Easy Garlic Naan

Four years. That’s how long people have been asking me for a naan recipe. I was always distracted by some other shiny object, but during the pandemic, I got into baking all types of bread and decided it was time. It’s so. Freaking. Easy. It’s nothing like what you buy at the grocery store. Fresh naan basted with cilantro and garlic—I could eat it just by itself with a cup of chai on the side. By the way, I tried creating a tandoor-like environment and cooking it on a baking stone in the oven. Honestly, it was a total waste of time, and the naan weren’t as good. It’s a wonder I didn’t burn myself, sticking my hands into a 500°F oven trying to baste the naan! Use a seasoned cast-iron pan, and you’ll be done in less than half the time—and much more safely.

Course

Snack

Difficulty

Medium

Duration

1 hour

Diet

Egg Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Vegetarian

Cooking Technique

Instant Pot

Keywords

1 hour, 4 servings, all-purpose flour plus more for dusting, baking powder, bread, divided, egg free, extra-virgin olive oil plus more for greasing, flour, ghee, heaping greek yogurt, instant pot, kosher salt, medium, minced fresh cilantro, minced fresh garlic, nut-free, snack, soy-free, vegetarian, water plus 1 tbsp

Servings

4 Servings

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp heaping Greek yogurt
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil plus more for greasing
1/3 cup water plus 1 tbsp, divided
3 tbsp ghee
3 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1 tbsp minced fresh garlic
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, yogurt, 1 tbsp olive oil, and water. Mix and knead for about 5 Minutes to form a smooth, pliable dough. Add up to 1 tbsp more of water if your dough isn’t coming together or appears crumbly.
Oil the Instant Pot. Place the dough into the Instant Pot. Press Yogurt and set it to Low. If you have an Ultra and can set a custom temperature, set the Low Yogurt temperature to 92°F. Do not exceed 98°F to 100°F. Cover the Instant Pot with a glass lid. As a rule, do not use the pressure-cooking lid because the raised dough sometimes sticks to and seals the Instant Pot shut.
Meanwhile, for the topping: In a small saucepan or in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the ghee with the cilantro, garlic, and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside the topping while the dough rises.
Allow the dough to rest for about 1 Hour in the Instant Pot. The dough will not rise. You just want autolysis to occur and for the gluten strands to loosen a little to make rolling easy. The Instant Pot creates a warm, relatively moist environment, which makes the resulting dough supple.
Remove the dough and gently knead it. Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Allow the dough to rest for 10 Minutes while you gather your supplies.
Set a seasoned cast-iron pan on the stove. Do not try this with a nonstick pan—you need a screaming-hot pan.
Meanwhile, roll the dough into even circles, using a dusting of flour to keep the naan from sticking to the rolling pin and the rolling surface. Aim for an even 1/8-inch thickness across the entire naan. If your pan is not yet heated, place the rolled naans on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover them with a kitchen towel.
Once the pan is smoking hot, place one naan into the pan. Allow the naan to cook for 1 to 2 Minutes and then flip over when the bottom is cooked. Baste the top of the naan with the ghee and cilantro mixture. Cook on the other side for another 1 to 2 Minutes, or until done, and then flip the naan over with the ghee-side down. Baste the other side of the naan with the mixture, and flip over to allow the ghee and garlic to cook and settle on the naan. This is what will keep you from eating raw garlic and having cilantro raining down on every surface.
Remove the naan when both sides are cooked and basted. It will take less than 5 Minutes per naan for this entire operation. Cover loosely with aluminum foil while you finish making the rest of the naan.
Keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 Days. To reheat, wrap each naan in a moistened paper towel and microwave for 20 to 30 Seconds and enjoy while warm.