Butter Naan

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Here’s an easy, homemade recipe of an iconic flatbread of India, the naan. This is a Butter Naan which does not require a tandoor (a clay oven) to cook it. It is also a simpler and healthier version of the traditional recipe that is made with all-purpose flour. Here, on this post, my recipe uses whole wheat flour or atta to make soft naans that are brushed with Butter before serving. With just a few more ingredients added, these can be easily made on a stovetop using a tawa or flat skillet.

butter naan served on a white plate with a bowl of curry kept on the top left side and text layover.

About Butter Naan

One of the popular flat breads of Asian origin, is the Naan that is made with a leavened dough. In India, the Butter Naan is another quintessential variant of this particular flatbread, which is primarily cooked in a tandoor.

But Naan can also be roasted on a skillet or baked in an oven. Just like this Butter Naan, which gets done on a tawa or skillet in your home kitchen.

This Butter Naan, or for that matter any other naan and rich North Indian gravies always make a great pair. So, on days when I don’t make the usual chapati or roti at home, I end up making naans. These are easy to make, light and soft Indian flatbreads.

These flatbreads are always made with all-purpose flour. But the same soft texture can be achieved with whole wheat flour (atta) too.

I have used the regular chapati atta for making this recipe, but you can opt to make them with only all-purpose flour. Other ingredients that go in this recipe are sugar, instant yeast and curd (yogurt).

Generally, Butter Naan that is served in restaurants is only slathered with butter after it gets cooked. However, I always add some butter in the dough and then spread some butter on the top as well, while serving.

As I mentioned earlier, this Butter Naan is essentially cooked in a tandoor or clay oven in restaurants. But at home, you can cook them in an oven or on a tawa or skillet.

Since we prefer some charred spots on the naans, I always cook the flatbreads partly on direct stovetop flame. This is optional and you can cook the naans completely on the skillet, like chapati or roti.  

You can enjoy this soft, homemade Butter Naan with any dal or vegetable, or paneer curry of your choice.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Butter Naan

Leaven Flour Mixture

1. Take ½ teaspoon instant yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl.

Swap instant yeast with ¾ teaspoon of dry active yeast or 1.5 teaspoons of fresh yeast.

Remember that if you use dry active yeast or fresh yeast, you will have to use lukewarm water to activate them.

yeast and sugar added in a bowl for making dough for butter naan recipe.

2. Add 1 cup water or as required.

adding water to the bowl for making dough for butter naan recipe.

3. Add 1 cup whole wheat flour (atta).

adding whole wheat flour to the bowl for making dough for butter naan recipe.

4. Begin to whisk the mixture.

whisking the mixture in the bowl.

5. Whisk the entire mixture till smooth and without lumps.

whisking the mixture till smooth.

6. Cover and allow the mixture to sit for 30 to 45 minutes. During this time the mixture will leaven and you will see many air-pockets in it.

mixture for butter naan recipe.

Make Butter Naan Dough

7. Later add the remaining 2 cups of whole wheat flour, 2 tablespoons softened butter, 3 to 4 tablespoons curd (yogurt) and ¾ teaspoon salt or as required.

remaining whole wheat flour, softened butter, curd and salt added to the mixture for butter naan recipe.

8. Mix everything and begin to knead to a smooth, soft dough.

kneading soft and smooth dough.

9. Knead to a pliable and soft dough. Cover and allow the dough to leaven for about 25 to 30 minutes.

For dry active yeast or fresh yeast, keep dough to leaven for 1 hour or until you see some increase in the size of the dough.

prepared butter naan dough.

10. Divide the dough in medium sized balls.

dough divided in medium size balls.

11. Cover and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

For dry active yeast or fresh yeast, keep covered for 30 minutes.

dough divided in medium size balls.

Roll and Cook Butter Naan

12. Take a dough ball and lightly dust it with flour. You can also sprinkle some sesame seeds or nigella seeds on the dough ball and then roll it.

some flour sprinkled over dough ball.

13. With a rolling pin, roll into discs with a medium thickness.

rolling dough ball in disc with medium thickness.

14. On a hot tawa or skillet, place the naan bread. You will see air pockets appearing. Keep the heat to medium-high to high.

butter naan on tawa.

15. When the base is partly cooked, turn over and let the second side get cooked.

cooking butter naan on hot tawa.

16. When this side is half cooked, remove with the pair of tongs and place the first cooked side touching the direct flame on the stovetop.

The Butter Naan may puff up. Flip and brown the other side too.

puffing up the butter naan on direct flame.

17. Below is the picture of the flat bread sprinkled with nigella seeds, getting puffed.

butter naan sprinkled with nigella seeds, getting puffed on direct flame.

18. Place them in a roti basket or casserole and spread butter on top. Prepare all Butter Naan this way. You can stack them in the roti basket, then serve immediately or later.

butter spread on top of butter naans staked in a casserole.

19. Serve soft Butter Naan with dal or curry of your choice.

butter naan served on a white plate with a bowl of curry kept on the top left side.

