Restaurant Style Garlic Naan
Sep 25, 2018, Updated Apr 11, 2020
Soft and Buttery Homemade Garlic Naan - just like the one from your favorite Indian restaurant! Enjoy it with your favorite curry!
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Soft and delicious this is the only Garlic Naan recipe that you will ever need!
Make restaurant style garlic naan at home with this easy step-by-step recipe.
I am so excited to share this restaurant style Garlic Naan recipe with you guys!
Guys, I made this recipe months ago. I remember the day the I made this, I could barely keep up with my excitement. The reason was that these garlic naan turned out so good, like way beyond my expectations and I was so thrilled with the results that I wanted to share it on the blog immediately!
But then few things came up, then we went to Europe, then to India and somehow, I never got around sharing this amazing garlic naan recipe. Well, better late than never! This recipe of Garlic Naan is the only recipe of naan that you will ever need, I promise!
What Do We Need To Make Naan?
Naan is a leavened bread hugely popular in South Asia. In India, it’s one bread that’s always on the menu of every party, wedding, birthday etc. Honestly speaking, naan isn’t something that people in India eat everyday at home.
It’s something that we grew up eating in restaurants too. I don’t remember my mom ever making naan for us at home. What we had at home was roti and paratha. Naan was for restaurants, just like it is today.
Like most breads, naan too is made with basic ingredients like flour, yeast, water/milk, sugar. I add some yogurt to it keep it soft and nice. Since this recipe is for garlic naan, I also add some grated garlic to the dough and then brush the naan with lots of garlic butter.
I made this garlic naan on stove-top. Traditionally naan is made is made in a tandoor (clay oven) but at home, I prefer the stove-top method. You can bake them in oven but I think they are so much softer and better when cooked on stove-top.
Also, I highly recommend cooking these on a cast iron skillet. I have made these on non-stick and other pans, they taste so much better when made on a cast iron.
This Homemade Garlic Naan
✓ is just like the one at your favorite restaurant!
✓ easy to make at home with basic pantry ingredients
✓ tastes great with dal makhani or paneer tikka masala
✓ is packed with all the goodness of garlic
✓ costs way less than buying naan from stores!
I had a blast making this garlic naans at home. The thing with naan is that once you get the hang of it, you would never want to buy one from store. You know those rubbery, stretchy frozen naans that you get at stores? Seriously yuck! Plus, costly too!
On the other hand these homemade garlic naan are soft, packed with fresh garlic flavor and you would have a hard time keeping your hands off them! I won’t tell you guys how many I ate straight out of the pan.
But they were seriously so good that I have no regrets!
One Naan Recipe – Many Possibilities!
This is a great basic naan recipe. You can use the same recipe to make other flavors of naan.
Butter naan: skip the grated garlic in dough. Brush with melted butter only (no garlic).
Mint Naan: skip the garlic in dough. Mix dried mint with melted butter and brush the naan with this butter. Sprinkle fresh chopped mint on top.
Pesto Naan:Â add little pesto, seal the naan and then roll again. Brush with melted butter.
You get the idea, right? You can add so many seasonings here? Za’atar or chipotle anyone?
Freezing the Naan
Can you make these garlic naan in advance and freeze them? Yes you can!
To freeze make the dough, let it rise. Then divide the dough into equal parts and roll them. Place a piece of parchment paper and then place a rolled naan on top of it. Now place another piece of parchment paper on top of the rolled naan and then place another naan on top.
Basically, you have to stack them one by one, with a layer of parchment paper in between each naan. Once you have stacked them all, place them in a freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as possible and freeze.
Method
1- In a bowl whisk together 3.25 cups all purpose flour (423 grams) with 1 teaspoon salt. Set it aside.
2- To the steel bowl of your stand mixer, add lukewarm water and then add the sugar and yeast. Let it bloom for 5-10 minutes.
3- You will know the yeast is activated when its all bubbly and frothy on top.
4-Â Once the yeast in activated, add to it lukewarm milk, yogurt and oil.
5- Add the flour mixture and mix until combined.
6- Also add the grated garlic. Start adding the remaining 3-4 tablespoons of flour (27-36 grams). Add 1 tablespoon at a time and add more if the flour is too sticky.
7- I added around 3-4 tablespoons flour at this point. The dough will be sticky, so do not add more flour to make it dry. It just shouldn’t be very sticky.
8- Knead with hands or with the dough hook attachment of your stand mixer for 1-2 minutes until the dough is smooth. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl.
9- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and the the dough rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes. If it cold where you live, pre-heat your oven for few minutes and then turn it off. Then place your dough inside the oven (remember the oven should be off!)
10- After around 90 minutes, the dough will be more than double in size. Punch the dough lightly to release the air.
