If you're craving restaurant takeout or making a slow-simmered curry, this fluffy tender naan recipe hits the spot. This flatbread is versatile enough to use for everything from breakfast "toast", to scooping up your favorite hummus or using it to pile on your favorite deli meats and cheeses. It's perfect for lunchboxes and naan pizza for quick weeknight dinners. For anyone new to making bread, this is a great "starter recipe" to get your feet wet or a great way to get kiddos into the kitchen to learn basic bread-making skills. I've included step-by-step recipe photos with instructions at the end of the post to make it even easier.

bubbly white naan bread cooking in the skillet

Fluffy Cast-Iron Skillet Naan Bread Ingredients

This naan is made from basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. It's good enough to be eaten on its own, but it's really tasty slathered with warm butter or olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. Add a few herbs, scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and za'atar, and pair it with your favorite hummus, or curry.

⅓ cup plain greek yogurt (80g)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (45g)
1 large egg (50g)
½ cup water (115g)
2 teaspoons active yeast (6g)
2 ½ to 3 cups all-purpose flour (340g-425g)*
1 teaspoon sugar (6g)
½ teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste

Everything naan stacked on aluminum foil and glistening with extra virgin olive oil with blisters all over from cooking in a cast-iron skillet

How to Make Fluffy Cast-Iron Skillet Naan Bread

You can make this naan bread using a stand mixer, or by hand. I provide both sets of instructions in the recipe card.

Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl combine the yogurt, olive oil, egg, and water and whisk until smooth.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, add the yeast, sugar, salt, and just 2 cups (280g) of the flour and whisk to combine (*reserve the remaining 1 ½ cups flour to add in increments if needed later on).
Make the dough. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Mix on low speed until flour is mostly combined. If the dough is sticky, add a little more flour in increments of about ½ cup (70g) at a time until the dough is no longer sticking to your fingers. Knead the dough on medium speed for 8-10 minutes. *if you don't have a stand mixer, see notes below for the no-mixer method.
Proof the dough (let it rise). Make a round ball out of the dough and place it in a very lightly oiled bowl and cover with recyclable plastic wrap. Place it in a draft-free area until doubled in size (about 1-1 ½ hours).
Portion the dough. Remove the dough and gather it into a ball and flatten slightly. Cut the dough in half, then quarters, and then eighths, or just pinch off pieces the size you prefer. Roll each piece of dough out to ¼" thick working with one at a time.
Cook the naan. Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron (or other heavy-bottomed) skillet to medium-high and add one piece of rolled dough at a time and cook until bubbles appear and the bottom is slightly browned, flip the naan over, slightly press on the dough with a spatula for a couple of seconds and continue cooking until nicely browned. Remove cooked naan to an aluminum foil-lined plate, brush with a little olive oil (or ghee), and seal the aluminum foil closed to keep the naan warm and hydrated while you cook the remaining pieces. Enjoy warm or at room temperature!

yeast in a white pasta bowl made to look like a smiling face

naan pizza with sauce and fresh sliced mozzarella

Fluffy Cast-Iron Skillet Naan Bread tips + tricks + FAQ's

What is naan bread? Naan bread is a leavened bread that typically uses yeast or a natural starter to make a simple flatbread that's cooked in a tandoor.
When was naan first made? The first recorded history of Naan can be found in the notes of the Indo-Persian poet Amir Kushrau in 1300 AD.
Where does naan come from? Naan comes from South Asia areas of Bangladesh, Pakistan, Iran, and the surrounding areas.
Does naan use yeast? Yes, naan uses yeast to leaven the bread, but it's easier than most yeast doughs to make.
What's the difference between naan and pita bread? Naan and Pita bread are both flatbreads, but naan is typically made using yogurt, eggs, milk, and even sometimes butter giving it a different texture once cooked, whereas pita bread is a more basic dough that typically uses ingredients like flour, salt, yeast, and water to make.
Is naan healthier than pita bread? Although naan and pita bread both taste great, pita bread is considered to be somewhat healthier than naan because it contains less fat and calories. This is because naan usually contains added yogurt and eggs and may even contain more oil or added butter than pita bread.
Is naan the same thing as roti bread? Naan is not the same thing as roti bread. Naan is a leavened bread that uses yeast and fats to make a soft, airy bread, whereas roti bread is unleavened and typically uses whole wheat flour. Sometimes roti bread uses baking powder to give it a little lift, but it's not as fluffy as naan and does not share the same texture.
Can you freeze naan bread? Yes, you can freeze naan bread by allowing it to completely cool to room temperature, stacking it, wrapping in plastic, and placing it in an airtight freezer bag. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight or on the countertop and reheat it in a sealed aluminum foil packet in a preheated oven for a few minutes. You can also steam it, or heat it in a covered skillet for a few minutes until warmed through.

