Naan Recipe Without Yogurt

I started making naan at home after getting tired of paying four dollars for a pack of two at the grocery store. The first few batches were decent, but every recipe I found called for yogurt — and half the time I didn’t have any on hand. So I started experimenting without it, and honestly, the results have been just as good.

This yogurt-free naan comes together fast with pantry staples you probably already have. The dough is soft and pliable, it puffs up beautifully on a hot skillet, and you get that slightly chewy, lightly charred bread that’s perfect for scooping up curry, dipping into soup, or just eating warm with a little butter brushed on top. I make a batch almost every week now, and it takes me about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Can You Make Naan Bread Without Yogurt?

Yes, you can make the Naan bread without yogurt. The yogurt is used to make the bread soft and fluffy, but making Naan bread with yeast and allowing it to raise will give the same results.

Yogurt of any type is not mandatory in this recipe. Yeast will do the trick and turn the Naan dough into the softest and most bubbly bread.

How Is Naan Bread Traditionally Made?

Naan bread uses really simple ingredients:

• Flour
• Yeast
• Salt
• Milk
• Warm water

First, you want to make the dough by combining the yeast and flour together. Knead the dough by hands or using a stand mixer with dough hooks attached. Divide the dough into six to eight portions and let it raise for at least 1 hour.

Once the dough is made, the bread itself is baked in a very hot clay tandoori oven, with charcoal or wood. Of course, we do not have a tandoori oven so the next best thing is a heated skillet.

You can use either a plain non-stick skillet or a cast-iron skillet (this one that you can pick up on Amazon is by far my favorite, and perfect for making Naan).

The baked bread will have distinguished brown spots on top. The spots are actually air pockets and a great indicator when the Naan bread is done.

Once it’s cooked, you can serve the Naan bread with olive oil, ghee, or butter.

How to Serve Naan

You can make Naan bread plain or with herbs or spices. Although Naan bread is not traditionally made with spices, you can always feel free to adjust this recipe to your personal taste. After all, you’re the one eating it!

You can use some of the traditional Indian spices such as turmeric or a pinch of curry powder, or choose a variety of herbs such as thyme, oregano or basil.

For some extra crunch, you can sprinkle the Naan bread with black cumin seeds.

Now let’s get into our yogurt-less Naan recipe!

How to Make Naan Without Yogurt

Ingredients

• ½ cup warm water
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1 tsp instant yeast
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp almond milk or plain milk
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil + some extra for brushing

Instructions

Step 1

Gather your ingredients.

In a mixing bowl, combine water, sugar, and yeast. Cover and let it stand for 5 minutes at a warm place.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, milk, lemon juice, olive oil, and the yeast mixture. Stir to combine until the dough comes together.

Step 3

Divide the dough into six equal pieces. Roll each piece in a ball. Arrange the balls on a plate and cover with a damp cloth. 

Let the dough rise for 1 hour.

Step 4

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Roll the dough balls to a 1/4-inch thickness and place into the heated skillet. Cook the Naan bread until it starts to bubble.

Flip the bread and brush with some olive oil. Cook the bread on the other side.

Serve bread warm with olive oil, butter, or ghee, and enjoy!

Up Next: The Best Ways To Reheat Naan Bread