11- Divide the dough into 8 equal parts (around 100-105 grams each). Dough will be sticky so oil your hands while dividing the dough. Cover the dough balls with a kitchen towel and let them rest for 10-15 minutes.
12- Meanwhile melt 3 tablespoons of butter, add minced garlic and chopped cilantro to it. Keep the garlic butter ready to brush on the naan.
13- Heat up an iron skillet on medium-high heat. I really recommend using an iron skillet to make these naan. Take a dough ball and roll it into an oval shape, around 10 to 11 inches long and 6 inches wide. Apply little oil on top of the dough before you try to roll it. Also oil your roller. Do not try to roll the dough like you would roll a tortilla/roti/paratha. Simply stretch it length wise and then width wise.
Dip your finger in water and then sprinkle some nigella seeds on top. This is optional.
14- Transfer the rolled naan onto the hot skillet. Let it cook for couple of minutes until you see bubbles on top. Brush the naan at this point with the prepared garlic butter.
15- With the help of a tong, remove the naan from skillet, flip and transfer directly to the gas. There will be a little mess as the butter will pour down – don’t worry, it’s okay.
If you want you can cover your burner with aluminium foil before you begin cooking the naan.
You can also skip the step of applying butter at this point and apply it directly once the naan is cooked. I like applying it twice –>more garlic flavor!
16- Cook the garlic naan for 15-20 seconds (directly on gas) until nicely golden brown from both the sides.
Remove from heat and brush with more garlic butter. Serve these homemade garlic naan with dal makhani or butter paneer!
To cook the garlic naan in oven – pre-heat oven to 500 F degrees. Arrange rolled naan on a baking tray and then bake for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove naan from oven and apply the garlic butter. If you want, you can place the naan in the oven under broiler to get them charred.
Enjoy!
If you’ve tried this Restaurant Style Garlic Naan Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter to see what’s latest in my kitchen!
Restaurant Style Garlic Naan
Ingredients
- 3.25 cups +3-4 tablepoons all purpose flour 423 grams + 27-36 grams), also known as maida
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water lukewarm, 8 oz
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/3 cup milk lukewarm
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 3 tablespoons oil I used vegetable
- 2 large garlic cloves grated
- nigella seeds/kalonji
Garlic Butter, to brush on naan
- 3 tablespoons butter I used unsalted
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
Instructions
- In a bowl whisk together 3.25 cups all purpose flour (423 grams) with 1 teaspoon salt. Set it aside.
- To the steel bowl of your stand mixer, add lukewarm water and then add the sugar and yeast. Let it bloom for 5-10 minutes. You will know the yeast is activated when its all bubbly and frothy on top.
- Once the yeast in activated, add to it lukewarm milk, yogurt and oil.
- Add the flour mixture and mix until combined.
- Also add the grated garlic. Start adding the remaining 3-4 tablespoons of flour (27-36 grams). Add 1 tablespoon at a time and add more if the flour is too sticky. I added around 3-4 tablespoons flour at this point. The dough will be sticky, so do not add more flour to make it dry. It just shouldn't be very sticky.
- Knead with hands or with the dough hook attachment of your stand mixer for 1-2 minutes until the dough is smooth. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl.
- Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and the the dough rise in a warm place for 60-90 minutes. If it cold where you live, pre-heat your oven for few minutes and then turn it off. Then place your dough inside the oven (remember the oven should be off!)
- 10- After around 90 minutes, the dough will be more than double in size. Punch the dough lightly to release the air.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal parts (around 100-105 grams each). Dough will be sticky so oil your hands while dividing the dough. Cover the dough balls with a kitchen towel and let them rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Meanwhile melt 3 tablespoons of butter, add minced garlic and chopped cilantro to it. Keep the garlic butter ready to brush on the naan.
- Heat up an iron skillet on medium-high heat. I really recommend using an iron skillet to make these naan.
- Take a dough ball and roll it into an oval shape, around 10 to 11 inches long and 6 inches wide. Apply little oil on top of the dough before you try to roll it. Also oil your roller. Do not try to roll the dough like you would roll a tortilla/roti/paratha. Simply stretch it length wise and then width wise.
- Dip your finger in water and then sprinkle some nigella seeds on top. This is optional.
- Transfer the rolled naan onto the hot skillet. Let it cook for couple of minutes until you see bubbles on top. Brush the naan at this point with the prepared garlic butter.
- With the help of a tong, remove the naan from skillet, flip and transfer directly to the gas. There will be a little mess as the butter will pour down - don't worry, it's okay. If you want you can cover your burner with aluminium foil before you begin cooking the naan.You can also skip the step of applying butter at this point and apply it directly once the naan is cooked. I like applying it twice -->more garlic flavor!
