This sourdough naan bread recipe has two method options: oven-baked and cooked in a cast iron skillet. While it takes a little time to rise, this no-yeast naan bread recipe is worth it and is easy to make. It makes a great sourdough discard recipe, too!

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The Easiest Naan Recipe

This sourdough naan bread is one of the easiest naan recipes you’ll ever make. It doesn’t require any yeast, and can be made with sourdough discard. The rising takes a little time, but that’s hands-off!

While this naan bread is extremely tasty and versatile, it’s not quite traditional. When I cook, I usually like to make things the way they are supposed to be—in the traditional way.

However, to make naan bread the real way, you must have a tandoor oven. Unfortunately, I do not possess one of these wood-fired, cylindrical clay devices.

This sourdough naan bread recipe has two method options: either oven-baked or a cast iron pan. While not traditional, both have pretty darn good results!

Some people call it naan flatbread, but this recipe differs from my sourdough flatbread recipe, which uses whole wheat flour and is thicker than my sourdough tortilla recipe but thinner than this naan bread.

Sourdough Naan Bread Recipe

This no-yeast naan bread recipe calls for a sourdough starter. You can use your active starter or sourdough discard. Either works just fine and makes delicious naan bread!

Ingredients

All-purpose flour: I use organic all-purpose flour. It’s okay to use part whole wheat flour, too.

Salt

Baking soda: Just a pinch!

Sourdough starter: Get a sourdough starter bubbling or reactivate the one you have sitting in your fridge. If it’s sourdough discard day, use that!

Extra virgin olive oil

Plain yogurt: Any plain yogurt works, but I like this organic yogurt or homemade yogurt.

Honey: I like to use raw honey for this recipe.

How to Make Sourdough Naan Bread

Since this is a no-yeast naan bread recipe, make sure you make the dough in advance to let it rise for up to 8 hours. Let it rise overnight, or make it in the morning to be ready by evening to cook.

Make the Dough

First, mix the flour, salt, and just a pinch of baking soda.

Then add some sourdough starter.

Add the plain yogurt and stir it all together to make a very shaggy dough. Then, dissolve some honey into lukewarm water and pour that into the bowl.

Now, stir and lightly knead the dough in the bowl with the spatula. It should be fairly wet but not soggy.

If it’s still a bit dry, add more water, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the correct consistency.

Cover the bowl with plastic or beeswax wrap and set it aside to rest for at least 4-8 hours or overnight at room temperature. The dough should rise to about double in size.

When you’re ready to cook the naan, turn the dough onto a floured work surface. Flour your hands and knead the dough several times until it’s smooth.

Then divide the dough into 6 equally sized pieces.

Flour your hands again, then stretch out each piece of dough into an oval or teardrop shape until it’s about half an inch thick.

When the dough is ready, make the sourdough naan bread using one of these two different methods.

Oven Method

First, preheat the oven to 425°F and generously rub a sheet pan with olive oil.

Place all six pieces of naan dough onto the greased baking sheet.

Pop the pan into the hot oven and watch closely since it doesn’t take long! After about 7-8 minutes, the bottoms should be nice and golden brown. Then go ahead and flip them over.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven, flip over each piece, place back in the oven, and bake for another 2-3 minutes.

Cast Iron Pan Method

Heat a cast iron skillet and cook each sourdough naan bread piece one at a time, flipping to cook each side.

When the naan is done, brush it with olive oil or ghee. That’s it, the easiest naan recipe ever!

How to Serve Sourdough Naan

Serve alongside your favorite Indian dish, and you’re good to go! Try it with this easy coconut curry or my coconut lentil cauliflower curry.

This sourdough naan bread is super versatile. I love to eat it with a hummus plate that includes pickled onions, roasted olives, dilly beans, and fresh garden veggies.

More Sourdough Recipes

• No-Knead Sourdough Bread
• Sourdough Rye Bread
• Sourdough Pizza
• Sourdough Blueberry Pancakes
• Mini Sourdough Appetizer Pizzas
• Sourdough Flatbread
• Sourdough Bagels
• Sourdough Tortillas

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5 from 4 votes

Sourdough Naan Bread

This sourdough naan bread recipe has two method options: oven-baked and cooked in a cast iron skillet. No yeast is required, and it's easy!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Indian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Resting Time 4 hours hours

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 240kcal

Author Colleen @ Grow Forage Cook Ferment

Equipment

• ▢
  Large Bowl
• ▢
  Whisk
• ▢
  Plastic Wrap or beeswax wrap
• ▢
  Baking Sheet or cast iron skillet

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 2 cups all purpose flour plus extra for dusting
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ pinch baking soda
• ▢ ½ cup sourdough starter
• ▢ 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
• ▢ 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon honey
• ▢ ¾ cup lukewarm water

Instructions

• Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
• Add the sourdough starter, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and yogurt. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
• Dissolve the honey in the water, then add to the bowl. Stir together and lightly knead in the bowl with the spatula. The dough should be fairly wet but not soggy. If it’s still a little dry, add more water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches the correct consistency.
• Cover the bowl with plastic or beeswax wrap and set aside for 4-8 hours at room temperature. The dough should rise to about double in size.
• When you’re ready to cook the naan, turn the dough onto a floured work surface. Flour your hands and give the dough several good kneads until smooth.
• Divide the dough into 6 equally sized pieces.
• Flour your hands again, then stretch out each piece of dough into an oval or teardrop shape until it’s about half an inch thick.

Oven Baked Method

• Heat the oven to 425°F. Rub a sheet pan with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and set aside.
• Place all six pieces of naan dough onto the greased baking sheet.
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until the undersides are golden brown, 7-8 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, flip over each piece, then place back in the oven and then bake for another 2-3 minutes.

Cast Iron Pan Method

• Heat a cast iron skillet and cook each naan bread one at a time in the skillet, flipping to cook each side. The naan can be brushed with olive oil or ghee when it comes out of the pan.

Notes

• This dough needs to rise for at least 4-8 hours or overnight, so you’ll want to start it the night before or early in the morning.

Nutrition

Serving: 1naan bread | Calories: 240kcal