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Garlic Naan | How to make Garlic Naan Bread
5 from 84 votes

Garlic Naan | How to make Garlic Naan Bread

Garlic Naan is a leavened flatbread combining whole wheat and all-purpose flours with finely chopped garlic kneaded into a soft dough. After allowing the dough to leaven, it is portioned and rested before baking. The naan is brushed with a garlic-infused melted butter mixture that cooks gently, avoiding raw garlic flavor. This bread offers a tender, airy texture with a subtle garlic aroma, making it suitable for pairing with various dishes.

Prep Time
1 hr 10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
Servings: 8 Garlic Naan
Calories: 195 kcal
Course: Main Course, Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: Indian, International

Ingredients

For yeast mixture
  • ½ teaspoon instant yeast (rapid rise yeast)
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar raw sugar or granulated, white sugar
Other ingredients for dough
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour - 120 grams
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour - 125 grams
  • 1 teaspoon garlic - finely chopped or minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon salt
For garlic butter
  • 4 tablespoon butter - salted or unsalted
  • 2 teaspoons garlic - finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons mint chopped or cilantro (coriander leaves, leaves

Instructions

Making dough
    Cup of Yum
  1. First mix the instant yeast with sugar and water. Set aside.
  2. In a bowl or stand-mixer bowl, take both the flours, garlic, salt and oil.
  3. Add the yeast mixture. Add ½ cup water in parts and knead to a supple, soft and smooth dough.
  4. Cover with a clean kitchen towel cloth and keep the dough to leaven for 45 minutes to 1 hour until doubled. Note that the time taken to leaven will depend on the room temperature.
  5. Once the dough is leavened, portion it in equal sized balls. Roll the portioned dough between your palms and make a neat ball. Flatten it lightly.
  6. Place the balls on a tray with some space next to them. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Making garlic butter
  1. Meanwhile melt butter completely in a small pan or skillet.
  2. Add garlic and turn off the heat. The garlic will be cooked with the heat from the melted butter and you won’t get the raw pungent garlic flavor in the naan bread.
  3. When this melted butter mixture become warm, add the chopped mint or coriander leaves. Set aside. 
Assembling and Rolling
  1. Sprinkle flour on the dough and place it on a lightly dusted rolling board. Avoid adding too much of the flour when rolling. Use sparingly and as needed.
  2. Sprinkle nigella seeds or sesame seeds on the dough. With a rolling pin make a round or oval shape dough. You could pull the top part of the rolled dough with your fingers to make a tapering dough. 
  3. Turn over gently the rolled dough and let the side with the nigella seeds touch the rolling board's surface. Spread water all over on the top side.
Making Garlic Naan
  1. Next heat a tawa or a flat skillet. Keep the heat to medium-high or high.
  2. Place the watered side touching the hot skillet or tawa.
  3. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until you see the base getting nicely browned and charred.
  4. Using a spatula separate the naan from the skillet. 
  5. Lift the naan with tongs and place it on direct flame with the side that is not cooked touching the flame.
  6. Move the naan all over the flame to ensure the sides and the surfaces are well cooked with some chars. If you see that the side which was cooked earlier on the skillet, looks raw, then cook this side too on the flame. 
  7. Place on a tray or plate and brush the garlic butter spreading some garlic and mint/cilantro (from the garlic butter) all over on the naan. 
  8. You can either use a roti basket to store the naans or use a clean cotton kitchen towel to stack the naans. When placing them, place the buttered side facing each other for two naans, so that the butter does not touch your kitchen towel. 
  9. Make the naans one by one this way.
  10. Serve Garlic Naan Bread hot or warm. Garnish with some cilantro or mint if you like.

Notes

  • The yeast dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one day or frozen for about a week to extend shelf life.
  • This recipe can be doubled easily to accommodate larger portions.
  • Melt the garlic butter off heat to mellow the garlic flavor before brushing on the cooked naan.

Nutrition Information

Calories 195kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 24g (8%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 4g (20%) Trans Fat 0.2g (10%) Cholesterol 15mg (5%) Sodium 148mg (6%) Potassium 85mg (2%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 177IU (4%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.3mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.1mg Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 2mg Vitamin B6 0.1mg Vitamin B12 0.01µg (0%) Vitamin C 0.4mg (0%) Vitamin D 0.1µg (1%) Vitamin E 2mg Vitamin K 1µg Calcium 12mg (1%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 53µg Iron 1mg (6%) Magnesium 25mg (6%) Phosphorus 79mg Zinc 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 Garlic Naan

Amount Per Serving

Calories 195

% Daily Value*

Calories 195kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 24g 8%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 148mg 6%
Potassium 85mg 2%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 177IU 4%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.3mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 2mg
Vitamin B6 0.1mg
Vitamin B12 0.01µg 0%
Vitamin C 0.4mg 0%
Vitamin D 0.1µg 1%
Vitamin E 2mg
Vitamin K 1µg
Calcium 12mg 1%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 53µg
Iron 1mg 6%
Magnesium 25mg 6%
Phosphorus 79mg
Zinc 1mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.