly when made on the stovetop, baked in the oven or even grilled on a hot summers day.

A Pinterest optimized image for stovetop homemade naan recipe made with yogurt, egg, and all-purpose flour

Stovetop Homemade Naan Recipe – Homemade Indian Naan | how to make Naan bread at home

If you love Indian food then you probably have eaten naan. If not? the next time you visit an Indian restaurant make sure you order naan. yep! Absolutely amazing Indian bread. Taste delicious and is perfect for any Indian dish.

What is Naan?

Indian flatbread!! Naan is actually a Persian word for bread and it’s pronounced as ‘NAHN’. The traditional naan is baked in a tandoor oven which is why you don’t often get it made at home! We at home don’t own tandoor ovens so we usually make other Indian bread like chapati, roti, paratha, kulcha etc.

Of course, the bread is so delicious that its’ a pity if you have to wait to go to a restaurant every single time you craved for naan! right? So often we make Naan at home despite the lack of a tandoor oven.
The recipe itself is simple and easy. It’s the process and time needed to ferment and add that depth of flavor that makes a huge difference. If you asked my mom to make naan? The dough has to be made the night before. Kept in the fridge until it really has the time to ferment so the yeast has time to make do its thing.
A close up of the homemade Naan bread laying flat on the table. Simple, easy and effortless recipe that's made on the stovetop

Stovetop Naan, Homemade Naan, Naan bread recipe, Easy Naan Recipe.

Video – Quick version of the slow detailed YouTube video (below)

Stovetop vs Oven Cooking

I have tried making the Naan in my oven, as well as on the stop top just like my chapati. The difference – The oven has to be at 220 Cor 440 F, kinda hot!! You have to make sure you take it off just at the right moment. If not it can dry out making it really tough. Sometimes it can even get hard due to overcooking.
I have given you both method below because I have tried both. You choose which you prefer. Over the years I have found that making the naan on the stove top just as I do my chapati works the best for me!!!

Naan variety (save/Pin)

The naan has come along way over the years with many creative ways to serve it.
  • Brush the naan with butter to make a butter naan.
  • add a few crushed garlic cloves in the butter before you brush it over a hot nana to make Garlic Naan.
  • Brush some butter over hot Naan and sprinkle with Nigella seeds or Caraways seeds.

This is my Nigella garlic butter naan, one of my absolute favorite. I will be sharing this with you very soon. I think you will love this.

A version of the stovetop homemade naan bread made with nigella, garlic and butter on the stovetop skillet

Nigella Garlic Butter Naan Recipe, Homemade Garlic Butter Naan

Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)

  • Flour – Naan is traditionally made with all-purpose flour but go ahead and substitute some of that with whole wheat flour. Taste delicious. I know cause I’ve tried it. I will share it with you soon too!
  • Yogurt – Apart from adding softness and flavor this really helped with over-night fermenting adding a unique special flavor. Try not to substitute.
    If you must; try non-dairy yogurt like coconut yogurt. I have not tried it so can’t troubleshoot. If you try, please let us know in the comments below.
  • Egg – Helps keep the naan soft and flaky. If you need to make it eggless, you can replace the egg with 1/4 cup more yogurt.
  • Warm water – the water MUST be warm, not hot or cold. Hot water will kill the yeast while cold water will not revive the yeast. So has to be around 110 F
  • Instant dry yeast – I like to use instant dry because I’ve always had great success with it. If you have to use active dry yeast you will need 2 1/4 tsp or one envelope, and if you use fresh yeast you will need about 21 grams. It’s not necessary to activate the yeast but I like to take the guesswork out and make sure my dough will rise
A pile of homemade stovetop naan breads made with all purpose flour, yogurt and eggs.

Stovetop Naan, Homemade Naan, Naan bread recipe, Easy Naan recipe..

Overnight naan bread

I don’t think I ever saw my mom make instant naan. She always made the dough the night before. In fact, she proved most of her bread doughs overnight. If you plan your naan bread ahead of time. I highly recommend you prepare the dough the night before and let it rise in the fridge overnight. The overnight resting adds a unique fermented flavor that’s very authentic and delicious with that strong bread smell you get at a bread house.

