Oven-Baked Naan (Leavened Indian Flatbread)

By
Petrina Verma Sarkar
Petrina Verma Sarkar
Food writer Petrina Verma Sarkar is a native of India with extensive knowledge of the country's regional cuisines.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 07/5/24
Tested by
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Tested by Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 18 mins
Rising/Proofing Time: 100 mins
Total: 2 hrs 23 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 8 flatbreads

There is no Indian bread that is more famous than naan. They are perfect for mopping up the gravy in Indian curries or other dishes. Naan is traditionally cooked in a tandoor or earthen oven, but can also be made in your oven at home. Serve this delicious bread hot, with popular dishes like tandoori chicken or kebabs of different kinds.

Naan leavened Indian flatbread recipe on a white oval platter

The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

What Is The Difference Between Naan And Pita Bread?

Naan bread is usually made with milk or yogurt along with butter and sometimes eggs, making it softer than pita bread. Pita is typically made with flour, water, yeast, and salt. Pita also has a pocket when baked, while naan has some bubbles but no pocket.

Where Is Naan Bread From?

Naan originated in Persia/Iran and is used in many cuisines, including Western Asia and South Asia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and the Caribbean.

Tips for Making Naan

  • Measure the dough - To make naan bread uniform in size, weigh the dough balls. The dough weighs just under 26 ounces, so each ball should weigh roughly 3.20 ounces.
  • Sticky dough - When kneading the dough, it should feel soft and slightly tacky. Add just enough extra flour to keep it from sticking to the surface and your hands.
  • Bake faster - Turn the oven up to 450 F to 500 F for faster baking—about 11 to 14 minutes—and slightly puffier naan.
  • Proof in a warm spot - If you have a warm place, such as in the oven with the oven light on, you can reduce the proofing time to about 1 hour.
What You'll Need to Make This Oven-Baked Naan Recipe
Best_Baking_Sheet_HeroHorizontal
A Great Baking Sheet
best rolling pins group shot
A Handy Dandy Rolling Pin
Best pastry brushes spruce eats
A Nice Pastry Brush

"The naan was easy and tasty. I usually make a skillet naan and cook them one at a time, so I was happy to cut down on prep time with this oven-baked version. It wasn't as soft and puffy as a skillet naan bread but the flavor was excellent. One batch took about 18 minutes." —Diana Rattray

Oven-baked naan (leavened Indian flatbread) on a marble surface
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

  • 1 cup warm water

  • 3 cups (13 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 6 tablespoons ghee, divided

  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened yogurt

  • Vegetable oil, for greasing

  • 3 teaspoons onion seeds, aka nigella seeds or kalonji

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Naan leavened Indian flatbread ingredients gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  2. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar to 1 cup warm water and stir till the yeast is dissolved. Cover and leave aside for 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to froth. This indicates the yeast is active. Keep aside.

    Dry yeast and water in a bowl with a spoon

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  3. Mix 3 cups (13 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon salt to taste and sift through a very fine sieve into a large mixing bowl.

    Flour and salt in a sieve over a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  4. Next, add the yeast mixture, 3 tablespoons of ghee, and 3 tablespoons unsweetened yogurt. Use your fingertips to mix all this into a soft dough.

    Yeast, flour, ghee, and yogurt combined to form a dough

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  5. Once mixed, flour a clean, flat surface, and knead the dough till it is smooth and stretchy.

    Naan dough being kneaded on a wooden board with flour

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  6. Grease a large bowl with a few drops of vegetable oil and put the dough in it. Cover with cling wrap and allow to rest for about 90 minutes or till the dough doubles in volume.

    Naan dough ball a greased glass bowl covered with plastic wrap

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  7. Punch the dough down and knead again for 10 minutes.

    Punching down the naan dough in a glass bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  8. Equally, divide the dough and roll between your palms to form 8 round balls.

    Naan dough rolled into 8 equal-sized balls

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  9. Lightly flour the same surface on which you kneaded the dough and roll out each ball until you have a circle, 7 to 8 inches in diameter (1/4-inch thick). Gently pull on one edge of the circle to form the naan into a teardrop shape. Do not pull too hard or you may tear the dough. Instead of rolling the dough out (with a rolling pin) you can also pat it into a circle with your hands.

    Dough rolled out to an 8-inch circle on a wooden board

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  10. Preheat oven 400 F / 200 C / Mark 6. Lay a piece of aluminum foil ​on an oven tray (to cover) and grease it lightly with a few drops of vegetable oil.

    Rimmed baking sheet covered in foil

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  11. Place as many formed dough balls as will fit without touching each other on the tray.

    Flatten dough onto foil-lined baking sheet

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  12. Brush each dough ball lightly with the remaining 3 tablespoons ghee (melted), and with the 3 teaspoons of onion seeds, sprinkle a pinch of onion seeds evenly over the surface of each rolled out dough.

    Flatbreads brushed with ghee and onion seeds

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  13. Place the tray in the oven and cook till the naan begins to puff out and lightly brown. Flip the naan and repeat.

    Naan breads puffed and lightly browned on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

  14. Remove from oven and serve hot in a foil-lined basket.

    Baked Indian naan stacked in a bowl line with foil

    The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack

How to Store and Freeze Naan

  • Store cooled naan in a zip-close bag for up to three days.
  • To freeze, place the naan in a zip-close freezer bag and freeze for up to two months. Take it out of the freezer and let it thaw on the counter.
  • To reheat naan, wrap it in foil and heat in a preheated 400 F oven for about 10 minutes, or until hot. Or wrap naan bread in a paper towel and heat it in the microwave for 20 to 40 seconds, or until it is soft and begins to steam.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • More flavor! - Press or finely minced 4 to 6 cloves of garlic; add the garlic or 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro to the dough along with the yogurt and ghee.
  • No nigella seeds, no problem - Replace the nigella seeds with black or white sesame seeds.
  • Cook on the stove top - Prepare the dough and roll it as directed in the recipe; brush with ghee and sprinkle with nigella seeds. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brush it lightly with oil (or ghee). Add one naan and cook for about 30 to 40 seconds. Flip it and cook for another 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat with the remaining dough.