This is my go-to garlic naan when I want soft, blistered flatbreads without fuss. It uses everyday pantry items, a very short rise, and a heavy skillet — no tandoor required. I’ll walk you through the exact steps I use so you get consistent results every time.
There’s a comforting rhythm to making naan: mix, knead, rest, shape, and cook. The dough is forgiving and the garlic butter finish is what keeps everyone coming back for more. Read on for precise instructions, equipment notes, and small fixes for common problems.
I write recipes to be practical and reliable. You’ll find the ingredients as listed, the method in the same order as I use it, and clear tips to avoid the usual missteps. Let’s get the skillet hot and the garlic butter ready.
The Essentials
Quick rundown of what matters most: use a heavy skillet for high, even heat; keep the dough slightly tacky but not sticky; and make the garlic butter while the skillet heats so every naan goes straight from pan to buttery perfection. The recipe uses a short 20-minute rise rather than an overnight fermentation — that’s intentional for speed without sacrificing texture.
Plan timing: mixing and kneading are the longest hands-on parts, then a 20-minute rest, and a few minutes per naan to cook. Three naan from this batch is a perfect side for two to three people alongside a curry or a simple salad.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ – 2 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour) (see note 1) — provides structure; start with 1 ½ cups and add up to 2 cups if the dough feels too wet.
- 1 teaspoon dried instant yeast (see note 2) — the raising agent; instant yeast works without proofing first.
- ½ teaspoon table salt — balances flavor; add to the dry ingredients.
- pinch sugar — feeds the yeast for a quick rise.
- ¾ cup warm water — hydrates the dough; warm to the touch, not hot.
- 3 tablespoons oil (see note 3) — enriches the dough and keeps it tender.
- ½ cup salted butter — melted and mixed with garlic and cilantro to finish the naan.
- 2 teaspoons dried garlic flakes — mixed into the melted butter for garlic flavor.
- 2 teaspoons dried cilantro — added to the butter for a fresh, herby finish.
Garlic Naan: From Prep to Plate
- Gather ingredients and equipment: 1 ½–2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon dried instant yeast, ½ teaspoon salt, a pinch of sugar, ¾ cup warm water, 3 tablespoons oil, ½ cup salted butter, 2 teaspoons dried garlic flakes, 2 teaspoons dried cilantro, a stand mixer with dough hook (optional) or a large mixing bowl, a heavy skillet or griddle, cling film, a floured work surface, and foil.
- In the stand mixer bowl (or a large mixing bowl), add 1 ½–2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon dried instant yeast, ½ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of sugar. Stir briefly to combine the dry ingredients.
- Add ¾ cup warm water and 3 tablespoons oil to the dry ingredients.
- If using a stand mixer: fit the dough hook and mix on low for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. If mixing by hand: use a fork or butter knife to bring the ingredients together into a ragged dough, then turn the dough onto a floured board and knead by hand for about 15 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, cover the bowl with cling film, and let the dough rest and rise for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, punch the dough down to release air, then divide it into three roughly equal portions and shape each portion into a ball.
- Lightly flour your work surface. Taking one ball at a time, use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten each ball into an oval or teardrop shape sized to fit your skillet or griddle. Keep the other dough balls covered while you work.
- Place a heavy skillet or griddle over high heat and allow it to become searingly hot.
- While the skillet heats, melt ½ cup salted butter in a small microwavable bowl for 45–60 seconds or until just melted. Stir in 2 teaspoons dried garlic flakes and 2 teaspoons dried cilantro to make the garlic butter.
- Cook each naan: place one shaped piece of dough onto the hot skillet and cook for 1–2 minutes, until it begins to puff and develop light charred spots. Flip and cook the other side for another 1–2 minutes.
- Remove the cooked naan to a plate, drizzle or brush with the prepared garlic-cilantro butter, then cover the naan with foil and place it in a low oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining pieces.
- Repeat steps 10–11 with the remaining dough pieces. Serve warm.
What Makes This Recipe Special
There are two simple choices here that make a big difference: a short, warm rise using instant yeast and finishing each naan with lots of garlic butter. The brief 20-minute rest keeps the recipe quick while still yielding soft naan. The heavy skillet and the high heat are why the exterior gets those desirable charred spots and puffs while the inside stays tender.
