Blackstone Naan: Charred, Pillowy Flatbread on the Griddle
Naan cooked on a Blackstone is better than anything from a bag. The high heat of the flat-top creates the same scorched char spots you’d get from a tandoor oven, the dough puffs up as steam trapped inside inflates the interior, and the whole thing takes about 90 seconds per side. You can cook 6–8 pieces simultaneously on a 36-inch griddle.
The dough is a simple yogurt-based flatbread — no special equipment, nothing difficult. Full Greek yogurt keeps it tender, a small amount of yeast gives it slight chew and a little rise. Mix, rest, shape, cook. Most of the time is hands-off rest time.
Prep time: 15 minutes + 1 hour rest · Cook time: 15 minutes (all pieces) · Serves: 6–8 pieces
Griddle temperature: 400 degrees F (medium-high heat)
Ingredients
Naan Dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
- ¾ cup full-fat Greek yogurt, room temperature
- ¼ cup warm water (110°F)
- 1 tsp instant yeast (or active dry yeast)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For Cooking and Finishing:
- 2 tbsp neutral oil or clarified butter (for the griddle)
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (optional, for garlic naan)
- Fresh cilantro or parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
Step 1: Activate the Yeast
Combine warm water, sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Stir and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy. If it doesn’t foam, the yeast is dead — start with fresh yeast.
Step 2: Make the Dough
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the Greek yogurt, activated yeast mixture, and olive oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 3–4 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky. Don’t over-flour — this dough should feel slightly sticky but not wet.
Step 3: Rest the Dough
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour. The dough will rise slightly and become more extensible.
Step 4: Divide and Shape
Divide the dough into 6–8 equal pieces (about 2 oz each). Roll or stretch each piece on a lightly floured surface into a thin oval or teardrop shape — roughly 8 inches long and ¼ inch thick. They don’t need to be perfect.
Step 5: Preheat the Blackstone
Set to medium-high to high heat and preheat 10 minutes. You want the surface very hot — aim for 450–500°F. Lightly brush with neutral oil or clarified butter just before cooking.
Step 6: Cook the Naan
Lay the shaped naan on the hot griddle. Do not touch or move for 60–90 seconds. You’ll see bubbles forming across the surface as the interior steams. When the bottom has char spots and the dough is pulling away from the surface, flip. Cook 45–60 seconds on the second side until char spots develop.
Step 7: Finish and Serve
Remove from the griddle immediately. Brush generously with melted butter (or garlic butter — combine melted butter with minced garlic). Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and flaky salt. Serve warm.
Tips for the Best Blackstone Naan
- High heat is the key. The char spots and the puffing both require a very hot surface. If the griddle is too cool, the naan dries out instead of puffing. Preheat longer than you think you need to.
- Full-fat Greek yogurt only. The fat content keeps the naan tender. Low-fat or non-fat yogurt produces a drier, tougher result. Room-temperature yogurt incorporates more evenly than cold yogurt.
- Don’t overwork the dough. 3–4 minutes of kneading is enough. Overworked dough tightens up and becomes hard to stretch.
- Stretch thin. ¼ inch is the target. Thicker naan won’t cook through quickly enough at high heat and won’t puff dramatically. Thinner stretches cook fast and develop better char.
- Serve immediately. Naan is best within 5–10 minutes of coming off the griddle. Stack cooked pieces in a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm while you cook the rest — the towel traps steam and keeps them pliable.
Garlic Naan
Combine 3 tbsp melted butter with 2–3 finely minced garlic cloves. Brush on immediately after pulling each piece from the griddle. The heat from the naan gently cooks the raw garlic. This is the most popular version and the best pairing for curry and grilled chicken.
Naan Pizza on the Blackstone
Cooked naan makes an excellent quick flatbread pizza. After cooking, lower the griddle to medium, top the naan with sauce, cheese, and toppings, then cover with a dome for 2–3 minutes until the cheese melts. The naan bottom gets extra crispy from the second time on the griddle.
More flat-top recipes: Blackstone Side Dishes
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes naan different from pita?
Both are flatbreads, but they’re made differently and taste different. Naan is a leavened dough enriched with yogurt (and sometimes eggs or milk), cooked at very high heat to produce a soft, chewy, slightly charred bread. Pita is a simpler, plainer dough that inflates into a pocket when cooked. Naan is richer and more tender; pita is drier and more neutral.
Do I need a tandoor oven to make good naan?
No — a Blackstone griddle at high heat (450–500°F) produces a very similar result. The key characteristics of tandoor naan are the high heat and the char spots, both of which you can replicate on a hot flat-top. The dough puffs for the same reason — steam trapped inside expanding rapidly from intense heat.
Can I make naan dough ahead of time?
Yes. After the 1-hour room-temperature rest, transfer the dough to the refrigerator and store for up to 24 hours. Cold-fermented dough actually develops more flavor. Pull it out 30 minutes before cooking to warm up slightly, then divide and shape as normal.
What do you serve naan with?
Naan pairs with anything that benefits from a flatbread for scooping — curries, stews, hummus and dips, Blackstone chicken, or souvlaki. It’s also excellent as a flatbread base for quick griddle pizzas or as a wrap alternative.
Can I make naan without yeast?
Yes — skip the yeast and warm water activation step. The Greek yogurt alone provides enough acidity and structure for a quick naan. The result is slightly denser and less chewy than yeast-risen naan, but still works well. Some recipes also add a small amount of baking powder as a leavening boost in place of yeast.
What temperature do you cook naan on a Blackstone griddle?
Cook naan at 400 degrees F (medium-high heat) on a Blackstone griddle. The dough puffs and chars in spots in 2-3 minutes per side. You want those dark, charred bubbles that define good naan. Lower heat makes it dry and cracker-like instead of chewy.