Naan Recipe Without Yogurt - Foods Guy (2024)

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If you are unfamiliar with Naan bread, it is a great time to meet each other.

Naan bread is a traditional Indian bread. It is a type of flatbread that you make in a skillet. It is not a just flatbread, but also a soft and pliable type of bread.

This Naan recipe is quick and easy to make and requires no yogurt. This recipe is probably my favorite recipe for the Naan bread as it is not only quick but super delicious.

Sometimes people mix pita and Naan bread, but although both being types of flatbread, they are completely different. Pita bread is cooked in an extremely hot pan or oven and has a characteristic air pocket in the middle.

Naan bread is cooked over medium-high heat on a skillet and it has more air bubbles than pita bread, which has one big giant bubble.

Naan bread can be served with any type of meal. You can eat Naan along with soups, gravy, meat dishes, or simply used for sandwiches.

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 fluff, 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.

Naan Recipe Without Yogurt - Foods Guy (1)

Step 2

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

Naan Recipe Without Yogurt - Foods Guy (2)

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.

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Step 4

Heat a large skillet over a 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!

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Naan Recipe Without Yogurt - Foods Guy (5)

Naan Recipe Without Yogurt

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

This authentic Naan bread without yogurt is soft and fluffy, just like Naan should be!

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

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine water, sugar and yeast.
  2. Cover and let it stand for 5 minutes at warm place.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, milk, lemon juice, olive oil, and the yeast.
  4. Stir to combine until dough comes together.
  5. 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.
  6. Let the dough rise for 1 hour.
  7. Heat a large skillet over a medium-high heat.
  8. 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.
  9. Cook the bread on the other side.
  10. Serve bread warm.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 198Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 23mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 6g

Up Next: The Best Ways To Reheat Naan Bread

Naan Recipe Without Yogurt - Foods Guy (2024)

FAQs

What can I use instead of yogurt in naan bread? ›

Yoghurt is best for this simple naan bread recipe, but if you don't have you could use sour cream or buttermilk as a substitute.

Why does naan need yogurt? ›

Salt could be optional if you are having naan with a curry. (Cause curry usually has salt and the bread might not need it). Variations like milk or yogurt is used instead of water to make dough soft and fluffy. This would change the texture and flavor of the bread.

What makes naan bread so good? ›

Naan bread also has a buttery flavor due to the ghee and buttermilk in the dough, which adds an extra dimension of flavor compared to pita bread's more neutral taste.

Can you eat naan bread alone? ›

Perfect on its own – buttery, fluffy, with a hint of smokiness – consider serving it by itself on its own plate as a complementary side to other dishes, as a warm-up to the main course, or tear it up into a few pieces for dips, soups and more.

What is a substitute for yogurt in Indian food? ›

If you don't have access to traditional Indian or Greek yogurt, some alternatives include regular cow's milk yogurt, coconut yogurt, almond yogurt, soy yogurt, or goat's milk yogurt. Depending on the recipe, it is also possible to substitute other dairy products such as ricotta cheese or crème fraîche.

Is naan better with or without yogurt? ›

Plain yogurt gives the dough a pillowy, stretchy crumb, and cooking it over high heat gives naan bread its signature glossy, blistered surface, which is finished by brushing with ghee or butter.

Is yeast or baking powder better for naan? ›

It wasn't a bad taste, but it was noticeable. I also found the baking soda doughs burned more easily. The baking powder-yeast dough compared to the yeast-only dough were nearly identical — similar air bubbles in the pan, similar dough texture, similar flavor — so, in the end, I stuck with yeast alone as a leaven.

Can I substitute milk for yogurt in bread? ›

If the recipe calls for one cup of milk, use 1/4 cup of yogurt paired with 3/4 cup of milk (if you're just short on milk) or water. Substituting yogurt for a liquid oil works best in small quantities, like a few tablespoons. Above all, feel free to experiment.

Why is naan unhealthy? ›

Skip: Naan

And like those fluffy spuds, this soft flatbread has little nutritional value. Most naan recipes call for Greek yogurt to give it that airy texture. But that's more than offset by less healthy ingredients like white flour, sugar, and oil.

What happens if I eat naan everyday? ›

Naan is usually made from Maida ( whitest form of flour) which is not quite good for health. On the daily basis, if consumed, it can give rise to many stomach disorders like constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. It can kill your appetite giving rise to many undesirable health issues.

Why do you sprinkle water on naan bread? ›

you put it on naans to keep them soft.

What are the disadvantages of naan bread? ›

As such, you should avoid filling up on naan if you're watching your saturated fat intake. Moreover, store-bought plain naan has a relatively high sodium content, accounting for around 18% of the DV. Eating too much sodium may increase blood pressure and your risk for heart disease and stroke ( 7 ).

What do Indian people eat with naan bread? ›

Anything that is creamy goes perfectly while with it. Examples would be daal makhani, paneer based curries. Any Indian curry that is on sweeter side goes perfect with naan.

Can I substitute yogurt for milk in naan? ›

2% milk works well, but I do not recommend using fat-free or skim milk. Full-fat Greek yogurt. The full-fat dairy in this naan recipe gives it a soft texture and rich taste. You can use a 2% or fat-free Greek yogurt, your bread may just not be as pillowy soft.

Can I replace yogurt with milk in baking? ›

Yogurt. Yogurt can be a really good replacement for milk in recipes. As with sour cream, it'll add moisture and flavor, but also a bit of tang. You can stick to a one-to-one replacement, but try to steer clear of flavored yogurt.

What can I substitute for Greek yogurt in a recipe? ›

5 Amazing Greek Yogurt Substitutes
  1. Plain Yogurt. It depends on the recipe, but plain, unsweetened yogurt will work as a substitute for Greek yogurt. ...
  2. Sour Cream. Sour cream has the consistency of Greek Yogurt, and it maintains the same sharp tang in recipes. ...
  3. Buttermilk. ...
  4. Cottage Cheese. ...
  5. Silken Tofu.

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