Commercial Yeast Recipes

Naan Bread for the Ooni Koda Pizza Oven

14 comments Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. As an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Rest assured, I only share my favorite items and am grateful for your support!

If you’ve been on social media over the past year you’ve probably seen advertisements for the Ooni Koda Pizza Oven. I have always loved Italian-style pizza and after watching so many videos and researching brands, I decided to purchase it. The oven itself took six months to arrive (thanks to being backordered and difficulty getting products right now). After using it for the past month, I can definitely tell you it was worth the wait. I’ve been dabbling with pizza (recipes will be coming soon) and recently I made this amazing naan bread in the Ooni Koda Pizza Oven that I knew I had to share. This naan is light, fluffy, chewy and just delicious to sop up some curry or eat plain. Seriously so good! The Ooni Koda is not just for pizza. It’s also for amazing naan bread.

Ooni vs a Tandoor Oven

We love naan bread. When we lived in Japan we ate at many different Indian restaurants, all with delicious naan made in tandoor ovens. Those ovens give naan a delicious crust while still being nice and soft. The Ooni Koda mimics the high heat of a tandoor oven which makes for amazing naan bread. I’ve been using this naan recipe for years and love it grilled on a skillet. This new recipe is a game changer when made in an Ooni Koda Pizza Oven. The high heat puffs up the naan so well and forms a beautiful chewy crust. Brush on some melted butter and it will be the highlight of your meal.

Use Bread Flour

Using bread flour is a key to light, delicious, chewy naan bread. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all purpose flour and higher protein content gives bread more chew. All purpose flour can work in a pinch, but I highly recommend using bread flour in all your breads if you can. It will significantly increase the quality of your baked goods just by using bread flour in place of all purpose. In a pinch you can add 1-2 Tablespoons of vital wheat gluten to all purpose flour to increase the protein content and chew of the bread. 

Kneading the Naan

I love using this Bosch Mixer to knead bread. This naan bread is no exception. Pour all the dough ingredients into the bowl except the flour. Mix together while adding the flour a cup at a time. As the dough kneads, continue adding flour as needed. Be careful not to over-flour the dough. Once the dough collects on one side of the bowl and the consistency is such that you can pinch off a piece of dough and roll it up in your fingers with just a little sticky residue, stop adding flour. Set a timer and knead for 8-10 minutes. You can also do this by hand or using a different mixer. The dough will become smooth and silky as you knead it.

Rising and Shaping

After the dough has been kneaded, transfer it to a large container and let rise for 1-2 hours until doubled or tripled in size. The ambient room temperature will affect how fast your dough will rise. Once the dough has risen, use a bench scraper or a large knife to separate the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a ball by cupping your hand around the dough and tightly dragging the dough around into a circle. See the pictures below for an example. 

Refrigerating Naan Dough

Once the dough is shaped into tight balls, cover lightly with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 1 to 24 hours before baking. Chilling the dough makes it much easier to work with using the Ooni Koda Pizza Oven. This is a great recipe to make a day in advance or in the morning before baking in the evening for dinner. 

Shaping Naan

Pull the dough out of the refrigerator. Use a rolling pin and a scant dusting of flour, if needed, to roll the dough into a small circle. Then use your fingers to stretch the dough into a larger circle shape. Do your best not to rip the dough. If the dough rips, it will still be delicious, the naan just won’t puff up quite as high when baked. Stretch the naan as thin as you can without ripping it so it will bake evenly.

Naan dough that’s been stretched a little too far with holes won’t puff up quite as much as naan without any tears. Still delicious, just a little different look.