Just make sure you thaw the bread for a good two to three hours before you plan to roll it out. When thawed the dough be a pleasure to work with and you will find yourself making naan more often than you plan.

Balls of dough rolled and resting, ready to be rolled into homemade naan then cooked on the stovetop.

Nigella Garlic Butter Naan Recipe, Homemade Garlic Butter Naan, easy naan bread recipe

Recipe  – Stove Top Homemade Naan Bread – Indian Flat Bread 

Tools

Ingredients

  • All-Purpose Flour – 540 grams (4 cups ) + 50 grams (1/2 cup) for kneading
  • Instant Dry Yeast – 2 1/2 Tsp (one envelope)
  • Sugar -1 tbsp
  • Oil – 1 tbsp
  • Salt – 1 tbsp
  • Egg – 1 large
  • Plain yogurt – 120 ml ( 1/2 cup)
  • Warm water – 180 ml (3/4 cup)

Method:

Prepare yeast mixture

  • In a measuring cup – add warm water, yeast, sugar, and oil.
  • Let rest for a while until foamy (about 5 minutes)

Prepare dough

  • Place flour in a bowl – add salt. Mix well
  • Add the yeast mixture – start mixing in
  • Followed by the yogurt and the egg.
  • The dough should be soft and sticky
  • Continue to knead in a mixer for 3 minutes on medium or by hand on a floured surface for about 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Once the dough is soft and springy. Your dough is ready.

Proofing the dough

  • Place in an oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap
  • Rest it out for an hour or two  until double in volume
  • During the resting stage if the dough does rise more than double in volume – just punch down and let rest again until you are ready.
This Homemade Naan is an absolute treat. Simple, easy and delicious laden bread to eat with any Indian curry. Add some butter for butter naan, a few crushed garlic cloves for a garlic naan twist or simply sprinkle with pretty nigella seeds.

Stovetop Homemade Naan Recipe | Easy Homemade Indian Naan Bread Recipe

Let’s make Naan.

  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface again.
  • Divide the dough into 16 portions – first in half and then half again, until you have 16 shapes.
  • Roll each into a ball and let rest for 5 to 7 minutes (resting helps the gluten relax and makes working with dough easy)
This Homemade Naan is an absolute treat. Simple, easy and delicious laden bread to eat with any Indian curry. Add some butter for butter naan, a few crushed garlic cloves for a garlic naan twist or simply sprinkle with pretty nigella seeds.

Stove Top Homemade Naan – Indian Flat Bread |Easy Homemade Naan Bread Recipe

How do you make that naan shape? it’s easy!

  • Roll each ball into a round circle shape
  • Then pull/stretch the circle from one end and you have an oval shape.
  • That’s it!! This oval shape is usually quite characteristic of the naan bread.
This Homemade Naan is an absolute treat. Simple, easy and delicious laden bread to eat with any Indian curry. Add some butter for butter naan, a few crushed garlic cloves for a garlic naan twist or simply sprinkle with pretty nigella seeds.

Stove Top Homemade Naan – Indian Flatbread |Homemade Naan Recipe made easy

Stovetop Cooking  – Here’s how to keep it soft and supple. 

  • Heat a skillet pan on high
  • Place the naan on – let cook for 30 secs on the first side – you see some bubbles.
  • The first flip – flip the naan, let cook on the second side for another 30 secs
  • then the second flip –  cook on the first side again for another 30 secs
  • Third flip – back to the first side again – 30 secs.
  • So you flip three times cooking the naan for 30 secs on each side.
This Homemade Naan is an absolute treat. Simple, easy and delicious laden bread to eat with any Indian curry. Add some butter for butter naan, a few crushed garlic cloves for a garlic naan twist or simply sprinkle with pretty nigella seeds.

Homemade Naan Indian Flat Bread – Stovetop Naan Bread Recipe |Homemade Naan made easy

Oven Cooking

  • Preheat the oven to 220 C/440 F  for at least 20 minutes before you put the first naan in.
  • Dust the try with some cornmeal or flour – place the naan on the try
  • Place the tray in the preheated oven on the top shelf closer to the grill for about 2 to 3 minutes turning once or twice.
  • Until you see it’s puffed up and has dark spots.
  • Alternatively, place them on a hot pizza stone at 250C / 500 F – for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • The time of 2 to 3 minutes will vary depending on how HOT your oven is. So keep a close watch.

