Easy Homemade Garlic Naan Recipe

Nothing beats the warm, buttery goodness of fresh garlic naan straight from your own kitchen! This beloved Indian flatbread is a restaurant favourite that pairs perfectly with any curry, but you don't need to order takeaway to enjoy it. With just a few simple ingredients and our step-by-step recipe, you can create soft, pillowy naan with that signature garlic flavour right at home. 

Ingredients

For the naan dough:

• 2 cups (approx. 250g) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp instant dried yeast
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup (125ml) warm milk (not hot, just warm to the touch)
• ¼ cup (60g) natural Greek or plain yoghurt, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil or melted ghee
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (approx. 1 tbsp)
• 1-2 tbsp nigella seeds (kalonji) or sesame seeds (optional, for topping)

For Garlic Butter Finish:

• 2 tbsp melted butter or ghee
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced (approx. ½-1 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Activate yeast: In a large bowl, whisk together warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let stand 5-10 minutes until foamy. (If no foam, yeast may be old – start again).
2. Combine dough: Add flour, salt, yoghurt, 1 tbsp oil/ghee, and minced garlic (from dough ingredients) to the yeast mixture. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Knead: Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 7-10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.
4. First rise: Lightly grease the bowl. Place dough in, turn to coat. Cover with cling film or a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm spot for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
5. Divide dough: Gently punch down dough. Divide into 6-8 equal balls.
6. Shape naans: On a lightly floured surface, take one dough ball. Roll or stretch into an oval or teardrop shape, about 20-25cm long and 0.5cm thick. Sprinkle with nigella/sesame seeds if using, and lightly roll them in.
7. Heat pan: Heat a heavy-based frying pan (cast iron works best) or a non-stick pan over high heat until smoking hot. No oil needed in the pan initially.
8. Cook naan:
   1. Place one shaped naan into the hot, dry pan.
   2. Cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbles appear on the surface and the underside has dark spots.
   3. Flip the naan. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the other side has dark spots and the naan is cooked through and puffed.
   4. Optional: For more char, you can briefly hold the cooked side directly over a gas flame with tongs for a few seconds.
9. Prepare garlic butter: While naans cook, in a small bowl, combine melted butter/ghee, minced garlic (for topping), and chopped coriander.
10. Butter & stack: Remove cooked naan from pan. Brush immediately and generously with the garlic butter mixture. Stack naans on a plate and cover with a clean tea towel to keep warm and soft while cooking the rest.
11. Serve: Serve hot with your favourite curries!

Enjoy your incredibly flavourful garlic naan!