This is a true fact that one of our most favorite Cheese Recipes happens to be that of a flatbread, which is super popular in Indian cuisine. It is this Cheese Garlic Naan – a no yeast, cheesy and yummy naan variation that takes any meal consisting of rich curries, creamy lentil-based or rustic vegetable dishes to another level. The best part about this recipe of this specialty naan version is also the fact that it can be easily cooked on a tawa or skillet on your stovetop. You really don’t need an oven to bake this bread.
About Cheese Garlic Naan
When it comes to this Cheese Garlic Naan, most of us adults also really turn into kids. And why not?
These cheese stuffed naans with hints of garlic are so sumptuous that you can’t really mention about them without having an extreme child-like liking towards it. The same reason for which it is a favorite with the younger generations as well.
Now, any dish that has the super delish combination of cheese and garlic has to be a sure shot winner. Isn’t so? The same works for this Cheese Garlic Naan too.
You might be stressing about the calorie inducing part of this recipe since it has cheese in it. But I say, what is life without indulging in such decadent dishes, once a while. Thus, this naan recipe is a perfect fit for your cheat days.
A leavened flatbread, naans are traditionally tandoor-cooked (that is, in a clay oven). However, this Cheese Garlic Naan is easily roasted on a skillet or tawa on your gas range.
A naan bread is a classic food of Persian cuisine. But with its numerous variations, is also popular in India, the Caribbean and other Asian countries.
This Cheese Garlic Naan recipe is made sans yeast. You can prepare it for your family, friends and guests at home.
The ingredients that go into making this variation are whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, garlic, cheese, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, buttermilk and oil or butter.
Naan, be it plain, buttered or stuffed like this Cheesy Garlic Naan is an absolute favorite at home. I do make naan bread occasionally.
Like I mentioned earlier, I have used a mix of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour to make these cheese and garlic stuffed flat breads. You can even make these with only whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour.
For the cheese part in this Cheese Garlic Naan, you can use cheddar cheese or a mix of cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese. In addition to garlic, you can also add some herbs and red chili flakes in the cheese stuffing.
Since we all are naan lovers at my place, I have been making many more naan versions all this while. Some of them that you must try are:
- Naan – cooked on stovetop and made without yeast
- Cheese Naan – made without yeast and on the stovetop
- Butter Naan – soft whole wheat naans on tawa, made with yeast
- Garlic Naan – made on a skillet and with instant yeast.
This Cheese Garlic Naan can be relished just as it is or with your choice of vegetable curry or North Indian style dals. Some perfect dishes to serve it with it are Dal Tadka, Dal Fry, veg kadai, Paneer Butter Masala, veg kurma, matar paneer and the likes.
How to make Cheese Garlic Naan
Make Dough
1. Take 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour in a mixing bowl or pan.
2. Add 1.5 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons sugar and 1 teaspoon salt.
3. Mix the dry ingredients very well with a spoon or whisk.
4. Now, add 3 tablespoons buttermilk or curd.
5. Add ⅔ to ¾ cup water in parts.
6. Mix well and then, add 3 tablespoons oil or butter.
7. Mix and begin to knead the dough.
8. Knead to soft, smooth and pliable dough.
You can also opt to knead the dough in a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment.
9. Flatten the dough and brush some water or oil all over the dough. Cover the bowl and allow dough to leaven for 2 hours.
10. In a mortar, take 10 to 12 large garlic cloves that have been peeled and rinsed.
11. Crush them to semi-fine or fine paste with a pestle. Set the crushed garlic paste aside.
12. This is the picture of the dough after 2 hours.
13. Make medium sized balls from the dough.
Assemble, Rolling & Stuffing
14. Dust some flour on the dough ball.
15. Roll into a 5 to 6 inches diameter disc.
16. Spread ½ teaspoon of the prepared garlic paste on the round dough disc. For a more garlic taste, you can even add 1 teaspoon garlic paste.
17. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese or a mix of both.
You can even add 1 tablespoon or less, if you prefer. But it will be like a cheese flavored naan and not Cheese Naan.
18. Fold the edges from all around.
19. Bring the edges in the center and join them. Press the joined edges back on the dough.
20. Dust some more flour and roll the stuffed naan.
21. Roll to 7 to 8 inches disc.
22. Brush some water on the side facing you.
23. Sprinkle some white sesame seeds all over and press them with the brush or with your fingers, so that they stick to the naan.
Cook Cheese Garlic Naan
24. Place the naan, with the sesame seeds side down, on a hot flat skillet or griddle or tawa.
25. Roast naan on medium to high heat for about a minute or so. It will begin to puff up.
26. When you see some blisters and the naan puffing up, flip it. Cook the other side again for one to two minutes.
27. Flip when this side is cooked.
28. Flip a couple of times more, for even roasting.
29. For a slightly crisp Cheese Garlic Naan, you can roast it more.
30. Take the naan on a plate and spread some butter on top. This way make all the naans.
You can serve them hot or stack them in a roti basket or casserole/hot pot and then serve later.