- Cook the garlic naan for 15-20 seconds (directly on gas) until nicely golden brown from both the sides.
- Remove from heat and brush with more garlic butter. Serve these homemade garlic naan with dal makhani or butter paneer!
To Cook Garlic Naan in Oven
- To cook the garlic naan in oven - pre-heat oven to 500 F degrees. Arrange rolled naan on a baking tray and then bake for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove naan from oven and apply the garlic butter. If you want, you can then place the naan in the oven under broiler to get them charred.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best Homemade nan recipe I’ve ever tried, thank you so much…you should have your or own cooking show!!!
you are too kind! thanks so much, glad you liked it!
Lovely.
My children say that they don’t like naan. So I made it up into little balls and called them garlic balls and they loved them. My man and I love them the normal way.
Thanks for sharing.
LOVE this recipe! So delicious, airy, fluffy. I have previously had a hard time making naan which stays soft and flexible. With this recipe, they’re perfect! Also, I make it vegan using margarine, oat-based yoghurt, non-dairy milk (once with pea-milk and once with cashew milk). So if anyone out there is wanting to try veganizing this recipe, I can tell you that it works wonderfully with vegan substitutes 🙂
Can I substitute either sour cream or buttermilk for the yogurt? I don’t have yogurt but want to try these tonite. Thanks for your reply.
sour cream might work
Hi Manali! This recipe sounds amazing! If I have plain Greek Whole Milk Yogurt would that work for the plain yogurt? Thank you for your help!
yes will work!
Hi, love your recipes!
What kind of milk and yogurt are you using for the naan? Thanks
plain milk yogurt and dairy plain milk (whole or 2%)
Good morning
I have a tandoor oven and just want to be sure they will cook equally as well in it, which I certainly will but just thought I’d check. I also want to make it a day or two in advance, and again I’m assuming this will work
Thank you
they should cook well in tandoor. You want to make the whole naan before and re-heat later? should be okay though won’t taste as fresh as it tastes when freshly made.
Amazing recipe with great results. Thank you for the easy to follow detailed instructions. I made smaller portions & ended up with 10 naans, looking forward to pulling the leftovers out of the freezer as needed. My family loved how tender the naan turned out, not rubbery or chewy at all.
I really want the world to know this was great and easy to make using these instructions. Thank you for sharing this with us!
thanks for trying! 🙂
Can’t get enough of this recipe absolutely delicious thank you
These were fantastic! I don’t have gas so I just did it in my carbon steel frypan on my electric stove and it still turned out delicious!
Manali I love how detailed your instructions are, can’t wait to try some of your other recipes 🙂
glad to know!
this is the 3rd time ive made these now and thry get better each time , am waiting for it to rise now tyvm all the family love them too
glad to know!
Tried it first time and turned out amazing… so much more better or i say best than restaurant.. i cooked it and freeze it and just warmed in oven and it was sooo fresh.. thank you for the recipe.
glad to know!
Loved it. I added 1/3 wheat flour. I cooked the nan on a pizza stone on the grill at 500 F and then toasted it top side down on charcoal.
A wonderful recipe. Thank you!
Hello,
Would i be able to substitute soy milk instead of regular milk for this?
Thanks!
should work
Dear Manali
I have never got naan so right before. Your recipe was just perfect. I have also frozen a few – will find out soon how that went. Thanks a tonne. By the way, I guess it will work also for keema naan if I stuff little keema while making the ball after the dough has risen and then roll?
it would work with the stuffing, glad you liked it! 🙂
Very good naans. Better than I had in restaurants! Only problem was it took sometime for me to master the thickness when rolling. It would have been great if you had mentioned a rough thickness for beginners like me.
I made your Dal Makhani to go with the naans. It was a delicious combination. Whole family agreed that it was a great meal and far better than what we found in a restaurant.
I just made this too and its suuuuuuuuuuuper yummy <3 the naan is nice and chewy i think ill put more garlic next time in the dough <3 im just a bit addicted with garlic hahahah thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe and for covering all the bases!
Hi Manali, after having tried and failed a few naan bread recipes, I promised myself that yours was the last recipe i will try…And i did..and its the 10th time i am making this bread, its now my weekly go to recipe that my family enjoys..Thank you for sharing.
I am so glad to hear that!
Hi! I want to try this recipe, but like some others here, I have an electric stove. You mentioned using a wire mesh to the others. I am not sure what that is. I looked it up, but can’t seem to find it. Could you please let me know? I love all your other recipes, btw, especially the instant pot ones. They’ve made my life so much easier. Thank you! 🙂
I am talking about this Deepa: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Multi-Purpose-Stainless-Square-Roaster/dp/B07D239V6H/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=wire+mesh+for+roti&qid=1602039477&sr=8-3
and thanks, glad you like the recipes! 🙂
I don’t have a gas cooker just an induction hob. Will I ever be able to get good results like this?
if you have a wire mesh, use that!
