Incredibly pillowy, nutty, and buttery Whole Wheat Naan gets me every time! It makes a great side with Indian meals, and I also love dipping it in soup, toasting it for breakfast, and enjoying it as a snack. Whole grain naan is naturally rich in protein and fiber, and is surprisingly forgiving — perfect for bread novices and beginner bakers!
This post was originally published on August 12, 2019. It was updated with new blog post information on May 21, 2025.
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Table of contents
What's your favorite thing to order at an Indian restaurant? Is it butter chicken? Korma? Biryani? Tandoori? Naan?
Naan is most certainly my kryptonite. I can't get enough of the nutty, chewy, warm bread. To save on delivery expenses and allow naan enjoyment at any hour of the day, I decided to develop my own naan recipe recipe.
Today, I share it with you here! Made with whole wheat for extra fiber, protein, and nutty flavor, these flatbreads are fluffy, tender, chewy, and lightly sweetened. They're cooked until golden brown and swiped with an ample brush of melted butter before serving, making a great side dish, bread dipper, or anytime snack.
Why You'll Love This Whole Wheat Naan Recipe
- Perfectly Fluffy — And just the right amount of chewy! It's warm, sweet, and a little bit tangy; all the good things we love about naan. 🙂
- Beginner-Friendly — No, really! The dough is leavened with yeast, baking powder, and soda, making it less dependent on yeast expertise than traditional bread recipes. It's a great way to dip your toe into the breadmaking world.
- Made on the Stovetop — Each naan is pan-fried, eliminating the need to heat up your oven (or kitchen!).
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to grab:
- Flour —The dough is made with equal parts whole wheat and white, all-purpose flour. You can use standard or white whole wheat flour. For the best results, measure the flour by weighing or fluffing it lightly before spooning it into measuring cups and leveling off the tops.
- Instant Yeast — I prefer to use instant yeast in this recipe. Though we don't technically need to activate it, I like doing so for no real good reason. 😂 For that reason, you can also use quick-acting yeast.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder — These quick leavening agents give the naan extra rise and an ultra-pillowy texture.
- Honey — Sweetens the deal! You can use any honey, including raw or local. If needed, substitute 3 tablespoons of white sugar.
- Greek Yogurt — This contributes protein, which tenderizes the bread. For the best flavor and texture, use plain 2% or whole milk Greek yogurt.
- Milk: For moisture, fat, and protein! Use any fat percentage except for non-fat. Warm it over gentle heat until 95-105°F.
- Salt: Fine sea salt seasons the bread, bringing it to life.
- Butter: For frying the bread and slathering on just before serving! I recommend unsalted butter if possible, but salted butter or ghee also work. Melt the butter in the microwave on gentle heat (to prevent splattering) before using.
How to Make Whole Wheat Naan
Alright, let's get cooking! Here's how to make this whole wheat flatbread:
Step 1: Gently stir the yeast, warm water, and honey in a bowl and let it sit for 5-10 minutes or until foamy.
Step 2: Add the whole wheat and all-purpose flour, salt, warm milk, Greek yogurt, baking powder, and baking soda to the yeast mixture.
Step 3: Knead the dough in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for 5-7 minutes or by hand for 7-9 minutes until it is elastic and stretches easily.
Step 4: If kneading by hand, return the dough to a mixing bowl sprayed with non-stick spray. Otherwise, leave the dough in the mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm area for 1- ½ hours or until doubled in size.
Step 5: Sprinkle the work surface with all-purpose flour. Turn the ball of dough out and sprinkle it lightly with flour. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut it into 8 even pieces.
Step 6: Flour a rolling pin well and re-flour the work surface if needed. Working one at a time, roll the pieces of dough into a roughly oblong or oval shape about ⅛-inch thick, reflouring the surface and rolling pin as needed.
Step 7: Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until water sizzles when flicked on it. Using a pastry brush, coat the skillet with melted butter. Quickly place 1 naan on the skillet.
Step 8: Cook the naan for 2-3 minutes or until large bubbles develop on the surface and the bottom turns golden brown.
Step 9: Flip the naan and cook another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat this process with the remaining dough, brushing the pan with additional butter before adding the naan.
Step 10: Brush the warm bread with additional melted butter, if desired, and serve hot!
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Watch the Water & Milk Temperature: Hot water will kill the yeast; cold water won't activate it. The ideal temperature range is 95-105 degrees Fahrenheit, or just lukewarm to the touch. For certainty and peace of mind, measure the liquid temperature with a food thermometer.
- Hand Kneading: Machine kneading is more efficient than doing so by hand. Add an extra minute or two when hand kneading.
- Bread Proofing Tips: Bread rises best in a warm, but not hot, location, such as a sunny window, above the refrigerator, in a bread-proofing drawer, warm corner, or anywhere that's 57-78°F.