31. Serve Cheese Garlic Naan hot or warm. You can have it plain or with gravy recipes like Aloo Gobi, veg handi, cottage cheese curry, Matar Paneer or veg kadai.
Expert Tips
- I have made this naan with both whole wheat flour and all purpose flour. You can make it either with only whole wheat flour or all purpose flour too.
- Cheddar cheese or a mix of both mozzarella and cheddar cheese can be used in this recipe. You can adjust the quantity depending on how cheesy you want the naan to be.
- To make it a more garlicky flavored naan, you can increase the quantity of the garlic paste in the naan.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can also add the same quantity of curd (yogurt) in the recipe.
- In place of oil, you can also add butter.
- If you are not serving the Cheese Garlic Naan immediately, then you can stack them in a casserole or roti basket. You can cut them into wedges and then serve.
FAQs
Cheese Garlic Naan is a popular variation of traditional Indian naan bread, infused with garlic flavor and filled or stuffed with cheese.
Yes, you can use whole wheat flour or a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour, like I have used in my recipe, for a slight healthier version of Cheese Garlic Naan.
No, you can achieve excellent results by cooking this naan on a stovetop using a skillet or a tawa. Preheat the skillet well to mimic the high heat of a tandoor.
Yes, you can customize your Cheese Garlic Naan by adding toppings like chopped garlic, coriander leaves or even chili flakes for extra flavor.
More Cheese Recipes To Try!
World Recipes
Bread Snacks
Bread Snacks
Breakfast Recipes
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Cheese Garlic Naan
Ingredients
For the naan dough
- 2 cups whole wheat flour – 240 grams
- 1 cup all purpose flour – 125 grams
- 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk or curd (yogurt)
- 3 tablespoons oil or butter
- ⅔ to ¾ cup water or add as required
Other ingredients
- 10 to 12 garlic cloves – large or 2 tablespoons garlic paste or minced garlic
- 100 grams cheese or 1 cup grated cheese – mozzarella, cheddar or an equal mix of both
- white sesame seeds – as required
- Butter softened, as needed to spread on the cooked naans
Instructions
Preparing naan dough
- Take whole wheat flour and all purpose flour in a mixing bowl or pan.
- Add baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Mix very well.
- Now add 3 tablespoons buttermilk or 3 tablespoons curd.
- Add ⅔ to ¾ cup water in parts.
- Mix well and then add 3 tablespoons oil or butter.
- Mix and begin to knead the dough. Knead to a soft, smooth and pliable dough.
- Flatten the dough. Brush some water or oil all over the dough. Cover the bowl and allow dough to leaven for 2 hours.
Assembling, rolling and stuffing
- In a mortar-pestle take the peeled and rinsed garlic cloves. Crush them to semi-fine or fine paste. Keep aside.
- Make medium sized balls from the dough. Dust some flour on the dough ball. Roll into a 5 to 6 inches diameter circle.
- Spread ½ teaspoon garlic paste. For a more garlic taste, you can also spread 1 teaspoon garlic paste on the rolled dough.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons grated cheese. You can also add 1 tablespoon and less amount if you like. But it will be like a cheese flavoured naan and not cheese naan.
- Fold the edges of the rolled dough from all around as shown in the step-by-step images in the post.
- Bring the edges in the center and then join them. Press the joined edges back onto the dough.
- Dust some more flour and roll the stuffed naan.
- Roll to 7 to 8 inches circle. Brush some water lightly on the side of the dough that is facing you.
- Sprinkle some sesame seeds all over and press them with the brush or with your fingers, so that they stick to the cheese garlic naan.
Making cheese garlic naan
- Heat a tawa or a flat skillet or griddle on medium to high heat.
- Now place the stuffed and rolled naan bread with the sesame seeds side touching the hot tawa or skillet.
- Roast naan on a medium to high heat for about a minute or so. It will begin to puff up.
- When you see some blisters and the naan begins to puff up, flip it using a spatula. Cook the other side for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Flip again when this second side is cooked.
- Flip a couple of times more for even roasting and cooking.
- Once done, take the cheese garlic naan in a plate and spread some butter on top. This way assemble, roll and cook all the naan bread in batches.
- You cans serve them hot or stack them in a roti basket or hot pot/casserole and then serve later.
- Serve Cheese Garlic Naan hot or warm as is. They make for a good snack. You can also opt to pair them with your favorite curries or stir-fries or lentils.
Notes
- You can use cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese or a equal mix of both cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese.
- I have used any herbs, but feel free to include soft fresh herbs like mint, coriander (cilantro) or parsley in the stuffing or as a garnish.
- Opt to skip the sesame seeds if you prefer.
- Knead the dough really well. It should be soft, smooth and pliable.
- Scale the recipe accordingly to suit your needs.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Cheese Garlic Naan recipe from the blog archives was first published on March 2017. It has been updated and republished on May 2024.