Hi there! If I want to make 3 batches of the recipie together, do I need to use 6 teaspoons of yeast or can I get by with less? looks like an awesome recipie, Thank you (:
hmm I am really not sure since I have never tripled this recipe but if you want, yes triple everything. hope it works
Do you grease the iron skillet before dropping in the naan bread. If so do you use oil or butter Thank You in advance
no I don’t grease it
Absolutely perfecTT! These were beyond delicious and worked perfectly!! The tip about putting them over the flame on the second side made all the difference. They were just like the restaurant and not too finicky to make. Will definitely be making these again! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
I am so glad to hear!
Can I make similar receive with curd instead of yogurt
curd and yogurt are the same thing
I have tried naan a couple of times with other recipes but it never came out as good. Excellent recipe. I would recommend changing the title to ‘ “Better than restaurant…”.
haha I should change it then!
This is the perfect recipe for garlic naan. Naan I made today was just amazing, exactly as we get in restaurants or even better!
glad to know Marina
Can we make these naan with whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour?
do 50% whole wheat and 50% all purpose, 100% whole wheat will make them dense
Love this recipe. Naan came out perfectly. Soft, buttery and delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Manali ,
I am using g your method for naan with same method . Dough is so sticky . What should I do ? Do I have to throw away ? I don’t think I will be able to roll at all it is very sticky . Please let me what to do ?
Hi Neha, looks like the ingredients were not measured correctly, this dough is not that sticky, it’s a tried and tested recipe. That’s why I have given the measurements in grams too since cups measurements are off sometimes. Add little more flour, grease your hands with oil and then try rolling. This recipe has such great reviews so I am not sure why it wouldn’t work for you. Just add little flour, let the dough rest a bit and try again
Hi! Could I use 1.5 cups whole wheat flour and 1.5 cups all purpose flour? Thank you!
yes should work
Hi!
1. How can I make this without the yoghurt?
2. Can I use almond milk?
Thanks!
1. have not tried this recipe without yogurt, you can check this naan recipe which doesn’t use yogurt: https://www.cookwithmanali.com/easy-no-yeast-naan/
2. almond milk should work
I used vegan yogurt and soy milk. And it turned out well.
Made this a second time. This time with non dairy substitutes. Used coconut yogurt and even bought the wrong one (vanilla). Also substituted hemp milk. Still came out very very close to the original recipe. Only a very slight taste difference. When you eat it with butter chicken or whatever curry you’d like you’d never notice the difference. Wish I hadn’t told the family my substitutes so I could see if they’d even notice a difference at all.
What if you have an electric stove? Just cook both sides in the cast iron? Thank you!
If you have a wire mesh, put the naan on top of that and roast from both sides
Tried your recipe today …. naans were a super hit in our family…. took half the proportions and made medium sized 7 naans. Thank you for this recipe!!!
glad to know Vaidehi!
Just made a batch 7 nans well worth the effort 5 going into freezer ladish xx
This recipe was way out of my comfort zone but thanks to your detailed recipe they turned out brilliantly! I am beyond thrilled! No more yucky bland supermarket naan breads for us. Thank you. I’m now excited to explore the rest of your recipes.
Hi. I don’t have a stand mixer, or a steal bowl. I’d like to make this recipe.
how can I do this without these things?
use your hands!
Awesome recipe!
For oven method
After u bake 4-5 min
u need to start broiler for how long
2-3 mins until it gets little charred
These were absolutely delicious!! Better than any naan bread I’ve eaten at a restaurant recently. Method is very detailed, follow it and you’ll be happy with the finished product!
Absolutely awesome. My critical husband loves it too. Thanks for sharing.
yay! 🙂
Thanks a lot. This recipe is so detailed and the results are perfect, i have made twice already!!!
awesome
Hi Manali
Thank you so much for the amazing naan recipe. We really enjoyed it and the detailed instructions made it very easy.
glad to know!
Hi I tried ur recipe.it came out really well .every one loved it .thanks
glad to know 🙂
Brilliant recipe. I used and old ken hom skillet and preheated it in oven before placing dough on and they were great
awesome!
Recipe looks amazing. How do you thaw and cook the frozen naan?
freeze and then straight to the pan, I would not thaw it.
Amazing, so happy to make know how to make this for my family. Thank you Manali!
welcome 🙂
I halved the recipe and made four. They were fantastic. Thank you!!
Hi Manali,
I recently made naan with your recipe and they turned out absolutely perfect! Thanks for sharing and I really enjoyed the organization of your page and the detail you provide. Keep cookin’!
glad to know 🙂
Awesome recipe!