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    Home » Instant Pot Recipes » Instant Pot Naan Bread

    Instant Pot Naan Bread

    Published: Feb 4, 2020 · Modified: Nov 9, 2021 | This post may contain affiliate links·

    5496 shares
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Instant Pot Naan
    Instant Pot Naan

    Instant Pot Naan Bread is a breeze to make at home! Soft, pillowy in texture with beautiful brown blisters on the surface. Use the Instant Pot to proof the naan dough, and use a cast iron pan to cook the naan perfectly every single time!

    Naan bread stacked on a kitchen towel

    (For detailed tips, step-by-step instructions, and substitutions, please read through this entire post)

    Jump to:
    • What is Naan made of?
    • Tips for making Instant Pot Naan
    • How can I make Naan without a tandoor oven?
    • Step by step recipe
    • Naan FAQs
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Instant Pot Naan Bread

    Naan is an incredibly easy and simple bread to make at home. Flatbreads such as naan and pita bread don’t need to proof for too long, unlike regular breads. In under two hours, naan can be made at home– including the time for proofing the dough.

    This simple recipe results in pillowy and soft naan that pairs perfectly well with curries, sauces, and stews. Indian recipes such as paneer tikka masala, vegan korma curry, saag paneer and Chana Masala pair very well with naan.

    Once you start making naan at home, you’ll never go back to buying store-bought naan, which is often a poor substitute for the real thing, right?

    What is Naan made of?

    Naan is usually made with very simple ingredients – flour, salt, water, yogurt, and yeast, and is traditionally cooked in the tandoor (clay oven). After playing around with a few recipes for naan, I highly recommend adding some milk to enrich the dough, as it yields a soft textured naan. There is no egg used in naan.

    Naan bread stacked on top each other

    Tips for making Instant Pot Naan

    Use Bread Flour: Naan can be made with either bread flour or all-purpose flour, but I find that bread flour can make naan more elastic and pillowy in texture - which is what we are aiming for!

    Use Yogurt: Yogurt is key to obtaining the tender, soft texture that is characteristic of the naan. Do not replace yogurt with milk, as we need some of that tang that comes with yogurt.

    Yeast: Yeast is what makes naan puff up, and gives it those characteristic air pockets or bubbles. Do not substitute yeast with leaving agents such as baking powder or baking soda.

    Speed up the proofing process with an Instant Pot: The Instant Pot’s ‘Yogurt’ mode creates the perfect environment for proofing the dough, and all you need is 1 hour to get that dough to double in size. Without the IP, the time required for proofing is nearly double – you will need around 90-120 minutes for the dough to double in size. You can also proof dough in the Instant Pot for making Homemade Bread Rolls and Pav bread.

    How can I make Naan without a tandoor oven?

    Traditionally, naan is baked in a tandoor (clay oven) which is hot enough to give it that characteristic crispy outer layer, pillowy soft inside and those beautiful char marks on the outside. To make it at home, though, I’ve realised that using a cast iron pan to cook the naan comes very close to the real deal.

    When using a cast iron pan, just make sure that the pan is hot enough before cooking the naan. To test and see if the pan is hot enough, flick a few drops of water into the pan. The water should evaporate immediately. The pan is now hot enough to be used to cook the naan . Take a look at the video instructions in this recipe for cooking naan on a cast iron pan on the stovetop.

    Close-up of naan bread stacked on a kitchen towel

    Step by step recipe

    Start by warming the water and milk mixture to activate the yeast (if using activ dry yeast) - I use half a cup of milk mixed with water, and warm it just enough that it activates the yeast but not kills it. If you are using instant yeast, skip this step and add the yeast directly to the flour.

    Add the warm milk to the bowl of a stand mixer and add sugar, letting the yeast activate. Once activated, add yogurt and oil, followed by the bread flour (or all-purpose-flour).

    Step by step process for making the dough for naan bread

    Add salt and knead the dough with the dough hook attachment. Alternatively, use your hands to combine all the ingredients into a slightly sticky dough. If the dough feels dry, add a little more water to the mixture. It is important that the dough is hydrated enough.

