I first had garlic naan when I was traveling in Dar es Salaam, at a restaurant in Masaki called Meikaf. It instantly became my favorite spot. The garlic naan there was one of those foods that hits you so unexpectedly you stop talking mid-sentence. I became obsessed and knew I needed to figure out how to make something that tasted just as good at home.
What surprised me during that whole process is how many naan recipes online are basically just flatbread pretending to be naan. They look fine, but they don’t have that soft, bubbly, chewy texture that makes restaurant naan so addictive. Once you taste real naan, you know exactly what I mean.
This homemade garlic naan tastes the way I remember it from Dar really puffy, blistered, chewy and soft but not cakey. And the best part is that it’s honestly so easy to make. No complicated steps, no fancy equipment. Just simple ingredients and a hot skillet and pairs beautifully with this Creamy Egg Cashew Curry.
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet : This is what you’ll use to cook the naan so it gets that gorgeous golden color and light char, similar to the traditional method.
- Rolling Pin: You’ll use a rolling pin to shape the dough into naan’s signature oval. It helps keep the dough an even thickness so it puffs nicely as it cooks.
💛 Why You’ll Love This Garlic Naan
- It gets the classic bubbles and chewy texture because we use yeast
- The dough is soft, simple and forgiving even if you’re not used to working with yeast
- It cooks fast on the stovetop
- Adding garlic butter at the end makes it taste like restaurant naan
- No tandoor needed
📊 Quick Recipe Stats
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Rise time: 1 hour
- Cook time: 15 minutes
- Total time: ~1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 naan
- Calories: ~200 per piece (varies with butter usage)
🧾 Ingredients
For the Dough
Dough
- 2 cups all purpose flour or bread flour
- 1 teaspoon instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons melted ghee or butter
- 1 egg
- ½ cup warm milk
- ⅓ cup warm water
Garlic Butter
- 3 tablespoons melted butter or ghee
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic minced
- Fresh chopped cilantro optional
How to Make Homemade Garlic Naan
1. Bloom the yeast
Mix warm water, yeast and sugar in a bowl and let it sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes foamy. Even though instant yeast doesn’t always require blooming, doing it here makes the naan much fluffier.
2. Mix the dough
In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, melted ghee or butter, egg, milk and the foamy yeast mixture. Start mixing with a spatula then switch to your hands. You don’t have to knead, just bring everything together until you have a soft dough.
3. Let it rise
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1 to 1½ hours or until it doubles. If it goes a little beyond doubling, that’s fine.
4. Shape the dough
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, divide into 6 pieces and shape each into a ball. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
5. Roll out the naan
Flatten each ball and roll into an oval or round shape about 3 to 4mm thick. This thickness creates the perfect balance of fluff and bubbles.
6. Cook the naan
Heat a cast iron skillet until it’s hot. Add one naan and let it cook without touching it. The top will start bubbling and puffing. Flip and cook the other side until slightly charred and golden.
7. Brush with garlic butter
Mix melted butter or ghee with minced garlic. Brush generously over the hot naan and sprinkle cilantro if you like.
Tips for the Best Naan
- Roll the dough evenly so it cooks properly and bubbles well
- Use a hot skillet to mimic the high heat of a tandoor
- Brush the naan immediately after cooking to help it absorb the garlic flavor
- If your dough is too sticky, sprinkle a little extra flour
- Don’t overcook or it will turn dry instead of soft and chewy
What to Serve With Garlic Naan
This naan goes with literally everything:
- Lentil curry
- Chickpea curry
- Tikka masala
- Butter chicken
- Or honestly just eat it straight from the skillet
Real naan is good on its own, so don’t feel guilty when you stand by the stove and snack on a piece while the next one cooks.
🧊 Storage
- Store cooked naan in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Keeps for up to 4 days reheat in a skillet or microwave.
- Freeze cooked naan (or dough balls) for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from frozen on a hot skillet or in a toaster oven.
Homemade Garlic Naan Bread
Course: Dinner RecipesCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium6
naans15
minutes15
minutes200
kcalIngredients
- Dough
2 cups all purpose flour or bread flour
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted ghee or butter
1 egg
½ cup warm milk
⅓ cup warm water
- Garlic Butter
3 tablespoons melted butter or ghee
2 to 3 cloves garlic minced
Fresh chopped cilantro optional
Directions
- Mix warm water, yeast and sugar in a bowl and let it sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes foamy. Even though instant yeast doesn’t always require blooming, doing it here makes the naan much fluffier.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, melted ghee or butter, egg, milk and the foamy yeast mixture. Start mixing with a spatula then switch to your hands. You don’t have to knead, just bring everything together until you have a soft dough.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1 to 1½ hours or until it doubles. If it goes a little beyond doubling, that’s fine.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface, divide into 6 pieces and shape each into a ball. Let them rest for 15 minutes.
- Flatten each ball and roll into an oval or round shape about 3 to 4mm thick. This thickness creates the perfect balance of fluff and bubbles.
- Heat a cast iron skillet until it’s hot. Add one naan and let it cook without touching it. The top will start bubbling and puffing. Flip and cook the other side until slightly charred and golden.
- Mix melted butter or ghee with minced garlic. Brush generously over the hot naan and sprinkle cilantro if you like.
