About Butter Naan

One of the popular flat breads of Asian origin, is the Naan that is made with a leavened dough. In India, the Butter Naan is another quintessential variant of this particular flatbread, which is primarily cooked in a tandoor. But Naan can also be roasted on a skillet or baked in an oven. Just like this Butter Naan, which gets done on a tawa or skillet in your home kitchen. This Butter Naan, or for that matter any other naan and rich North Indian gravies always make a great pair. So, on days when I don’t make the usual chapati or roti at home, I end up making naans. These are easy to make, light and soft Indian flatbreads. These flatbreads are always made with all-purpose flour. But the same soft texture can be achieved with whole wheat flour (atta) too. I have used the regular chapati atta for making this recipe, but you can opt to make them with only all-purpose flour. Other ingredients that go in this recipe are sugar, instant yeast and curd (yogurt). Generally, Butter Naan that is served in restaurants is only slathered with butter after it gets cooked. However, I always add some butter in the dough and then spread some butter on the top as well, while serving. As I mentioned earlier, this Butter Naan is essentially cooked in a tandoor or clay oven in restaurants. But at home, you can cook them in an oven or on a tawa or skillet. Since we prefer some charred spots on the naans, I always cook the flatbreads partly on direct stovetop flame. This is optional and you can cook the naans completely on the skillet, like chapati or roti.   You can enjoy this soft, homemade Butter Naan with any dal or vegetable, or paneer curry of your choice. If you love to make different varieties of Naan Bread then you can check these Garlic Naan and this Easy Naan Recipe made without yeast. There is another variation that I make and is also served in many North Indian restaurants; which is the cheesy and delicious Cheese Naan.

How to make Butter Naan

Leaven Flour Mixture

  1. Take ½ teaspoon instant yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl. Swap instant yeast with ¾ teaspoon of dry active yeast or 1.5 teaspoons of fresh yeast. Remember that if you use dry active yeast or fresh yeast, you will have to use lukewarm water to activate them.
  2. Add 1 cup water or as required.
  3. Add 1 cup whole wheat flour (atta).
  4. Begin to whisk the mixture. 5. Whisk the entire mixture till smooth and without lumps. 6. Cover and allow the mixture to sit for 30 to 45 minutes. During this time the mixture will leaven and you will see many air-pockets in it.

Make Butter Naan Dough

  1. Later add the remaining 2 cups of whole wheat flour, 2 tablespoons softened butter, 3 to 4 tablespoons curd (yogurt) and ¾ teaspoon salt or as required.
  2. Mix everything and begin to knead to a smooth, soft dough.
  3. Knead to a pliable and soft dough. Cover and allow the dough to leaven for about 25 to 30 minutes. For dry active yeast or fresh yeast, keep dough to leaven for 1 hour or until you see some increase in the size of the dough. 10. Divide the dough in medium sized balls. 11. Cover and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes. For dry active yeast or fresh yeast, keep covered for 30 minutes.

Roll and Cook Butter Naan

  1. Take a dough ball and lightly dust it with flour. You can also sprinkle some sesame seeds or nigella seeds on the dough ball and then roll it.
  2. With a rolling pin, roll into discs with a medium thickness.
  3. On a hot tawa or skillet, place the naan bread. You will see air pockets appearing. Keep the heat to medium-high to high.
  4. When the base is partly cooked, turn over and let the second side get cooked.
  5. When this side is half cooked, remove with the pair of tongs and place the first cooked side touching the direct flame on the stovetop. The Butter Naan may puff up. Flip and brown the other side too.
  6. Below is the picture of the flat bread sprinkled with nigella seeds, getting puffed.
  7. Place them in a roti basket or casserole and spread butter on top. Prepare all Butter Naan this way. You can stack them in the roti basket, then serve them immediately or later.
  8. Serve soft Butter Naan with dal or curry of your choice. In my home we enjoy savoring these soft buttery whole wheat naan with our favorites Paneer Butter Masala or Dal Makhani.

Expert Tips

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Garlic Naan | How to make Garlic Naan Bread Kulcha Recipe | Kulcha Bread Paratha Recipe | Indian Flatbread Recipe (Plain Paratha) Paneer Kulcha Recipe This Butter Naan from the archives first published in November 2014 has been updated and republished on January 2023.

Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 57Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 8Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 69Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 53Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 13Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 64Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 82Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 64Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 27Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 51Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 24Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 94Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 18Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 8Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 25Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 53Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 42Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 36Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 10Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 62Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 35Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 10Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 19Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 22Butter Naan Healthy Whole Wheat - 40