Easy From Scratch Homemade Sourdough Naan Bread

Try making your very homemade Sourdough Naans for dinner this weeknight! Cheaper than store bought and tastier too. Your wallet and family will thank you for preparing this delicious traditional bread, perfect for any stew or curried side.

Table of Contents

• Made From Scratch Sourdough Naans
• My Best Tips
• Ingredients
• Tools Needed
• FAQ
  • Can I Freeze These Sourdough Naans?
  • How Long Will They Be fresh at Room Temperature?
  • What’s The Best Flour to Use?
  • Can I Substitute The Active Yeast?
• How To Make Sourdough Naans:
• Printable Recipe Card

Made From Scratch Sourdough Naans

Sourdough Naan are one of those simple recipes that can be made up quickly for dinner or lunch. If your like me , and absolutely love naan bread I usually make a large batch. And freeze the other half for another dinner, doing this saves a lot of time in the kitchen.

Naans pair perfectly with Tikka Masala, Curried Stews or use it to wrap up veggies, either way its a great addition to any home chefs kitchen routine!

My Best Tips

• Don’t skip the oil or ghee in this dough, it’s very important for the softness and texture of the Naan.
• I prefer adding key or avocado oil to my pan then placing my rolled out naan dough in the pan to cook til bubbly then flipping. It tastes so much better done this way and stays softer.
• Make sure to roll out the naan flat so that it cooks evenly.
• Once done cooking while the naans are still hot brush with garlic Cilantro butter, you’ll thank me later!
• If you don’t have any oil to fry the naan, after roll the dough out brush with water then cook in the pan instead.
• For the best results don’t rely on your sourdough starter for rising , use instant yeast. It turns out way more fluffy and lighter. Then if you used sourdough with the added flour in the starter.
• Make sure to maintain your pan at medium heat to not burn your naan. This is very important.

Ingredients

• Organic All-Purpose Flour: I prefer organic flour because it does not contain pesticides.
• Sourdough Discard: doesn’t have to be active, just add a little sourdough discard .
• Salt: this is small but it definitely makes this bread taste amazing.
• Yeast: I prefer instant yeast, it’s faster.
• Organic Cane Sugar: ant sugar you have on hand will do fine.
• Ghee: if you don’t have ghee use avocado oil or anything mild flavored oil that has a high smoke point.
• Grassfed Butter: This is optional if you don’t care to coat your naans with garlic Cilantro butter, you can pass on this ingredient.
• Minced Garlic: fresh garlic will taste the best and is most ideal.
• Cilantro: Chopped organic cilantro is a game changer for naan bread don’t skip out on this one!

Tools Needed

• Large Bowl
• Spatula
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons
• Tawah Or Skillet

FAQ

Can I Freeze These Sourdough Naans?

Definitely these naans freeze great. With a square cut out of the parchment paper. Place in between each naan in a freezer safe bag. Having homemade stored naans will make dinner and your life easier! They will stay good for 3-4 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge when ready to warm up and eat.

How Long Will They Be fresh at Room Temperature?

They will last about 2-3 days at room temp.

What’s The Best Flour to Use?

My favorite flour for making sourdough breads is King Arthur All Purpose Flour

Can I Substitute The Active Yeast?

You substitute the yeast for active sourdough starter, reduce the amount of flour by 2/3 cup to account for the added flour in the sourdough starter.

How To Make Sourdough Naans:

Add warm water to a large measuring up or mixing bowl, add in sugar and active sourdough starter that’s been fed within the last 24 hours. Mix well and set aside.

In a large measuring cup add warm water, yeast , sugar and sourdough discard and mix together well. Let sit for 8-15 minutes.

If the yeast is frothy on top you’re ready to keep going, in a large bowl add flour and salt then stir. Now add your liquid mix and ghee an mix together, till there is no more dry bits. And knead for 15 minutes or until the dough is soft, smooth and glossy.

Then allow the dough to rise covered for 2 hours

Next cut dough with a knife into 18 equal pieces. Form into balls and place on a lined sheet pan a few inches apart.Let rise .

Let rise for a second time for 20 minutes, then on a clean work surface vertically roll out your dough ball into a flat football shape or circle if that’s your preference. Repeat this process till all the dough balls are rolled out

Heat up a tawah or to medium high with oil and gently place your naan in the pan to cook.

Once you see the naan start to swell and bubble flip to other side it’s usually after 1 minute. Allow that side to cook for roughly 1-2 minutes then remove from heat.

Repeat till all your naan dough balls are cooked, once finished brush generously with melted garlic butter and enjoy

I love hearing from you! don’t forget to share your experience making this recipe, with me on YouTube or Instagram @agoodwifeparvati So I can share it too!

