Homemade Sourdough Naan Recipe

Naan bread is a staple in our home. It’s such a versatile and delicious bread, but for some reason I never tried to make it from scratch before this recipe. After making it a few times and working on my technique, I’m here to let you know that it is both delicious and easy to make. So next time skip the store-bought and try this instead!

Naan is a soft, slightly fluffy, leavened flatbread with beautiful crispy, golden-brown spots. Unlike traditional naan bread, this recipe uses an active sourdough starter for the leavening agent. In this recipe, we simply mix the ingredients, let the dough rise for several hours, and then cook the naan on a griddle. The hands-on time is about 30 minutes total with a 5-hour rise in the middle. As long as you start this dough sometime in the morning and you will have fresh, hot naan ready for dinner. Delish.

To mix the dough, first whisk together 100 grams of active sourdough starter with 130 grams of lukewarm water. Add in the Greek yogurt, olive oil, honey, and salt and whisk again. Lastly, gradually add in the flour and stir. Once the dough becomes a bit shaggy, use your hands to knead in the rest of the flour. Continue to knead the dough for several minutes and then transfer it to a clean, oiled bowl. Cover the bowl and leave it to rise for about 5 hours or until doubled in size. 

After the rise, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Depending on the size you want your naan to be, divide the dough into 6-8 equal portions with a bench scraper and gently shape each portion into a ball. At this point, turn on the griddle to 400 degrees. 

Quick aside for the cooking method – you could also use a cast iron skillet to cook the naan if you do not have a griddle. I tried this way first, but found it slightly harder to control the temperature. You want your skillet hot but not so hot that the oil is smoking or that the naan burns. If you can find that sweet spot of medium-high heat, you are good to go.

Now, while the griddle is warming, roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin until it is about 1/8 inch thick. When the griddle is hot, brush it lightly with olive oil (this adds a little flavor and color to the naan), and place the naan on to cook. Cook the naan on each side for about 1.5 to 2 minutes. You will notice the naan bubbling or puffing with air and will see beautiful golden brown spots on each side when it is done. 

This naan is perfect paired with your favorite hummus, curry, tzatziki, or even used as a pizza crust or sandwich bread. So many ways to enjoy this lovely sourdough naan! I hope you enjoy!

– Anna 

Print Recipe

Homemade Sourdough Naan

The perfect soft, slightly fluffy, sourdough-leavened flat bread with beautiful crispy, golden-brown spots.

Source: Anna Reid

Course: Breads

Prep Time: 5 hr 15 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Total Time: 5 hr 30 min

Serves: 1 Scale Update

Ingredients

• 100 grams active sourdough starter
• 130 grams lukewarm water
• 3 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 300 grams unbleached all purpose flour

Directions

1. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the active sourdough starter and lukewarm water. Add in the greek yogurt, olive oil, honey, and salt and whisk again until combined.
2. Gradually add in the flour and stir. Once the dough becomes a bit shaggy, use your hands to knead in the rest of the flour. Continue to knead the dough for several minutes until you have a soft slightly sticky dough.
3. Transfer to a clean, oiled bowl. Cover and let rise for about 5 hours or until doubled in size.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 6-8 evenly sized portions and gently shape each into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll out each ball to be about 1/8” thick.
5. Heat the griddle to 400 degrees. When the griddle is hot, brush it lightly with olive oil (this adds a little flavor and color to the naan), and place the naan on to cook. Cook the naan on each side for about 1.5 to 2 minutes. You will notice the naan bubbling or puffing with air and will see beautiful golden brown spots on each side when it is done.

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