Cottage Cheese Garlic Naan (Printable)

Soft Indian flatbread stuffed with creamy cottage cheese and infused with garlic and fresh herbs.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
05 - ½ cup warm milk
06 - ¼ cup plain yogurt
07 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
08 - ¼ cup warm water as needed

→ Filling

09 - 1 cup cottage cheese, crumbled
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
11 - 1 green chili, finely chopped
12 - ¼ teaspoon salt
13 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Topping

14 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
15 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

# Directions:

01 - Combine flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly to distribute ingredients evenly.
02 - Pour warm milk, yogurt, and oil into the dry mixture. Mix to form a soft dough, gradually adding warm water as needed to achieve proper consistency.
03 - Knead dough vigorously for 5–7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm area for 1 hour until doubled in volume.
04 - Combine crumbled cottage cheese, chopped cilantro, minced green chili, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside.
05 - Punch down the risen dough to release air. Divide into 8 equal portions and roll each into smooth balls.
06 - Roll each ball into a 4-inch disc. Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center, gather edges to seal completely, and gently flatten to enclose filling.
07 - Carefully roll each stuffed ball into a 6–7 inch oval or round shape, ensuring filling remains evenly distributed without breaking through the dough.
08 - Heat a cast iron skillet or tawa over medium-high heat until thoroughly hot.
09 - Whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, and chopped cilantro in a small bowl until well combined.
10 - Place a naan on the hot skillet. Cook for 1–2 minutes until bubbles appear across the surface and bottom develops light golden spots.
11 - Flip the naan and immediately brush the cooked side with garlic butter mixture. Cook for an additional 1–2 minutes until golden spots form on the second side.
12 - Transfer cooked naan to a clean kitchen towel, folding to cover. Repeat with remaining dough, stacking naans in the towel to maintain warmth.
13 - Serve immediately while hot, brushing with additional garlic butter if desired. Best enjoyed fresh from the skillet.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cottage cheese filling keeps the bread incredibly moist while adding a subtle tang that cuts through rich curries
  • These freeze beautifully and reheat in seconds for those emergency bread cravings
  • The dough comes together in minutes and is forgiving enough for beginners to master
02 -
  • Resist the urge to add more flour while kneading, slightly sticky dough creates softer naan
  • The filling will try to escape while rolling, just patch any holes with a pinch of dough and keep going
  • These cook faster than you expect, so stay close to the pan and watch for those golden spots
03 -
  • Make the dough the night before and let it rise slowly in the refrigerator for deeper flavor development
  • If your cottage cheese is very watery, drain it in a sieve for 15 minutes before mixing into the filling

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