    Step by step process for kneading the dough for naan bread

    Once the dough is prepared, turn to your Instant Pot. Brush some vegetable oil into the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Place the dough in the inner pot and set the IP on Yogurt mode, for 1 hour. You can use either the lid of the Instant Pot or a glass lid to cover the dough while it proofs. The dough should double in size within 1 hour.

    Step by step process of proofing naan bread in an Instant Pot

    After the dough has risen, take it out, dust it with a little flour and flatten it on the countertop. Cut the dough into equal portions and let the portions sit for 10 minutes, covered with a kitchen towel. Dust each portion with a little flour and roll out each portion using a rolling pin.

    Step by step process of shaping naan bread

    Heat a cast iron pan on the stovetop untill hot. Then place the rolled out dough on the cast iron pan and heat untill bubbles start to form. Sprinkle a few nigella seeds on the surface of the naan and flip it over to cook the other side. Once cooked, brush the top of the naan with some ghee or melted butter and serve.

    You could also garnish it with some chopped coriander and Nigella seeds for that authentic restaurant experience.

    steps for cooking naan on a cast iron pan

    Naan FAQs

    What is the difference between naan and pita bread?

    The main difference between naan and pita bread is that - while naan dough uses yogurt and often milk, pita is made without added dairy. Pita breads are hence less dense and have bigger air pockets than naan does.

    Can I make gluten-free naan?

    Yes, you can! Although I have personally not tried making this recipe with gluten-free flour, here is a gluten-free naan recipe that you could try (this recipe does use eggs though).

    Serving Suggestions

    Instant Pot Naan bread pairs very well with these Indian curries:

    Saag Paneer

    Chicken Korma

    Paneer Tikka Masala

    Butter Chicken

    Naan bread stacked on a kitchen towel

    Instant Pot Naan Bread

    Shinta
    Indian restaurant-style naan bread made quick and easy with dough proofed in the Instant Pot + Tips to make that perfect naan at home!
    4.80 from 10 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Proofing time (if using Instant Pot) 1 hour hr
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Indian
    Servings 8
    Calories 218 kcal

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot
    • Cast Iron Pan

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2.5 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour 2.5 cups of flours = 350 grams of flour (cup size used is 1 cup=250ml)
    • ¼ cup milk + ¼ cup water
    • 2 tsp sugar
    • 1 tsp active dry yeast or use fresh or instant yeast
    • ¼ cup vegetable oil
    • ⅓ cup yogurt
    • 1.5 tsp salt

    Instructions
     

    • Mix the milk and water and heat it on the stovetop, such that it is just warm to the touch. Ensure that the milk-water mixture is not hot, as heat will kill the yeast. Once warmed, take it off the heat and keep aside. (skip this step if using instant yeast)
    • To the warm milk-water mixture, add the sugar and mix to dissolve. Add the yeast and stir. Keep aside for 8-10 minutes, until the yeast is activated and the mixture is frothy.
    • If you have a stand mixer, then attach the dough hook. In the bowl of the stand mixer, add the bread flour, followed by the milk-water-yeast mixture.
    • In a small bowl, combine the oil and yogurt. Whisk together and add the mixture to the rest of the ingredients. Add salt.
    • On medium speed, mix together all the ingredients in the bowl of the stand mixer until it forms a dough. The dough should not be too dry, and will feel slightly sticky but will come together easily into a ball. Turn out the dough on the counter and knead it for 2-3 minutes. Shape it into a ball. If the dough is too dry, add a little more water to hydrate and knead.
    • Brush a teaspoon of oil into the inner pot of the Instant Pot. This will prevent the dough from sticking into the pot while it proofs. Now place the dough ball in the Instant Pot.
    • Set the Instant Pot to the ‘Yogurt’ setting (Normal mode) for 1 hour. Cover the Instant Pot with a glass lid of the lid of the Instant Pot with the vent in 'venting' position.
    • After one hour, the dough will double in size. Take it out, flatten the dough and cut it into 8 equal-sized pieces. Leave the pieces to proof for 10-15 minutes, covered with a towel to prevent them from drying out.
    • As the dough is proofing, pre-heat a cast-iron pan.
    • After 10-15 minutes, the dough portions would have risen slightly again. Take a piece of dough, roll out with a little flour, and place it on the preheated cast iron pan. Keep nigella seeds and melted butter or ghee handy. As the naan starts to cook, bubbles will appear. Sprinkle the nigella seeds and gently press them on the surface of the dough. Let the naan puff up and cook on one side before flipping it over and cooking the other side.
    • Once cooked, brush the naan with some melted butter or ghee and keep aside. Continue with the rest of the dough.

