Homemade Garlic Naan Recipe
Perfectly soft and pillowy, this homemade garlic naan is just what you need when comfort food calls. Each bite is chewy and buttery, and a sprinkling of fresh herbs delivers a flavorful kick.
How to Make the Best Homemade Garlic Naan
There’s nothing quite like the aroma of freshly cooked naan bread filling your kitchen. This homemade garlic naan brings authentic Indian bread-making right to your stovetop with simple ingredients and easy-to-follow steps. The result is pillowy, chewy bread that’s perfectly charred on the outside and soft on the inside, brushed with aromatic garlic-infused ghee.
The magic happens with a hot cast-iron skillet and quality ghee—the dough bubbles up beautifully, creating those characteristic pockets of texture that make naan so irresistible. Don’t be intimidated by the yeast dough; this recipe is surprisingly manageable for home bakers of all levels. The dough comes together quickly and rises beautifully, giving you perfectly golden naan to serve alongside curries, dips, or simply on its own.
Whether you’re serving this with Indian food or just craving something warm and buttery, this homemade garlic naan is so easy to make you’ll want to serve it with just about every meal. Fresh cilantro adds a bright finishing touch, and the garlic ghee takes it from good to absolutely irresistible.
Homemade Garlic Naan
Perfectly soft and pillowy, this homemade garlic naan is just what you need when comfort food calls. Each bite is chewy and buttery, and a sprinkling of fresh herbs delivers a flavorful kick.
Ingredients
Dough
Garlic Ghee and Garnish
Instructions
Prepare Yeast
- Stir together the honey and warm water until combined.
- Sprinkle the packet of yeast on top and let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes. The mixture will start to look foamy. Use a bowl that has some depth for this step.
Make the Dough
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Whisk the milk and yogurt into the yeast mixture and pour on top of the flour. If using a stand mixer, mix with the paddle attachment until the dough starts to form a ball. Then, switch to the dough hook and knead for about 1.5 to 2 minutes on speed two. If making by hand, stir the yeast and flour mixtures with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand in the bowl for about 3 to 4 minutes. The dough will be a bit sticky and shaggy looking.
- Grease a bowl and place the dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let sit in a warm place until it doubles in size. This should take about 1 to 2 hours.
Cook the Naan
- Divide the dough into eight equal balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll one ball at a time until it's about 1/8-inch thick. For a more traditional look, roll into a rectangular shape.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until scorching hot. Lightly brush one side of the rolled naan dough with ghee. Place in the hot skillet and cook for about 1 to 1.5 minutes. While it cooks, lightly brush the other side with ghee. Flip and cook for another 1 to 1.5 minutes. The naan will bubble up with potentially huge bubbles—this is normal. Repeat with all the dough.
- As you cook the naan, melt the remaining ghee with garlic over medium heat in another pan. Turn to low if the garlic starts to get too hot. When each piece of naan finishes cooking, brush with the garlicky ghee mixture and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro or parsley if desired. To keep warm, you can cover the naan in tinfoil until all the pieces cook and are ready for serving.
Notes
- For a more traditional look, roll the dough into rectangular shapes before cooking.
- The naan will bubble up during cooking—this creates the characteristic pockets and chewy texture.
- Watch the garlic carefully so it doesn't burn while infusing into the ghee.