Sourdough naan is tangy, chewy, and makes a delicious addition to any meal. Because it’s so easy to make, this recipe is great for learning how to use your sourdough starter. Once you’ve had your first piece of warm homemade naan, you’ll be hooked!
I first learned how to make sourdough naan from Baked the Blog when I was just starting to bake with sourdough. Since then, I’ve adapted the recipe a bit, but the original is still wonderful too! You can view the original recipe here.
Sourdough naan has become one of our family’s favorite recipes, and it’s easy to see why! I love how simple and quick it is to prepare the dough and cook it the next day.
Since naan is meant to be flat, you don’t need to worry about whether the dough perfectly doubled in size during the proofing time. It will still turn out fine. You don’t have to stress about shaping or scoring a loaf of bread. All you need to worry about is whether you’ll have any leftover by the time you’re done!
What is traditional naan made of?
Naan is a type of bread made with flour, yeast, water, and yogurt. People first made naan in India and Pakistan, and its name comes from the old Persian word “non” which means bread. In India, naan is baked in a Tandoor oven which can reach temperatures of 900 degrees Fahrenheit. However, you can make naan at home on your skillet, and it will still taste amazing. 🙂
Tips for making sourdough naan
- As mentioned above, traditional naan usually includes yogurt. I didn’t have any on hand, so I used sour cream instead. If you like though, you can replace the sour cream in this recipe with yogurt. Either will work fine, so use whatever you have on hand!
- Even though this dough contains sour cream, it is ok to leave it out to rise overnight. The dairy shouldn’t spoil and your naan will turn out just fine. If you are concerned though, you can proof your naan in the fridge. Just know that it will likely take twice as long to proof as it would on your counter, so plan for about 18+ hours.
- Because of the sour cream, this dough will be slightly wetter than other bread doughs. When you roll out each piece of naan, you’ll probably need to sprinkle a good amount of flour on your work surface to keep the naan from sticking to the counter. I generally dust both the parchment paper and rolling pin with flour to keep my naan from sticking.
- Make sure your pan is nice and hot before you start cooking the naan. This will allow your naan to puff up with air when you’re cooking it and will create the characteristic dark brown spots on the bottom.
- You have to walk a fine line between keeping your pan hot and burning your naan. If your naan is starting to turn black or stick to the pan, you need to turn the temperature down. Usually I need to adjust the temperature a few times while I’m cooking the naan since the skillet gradually gets hotter.
- If you have any leftover naan, you can store it in an airtight bag or container for a few days. You can also freeze it if you like for 2-3 months. Normally the whole batch is gone by the end of dinner in our house, so most of the time I don’t have to worry about storing it. 🙂
Tools you may need
When making sourdough naan, you will need:
- Large non-stick skillet
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- Food scale
Ingredients for sourdough naan
To make this sourdough naan, you will need:
- 450 grams all-purpose flour
- 100 grams sourdough starter
- 80 grams sour cream (or yogurt if you prefer)
- 8 grams salt
- 200 ml water
How to make sourdough naan
This recipe was adapted from Baked the Blog.
The night before you want to cook your naan:
Measure out and combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Knead the dough by hand for 5 minutes. If you want, you could use a stand mixer for this step. However, because the dough contains sour cream, it will be a bit more wet and won’t do as well with the stand mixer. Cover the dough and let it rest overnight.
In the morning:
The dough should have risen noticeably overnight. If it didn’t, let it sit out at room temperature for a few more hours. You can either cook your naan right away or put it in the fridge until later that day.
Use a food scale to measure out the dough into 12 roughly equally sized portions. This ended up being about 68 grams per ball for me. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place on a sheet of parchment paper. Once you’ve finished, let the dough sit for about 30 minutes. It won’t rise much, but that’s ok.
After 30 minutes, heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. You want the skillet to be very hot so that the naan will cook properly.
Sprinkle some flour on your workspace. Next, use a rolling pin to roll one of the balls out into a flat oval. You’ll probably need to use a good amount of flour to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin.
Place the dough on the skillet. After about a minute, the dough should form bubbles along the top. Once it does, flip it to the other side and cook for another minute or so. When your naan is browned and looks completely cooked through, take it off the skillet.
Repeat with your remaining balls of dough. I can fit about 2 pieces on my skillet at a time, but if your skillet is bigger, feel free to cook more at a time. Enjoy your fresh sourdough naan while it’s still hot!
Hungry for more sourdough recipes?
Here are some more ideas for cooking with your sourdough:
What do you eat naan bread with?
Of course, you can eat it plain, but here are some creative ways to serve naan:
- Spread it with peanut butter
- Fill it with scrambled eggs and top with cheese
- Dip it in hummus
- Dip it in curry
- Top it with marinara sauce and cheese to make personal pizzas
- Use it as a base for your favorite flatbread recipe
- Spread it with sandwich toppings, roll it up, and eat it as a wrap
The only limits are your imagination! Let us know in the comments section how you served your naan.
Sourdough Naan
Sourdough naan is tangy, chewy, and makes a delicious addition to any meal. This recipe was adapted from Baked The Blog.
Ingredients
- 450 grams all-purpose flour
- 100 grams sourdough starter
- 80 grams sour cream (or yogurt)
- 8 grams salt
- 200 ml water
Instructions
- The night before you want to make your naan, combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Knead the dough by hand for 5 minutes. If you want, you could use a stand mixer for this step. However, because the dough contains sour cream, it will be a bit more wet and won't do as well with the stand mixer.
- Cover the dough and let it rest overnight.
- In the morning, you can either cook your naan right away or put it in the fridge until later that day. The dough should have risen noticeably overnight. If it didn't, let it sit out at room temperature for a few more hours.
- Use a food scale to measure out the dough into 12 roughly equally sized portions. This ended up being about 68 grams per ball for me.
- Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place on a sheet of parchment paper. Once you've finished, let the dough sit for about 30 minutes. It won't rise much, but that's ok.
- After 30 minutes, heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. You want the skillet to be very hot so that the naan will cook properly.
- Sprinkle some flour on your workspace. Next, use a rolling pin to roll one of the balls out into a flat oval. You'll probably need to use a good amount of flour to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin. Place the dough on the skillet.
- After about a minute, the dough should form bubbles along the top. Once it does, flip it to the other side and cook for another minute or so. When your naan is browned and looks completely cooked through, take it off the skillet.
- Repeat with your remaining balls of dough. I can fit about 2 pieces on my skillet at a time, but if your skillet is bigger, feel free to cook more at a time.
- Enjoy your fresh sourdough naan while it's still hot!
Notes
- As mentioned above, traditional naan usually includes yogurt. I didn't have any on hand, so I used sour cream instead. If you like though, you can replace the sour cream in this recipe with yogurt. Either will work fine, so use whatever you have on hand!
- Although I was initially concerned about leaving sour cream out overnight, it did not spoil and my dough turned out fine. If you are concerned about this though, you can opt to proof your dough in the refrigerator. Just know that it will likely take 18 hours + for your dough to rise.
- You want your skillet to be nice and hot when cooking the naan. That being said, if your naan starts to brown before it's cooked all the way through or it starts to burn, turn the temperature down. I usually have to adjust the temperature a few times while I'm cooking the naan to make sure everything cooks evenly.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 165Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 4mgSodium 262mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 1gSugar 0gProtein 5g
BianaVacker says
This is by far the best homemade Naan I have ever tasted! I highly recommend this!
Allie says
I made this recipe the other day and it turned out sooo good!😁