Keep it soft

  • As soon as you take the naan off the heat, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth.
  • This retains moisture back into the naan keeping it soft.

Video – A more detailed version of the above video – Don’t forget to subscribe for more videos

Don’t forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.

A Pinterest Optimized image for Homemade Naan Bread Recipe made on the stovetop with all purpose flour, yogurt and egg

The homemade naan is an absolute treat, which when made properly just melts in the mouth. This simple, easy and effortless recipe will make the most deliciously soft and supple bread that can be used to scoop any Indian curry, wrapped around meats. This recipe works perfectly when made on the stovetop, baked in the oven or even grilled on a hot summers day.

Stovetop Homemade Naan Bread Recipe aka Indian Naan

The homemade naan is an absolute treat, which when made properly just melts in the mouth. This simple, easy and effortless recipe will make the most deliciously soft and supple bread that can be used to scoop any Indian curry, wrapped around meats. This recipe works perfectly when made on the stovetop, baked in the oven or even grilled on a hot summers day. 

Print
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 16 Naans
Calories 216 kcal
Author Veena Azmanov

Ingredients

  • All-Purpose Flour - 540 grams 4 cups + 50 grams (1/2 cup) for kneading
  • Instant Dry Yeast - 2 1/2 Tsp one envelope
  • Sugar -1 tbsp
  • Oil - 1 tbsp
  • Salt - 1 tbsp
  • Egg - 1 large
  • Plain yogurt - 120 ml 1/2 cup
  • Warm water - 180 ml 3/4 cup

Instructions

Prepare yeast mixture

  1. In a measuring cup - add warm water, yeast, sugar, and oil.
  2. Let rest for a while until foamy (about 5 minutes)

Prepare dough

  1. Place flour in a bowl - add salt. Mix well
  2. Add the yeast mixture - start mixing in
  3. Followed by the yogurt and the egg.
  4. The dough should be soft and sticky
  5. Continue to knead in a mixer for 3 minutes on medium or by hand on a floured surface for about 5 to 7 minutes.
  6. Once the dough is soft and springy. Your dough is ready.

Proofing the dough

  1. Place in an oiled bowl and cover with cling wrap
  2. Rest it out for an hour or two  until double in volume
  3. During the resting stage if the dough does rise more than double in volume - just punch down and let rest again until you are ready.

Let's make Naan.

  1. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface again.
  2. Divide the dough into 16 portions - first in half and then half again, until you have 16 shapes.
  3. Roll each into a ball and let rest for 5 to 7 minutes (resting helps the gluten relax and makes working with dough easy)

How do you make that naan shape? 

  1. Roll each ball into a round circle shape
  2. Then pull/stretch the circle from one end and you have an oval shape.
  3. That's it!! This oval shape is usually quite characteristic of the naan bread.

Stovetop Cooking  

  1. Heat a skillet pan on high
  2. Place the naan on - let cook for 30 secs on the first side - you see some bubbles.
  3. The first flip - flip the naan, let cook on the second side for another 30 secs
  4. then the second flip -  cook on the first side again for another 30 secs
  5. Third flip - back to the first side again - 30 secs.
  6. So you flip three times cooking the naan for 30 secs on each side.

Oven Cooking

  1. Preheat the oven to 220 C/440 F  for at least 20 minutes before you put the first naan in.
  2. Dust the try with some cornmeal or flour - place the naan on the try
  3. Place the tray in the preheated oven on the top shelf closer to the grill for about 2 to 3 minutes turning once or twice.
  4. Until you see it's puffed up and has dark spots.
  5. Alternatively, place them on a hot pizza stone at 250C / 500 F - for 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. The time of 2 to 3 minutes will vary depending on how HOT your oven is. So keep a close watch.

