Buttery Garlic Sourdough Naan Bread

Why you will love this recipe

• The texture of the sourdough naan bread is super soft and light.
• The brush of herby garlic butter adds an extra layer of yummy buttery flavor.
• This recipe is cooked on the stovetop, so no need to turn your oven! 
• This sourdough naan recipe uses an active sourdough starter, so no commercial yeast or baking powder is required! 

What is the difference between naan bread and pita bread?

Both are flatbreads, but pita puffs up when baked, creating a signature pocket, while naan stays soft and pillowy. Naan is made with yogurt, which gives the bread a super soft and fluffy texture. They also originate from different areas. Naan originates from India, where Pita originates from the Middle East. Naan is traditionally cooked in a tandoor oven, but this recipe can be made on your stovetop. Both recipes can be made with sourdough, find my Sourdough Pita Bread recipe here. 

Important Ingredients and Substitutions

• Active Sourdough Starter – Use an active sourdough starter that has recently been fed, has doubled in size and is bubbly. 
• Bread Flour- I prefer to use bread flour because of the higher protein content, but if you do not have bread flour you can substitute for all-purpose flour, but keep in mind that it does not absorb as much liquid so you would need to reduce the water in the recipe by about 25 grams.
• Greek Yogurt- I use plain non-fat Greek yogurt but you could do whole fat or you can also use regular plain yogurt as well.
• Olive Oil- If you don’t have olive oil on hand you can use any other type of oil including vegetable, coconut, or canola. You could also use melted butter.
• Sugar- This helps to balance the flavors in the dough. You can sub for honey but I would reduce the water by a Tablespoon to ensure it doesn’t make the dough sticky.
• Butter, garlic, and herbs – The combination of melted butter, minced garlic and either parsley or cilantro is brushed over the freshly baked naan for a buttery flavor.

See all the ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.

Helpful Tools

• Stand Mixer– Using a stand mixer makes it super easy to knead the dough although you can always just knead by hand.
• Kitchen scale – The recipe has both grams and cup measurements. but I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients for the most accurate results. 
• Rolling Pin– This is my favorite rolling pin I use for all of my baking needs such as rolling out cinnamon roll dough. 
• Cast iron skillet– A cast iron skillet has even heat that cooks the naan quickly but any pan is fine.

Instructions to make Sourdough Naan recipe

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the bread flour, warm water, active sourdough starter, olive oil, salt, and greek yogurt. Knead on low with the dough hook attachment for about 3-5 minutes until soft and somewhat smooth. Or you can knead by hand on a lightly floured surface. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl. If it’s not add a little more flour until it pulls away.

Lightly flour a surface and knead the dough for 30 seconds or so creating a smooth ball.

Place sourdough naan dough into a bowl and let it rise for about 4 hours at 75 degrees Fahrenheit or until doubled in size. 

Once the dough has doubled, dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 10 sections. Roll into balls. 

Cover and let the dough balls rise in a warm spot for another 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Flour the top of one of the sourdough naan dough balls and then using a rolling pin roll the dough into an oval shape about ¼” thick. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. 

Heat a cast iron pan to medium heat and lightly oil. Once it starts smoking slightly it is ready. 

Place one of the naan breads on the hot skillet. Let it sit for 1½ -2 minutes until it starts to form bubbles. Then flip it over and let cook for one more minute. 

Mix 4 tablespoons of butter, and two teaspoons each of minced garlic, and fresh herbs in a bowl and brush on top of the freshly cooked naan bread. 

Sample Schedule

For this recipe, your sourdough starter needs to be active and bubbly. Be sure to give it enough time to double in size before mixing your dough for the best results.

Here is an example schedule for your timeline for the Sourdough Naan Bread. The timeline can depend on the temperature and the activity of your starter, so your time may vary. This schedule assumes the dough temperature is around 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

What to serve with this Sourdough Naan Bread Recipe

• Butter chicken- This Butter Chicken recipe comes together in under 20 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight meal to pair with this sourdough naan! 
• Tikka masala– A creamy chicken dish with spices such as cumin, turmeric, and ginger. 
• Curry– This sourdough naan pairs perfectly with any of your favorite curry dishes! 
• Easy pizza –Naan also works great as the base for a mini pizza with your favorite toppings.

Storage instructions

To store, add the sourdough naan to an airtight container. It can be stored on the counter for 2-3 days at room temperature, or in the fridge for a week.

Naan also freezes really well. Simply add to a freezer bag with a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap between each naan bread. To thaw, add it to the microwave until soft or add to a skillet on medium-low. 

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