How to Bake in the Ooni Koda Pizza Oven

Preheat the Ooni Koda on the highest setting for about 20-30 minutes before baking your first piece of naan bread. The oven should reach a temperature of over 500 degrees Fahrenheit before you bake. On a wooden cutting board, sprinkle a little bit of flour or cornmeal (something to keep the naan from sticking to the cutting board). Stick the naan dough on the cutting board and launch into the pizza oven by quickly thrusting the board forward, moving the naan off the board and into the oven. Bake for about 1 minute until the naan puffs up and is a little charred on the outside. Use a pizza peel to take the naan out of the oven and transfer to a plate. Repeat this process until all of the naan has been baked. You can fit at least two pieces of naan at a time in the Ooni Koda 16 oven once you get the hang of using the pizza oven.

How to Serve Naan Bread

Brush the hot naan with melted butter and top with fresh herbs if desired. Serve the naan bread right away for the most delicious addition to your meal. We eat naan with curry or as a side to a salad or other main dish. Another family favorite is topping day-old naan with pizza toppings for a quick lunch or dinner. If you haven’t tried anything other than pizza in an Ooni Pizza Oven, then what are you waiting for? Try this delicious Naan bread paired with a savory curry or eat it as your main meal. It will be a new family favorite either way.

Frequently Asked Questions

I don’t have a pizza oven. Can I bake this Naan Bread in a regular oven?

If you don’t have a pizza oven, the next best way to bake the naan is on a pre-heated pizza stone in your oven. Crank your oven to 500 degrees and preheat your pizza stone at that temperature. Bake the naan for a few minutes on the pizza stone until puffed up and crispy. You can also bake this bread in a frying pan or using a griddle, though it won’t have quite the same puffy texture and results. It should still taste delicious.

Can I use dry active yeast instead of instant yeast?

Yes. Proof the yeast with the warm water and sugar in a small bowl for about 10 minutes. Once it gives off a sweet, yeasty smell and bubbles, you know it is ready to use.

Can I substitute all purpose flour for bread flour?

You can make this Naan bread with all purpose flour. I recommend adding 1-2 Tablespoons of vital wheat gluten along with the all purpose flour to help increase the protein content of the flour. However, in a pinch you can use only all purpose flour.

What do you serve with Naan Bread?

We love to eat curry with our naan bread. Sometimes we’ll make a salad and pair it with naan or top leftover naan bread with pizza toppings for a quick meal.

How do I store leftover Naan Bread?

If you don’t eat all the naan at once, place leftover naan in a ziplock bag. It can stay on the counter for 24 hours. After 24 hours I would stick it in the freezer to use within a couple of months.

Naan Bread for an Ooni Koda Pizza Oven

Amy
Perfect naan bread made in the Ooni Koda pizza oven. Light, chewy and absolutely perfect, this naan bread bakes up in a minute's time and will be the star of your dinner.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Rise Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 38 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine Indian
Servings 12 pieces

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup warm water (temperature of baby's bathwater) 8 oz
  • 1 Tablespoon instant yeast
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup plain yogurt 9.5 oz (see recipe notes)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil or other neutral flavored oil
  • 4.5-5 cups bread flour 27.5 oz (see recipe notes)
  • 6 Tablespoons melted butter salted or unsalted
  • a bunch of fresh herbs if desired