Keep it soft

  1. As soon as you take the naan off the heat, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth.
  2. This retains moisture back into the naan keeping it soft.
Nutrition Facts
Stovetop Homemade Naan Bread Recipe aka Indian Naan
Amount Per Serving (78 g (1 naan))
Calories 216 Calories from Fat 25
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2.8g 4%
Saturated Fat 0.6g 3%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.2g
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Sodium 712mg 30%
Potassium 0mg 0%
Total Carbohydrates 40.3g 13%
Dietary Fiber 1.5g 6%
Sugars 2g
Protein 6.5g 13%
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0%
Iron 0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Do you love Indian Food?

Well then you must check out some of my other Indian recipes from slow-cooked curries to quick and easy as well as Indian Biryani and desserts

Modern Indian Recipes from Curries to rice and desserts

A Collection of Modern Indian Recipes by Veena Azmanov

Do you love baking homemade bread? I do enjoy it very much too!

Feel free to check out my – Slice of Bread – Homemade Bread Collections
or see my Recipe Index for a collection of all recipes on this blog

A collection of bread recipes by Veena Azmanov - best recipe collection from white or brown sandwich bread, pullman bread, pizza dough as well as best burger buns and flat bread recipes such as tortilla, chapati or pita breads

Best Bread Recipes, Bread Recipes, Homemade Bread – how to make bread at home, Veena Azmanov bread

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Comments

  1. Hi Veena,
    I’m thinking of making a batch to freeze and have on hand when needed. At what point do you think would be best to freeze it? After / Before proofing? After shaping? After cooking? Not at all? Please let me know what you would recommend.

    Huge fan of your recipes too by the way! Thanks so much 🙂

    Reply

    • Rosalynn. I freeze these too but only after I have cooked them and cooled them completely. So make the pita batch as shown. Cool them completely. Once cooled I pile them in a brown paper bag wrapped properly and into the freezer. When I need them (usually I need one or two) I place the frozen pita in the microwave for 30 seconds or more. The condensation melts right into the pita making it softer. Then I toated it on the open flame to toast it or dry off any excess moisture.

      Reply

  2. I love naan but never knew we could make it at home. Love the stove top version – going to try making it soon. Thanks

    Reply

  3. We love naan in our house but have never made a stop top naan before. I love it. I think those black specs you get when you cook on the stove add to the flavor. I served it with your slow cooked lamb masala recipe and it was super hit. Everyone was raving about it. Thank you so much for both these awesome recipes.

    Reply

    • Thank you so much Pushpendra. Happy to hear you enjoyed both these recipes. They definitely go great together. Thank you so much for taking the time to come leave this feedback. Appreciate it very much

      Reply

  5. I loved this naan Recipe of yours!! It’s so well explained.. I have never tried with eggs .. I will give this recipe a try soon!

    Reply

  8. Gosh Veena..I’m ashamed to say I have never tasted Naan Bread.. We love homemade curries but use wraps with the curry. The naan recipe looks so versitile. It’s brilliant that you posted step by step photos, makes it so much easier to understand the method

    Reply

  9. I’d never had naan until my son came home from spending a year in Afghanistan. When he got home I asked him what he wanted me to cook — it was naan. OMG!! You’re right it is so good. Now the recipe I used I had to brush melted garlic butter on it. Your recipe is authentic, mine probably wasn’t but it was so good. I’ll have to make your recipe for him.

    Reply

    • Marisa. If you read my recipe it also gives you variation, you can make it with butter naan, garlic naan or sprinkle some nigella or chopped cilantro. The variations are endless. We love naan in our home very much

      Reply

  11. I”ve seen a lot of naan online but only last week tried it. I went to a grocery that carriers different things than my normal store. I picked up a small package of naan, and I like it! Nice to see it’s something I could try making at home. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  13. Tandoor is always best for cooking Naan, since it is not available I like the idea of making in stove top. Baking Naan make it harder that is what I learned. Love your Thali with Naan. bread. Also I like that you added egg in the recipe. That is what I heard from street vendor in delhi.

    Reply

  15. I have always wanted to make the naan on the stove top as it is definitely less hassle than oven. That is one good post with very detailed explanation. I do agree that the dough left overnight for proofing has so much more flavor.

    Reply

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