    Video

    Notes

    If you are not using a stand mixer, combine all the ingredients for the dough gently on the countertop and knead for 2-3 minutes with a light hand to form the dough.
    If you are using the oven instead of a cast iron pan to bake the naan, bake it on a preheated pizza stone or baking sheet. The naan will cook in 3-4 minutes. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 5gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 445mgPotassium: 65mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 22IUCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword instant pot naan, Naan bread
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    5496 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Vandana Sanjay says

      April 01, 2021 at 6:24 pm

      Hi, I had used Active year, which meant fermenting in like warm milk & sugar. After, fermentation is ready, I missed the dough to very soft sticky dough. Then, I heaged the instant pot in saute mode for 10mnts. Then kept the dough in instant pot and allowed to rise for 1 hr . Dough got doubled nicely. Then removed &rolled out the dough little atta. Nans came out very good. 🙂 But as a bread loaf, it became a failure. This disappointed me. Very much. As, I had expected, , that bread would turn out, very soft and fluffy. Instead became very hard. :🙁. Please don't publish my name. It's a request.

      • Shinta says

        April 03, 2021 at 11:46 am

        hi Vandana, I'm not sure why you heated the dough in the IP in Saute mode? YOu have to set it in Yogurt mode to proof it. The dough will proof only in the 'Yogurt' setting. The same dough recipe does not work for bread. You will have to check other bread recipes for making bread and proofing with the IP. Hope this helps.

    2. Samantha says

      January 25, 2021 at 6:47 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for this amazing recipe! I’ve made it several times already and it’s perfect every time and always the first to be gobbled up. Now that I know how easy it is to make naan, I will never buy from the store again!

      • Shinta says

        January 26, 2021 at 9:09 am

        Thank you so much for your feedback, and I'm so glad you liked it!

    3. Chia says

      November 17, 2020 at 5:14 pm

      Can you use Greek yogurt?

      • Shinta says

        November 17, 2020 at 6:12 pm

        Yes, you can!

    4. Daniel Sabo says

      August 11, 2020 at 10:15 pm

      Would almond milk and vegan yogurt work?

      • Shinta says

        August 12, 2020 at 9:29 am

        yes, they will work as well, I'd love to hear back if you try it!

    5. Julie says

      July 16, 2020 at 11:39 pm

      3 stars
      Just made this and I followed tje recipe to the letter, but my bread came out tasteless. Army suggestions on where i may have gone wrong??

      • Shinta says

        July 18, 2020 at 8:50 pm

        I'm sorry to hear that! The only reason could be the salt - you can adjust the seasoning as per your requirements

    6. Carla says

      May 11, 2020 at 10:03 pm

      Could this be used as a garlic bread with spaghetti?

      • Shinta says

        May 13, 2020 at 11:09 am

        You surely could do that! Although naan is is tangy and soft in texture, so it will not taste the same as garlic bread. But garlic naan is fantastic as a side!

    7. Diana says

      April 30, 2020 at 9:39 pm

      What kind of yogurt are you using?

      • Shinta says

        April 30, 2020 at 10:53 pm

        Regular dairy-based, full day yogurt

    8. Madeline says

      April 30, 2020 at 7:10 pm

      What is you don’t have bread flour? Could you use regular flour?

      • Shinta says

        April 30, 2020 at 7:22 pm

        Yes you definitely can! Use all purpose flour instead of bread flour

    9. Tara ceslow says

      March 24, 2020 at 11:22 pm

      Amazingly easy recipe! Tastes great!

    4.80 from 10 votes (8 ratings without comment)

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    Shinta Simon

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