Onion Naan Recipe
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Onion naan is a delicious variation of classic Indian naan bread. It consists of bread topped with a delicious onion topping. Make this no-yeast, restaurant-style bread at home in the oven or on the stovetop using my easy recipe.
Here are more Indian bread recipes you can make for your festive meals: Poori, tandoori roti, Punjabi missi roti.
Quick Look: Onion Naan
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Resting Time: 6 hours
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 12 pieces
Calories: Approx. 175 per serving
Dietary Info: Vegetarian. Can be easily made vegan.
Skill Level: Medium
Tools Needed: Large bowl or parat, rolling pin, tawa or heavy skillet (or oven), mixing bowl for topping.
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Table of Contents
What Is Onion Naan?
Onion naan is a delicious variation on the classic butter naan.
The leavened all-purpose flour dough (made with yeast or other leavening agents) is rolled out and topped with a mixture of onions, cilantro, spices, and onion seeds. It is then cooked in the oven or directly over the gas flame until brown spots appear and the naan is well-cooked.
The onion mixture adds a nice spicy bite to the soft, fluffy naan, making it even more delicious.
In restaurants and dhabas, onion naan is cooked in a tandoor (clay oven), but using my trick to cook it over a direct flame at home gives very similar results.
Serve onion naan with your festive or special meals, including dal, curry, sabzi, raita, and salad.
Why You’ll Love This Family Favorite Recipe!
- No yeast, no proofing. Baking soda and baking powder do the leavening.
- One dough, endless mileage. It’s the same base I use for my butter naan. Master it once, and you can top it any way you like.
- Real char, no tandoor. A hot tawa or skillet, finished directly over an open flame, gives you those blistered brown spots restaurants get from a clay oven.
- The topping does the heavy lifting. Raw onion, cilantro, green chili, and kalonji (nigella seeds) get pressed into the dough before cooking, so every bite has that sharp, savory bite.
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour – This Indian bread is traditionally prepared with all-purpose flour (maida). You can substitute all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour, or use a combination of both. Though the texture will be denser and less pillowy than the maida version.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder help leaven the dough, making the onion naan soft and fluffy.
- Yogurt and Milk – The dough is kneaded using yogurt and milk. Yogurt also helps leaven the dough, making it rise.
- Others – You will also need salt, sugar, cooking oil, and salted butter.
- For The Topping – You will need onions, coriander, red chili powder, salt, chaat masala, and kalonji (onion seeds). This mixture adds a nice bite to the soft and fluffy Naan.
How To Make Onion Naan
Make The Dough
Step 1: Add the following ingredients to a large bowl or a parat.
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- ¼ cup room temperature plain yogurt
Step 2: Mix well using your fingers.
Step 3: Add room-temperature milk (about 1 ¼ cups) little by little, kneading until a soft, smooth dough forms. It should feel like earlobe-soft, not sticky.
Step 4: Oil a large bowl, then transfer the dough to it.
Step 5: Cover with a damp kitchen towel and keep it in a warm place for 5-6 hours.
Make The Topping
Step 6: Mix the following ingredients in a bowl.
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala powder
- ½ teaspoon kalonji seeds
Salt the onions last. If you mix salt into the onions too early, they release water and make the topping soggy, which can tear the dough when you press it in.
Roll The Naan
Step 7: Divide the dough into 12 equal parts, then roll each into a smooth ball.
Keep the remaining dough covered with a kitchen towel; otherwise, it will dry out.
Step 8: Take one ball and dust it with dry flour. Roll it to make a thin, round, or oval naan.
Step 9: Spread 2 tablespoons of onion topping over the naan, then roll it again to push the filling into the naan. Flip the naan and gently roll it once more.
Cook The Naan
On An Inverted Tawa Over The Stovetop
Keep the tawa dry. Unlike a paratha, naan needs no oil on the pan. A dry, very hot surface ensures the naan sticks to the tawa and doesn’t fall off when the tawa is inverted.
Step 10: Heat a tawa (griddle) over high heat. Apply water onto the plain side of the naan.
Step 11: Then transfer the naan to the hot tawa, water side down. It will stick to the griddle because of the water applied.
Step 12: Now turn the tawa upside down over the flame.
Step 13: Cook till brown spots appear on the surface. Keep moving the tawa back and forth so that the naan cooks evenly. Flip the tawa and cook for 20-30 seconds. Brush generously with ghee or butter and serve hot.
