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!
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.
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
Sourdough Naan Bread
Equipment
- Plastic Wrap or beeswax wrap
- Baking Sheet or cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 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.
Sue says
Is there a substitute for ghee, since I don’t have any?
Grow Forage Cook Ferment says
You can use coconut oil or any other high-smoke oil.
Chelli says
Please provide amount in grams as well.
Thank you
Grow Forage Cook Ferment says
On the list of ingredients, you can click, “metric” and it will convert the ingredient list to grams.
Lotus says
I was thinking of mixing this up in the morning and putting it in the fridge until I get home from work, like I do with my sourdough bread dough overnight. Or…because I don’t have the rapid rise bread yeast, just regular packaged yeast, I may be able to get away with leaving it out all day until I get home. Or would it be possible to use more sourdough starter instead of any yeast?
I don’t want to ruin it the first time trying because I’m less likely to make it again if it’s not that good. Have you ever tried any of these other methods? I don’t want it to overproof because it’s just not as good then. Trying to make it during the week isn’t as good as on the weekend obviously, but I forgot to make my starter in time. Wump wump.
Grow Forage Cook Ferment says
Hi there. I haven’t tried any of those methods with this recipe, but I think retarding your dough while you’re at work should work fine.
James says
I absolutely love naan, but haven’t enjoyed it in quite a while because it’s hard to find any whole-food ones!
Would this perhaps work with a spelt sourdough starter (and spelt flour)? I have some dormant right now and this seems like the perfect use for it, especially as an excuse to use the mint growing in the garden! Lol
Thanks for this recipe,
James
Shirley says
I also use spelt flour and I was thinking the very same thing since it is not a loaf requiring more structure.
Lisa says
Being Vegan is there anything besides yogurt that I can use?
Emily says
Coconut milk yogurt would probably work well. Just pick a brand that’s nice and sour.
Graham says
Very tasty. Sourdough starter worked great.
Wanda says
Was fabucious……
Alana says
Haha. Naan bread with a side of Naan bread. That is my style! We’re going to give this one a go this weekend. Thanks!
John McAlonan says
I want to bring naan to a friend’s house for dinner. Does it travel well and keep for about 1 hour?
Can you make naan in a loaf and slice it?
Don Cochrane says
… yer good.