Printable Recipe Card

From Scratch Sourdough Discard Naan

Parvati Humhara

Soft, flaky, buttery sourdough tangy naan recipe is so delicious you can eat just one! Eat with dishes like butter chicken, curry chicken or stewed veggies. Either way these naans are irresistibly good!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 minutes mins

Rise Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 37 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Hindu, Indian

Servings 18 Servings

Calories 194 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Large Bowl
• 1 Large Measuring cup
• 1 Dough Whisk
• 1 Measuring Spoons
• 1 Pastry Brush
• Tawah Skillet

Ingredients

  

• 3 cup All-purpose Flour
• 2 tsp Instant Yeast
• ½ tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• ⅔ cup Sourdough Discard Or use active starter and omit the yeast.
• 1 cup Warm Water
• 3 tsp Cane Sugar Optional
• 2 tsp Salt

Garlic Cilantro Butter Topping

• 4 tbsp Melted Grass-fed Butter
• 4-5 cloves Minced Garlic
• 4-6 tbsp Cilantro

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Instructions

 

• In a large measuring cup add warm water, yeast , sugar and sourdough discard and mix together well. Let sit for 8-15 minutes.
  2 tsp Instant Yeast, 2/3 cup Sourdough Discard, 1 cup Warm Water, 3 tsp Cane Sugar
• If the yeast is frothy on top you're ready to keep going, in a large bowl add flour and salt then stir. Now add your liquid mix and ghee an mix together, till there is no more dry bits. And knead for 15 minutes or until the dough is soft, smooth and glossy.
  3 cup All-purpose Flour, 1 tbsp Ghee, 2 tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• Then allow the dough to rise covered for 2 hours.
• Next cut dough with a knife into 18 equal pieces. Form into balls and place on a lined sheet pan a few inches apart.
• Let rise for a second time for 20 minutes, then on a clean work surface vertically roll out your dough ball into a flat football shape or circle if that's your preference. Repeat this process till all the dough balls are rolled out.
• Heat up a tawah or to medium high with oil and gently place your naan in the pan to cook.
• Once you see the naan start to swell and bubble flip to other side it's usually after 1 minute. Allow that side to cook for roughly 1-2 minutes then remove from heat.
• Repeat till all your naan dough balls are cooked, once finished brush generously with melted garlic butter and enjoy!

Cilantro Garlic Melted Butter Dip

• In a small saucepan melt butter on a flow flame add in chopped fresh garlic and cilantro.
  4 tbsp Melted Grass-fed Butter, 4-5 cloves Minced Garlic, 4-6 tbsp Cilantro
• Cook for 1 -2 minutes on low heat transfer to a dipping container then brush on all the naans.

Notes

TIPS 

Dissolve active dry yeast in warm water with a Tbsp full of sugar to activate it before adding it to the flour mixture. This ensures proper fermentation and a light, airy texture.

 Knead the dough for at least 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly sticky. Doing this develops the gluten and gives the naan a nice soft and chewy texture.

Let the dough rest for at least 1-2 hours if you can, cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap, to relax the gluten and help the dough’s texture.

Add Yogurt or Milk: Incorporate yogurt or milk into the dough to add richness,  tenderness, and more flavor to the naan bread.

Add Ghee or Butter: Brushing the naan with melted ghee or butter after baking adds a delicious flavor and helps keep the bread soft and moist.

Add Garlic or Herbs: Enhance the flavor of your naan by adding minced garlic, chopped cilantro, or other herbs and spices to the dough.

Roll Evenly: Roll the dough evenly to a thickness of about 1/4 inch (6 mm) to ensure uniform cooking and a consistent texture.

Use a Tawah or Cast Iron Skillet: For an authentic result, bake the naan on a preheated tawah or cast iron skillet to give a crispy exterior and soft interior.

Flip Halfway Through: Flip the naan halfway through baking to get even cooking and browning on both sides.

Brush with Water: Lightly brush one side of the naan with water before placing it on the hot surface. This helps create steam, which contributes to the bread’s characteristic bubbles and texture.

The Temperature: Monitor the burner temp closely to prevent the naan from burning. Adjust the temperature as needed during baking.

Serve Warm: Enjoy naan bread freshly made for the best taste and texture. If not serving immediately, wrap the naan in a clean kitchen towel to keep it warm and soft.

Store Properly: Store leftover naan in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. Reheat in a toaster oven or microwave before serving.

Freeze for Later: To enjoy naan later, freeze-cooled naan in airtight bags or containers for up to 2 -3 months. Thaw and reheat as needed.

 

 

Keyword Flat Bread, Naan, Sourdough, Sourdough Naan