Naan firms up as it cools. Keep finished ones wrapped in a clean kitchen towel while you cook the rest of the batch.
In A Pan Over The Stovetop
- Heat a heavy skillet or a frying pan over high heat until it becomes extremely hot. You don’t need to use any oil or butter for this step.
- Transfer the rolled naan, topping side up, to the hot skillet. Let it cook for about 1-2 minutes; you should see it begin to puff up and develop a slight char on the underside.
- Flip the bread over and cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side. Brush generously with ghee or butter and serve hot.
In An Oven
- Preheat the oven to the highest temperature setting possible.
- Place the rolled onion naan on a baking sheet, topping-side up. Bake for about 2-4 minutes on one side until it puffs up and turns golden brown. Brush generously with ghee or butter and serve hot.
Onion Naan FAQs
Yes, replace dairy yogurt and milk with vegan yogurt and vegan milk. The rest of the ingredients used in the recipe are vegan-friendly. Slather the ready onion naan with vegan butter instead of dairy butter or ghee before serving.
Yes. The dough can rest, covered, in the fridge for up to 4 hours. Bring it to room temperature before rolling.
Serving Suggestions
Onion naan pairs well with any North Indian curry. Pair it with a rich, buttery dal makhani for a classic combination, or serve it alongside a simmering mutton curry like bhuna gosht for a heartier meal.
If you’re setting up a bread basket for guests, add a plain butter naan and a sweet, nutty Peshwari naan so everyone finds something they like.
Storage Suggestions
Store onion naan properly to keep it soft and flavorful. For short-term storage (1–2 days), let the naan cool completely, then place it in an airtight container or zip-top bag with a paper towel to absorb moisture. Keep at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To reheat, sprinkle lightly with water and warm in a skillet, oven, or microwave. Avoid overcooking while reheating, as it can make the naan dry and chewy.
For longer storage, stack the cooled naan, placing parchment paper between each piece, and freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 weeks. Thaw, reheat, and serve.
Other Indian Bread Recipes We Recommend
Indian Breads
Palak Paratha Recipe (Spinach Paratha)
Indian Breads
Chilli Cheese Paratha Recipe
Indian Breads
Ajwain Paratha Recipe
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Onion Naan Recipe
Ingredients
For The Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (maida)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- ¼ cup room temperature plain yogurt (dahi, curd)
- room temperature milk (approx 1 and ¼ cups, to knead the dough)
- butter or ghee (to slather on naan)
For The Topping
- 1 cup chopped onions (chopped)
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala powder
- ½ teaspoon kalonji (onion seeds)
Instructions
Make The Dough
- Add all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, cooking oil, and, yogurt, in a large bowl or a parat.
- Mix well using your fingers.
- Add milk little by little and knead to make a soft dough.
- Oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl.
- Cover with a damp kitchen towel and keep it in a warm place for 5-6 hours.
Make The Topping
- Mix onions, cilantro, red chili powder, salt, chaat masala powder, and kalonji seeds in a bowl.
Roll The Naan
- Divide the dough into 12 equal parts and roll each part to make a smooth ball.
- Take one ball and dust it with dry flour. Roll it to make a thin round or oval naan.
- Spread 2 tablespoons of onion topping over the naan and roll again to push the filling into the naan.
- Flip the naan and roll it once more gently.
Cook The Naan
On An Inverted Tawa Over The Stovetop
- Heat a tawa (griddle) over high heat.
- Apply water on the plain side of the naan and transfer the naan to the hot tawa, water side down. It will stick to the griddle because of the water applied.
- Now turn the tawa upside down over the flame.
- Cook till brown spots appear on the surface. Keep moving the tawa back and forth so that the naan cooks evenly.
- Flip the tawa and cook for 20-30 seconds.
- Brush generously with ghee or butter and serve hot.
In A Pan Over The Stovetop
- Heat a heavy skillet or a frying pan over high heat until it becomes extremely hot. You don’t need to use any oil or butter for this step.
- Transfer the rolled naan with the topping side up onto the hot skillet. Let it cook for about 1-2 minutes; you should see it begin to inflate and develop a slight char on the undersurface.
- Flip the bread over and continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes on the other side. Brush generously with ghee or butter and serve hot.
In An Oven
- Preheat the oven to the highest temperature setting possible.
- Place the rolled naan directly on a baking sheet with the topping side up. Bake for about 2-4 minutes on one side or until it puffs up and starts to turn golden brown. Brush generously with ghee or butter and serve hot.