Instructions
 

  • To a stand mixer add warm water (100ºF), instant yeast and sugar. Let sit for a minute until the instant yeast smells and bubbles just a bit.
  • Add the salt, plain yogurt and olive oil to the mixer. Turn the mixer on and add the flour a cup at a time until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. It should be tacky to the touch but not overly sticky.
  • Mix the dough in a stand mixer for 10 minutes to develop the gluten in the dough. Add a bit more flour as needed.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled container. Cover and let rise until doubled or tripled (about 1-2 hours).
  • Once dough has risen, turn out onto the counter and cut into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a tight ball and set on a baking sheet.
  • Cover and refrigerate the dough balls on the baking sheet for 1 hour or up to 24 hours before baking. Cold dough is easier to shape for the Ooni pizza oven. A longer time in the refrigerator deepens the flavor of the naan bread.
  • Preheat a Ooni Koda Pizza oven for 20-30 minutes on high.
  • Once your oven is pre-heated, take the dough out of the fridge. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a small circle. Use your hands and fingers to stretch the dough out into a larger circle without breaking the bread. Repeat this process with all of the dough balls.
  • Place a piece of naan dough on a wooden cutting board. Using a quick motion, toss the naan bread from the cutting board into the pizza oven. Watch carefully as the naan bread bakes. Each piece should take about 1 minute.
  • The naan is ready when it puffs up and is a little charred on the outside. Use a pizza peel to take the naan out of the oven. The Ooni Koda 16 can bake at least two pieces of naan at a time (it could probably hold four pieces if you can get them all out in time without burning!).
  • Once the naan is out of the oven, slather each piece with melted butter and sprinkle with herbs if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Yogurt: This recipe works best with regular, plain yogurt. Greek yogurt can work but may require a little less flour because the Greek yogurt is thicker. You can substitute sour cream for yogurt in a pinch.
Bread Flour: Bread flour works best in this recipe because of the higher protein content. If you don’t have bread flour, you can substitute all purpose flour and add a Tablespoon of vital wheat gluten to increase the protein content of your all purpose flour. This will give the naan bread more chew. In a pinch you can substitute with all purpose flour, though it really is worth picking up a bag of bread flour at the store for this naan bread.
Keyword naan, ooni, ooni koda, pizza oven, yeast bread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Rating: 1 out of 5.

Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a very small amount from qualifying purchases.

Follow me on Instagram @amybakesbread, like Amy Bakes Bread on Facebook or follow me on Pinterest for more baking ideas. Please share this recipe if you enjoyed it! Post a photo and tag me @amybakesbread so I can see your bake.

14 Comments

  1. Kris Larsen

    Thank you for the detailed and photographed tutorial on Naan Bread. I LOVED your Naan Bread before the new pizza oven, so I’ll be interested to try it with the new oven! Sounds and looks adorable delicious!! 🫓🫓🫓🔥😋

  2. Love this recipe. Thanks so much.

  3. Pingback: Sourdough "Pizza Oven" Pizza - Amy Bakes Bread

  4. Pingback: Sourdough Discard Pita Bread - Amy Bakes Bread

  5. I just made this recipe tonight and it came out exceptionally delicious! Such pillowy tender naan. One minute in the ooni was spot on! I was shocked at how quickly it cooked! Excellent recipe, thank you so much!

  6. I’m okay with ounces, feet, cups, but temperature of baby’s bathwater is too American for me, I’m afraid.

    • Ha! After having 4 babies (“mom” is my primary job) that’s often the terms I think in. It should be around 95 degrees F or about 35 Celsius

  7. Amy, I would love to try this recipe, but I was wanted to ask you if I am able to veganize the recipe for a similar cook and taste.

    • I have never tried making those substitutions but I think it would fare pretty well. If you decide to try it let me know how it turns out!

  8. Naan Maker

    Hi Amy, I think there is a measurement discrepancy in your recipe:
    > 4.5-5 cups bread flour 27.5 oz (see recipe notes)

    5 cups = 1.4lbs = 16.8oz

    Even in liquid oz it would be 40oz.

    • This is exactly why I love the weight measurements more than cups/ volume measurements. I need to updated this with grams which is what I write all my recipes in now.

      Cups are not really standardized. Some people say it’s 120 grams per cup of flour, others say 140-160 grams per cup. My cups are in the 150 range and so this measurement is actually correct.

      27.5 oz is about 780 grams.

      780/150 is about 5 cups of flour.

      I give weight measurements that I actually use and test multiple times because they are more accurate than cups with everyone measuring a cup differently. But there are some people who love using cups and have done it their whole lives and don’t want to switch over…so I include cup measurements and detailed instructions about what the dough should feel like for those who want to use cups.

      Thanks for drawing my attention to this one though. I do need to make it again and update it with metric measurements.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Recipe Rating