Whole Wheat Naan Bread is a traditional twist to a classic Indian naan recipe prepared using whole wheat flour. This not only adds a nutty flavor to your soft and fluffy naan but also improves the nutritional value of this flatbread.
You can also check popular Indian breads and flatbreads; what to eat with naan bread?
About the recipe
Whole wheat naan, also called atta naan or Indian flatbread, is a healthier version of traditional naan. Whole wheat flour contains more nutrients and dietary fiber than all-purpose flour or maida.
So you will not be guilty; instead, you will be happier even when you finish off the naan bread with a bowl of chickpeas, chana masala or paneer makhani, mushroom masala, or chicken curry.
Ingredients
Whole wheat flour: The wheat flour used to make wheat naan is the same flour or chakki atta in India you use to make chapati, phulka, or tandoori roti. It gives the best naan.
Yeast: I highly recommend adding yeast while making wheat naan bread if you want it soft and fluffy like the authentic naan recipe. If you add baking powder, it will still taste good, like tandoori roti and not naan.
Sugar: Feed the yeast and help it grow.
Salt: Enhance the taste.
Warm water: to form the dough.
Yogurt: Additional flavor and makes your naan soft. Skip this or add dairy-free yogurt to make a vegan wheat naan recipe.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-step instructions
Make whole wheat naan dough
- In a bowl, add warm water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast. Cover and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes or until the yeast activates.
- Add yogurt, salt, and flour and knead to form a smooth, medium-soft dough. (The amount of water varies on the brand of your flour. So start with 1 ½ cups of wheat flour and add more as needed to form the soft dough)
- Cover and keep it aside for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Make naan flatbread
Dust the working surface with flour. Transfer the dough and divide it into 7 or 8 equal portions. Roll each piece into a dough ball and flatten it with the tip of your finger or rolling pin to form an oval or round shape.
Whole wheat naan in the oven
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
- Place the rolled naans in the baking tray lined with parchment paper or greased with oil.
- Bake for 2 to 3 minutes, flip to the other side, and bake for another 2 minutes or until the desired golden color is developed. The time to bake may vary depending on your oven.
- Remove and brush the naan with some butter, ghee, or olive oil (for the vegan version). Cover it with a clean kitchen towel or a lid to keep it soft and warm.
Wheat naan flatbread in tawa or skillet
- Heat the tawa or the skillet on medium-high flame. Once hot, place the rolled naan, and when you see the bubbles on top and bottom turning golden, flip and cook on the other side until brown spots appear.
- Brush it with ghee or butter. Serve.
To make restaurant-style tandoori naan flatbread at home
- Sprinkle some water on one side of the rolled bread and place the wet side down on the preheated tawa (skillet). You can check the detailed recipe for tava naan or skillet naan bread.
- Once the bubble forms on the surface, flip the tava / skillet itself such that the top surface of the naan is about 1 inch from the flame and let this get roasted directly over the flame for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Flip the tawa back, remove the naan using a spatula, and repeat the process for the remaining rolled bread.
Expert Tips
- The best part about baking naan in the oven is that you can bake multiple naans in batches which will be very efficient if you serve a larger crowd. You can bake the naan individually as you roll or bake them in batches.
- I have also tried making this recipe with 1 ½ cups of wheat flour (atta) and ½ cup of maida (all-purpose flour). I love the results with this ratio, also.
- If you have any leftover naan, refrigerate it for up to 1 week. Reheat in the oven or skillet until heated through.
- Remember that wheat flour dough will always need more liquid than the traditional dough to ensure your naan is not dry or dense.
- If desired, you can add nigella seeds, garlic, and herbed butter for topping.
Tandoori Roti
If you want to make tandoori roti with the same dough, popularly called naan without yeast or whole wheat roti, you can substitute yeast with baking powder and a pinch of baking soda.
Instead of activating the yeast, mix dry ingredients, add wet ingredients, and form the dough. All the other process remains the same.
Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Wheat Naan or Atta Naan tastes the best when served fresh. But you can store it for a more extended period if there are any leftovers.
Store: Wrap any leftover flatbread in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and keep it in an airtight conatiner. Wheat naan or atta naan lasts at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. Keep it in the refrigerator if you want to store it longer, for up to a week.
Freeze: Wrap the naan tightly in aluminum foil and place it in a zip-lock bag or freezer bag. Naan can be kept in the freezer for up to three months.