- Use a Non-Stick Pan: The dough sticks easily; use a high-quality non-stick or cast iron pan for the best results.
- Work Fast: The pan will be hot, and we don't want the butter to burn. Add the naan to the pan immediately after adding the butter — I recommend buttering the pan with one hand and placing the dough with the other.
- Bread warming: Keep the bread warm until serving by storing it in an oven preheated to 170°F for up to 30 minutes.
Making Garlic Naan Bread
To make garlic naan bread, make the bread as directed, then transfer it to a warm oven while you prepare the garlic butter.
Sauté 3-4 sliced garlic cloves in 3 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat for 1.5-3 minutes, or until the garlic turns golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven, brush with the garlic butter, and serve!
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Serving Suggestions
Enjoy this naan with Indian-inspired meals, like Peanut Butter Chicken Curry, Red Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry, or Chickpea Curry. It also makes a delicious company for less traditional meals, like Colorado Pork Green Chili or Instant Pot Chicken Stew.
Or, get creative and use it to make Barbecue Chicken Flatbreads or dip it in spinach artichoke dip, hummus, or dairy-free buffalo chicken dip. I also like to toast the naan for breakfast and brush it with peanut butter and blueberry jam. Yum!
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Store leftover naan covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Freezing: Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the naan to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the bread at room temperature for 30 minutes or in a toaster oven on low heat for 3-5 minutes until hot.
Tools Needed To Make Wheat Naan
- Large non-stick pan: I love Caraway and Ozeri
- Heat-safe turning spatula
- KitchenAid Stand Mixer (optional)
- Food scale
- Measuring spoons
- Measuring cups
- Pastry brush
- Rolling pin
- Digital thermometer (optional)
More Easy Bread Recipes
- Whole Wheat Beer Bread
- 30-Minute Dinner Rolls
- Walnut Bread
- Sweet Yeast Dinner Rolls
- No-Yeast Oatmeal Bread
Recipe Card
Whole Wheat Naan Recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ teaspoon instant yeast
- ¼ cup warm water 95-105 degrees
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 cups (240g) whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose white flour plus more to flour the work surface
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup milk not non-fat; gently warmed to 95-105 degrees
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt 2% or whole milk
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- non-stick cooking spray optional
- ¼ cup melted unsalted butter additional melted butter to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Gently stir the yeast, warm water, and honey in a bowl and let it sit for 5-10 minutes or until foamy.
- Add the whole wheat and all-purpose flour, salt, warm milk, Greek yogurt, baking powder, and baking soda to the yeast mixture.
- Knead the dough in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for 5-7 minutes or by hand for 7-9 minutes until it is elastic and stretches easily.
- If kneading by hand, return the dough to a mixing bowl sprayed with non-stick spray. Otherwise, leave the dough in the mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and let it proof (or rise) in a warm area for 1- ½ hours or until doubled in size.
- Sprinkle the work surface with all-purpose flour. Turn the ball of dough out and sprinkle it lightly with flour. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut it into 8 even pieces.
- Flour a rolling pin well and re-flour the work surface if needed. Working one at a time, roll the pieces of dough into a roughly oblong or oval shape about ⅛-inch thick, reflouring the surface and rolling pin as needed.
- Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until water sizzles when flicked on it. Using a pastry brush, coat the bottom of the skillet with melted butter. Quickly place 1 naan on the skillet.
- Cook the naan for 2-3 minutes or until large bubbles develop on the surface and the bottom turns golden brown.
- Flip the naan and cook another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat this process with the remaining dough, brushing the pan with additional butter before adding the naan.
- Brush the cooked naan with additional melted butter, if desired, and serve hot!
Notes
- Refrigeration: Store leftover naan covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Freezing: Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the naan to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the bread at room temperature for 30 minutes or in a toaster oven on low heat for 3-5 minutes until hot.
- Watch the Water & Milk Temperature: Hot water will kill the yeast; cold water won't activate it. The ideal temperature range is 95-105 degrees Fahrenheit, or just lukewarm to the touch. For certainty and peace of mind, measure the liquid temperature with a food thermometer.
- Hand Kneading: Machine kneading is more efficient than doing so by hand. Add an extra minute or two when hand kneading.
- Bread Proofing Tips: Bread rises best in a warm, but not hot, location, such as a sunny window, above the refrigerator, in a bread-proofing drawer, warm corner, or anywhere that's 57-78°F.
- Use a Non-Stick Pan: The dough sticks easily; use a high-quality non-stick or cast iron pan for the best results.
- Work Fast: The pan will be hot, and we don't want the butter to burn. Add the naan to the pan immediately after adding the butter — I recommend buttering the pan with one hand and placing the dough with the other.
- Bread warming: Keep the bread warm until serving by storing it in an oven preheated to 170°F for up to 30 minutes.
Nutrition
This recipe is adapted from Half Baked Harvest's Garlic Naan Recipe.
