Mumbai Mix
Soft homemade naan showing the fluffy interior

Authentic Homemade Naan Recipe

Learn how to make soft, fluffy homemade naan using simple ingredients.

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From My Kitchen

Come into the kitchen with me — there's something special about pulling warm naan straight from the pan.

I know naan has a reputation for being tricky, but once you understand the dough and give it enough time to rise, it's genuinely straightforward.

This is the recipe I use myself. It's simple, reliable, and works whether you're serving it with curry, turning it into a quick pizza or filling it for lunch.

Before You Start

This is rated medium difficulty, and involves 20 min, ~2 hours, 30–45 min, 3 min. None of it is complicated — just a little patience where the recipe needs it.

What you'll learn

  • • How to make a soft, workable yeasted dough by hand
  • • Why resting and rising times matter for texture
  • • How to shape and roll naan evenly
  • • How to cook naan on a hot pan until it bubbles and chars

Step-by-step

  1. 1

    Mix the dry ingredients

    Mix together the flour, salt and instant yeast.

    [PHOTO – Ingredients]
  2. 2

    Form the dough

    Add the yoghurt, vegetable oil and five tablespoons of the lukewarm milk. Mix together until a dough starts to form, adding the remaining milk only if needed. The dough should feel soft but not sticky.

    [PHOTO – Mixing Dough]
  3. 3

    Knead until smooth

    Knead the dough for around 8–10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic and springs back gently when pressed with your finger.

    [PHOTO – Kneading]
  4. 4

    First rise

    Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave somewhere warm until doubled in size — this usually takes around two hours.

    [PHOTO – First Rise]
  5. 5

    Second rise

    Knock the air out of the dough gently, then leave it to rise again for around 30–45 minutes. This second rise creates a lighter, softer naan.

  6. 6

    Divide and shape

    Lightly grease your hands and divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Shape each piece into a smooth ball, covering the dough balls while you finish shaping them so they don't dry out.

    [PHOTO – Dividing Dough]
  7. 7

    Roll into ovals

    Lightly flour your work surface and roll each dough ball into an oval approximately 8–9 inches long. Don't worry if every naan isn't identical — handmade naan should look handmade.

    [PHOTO – Rolling]
  8. 8

    Cook and serve

    Heat a heavy frying pan until very hot. Place one naan into the dry pan; once bubbles begin appearing, flip and continue cooking until both sides develop golden brown spots. Brush lightly with butter or ghee if desired, and serve immediately.

    [PHOTO – Cooking][PHOTO – Finished Naan]

Ready to start cooking? Here's the complete recipe, with everything you need in one place.

Recipe Card

Authentic Homemade Naan Recipe

Soft, fluffy homemade naan using simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Tap an ingredient as you go

For the dough

  • 250g plain flour
  • 120ml plain yoghurt
  • 6–8 tbsp lukewarm milk
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Instant yeast use the quantity recommended on your yeast packet for 250g flour

You'll need

  • ✓ Large mixing bowl
  • ✓ Rolling pin
  • ✓ Tea towel
  • ✓ Heavy frying pan or cast iron pan
  • ✓ Pastry brush

Method

  1. 1. Mix together the flour, salt and instant yeast.
  2. 2. Add the yoghurt, vegetable oil and five tablespoons of the lukewarm milk. Mix together until a dough starts to form, adding the remaining milk only if needed. The dough should feel soft but not sticky.
  3. 3. Knead the dough for around 8–10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic and springs back gently when pressed with your finger.
  4. 4. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave somewhere warm until doubled in size — this usually takes around two hours.
  5. 5. Knock the air out of the dough gently, then leave it to rise again for around 30–45 minutes. This second rise creates a lighter, softer naan.
  6. 6. Lightly grease your hands and divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Shape each piece into a smooth ball, covering the dough balls while you finish shaping them so they don't dry out.
  7. 7. Lightly flour your work surface and roll each dough ball into an oval approximately 8–9 inches long. Don't worry if every naan isn't identical — handmade naan should look handmade.
  8. 8. Heat a heavy frying pan until very hot. Place one naan into the dry pan; once bubbles begin appearing, flip and continue cooking until both sides develop golden brown spots. Brush lightly with butter or ghee if desired, and serve immediately.

💛 Mumbai Mix Tips

  • • Don't add all the milk at once. Different flours absorb different amounts of liquid.
  • • The dough should feel soft, not wet. A sticky dough is much harder to roll.
  • • The second rise is worth the wait. Many people skip it, but it gives a much lighter naan.
  • • A properly heated pan makes all the difference. If the pan isn't hot enough, the naan will dry out before it colours.

Common Naan Mistakes

Why didn't my naan rise?

Usually the yeast was old or the dough wasn't kept somewhere warm enough.

Why is my naan dry?

The dough was probably too dry to begin with or it was cooked too slowly.

Why doesn't my naan bubble?

Your pan probably wasn't hot enough.

Variations

Different ways to make this your own

  • Garlic Naan
  • Cheese Naan
  • Chilli Naan
  • Wholemeal Naan
  • Mini Naan Pizzas

Continue Learning

This recipe is the foundation for:

  • Naan Pizza (Coming Soon)
  • Naan Wraps (Coming Soon)
  • Paneer Butter Masala (Coming Soon)
  • Butter Chickpeas (Coming Soon)
  • Restaurant Curry Sauce (Coming Soon)

From the Mumbai Mix Kitchen

One thing we always remind our students is that naan doesn't need to look perfect.

Some will be round. Some will be oval. Some will bubble more than others. That's exactly how homemade naan should be.

Don't aim for identical. Aim for soft, fluffy and full of flavour.

Happy cooking,

— Deshna