Reheat: You can use an oven, skillet (tava), or microwave to reheat naan bread. If using a skillet, heat the skillet. Place the naan on the skillet, add a splash of water, and heat it on both sides until heated through. If using a microwave, wrap the naan in a damp paper towel and heat it for 15 to 30 seconds. If using the oven, preheat to 350 degrees. Place the naan and heat it for about 10 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. It is healthier and high in fiber than the traditional naan, which is made using all-purpose flour. You can make it oil-free by using an oil spray and then brushing it with ghee, butter, or oil.
Like traditional naan, wheat naan can be served with any famous Indian gravy and curries from palak paneer to restaurant-style paneer butter masala or chickpeas gravy (chole) or spicy chicken tikka masala. The soft texture of naan is best to scoop this delicious gravy. You can also use this to make healthy wraps or rolls or even as a base for your pizza.
Khamiri roti, a staple of the Mughal era, also called fermented flatbread, is prepared using yeast, milk, and whole wheat flour, making this bread soft and spongy.
More Indian Bread Recipes
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Recipe card
Whole Wheat Naan Recipe
Equipment
- Baking tray or Skillet (tawa)
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Active dry yeast
- ¾ cup Warm water
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Whole wheat flour
- 3 tablespoon Yogurt (dairy-free yogurt) (optional)
- Ghee or butter or oil for brushing
Instructions
Make whole wheat naan dough
- In a bowl, add warm water and sugar. Sprinkle yeast. Cover and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes or until the yeast activates.1 teaspoon Active dry yeast, ¾ cup Warm water, 1 teaspoon Sugar
- Add yogurt, salt, and flour and knead to form a smooth, medium-soft dough. (The amount of water varies on the brand of your flour. So start with 1 ½ cups of wheat flour and add more as needed to form the soft dough)¾ teaspoon Salt, 2 cups Whole wheat flour, 3 tablespoon Yogurt (dairy-free yogurt)
- Cover and keep it aside for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Make naan flatbread
- Dust the working surface with flour. Transfer the dough and divide it into 7 or 8 equal portions. Roll each piece into a dough ball and flatten it with the tip of your finger or rolling pin to form an oval or round shape.
Whole wheat naan in the oven
- Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
- Place the rolled naans in the baking tray lined with parchment paper or greased with oil.
- Bake for 2 to 3 minutes, flip to the other side, and bake for another 2 minutes or until the desired golden color is developed. The time to bake may vary depending on your oven.
- Remove and brush the naan with some butter, ghee, or olive oil (for the vegan version). Cover it with a clean kitchen towel or a lid to keep it soft and warm.Ghee or butter or oil for brushing
Wheat naan flatbread in tawa or skillet
- Heat the tawa or the skillet on medium-high flame. Once hot, place the rolled naan, and when you see the bubbles on top and bottom turning golden, flip and cook on the other side until brown spots appear.
- Brush it with ghee or butter. Serve.
To make restaurant-style tandoori naan flatbread at home
- Sprinkle some water on one side of the rolled bread and place the wet side down on the preheated tawa (skillet). You can check the detailed recipe for tava naan or skillet naan bread.
- Once the bubble forms on the surface, flip the tava / skillet itself such that the top surface of the naan is about 1 inch from the flame and let this get roasted directly over the flame for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Flip the tawa back, remove the naan using a spatula, and repeat the process for the remaining rolled bread.
Notes
- The best part about baking naan in the oven is that you can bake multiple naans in batches which will be very efficient if you serve a larger crowd. You can bake the naan individually as you roll or bake them in batches.
- I have also tried making this recipe with 1 ½ cups of wheat flour (atta) and ½ cup of maida (all-purpose flour). I love the results with this ratio, also.
- If you have any leftover naan, refrigerate it for up to 1 week. Reheat in the oven or skillet until heated through.
- Remember that wheat flour dough will always need a little more liquid than the traditional dough to make sure your naan is not dry or dense.
- You can add nigella seeds, garlic, and herbed butter for topping if desired.
Kawaii
Hi Kushi, wheat naan sounds very tasty. I love most naan breads especially with coriander and garlic, yum yum!
Kushi
Thank you Kawaii 🙂
vinod gupta
Please advise what is "All purpose flour" and by what name is it available in India.
Kushi
All purpose flour is nothing but maida. Updated the same. Do let me know how this turned out 🙂
Sarah
We made an Indian meal today and wanted a vegan whole-wheat naan that didn’t use non-dairy yogurt, as we don’t ever have yogurt at home. This was an excellent, easy recipe! Thank you so much. My kids and husband loved them. ?