Expert Tips

  1. Along with nigella seeds, you can also sprinkle some sesame seeds and finely chopped coriander leaves on the dough ball and then roll it.
  2. You can use half-half of both whole wheat flour (atta) and all-purpose flour (maida) to make this recipe. However, it won’t be as nutritious as the one completely made with atta.
  3. Also, you can make the breads entirely with all-purpose flour. When kneading the dough with all-purpose flour, you will need to add less water. So begin with ¾ cup of water and add more water later, if needed. 
  4. You can use use ¾ teaspoon of dry active yeast or 1.5 teaspoons of fresh yeast instead of instant yeast. Keep in mind that if using dry active yeast or fresh yeast, you have to use lukewarm water to activate. Also make a note that the time for the dough to leaven for first time will be for about 1 hour or more and for the second rise, the time will be 30 minutes.
  5. Adding the yogurt in the recipe will make the dough stretchy and pillowy. It also helps to get a soft texture in the butter naans.
  6. If you want to serve the naans later, then you can stack them in a roti basket or casserole, spread some butter on top and keep until ready to serve.

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butter naan recipe

Butter Naan

This recipe of Butter Naan does not require a traditional tandoor (a clay oven) to cook it. It is also a simpler and healthier version that is made with whole wheat flour and is brushed with butter before serving.
5 from 18 votes
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cuisine North Indian
Course Main Course
Diet Vegetarian
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 14 Butter Naans
Units

Ingredients

  • 3 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 cup water or as required
  • 3 to 4 tablespoon Curd (yogurt)
  • 2 tablespoons Butter – softened, unsalted or salted
  • ¾ teaspoon salt or as required
  • Butter – softened or melted, as required, for brushing on the naan, unsalted or salted

Instructions
 

Making Buttery Dough

  • In a bowl, take the instant yeast, sugar. Add water and stir the mixture to dissolve the sugar and yeast granules.
  • Then add 1 cup whole wheat flour and stir or whisk it with the rest of the yeast mixture.
  • Cover and keep aside to leaven for 40 to 45 minutes.
  • Then add the remaining whole wheat flour, salt, softened butter and curd/yogurt. Knead to a soft, pliable and smooth dough.
  • If the dough become sticky, add a few tablespoons of flour and knead again. If its dry, then add some more water.
  • Cover the naan dough and keep aside for 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Divide the dough into medium balls.
  • Give a resting time for the dough balls for about 15 to 20 minutes. Cover and keep aside.

Assembling and Rolling

  • Lightly dust the dough balls with some flour. 
  • You can also sprinkle some sesame seeds or nigella seeds on the dough ball and then roll it.
  • Roll into a small to medium sized rounds of medium thickness.

Cooking butter naan

  • Place the rolled flat bread on a hot tawa or flat skillet. Keep the heat to medium-high to high.
  • When the bottom is partly cooked, flip. You will see many air pockets on the naan.
  • When the second side is half cooked, remove the naan with a pair of tongs and place the side which was cooked first facing the fire.
  • The naan may puff up. Flip and brown the second side also. Ensure the naan is cooked well but don't over roast it.
  • Place the hot naan in a roti basket or casserole. Spread some softened butter on top.
  • Make all butter naans this way in batches. If not serving straight away, then stack them in the roti basket.
  • Or else you can serve Butter Naan immediately.

Notes

  • Make sure to knead the dough to a soft and pliable texture. 
  • If you do not have instant yeast, use ¾ teaspoon of dry active yeast or 1.5 teaspoons of fresh yeast. Note that if using dry active yeast or fresh yeast, you will have to use lukewarm water to activate them. The time for the dough to leaven for first time will be for about 1 hour or more and for the second rise will be 30 minutes.
  • Instead of whole wheat flour, use all-purpose flour. When forming dough with all-purpose flour, you will need to add less water. So begin with ¾ cup of water and later add more if needed. 
  • You could sprinkle some sesame seeds, coriander leaves (cilantro) or nigella seeds while rolling the bread. 
  • For the butter, either use salted or unsalted butter. If using salted butter, add less amount of salt or as needed. 
  • Easily scale the recipe to make half a batch or increase the portions. 

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Butter Naan
Amount Per Serving
Calories 133 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 10mg3%
Sodium 166mg7%
Potassium 113mg3%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 115IU2%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.2mg13%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.1mg6%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 2mg10%
Vitamin B6 0.1mg5%
Vitamin B12 0.02µg0%
Vitamin C 0.02mg0%
Vitamin D 0.005µg0%
Vitamin E 0.3mg2%
Vitamin K 1µg1%
Calcium 17mg2%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 23µg6%
Iron 1mg6%
Magnesium 39mg10%
Phosphorus 107mg11%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Butter Naan from the archives first published in November 2014 has been updated and republished on January 2023.

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Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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49 Comments

  1. thanks dassana for this butter naan bread recipe – a favorite every day bread my help used to make for me and now i can make myself.5 stars

  2. Hi Dassana, how are you?
    Great recipe, made naans today with saag and enjoyed them.
    I added fresh coriander and little bit of ajwain in the flour too.
    Thanks again for a super recipe😊

    1. I am good and I hope the same for you. Thanks for letting me know and the feedback on the butter naan. Most welcome.

  3. I’m just so bread lover. And butter naan is just the top-top for me. I’ve tried this and it was so good. The recipe is explained so well with all the tips and details. Thank you so much!5 stars

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