Quick Naan Bread Without Yeast (Only 3 Ingredients!)

If you’re a fan of easy recipes, then this homemade Naan bread is going to become one of your new favorite recipes.

This recipe only requires three simple ingredients and can be made from scratch in about 10 minutes. Whether you’re looking for a side dish to pair with your favorite Indian dish, or just want a quick & delicious snack, this easy Naan bread recipe is perfect for you.

Thanks to the magic of two-ingredient dough, we’ll have delicious homemade bread in no time.

 

What is Naan bread?

If you have never tried naan bread before, you might be wondering what it tastes like. First and foremost: go out and try some ASAP, because it is downright delicious.

Naan bread is a traditional Indian bread that is cooked in a clay oven known as a tandoor. It has a soft and chewy texture, similar to flatbread, but with a slightly thicker and fluffier consistency. If you’ve ever gone to a restaurant and had thick & fluffy pita bread, it’s very similar to naan bread.

The flavor of naan bread is mild and slightly sweet, with a subtle tang to it from the yogurt in the dough. Naan bread can be spiced with garlic, herbs, or onion, which can add a ton of flavor and versatility to any dish.

When served warm, naan bread is so soft and fluffy that it makes for the perfect side dish for virtually any meal.

It is most commonly served as a side for curries, stews, and other saucy dishes, as it can be used to scoop up the sauce. Naan bread can also be enjoyed on its own as a snack or appetizer, either plain or with a dipping sauce.

For the purposes of this homemade naan recipe, we’re not technically making authentic naan bread. We’re not messing with any active dry yeast or using a tandoor oven- but you’re here for a quick naan bread without yeast, and that’s exactly what you’re going to get!

 

Ingredients needed for quick Naan bread without yeast

To make this easy Naan bread recipe, you’ll need three basic ingredients:

• Self-Rising Flour
• Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt
• Garlic Powder

Really, that’s it! The two-ingredient dough base is one I’ve used many times in my Protein Bagels, Protein Pizza, and Pita Bread recipes.

​Using self-rising flour makes this recipe incredibly easy. If you’re unfamiliar with self-rising flour, it’s simply all-purpose flour that has baking powder and salt already mixed into it. You can very easily make your own!

In the recipe card at the bottom of this post, I’ve included some instructions on mixing up your own self-rising flour at home so you don’t need to run out and buy it.

Since there is no yeast in this recipe, we need the baking powder in the self-rising flour to be our leavening agent.

Other than the flour, the other main ingredient is plain Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt helps the dough rise in this easy naan recipe and adds the perfect tang that we want. I actually don’t love the taste of Greek yogurt on its own, but it works so well in recipes like this, and I use it to make homemade bagels all the time.

If you don’t have Greek yogurt, or can’t use it for any reason, there are substitutions you can make! In fact, I have an entire post dedicated to Greek yogurt substitutions, so you can choose the best one for you.

 

How to make quick naan bread

Now that you know what ingredients you need, it’s time to make the Naan dough. Follow these simple steps:

1. Add the self-rising flour, garlic powder, and Greek yogurt to a large bowl. Mix until dough forms.

2. Break the dough into 4 equal pieces and place on a lightly floured surface.

3. Use your hands to knead each dough ball before flattening it down into a round shape. I just use my hands to form the flatbread, but if you prefer smoother edges, you can roll them out with a rolling pin.

4, Heat a stove top pan over medium to medium-high heat. You can also use a cast iron skillet or grill pan.

5. Spray each piece of dough with butter spray (or oil spray). This helps moisten excess flour and gives the Naan some nice color, but you can also use a little bit of olive oil or melted butter in your pan.

6. Place your flatbread in the hot skillet, allow it to cook for about 1.5 minutes, then flip and cook the other side for another 1.5 minutes. Since these naan are small, they only take about 2-3 minutes to fully cook!

7. Continue until all of the Naan flatbread has been cooked, and then serve warm!

Enjoy this naan bread fresh, but if you need to save them for a later day, I recommend keeping them stored in the fridge and then reheating them when ready to serve.

My favorite way to enjoy naan bread is with some hummus on the side, but they are incredibly versatile- you can even use them to make flatbread pizza or sandwiches!

 

Tips and tricks for making the perfect naan bread

This recipe couldn’t be simpler, but here are some tips & tricks to make things even easier for you.

• If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can make your own by combining 180g all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp baking powder.
• To form the naan dough, you can use a stand mixer with a dough hook. It’s very easy to hand mix this dough, but a stand mixer will work well.
• If you don’t have Greek yogurt, you can use sour cream or dairy-free yogurt instead. Check out my full Greek yogurt substitution guide for more.
• For extra garlic flavor, you can add minced garlic to the dough or brush the cooked Naan with garlic butter.
• To get those brown puffy spots on your naan bread, use a hot pan, cast iron skillet, or grill pan.
• If you’re making a large batch of naan bread, you can keep them warm in a warm place or an airtight container until ready to serve.