The garlic-cilantro butter is made with dried flakes to keep the process fast and to avoid extra chopping. It melts into the hot bread, giving every bite a glossy, flavored finish that feels indulgent without being fussy.
Ingredient Swaps & Substitutions
If you need to swap, keep proportions the same and rely on textures rather than exact measures:
- Flour — You can mix in a small portion of whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor, but increase hydration slightly because whole wheat absorbs more water. Start with the lower end of the flour range and add as needed.
- Oil — Any neutral-flavored oil works (vegetable, canola, or light olive oil). Avoid strong-flavored oils if you want a classic naan taste.
- Butter — If you prefer less salt, use unsalted butter and add a small pinch of salt to the garlic butter to taste.
- Herbs and aromatics — If you don’t have dried cilantro, dried parsley or a sprinkle of garam masala in the butter are acceptable alternatives. Adjust to taste.
Kitchen Gear Checklist
Minimal and practical gear gets this done:
- Stand mixer with dough hook (optional) — saves arm work for kneading but not required.
- Large mixing bowl — for mixing and proofing the dough.
- Heavy skillet or griddle — cast iron or heavy stainless works best to hold high heat and give quick char.
- Floured work surface — for shaping and rolling.
- Cling film — to cover the dough during the short rise.
- Microwavable bowl and spoon — to melt and mix the garlic butter quickly.
- Foil and a low oven — to keep finished naan warm and soft while you finish the batch.
Learn from These Mistakes
Texture problems
If naan ends up dense, it’s usually under-kneaded or over-floured. The dough should be smooth and slightly tacky after kneading. If you added too much flour while shaping, it will tighten the dough and make the finished bread firmer. Use the lower flour amount to start and add the rest only if needed.
Poor puffing or no char
Insufficient skillet heat is the common culprit. The pan needs to be searingly hot; test by flicking a drop of water — it should sizzle and evaporate immediately. Also, keep the skillet dry; excess flour on the surface can burn before the dough puffs.
Buttery sogginess
Brushing too much butter on while the naan is still heavy with water can make it soggy. Melt the butter fully and brush immediately after cooking so it soaks into warm bread rather than pooling.
Tailor It to Your Diet
Want it dairy-free or lighter? Swap the finishing butter for a neutral oil brushed with garlic and herbs. To reduce sodium, use unsalted butter and cut the table salt slightly. For a whole-grain version, replace a portion of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour and expect a firmer texture.
Keeping the method the same preserves the quick timeline; only the finishing fat and flour type change, so the rest of the steps remain intact.
Behind-the-Scenes Notes
I developed this version because it balances speed with texture. The short rise keeps things moving for weeknight cooking, and using dried garlic and cilantro means the recipe stays pantry-friendly. Cooking on a very hot pan mimics the blistered effect of a tandoor without special equipment.
Scaling up is straightforward: double the ingredients and divide the dough into more balls. Work in batches on the skillet and keep finished naan covered in foil in a low oven.
Meal Prep & Storage Notes
Cooked naan keeps well for a day at room temperature if wrapped; for longer storage, cool completely, then freeze stacked with parchment paper between pieces in an airtight bag. Reheat directly on a hot skillet or in a warm oven wrapped in foil until heated through. The garlic butter will mellow with time; you can rewarm a little butter to brush on before serving.
Unbaked dough can be shaped and refrigerated for a slow rise if you want to make it ahead — cover tightly and expect a longer fermentation. For this recipe’s quick timeline, the 20-minute rest is part of the method, but refrigeration is an option if you need to prepare earlier.
Your Questions, Answered
Q: Can I use active dry yeast instead of instant?
A: Yes, but you’d typically proof active dry yeast in warm water with the pinch of sugar first until bubbly, then add to the dry ingredients. Instant yeast is used here for convenience and to skip that step.
Q: Why use dried garlic and cilantro rather than fresh?
A: Dried flakes save time and require no chopping. They also mix into the melted butter evenly. Fresh herbs and minced garlic can be used if you prefer — mix them into the warm butter just before brushing.
Q: How do I know when the skillet is hot enough?
A: It should be searingly hot. A quick water-sizzle test or a small test disc of dough will show immediate puffing and quick browning within 1–2 minutes per side.