Try Our Other Delicious Naan Recipes

If you like naan, here are a couple of other great-tasting recipes we think you might like.

Let's get started!

📖 Recipe

Fluffy Cast-Iron Skillet Naan Bread

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Author: Kelly
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 8 to 12 naan 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

Craving your favorite takeout flatbread? Look no further because this super-soft easy naan recipe is perfect for scooping up homemade hummus or sopping up that spicy curry. This bread is delicious and versatile -- we use it for everything from "toast" for breakfast, sandwich wraps, and even naan pizza.

Ingredients

Scale

⅓ cup plain greek yogurt (80g)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (45g)
1 large egg (50g)
½ cup water (115g)
2 teaspoons active yeast (6g)
2 ½ to 3 cups all-purpose flour (340g-425g)*
1 teaspoon sugar (6g)
½ teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark even when your hands have flour all over them

Instructions

Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl combine the yogurt, olive oil, egg, and water and whisk until smooth.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, add the yeast, sugar, salt, and just 2 cups (280g) of the flour and whisk to combine (*reserve the remaining 1 ½ cups flour to add in increments if needed later on).
Make the dough. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Mix on low speed until flour is mostly combined. If the dough is sticky, add a little more flour in increments about ½ cup (70g) at a time until the dough is no longer sticking to your fingers. Knead the dough on medium speed for 8-10 minutes. *if you don't have a stand mixer, see notes below for the no-mixer method.
Proof the dough (let it rise). Make a round ball out of the dough and place it in a very lightly oiled bowl and cover with recyclable plastic wrap. Place it in a draft-free area until doubled in size (about 1-1 ½ hours).
Portion the dough. Remove the dough and gather it into a ball and flatten slightly. Cut the dough in half, then quarters and then eighths, or just pinch off pieces the size you prefer. Roll each piece of dough out to ¼" thick working with one at a time.
Cook the naan. Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron (or other heavy-bottomed) skillet to medium-high and add one piece of rolled dough at a time and cook until bubbles appear and the bottom is slightly browned, flip the naan over, slightly press on the dough with a spatula for a couple of seconds and continue cooking until nicely browned. Remove cooked naan to an aluminum foil-lined plate, brush with a little olive oil (or ghee), and seal the aluminum foil closed to keep the naan warm and hydrated while you cook the remaining pieces. Enjoy warm or at room temperature!

Notes

Omit the sugar altogether if you're trying to reduce your sugar intake, or substitute honey or another sweetener.
MealPrep: Double or triple the recipe and freeze the cooled naan stacked in your preferred portions inside a freezer bag or other airtight bag and defrost on the counter or in the fridge overnight.
Refrigerate leftover naan in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.

NO-MIXER METHOD:

Follow steps 1-2 as outlined above.
Combine the wets and dries. In a medium bowl, add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture, and using a fork, mix until the flour is incorporated. If the dough is sticky, add more flour in increments about ½ cup (70g) at a time until the dough is no longer sticking to your fingers. (*see photos below)
Knead the dough. Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it for 8-10 minutes until the texture is fairly smooth and no longer shaggy.
Proceed with the remaining steps.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Rest Time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Breads
Method: Skillet
Cuisine: Southeast Asian