Naan Bread on the Griddle
There are some things that just seem intimidating to make at home until you try them once. Flatbreads are usually at the top of that list. But when you realize that making soft, pillowy naan bread is incredibly simple, especially when you have a hot griddle, it changes the way you plan dinner.
Store bought naan is fine, but it simply cannot compete with the texture of fresh dough hitting a hot surface, puffing up, and developing those beautiful, charred bubbles.
That’s exactly the idea behind this Griddle Naan Bread.
It’s not just a side dish, it’s a vehicle for scooping up rich curries, folding around grilled chicken, or honestly, just tearing apart and eating plain right off the Blackstone.
The high, even heat of your flat top mimics the traditional tandoor ovens used in India, giving you that authentic blistered crust with a tender, chewy center.
Let me show you how to make perfect naan right on your griddle.
What Makes Griddle Naan so Special?
Most home cooks bake naan in a skillet or a hot oven, but the flat top griddle is actually the ultimate tool for the job.
Traditionally, naan is slapped onto the blazing hot clay walls of a tandoor oven. The intense, direct heat is what causes the moisture in the dough to rapidly turn into steam, creating those signature giant air pockets and beautifully charred spots.
A Blackstone or flat top griddle gives you the exact same advantage: a massive surface area of screaming hot, uninterrupted heat. Plus, you have the space to cook four or five pieces of naan at the exact same time, which means dinner is on the table faster.
This dough recipe is simple, utilizing yogurt to keep the inside incredibly soft while the outside gets that classic griddle crisp. Brush it with a little garlic butter right as it comes off the heat, and you’ll never buy the packaged stuff again.
Ingredients for Griddle Naan
Great bread doesn’t require complicated ingredients—just a few pantry staples that work beautifully together. For this griddle naan, you’ll need:
All-Purpose Flour – The base of our dough. It provides the perfect amount of chew without making the bread too heavy.
Warm Water, Sugar, and Active Dry Yeast – The sugar feeds the yeast, bringing it to life to give our bread its airy rise.
Plain Greek Yogurt – The secret ingredient. Yogurt adds a slight tang and keeps the dough incredibly tender and moist.
Salt – Essential for bringing out the flavor of the bread.
Olive Oil – Helps bring the dough together and keeps it supple.
Melted Butter, Minced Garlic, and Fresh Cilantro – The finishing touch. Brushed over the hot bread right off the griddle.
When these simple ingredients come together on the flat top, they turn into something absolutely irresistible.
How to Make Naan on the Griddle
This bread requires a little bit of resting time, but the actual cooking process is incredibly fast. Have your garlic butter melted and ready before the dough hits the heat.
1. Bloom the Yeast and Mix the Dough
Start by mixing your warm water, yeast, and a pinch of sugar in a bowl. Let it sit for about 5–10 minutes until it gets frothy. In a larger bowl, combine your flour and salt. Pour in the yeast mixture, yogurt, and olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead it on a floured surface for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
2. Let it Rise
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a damp towel, and let it sit in a warm spot for about 1 hour. It should double in size. This resting period is what gives the naan its airy texture.
3. Divide and Roll
Punch the dough down and divide it into 6 to 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball, then use a rolling pin to flatten them into oval or teardrop shapes, about 1/4 inch thick. Don’t worry if they aren’t perfectly symmetrical—rustic is better!
4. Griddle it Up
Preheat your griddle to medium-high heat (about 400°F). You want it hot! Lightly oil the surface. Slap the rolled dough onto the hot griddle. Within 1 to 2 minutes, you will see huge bubbles forming on the surface. That’s exactly what you want.
5. Flip and Butter
Once the bottom has deep, dark brown blisters, use your spatula to flip the naan. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes on the other side. As soon as you pull them off the griddle, generously brush them with your melted garlic and cilantro butter while they are still steaming hot.
Good food doesn’t need to be complicated. Sometimes all it takes is a hot griddle, a few simple ingredients, and a little patience.
Tools That Make the Process Easier
You don’t need a bakery to make great bread, but a few griddle tools help a lot.
Dough Scraper Makes dividing your dough into equal portions quick and keeps your prep surface clean.
Basting Brush Essential for slathering that beautiful garlic butter over the hot naan.
Sturdy Spatula Makes flipping the delicate dough quickly on a hot surface a breeze.
Rolling Pin A simple, tapered French rolling pin helps get the dough perfectly thin.
Simple tools, big results.
Easy Griddle Naan Bread
Ingredients
Naan Bread
- ½ Cup Warm Water (about 110°F)
- 2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 2 ½ Cup All-Purpose Flour (plus more for dusting)
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- ½ Cup Plain Greek Yogurt (room temperature)
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Garlic Butter
- 4 Tbsp Butter (melted)
- 2 Cloves Garlic (finely minced)
- 2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
- Bloom the Yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar. Stir gently and let sit for 5-10 minutes until the top is very frothy.
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and kosher salt. Make a well in the center and add the frothy yeast mixture, yogurt, and olive oil. Stir until a dough begins to form.
- Knead: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Prep the Butter: While the dough rises, melt the butter and stir in the minced garlic and chopped cilantro. Set aside.
- Divide and Roll: Gently punch the dough down and turn it out onto a floured surface. Cut into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then use a rolling pin to roll each ball into an oval about ¼ inch thick.
- Heat the Griddle: Preheat your Blackstone or flat top griddle to medium-high heat. You want it nice and hot to get a good puff. Lightly coat the cooking surface with a very thin layer of oil.
- Cook: Place the rolled dough onto the hot griddle. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until large bubbles form on the top and the bottom has dark golden-brown charred spots.
- Flip: Flip the naan and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes on the second side.
- Butter and Serve: Remove from the griddle and immediately brush generously with the garlic cilantro butter. Serve warm!