Ready, Set, Cook
Follow the steps in Garlic Naan: From Prep to Plate and you’ll have three pillowy, garlicky naan in under an hour. Start by mixing and kneading, let the dough rest for 20 minutes, shape into three balls, and get your skillet screaming hot. Melt the butter and mix the garlic and cilantro while the skillet reaches temperature so every cooked naan gets a fast brush of flavor.
There’s little that beats tearing into a warm naan and letting the garlic butter drip into your plate. Serve immediately and enjoy — simple, honest, and reliably delicious.
Simple Garlic Naan Recipe (Traditional Indian Bread)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 - 2 cupsall-purpose flour plain flour(see note 1)
- 1 teaspoondried instant yeast see note 2
- 1/2 teaspoontable salt
- pinchsugar
- 3/4 cupwarm water
- 3 tablespoonoil see note 3
- 1/2 cupsalted butter
- 2 teaspoondried garlic flakes
- 2 teaspoondried cilantro
Instructions
Instructions
- Gather ingredients and equipment: 1 ½–2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon dried instant yeast, ½ teaspoon salt, a pinch of sugar, ¾ cup warm water, 3 tablespoons oil, ½ cup salted butter, 2 teaspoons dried garlic flakes, 2 teaspoons dried cilantro, a stand mixer with dough hook (optional) or a large mixing bowl, a heavy skillet or griddle, cling film, a floured work surface, and foil.
- In the stand mixer bowl (or a large mixing bowl), add 1 ½–2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon dried instant yeast, ½ teaspoon salt, and a pinch of sugar. Stir briefly to combine the dry ingredients.
- Add ¾ cup warm water and 3 tablespoons oil to the dry ingredients.
- If using a stand mixer: fit the dough hook and mix on low for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. If mixing by hand: use a fork or butter knife to bring the ingredients together into a ragged dough, then turn the dough onto a floured board and knead by hand for about 15 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, cover the bowl with cling film, and let the dough rest and rise for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, punch the dough down to release air, then divide it into three roughly equal portions and shape each portion into a ball.
- Lightly flour your work surface. Taking one ball at a time, use your hands or a rolling pin to flatten each ball into an oval or teardrop shape sized to fit your skillet or griddle. Keep the other dough balls covered while you work.
- Place a heavy skillet or griddle over high heat and allow it to become searingly hot.
- While the skillet heats, melt ½ cup salted butter in a small microwavable bowl for 45–60 seconds or until just melted. Stir in 2 teaspoons dried garlic flakes and 2 teaspoons dried cilantro to make the garlic butter.
- Cook each naan: place one shaped piece of dough onto the hot skillet and cook for 1–2 minutes, until it begins to puff and develop light charred spots. Flip and cook the other side for another 1–2 minutes.
- Remove the cooked naan to a plate, drizzle or brush with the prepared garlic-cilantro butter, then cover the naan with foil and place it in a low oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining pieces.
- Repeat steps 10–11 with the remaining dough pieces. Serve warm.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)
- Large Mixing Bowl
- heavy skillet or griddle
- small microwavable bowl
- Rolling Pin
- floured work surface
- cling film
- Foil
- oven (low setting, optional to keep warm)
Notes
The recipe calls for dryinstantyeast, I use either, Red Star Quick-Rise, Fleischmann's RapidRise or Lowan Instant Dried Yeast.If you have dry active yeast, then you can use that but you will need to adapt the recipe as follows:Measure the water into the mixing bowl first and dissolve the yeast. To do this just sprinkle the yeast over the surface of the water and leave for 5 minutes. You can then add the remaining ingredients and proceed with the recipe.
3 tablespoon of oil = 45ml of oil. (The recipe uses US/UK 15ml tablespoons rather than the AU/NZ 20ml tablespoons)
The dough should be soft, so lightly flour your board or work surface to stop it sticking. Roughly divide the dough into 3 pieces and then roll each piece out until it is a little thicker than ¼ inch thick. Don't be too worried about it, just roll it out so it will fit in the skillet or griddle, if some bits are thicker than others it won't matter, just try and get it anywhere between ¼" and a ½" thick. (6mm-9mm)
