Herbed garlic butter naan bread, do you like that too? When I eat Indian, that's the first thing I start with! Flavor this homemade airy bread with melted garlic butter to make it tastier. You don't need an oven because you just bake the naan in the skillet. If you have baked homemade naan bread, you will certainly do it every time.

A photo from above, a white bowl with three naans sprinkled with parsley. A hand takes a loaf of bread. A white background, at the bottom right parsley and garlic

Herbed Garlic Butter Naan Bread

Naan means bread (so you don't have to call it naan bread because that is double). It is a side dish in Asia and is linked to Indian cuisine by many people. And that's where I got to know it, in my favorite Indian restaurant. And I was immediately sold. A tasty, light, and airy bread.

When I got home, I bought a variant in the supermarket, but it came nowhere close in flavor. So I got to work myself, and this delicious recipe originated with lots of garlic and parsley as a fresh counterpart.
You don't need an oven; just bake it in a skillet. An easy and delicious recipe!

What do you need for Buttery Garlic Naan?

To prepare this herbed garlic butter naan bread, you need the following ingredients. You can find the correct amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog:

Ingredients Garlic butternaan with yogurt and parsley individually labelled on a white background

Water - Use tepid water (100 °F / 37 °C). It's the ideal temperature for yeast to start working. Don't use water that's above this temperature. The yeast will not survive the higher temperature and won't work.
Sugar - Is used as 'fuel' by the yeast. It will be converted into oxygen to make the air bubbles in the naan.
Yeast - This recipe uses two teaspoons of instant yeast. If you prefer to use fresh yeast, you need ½ oz. If you use dry yeast, you also need two teaspoons. Note: with both fresh yeast and dry yeast, you must first dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water before adding it to your dough. That way, it already starts doing its job.
Baking powder - To make the naan bread airier.
Flour - Use all-purpose flour for this bread.
Milk and Greek yogurt - to give a fuller flavor to the bread.
Oil - use vegetable oil like sunflower oil. This makes the bread soft. You also use it to bake the bread.
Salt - Adds flavor to the naan. But watch out with yeast, as salt can kill the yeast if it comes into contact in large amounts. That is why you first knead the dough lightly, sprinkle the salt over the dough, and knead further.
Butter - to prepare the herb butter. Use unsalted butter and melt it so that you can brush it onto the bread.
Garlic - To add some flavor to the topping of the bread. First, melt the butter, and then add the garlic.
Parsley - To add flavor to the naan. Sprinkle it on top after baking; otherwise, it will burn.

How to prepare Homemade Garlic Butter Naan

You can find a printable recipe with a step-by-step description at the bottom of this blog.

Preparation in 6 photos of herbed garlic butter naan bread

Make a paste of the lukewarm water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes. You make the yeast mixture to give the yeast a start, but it is also a check whether the yeast is still working. Make the mixture and check after 5 minutes if bubbles form. If there are no bubbles, use a new batch of yeast and start over.
Place the flour and baking powder in a bowl. Add the yeast mixture, yogurt, milk, and half of the squeezed garlic. Knead well for 3 minutes, and then add the salt. Knead for another 10 minutes until the dough is elastic and soft.
Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn once. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 2 hours.
Press the dough and divide it into eight equal pieces. Mix 3 tablespoons of melted butter with the rest of the garlic.
Heat a frying pan over high heat until hot. Put some oil in the pan. Take a piece of dough and roll it into an oval flatbread. Take the bread and put it in the skillet. When the dough starts to bubble, turn it over. Let it cook for another 2 minutes.
Remove from the pan, spread with the melted garlic butter, and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. Repeat baking for the other buns. Serve right away.

How to check if the dough is ready after kneading?

You do that by pulling a fleece. First, take a ball of dough and flatten it. Stretch the dough slightly, turn it a quarter, turn in your hands and turn it again. Then stretch the dough again and turn it a little again.

Do this until a thin membrane (which you can see your fingers through) is formed (you cannot do this in one go).

If the dough tears before you see a thin membrane, the dough is not good yet, and knead it for another 2 minutes.

An elevation photo showing a white bowl of three naans sprinkled with parsley. A white background.

Did you make this recipe? Tag #byandreajanssen via Instagram. I enjoy seeing what your creation looks like. Video recipes can be found on my YouTube channel. And don't forget to save the recipes on Pinterest so you can easily find them next time!